PHOTOS: a once-in-a-lifetime aurora borealis experience

Our Photo of the Month goes to photographer Jadene Grimmon for this artfully composed image of a bison grazing in Elk Island National Park, Alta. I was particularly drawn to the colours of this photograph as well as the placement of the subject, which demonstrates the rule of thirds. The contrast of negative to positive space further enhances the image by creating symmetry and balance that is not always easy to achieve in wildlife and nature photography.

Photos of the Week for the month of September

Other photos we featured in September included an adorable shot of a fox kit captured by Aman Sharma in Algonquin Park, Ont., and a beautiful snowy owl photographed by Yagnesh Mangukiya.
Each Monday, our editors choose a new Photo of the Week to feature as the cover photo on our Facebook and X accounts. We share it on Instagram, too!
Want to see your photo featured? Be sure to join and upload to our Photo Club.

On Oct. 7, 2024, airline pilot, storm chaser and photographer, Matt Melnyk experienced a once-in-a-lifetime aurora borealis event that resulted in some spectacular photographs. Read about Melnyk's experience below and browse though his outstanding images.

"Last night was by far the most amazing display of aurora borealis I have seen in my whole life. I have been chasing and photographing Aurora for around 17 years. I have seen a lot of aurora, but nothing like last night. What amazed me the most about last night's show were the colours and how vivid they were to the naked eye - I had never seen those bright red colours before. Normally those colours are only picked up through a camera during a long exposure. These photos were taken in a field that has a lot of abandoned buildings and barns northeast of Calgary. The best part of the show started around 11 p.m. and lasted for a good 20 minutes. During this time, I took as many photos as I could from all different angles of the interesting foreground. I truly believe that a show like this one is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I'm extremely grateful that I was there to witness this extraordinary event in person."

- Matt Melnyk, @matt_melnyk_photography

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(Photo: @maxime_lv_photography/IG)

CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC ADVENTURES
PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD

Earlier this year, RCGS Ambassador and landscape photographer Scott Forysth embarked on an unforgettable heli-hiking journey with CMH Summer Adventures. Hiking among the mighty Cariboo mountains, Forsyth was able to capture the untamed beauty of the region from epic sunsets and mountain peaks to vertical climbs and glacier walks. Browse through some of Forysth's photographs below and see for yourself just how magnificent this area of Canada really is.
Photos by Scott Forsyth

This Bell 407 helicopter, resting next to the lake is our ‘Magic Chariot’ carrying us to locations that would otherwise be inaccessible, within just moments of completing breakfast.

Even to our pilot Lucas, who works here, it never gets old. While waiting patiently for our photographic group to return, I caught this picture of him simply appreciating the view of Zillmer Glacier.

Canoe river winds through the valley next to the Cariboos Mountain Lodge, stemming from a range of mountains named after several of Canada’s Prime Ministers.

Our guide Hunn, strolls along a rock ridge overlooking the Zillmer Glacier in the backdrop. A sense of time is unavoidable here, it seems to suddenly slow in the face of this geological scale, calming whatever daily concerns may still have lingered.

Even the ultra-experienced guide Eric is motivated to stop and capture a time-lapse video of the passing clouds on his phone. Such is the power of this natural vista.

A panoramic view of the Zillmer Glacier from a UAV camera illustrating the mountain sculpting achievement of ice.

Doesn’t matter how you get there, the alpine high is always the same.

Moments after leaving the lodge we landed near this vista. Beams of sunlight sweeping over the valley, illuminating fragments of a glacier covered in a relatively recent rockslide.