Canadian Geographic's Canadian Photos of the Year chase the light

CBC

29-01-2025

Shane Turgeon says he's been chasing the light ever since he had a nervous breakdown in 2012.
"It scared the hell out of me, and in the process of that, I discovered photography," Turgeon, 47, of Edmonton and Pincher Creek, Alta., recently told Canadian Geographic magazine.
On Wednesday, the magazine announced the winners of its 2024 Canadian Photos of the Year competition. It honours 14 photographers who captured some of the best shots of 2024.
Turgeon was named the grand prize winner.
IN PHOTOS | Winning Canadian wildlife images
"Photography is this place of light," Turgeon said in a news release. "We're constantly chasing the light, figuratively and literally, because, in life or photography, we want that light in our life."
In one of his winning photos, sunset adds a warm glow to this developing supercell near Bentley, Alta.
(Shane Turgeon)
In another winning image, he meets the eyes of a grizzly bear in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alta., which he describes as a profound moment.
"You understand that we are all deeply interconnected," Turgeon said. "That we are all a part of nature. That we all require a clean environment and have a need for a safe existence."
(Shane Turgeon)
Outside of of the grand prize, the competition had four other categories.
In the outdoor adventure category, Sara Kempner of Cumberland, B.C., won for this image of mountain bikers racing side-by-side on parallel tracks during the "Speed & Style" competition at the 2024 finale of the Crankworx World Tour, held in Whistler, B.C.
(Sara Kempner)
In the flora, fauna and fungi category, Stuart White of Mount Pearl, N.L., won for his photo of two red fox kits tumbling around in the dirt of Bonavista.
(Stuart White)
Peter Baumgarten of Manitowaning, Ont., won the urban and natural landscapes category for his photo of the late afternoon sun between the silhouettes of two condo towers in Etobicoke.
Craig Boehm of Regina won the weather, seasons and skies category with this image, called cinnamon bun, of a tornado-warned storm swirling over the prairies of Avonlea, Sask.
(Craig Boehm)
The competition was judged by Christian Fleury, Jenny Wong, Scott Forsyth, Ryan Tidman and the magazine's editorial and design teams.
Here are a few other photos honoured in the annual competition that caught our eye.
For an honourable mention in the flora, fauna and fungi category, Rain Saulnier of Calgary captured these Atlantic puffins near Elliston, N.L.
(Rain Saulnier)
Matthew Littlewood of Banff, Alta., was the runner up in the outdoor adventure category for this photo of the Dome Glacier, on the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park.
(Matthew Littlewood)
And Peter O'Hara of Canmore, Alta., captured the northern lights dancing over Vermillion Lakes in Banff National Park to nab an honourable mention the weather, seasons and skies category.