One of the most important elements in photography is light. In our everyday lives, we often take natural and artificial light sources for granted. We don't typically think about where our light is coming from and how this will affect our photographs until we become frustrated with under or over-exposed images. Derived from the Greek word "photo," photography literally means "drawing with light." A successful image is determined by good lighting as this element not only affects brightness and darkness, but also mood, tone and overall atmosphere. In this image of a bald eagle captured by Jacob Zamora on the coast of Prince Edward Island, natural light is being used to perfectly illuminate the eagle perched on the shore. When you are photographing outdoors, there are three principles you can follow to ensure your image has a captivating outcome: intensity, direction and quality of light. Many professional photographers believe that the perfect light comes from the "golden hour," which is the hour right before sunset and after sunrise. Consider these times of the day when you are photographing next to see if the overall mood of your images changes.

Photos of the Week for the month of April 
 

Other photos we featured in April included a beautifully captured alley of trees after the first snowfall by Jean-Francois Gagne and a dark-eyed junco in British Columbia captured by Melissa Alves. 

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.

#ShareCanGeo
 

We love when you tag us on Instagram using #ShareCanGeo. Here are a few of our recent favourites.

Click on each picture to be brought to the photographer’s Instagram page!

 

The 2024 Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year competition is open! 

Get your cameras ready because our immensely popular Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year competition is back!
 

This year, we are giving away $10,000 in cash prizes, including a grand prize of $5,000 to one individual deserving of the title Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year! As always, we’re looking for your best shots of wildlife in Canada — plus non-animal wildlife! Enter into one of four categories for your chance to win the category prize of $1,000. The Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year will be selected from among entries to all four categories. Visit the competition website to read the full list of rules. 

The categories

Things with wings: We’re looking for birds and bees — plus butterflies, bats, bugs and more. If it flies through the air, it belongs in this category.

Aquatic life: From tide pools to ponds, rivers to oceans, water is teeming with — and essential to — life. We want to see your best shots of fishes and kelp fronds, whales and wading birds.

Terrestrial life: From iconic predators like bears and wolves to majestic and elusive ungulates like moose and caribou to common-yet-charismatic mammals like foxes and squirrels, we’re looking for great images of Canada’s diverse land animals — and the habitats they depend on. 

Flora and fungi: Interest in plants, trees, lichens and fungi is mushrooming (see what we did there?). We’re looking for creative shots revealing non-animal wildlife and the roles they play in their respective ecosystems.

The competition closes on July 31, 2024, so don't delay!