Photo by Brandon Broderick. Winner, Canadian Photographer of the Year.
“A grizzly bear munches on clover on a foggy morning near Muncho Lake, B.C.”
One of Canada’s oldest and most beloved magazines, Canadian Geographic, is celebrating the country’s talented photographers with its Canadian Photos of the Year competition. The 2023 contest saw over 8,000 entries, with 12 being singled out for their originality, technical skill, and visual impact.
In addition, Brandon Broderick has been named Canadian Photographer of the Year for his strong portfolio of work. The talented photographer, who is based in British Columbia, was a runner-up in the Epic Landscapes category last year. This motivated him to work even harder to take home the overall win with his landscape and wildlife photography. To do so, he spent the last year scouting locations for the perfect photographs and came away with winning images of grizzly bears, ravens, and even the Canada lynx. And thanks to these efforts, he took home the CA$5,000 (approximately US$3,750) cash prize.
“You’ve got to keep getting out there, keep putting in the miles, know the species you’re after, and know your gear,” Broderick advises, “so that when that moment happens, you’re ready for it.”
Photographers entered their photos into four categories—Outdoor Adventure, Wildlife in Action, Weather, Seasons and Skies, and Urban and Natural Landcapes. Their work was then judged by Canadian Geographic’s editorial and design staff, as well as Canadian Geographic Photographer-in-Residence Scott Forsyth and award-winning photographer Christian Fleury.
The winners were rewarded for their technical skills, artistic vision, and, quite often, their tenacity. For instance, Wildlife in Action winner Liron Gertsman spent three days in a river in the interior of Vancouver Island to capture a stunning split shot of a black bear and the salmon upon which it depends for nourishment.
“Every year, our team is blown away by the talent and passion of our photography community,” said Canadian Geographic editor-in-chief Alexandra Pope. “Although they all portray different locations and subjects, these images have one thing in common: they made us stop and say ‘Wow.’”
For their efforts, all the winners will see their photos published in the March/April issue of Canadian Geographic, which hits newsstands in mid-February.
Canadian Geographic has named Brandon Broderick the 2023 Canadian Photographer of the Year.
Photo by Brandon Broderick. Winner, Canadian Photographer of the Year.
“A Canada lynx crouches on a snow-dusted ridge off the highway near Fort Nelson, B.C.”
Photo by Brandon Broderick. Winner, Canadian Photographer of the Year.
“A long exposure enhances the drama of the 60-metre Kinuseo Falls, located in Monkman Provincial Park near Tumbler Ridge, B.C.”
Twelve other exceptional photos were also singled out in the 2023 Canadian Photos of the Year competition.
Photo by Liron Gertsman. Wildlife in Action, Winner.
“A female pink salmon has completed its long journey from the ocean to its home river in central Vancouver Island to spawn — and perhaps become a meal for a hungry black bear. The photographer worked for three days to capture this split shot highlighting the relationship between these two keystone species.”
Photo by Murray Cotton. Urban and Natural Landscapes, Runner-up.
“The sun sets over the badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its iconic hoodoos and abundance of dinosaur fossils.”
Photo by Alan McCord. Outdoor Adventure, Winner.
“A trio of surfers heads for shore, leaving the beach to the blackbirds as fog begins to roll in at Cox Bay in Tofino, B.C.”
Photo by Bing Li. Urban and Natural Landscapes, Honorable Mention.
“The Three Sisters mountains are reflected in a small lake at sunset in Canmore, Alberta.”
The winning photos were selected from the more than 8,000 images entered into the contest.
Photo by Shaun Antle. Wildlife in Action, Honorable Mention.
“Water cascades over the eye of a great blue heron as it plunges its bill into Lake Chipican, near Sarnia, Ontario.”
Photo by Chandresh Kedhambadi. Outdoor Adventure, Runner-up.
“An ice climber scales the inside of a glacier cave on the Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, Alberta. Months later, the photographer returned to the area to find that this section of the glacier had disappeared.”
Photo by Joel Waghela. Weather, Seasons and Skies, Runner-up.
“A G3 geomagnetic storm produces a dazzling display of aurora borealis over dilapidated farm structures in Pense, Sask. The G-Scale is used to measure the intensity of geomagnetic storms, with G1 being the weakest and G5 the strongest.”
Photo by Todd Mintz. Weather, Seasons and Skies, Winner.
“Storm clouds gather over Powell Inlet on Devon Island, Nunavut.”
Photo by Sara Kempner. Outdoor Adventure, Honorable mention.
“A racer takes on the Creeper Trail near Nanaimo, B.C. during the BC Bike Race, a seven-day, multi-stage mountain bike race. Dry trail conditions made for some atmospheric shots as the morning sun filtered through dust kicked up by the racers.”
Photo by Braydon Morisseau. Weather, Seasons and Skies, Honorable Mention.
“Alberta’s strongest tornado since the infamous 1987 Black Friday twister etches its mark on the landscape southeast of Didsbury, Alta. on July 1, 2023, while a chase vehicle looks on.”
Photo by Aaron Ward. Urban and Natural Landscapes, Winner.
“The rising sun shines through a gap between the horizon and a blanket of dark clouds, illuminating Vancouver’s Science World building.”
Photo by Matt Parish. Wildlife in Action, Runner-up.
“A common loon shakes water from its feathers as the sun rises over Mitchell Lake in Kirkfield, Ontario.”