Capturing breath taking moments through photography
Understanding how Canadian landscape photographers use their cameras to create art.
Watching a sunset is truly a magical experience. The warm evening rays fill the soul with peace, and as the sun gradually descends toward the horizon, the sky transforms into a canvas of breathtaking colours—from delicate shades of pink to a vibrant mirage of orange, purple, and blue. While the winter months may bring shorter days and longer nights, summer offers a unique opportunity to witness these stunning displays of natural beauty. The summer’s sunrises and sunsets are more vivid and colourful than any other time of the year. It’s the perfect season to chase the glow and create art.
If you’re lucky enough to live in Canada, you can find inspiration from the works of the many talented Canadian photographers—who capture moments that leave us in awe. Scott Aspinall is a photographer based in Saskatchewan, Canada. He is known to be an enthusiast for the outdoors who often incorporates his passion for hiking and exploring into his photography. His photographs showcase the majestic and seasonal beauty of the wilderness, particularly the Canadian Rockies. Aspinall’s work is characterized by his ability to capture light and colour in unique and creative ways, resulting in images that are both visually striking and emotionally powerful. He has a deep appreciation for the natural world. He captures the essence of a location and showcases its connection to the people and animals that inhabit it. His photographs are not just beautiful displays of landscapes, they are images that tell stories and evoke a sense of wonder for the natural world.
Paul Zizka is a photographer based in Banff, Alberta, known for his work in many disciplines of photography, including astrophotography. He has also gained a reputation for his breathtaking sunset captures. By using long exposures to create stunning images of the sun as it dips below the horizon, his shots radiate with enhanced creativity. Alongside the sun, Zizka also photographs mountains, clouds, and bodies of water, to add depth and interest. The Bells is one of Zizka’s most popular photographs—it features two towering peaks in Banff National Park, with a fiery orange and pink sky in the background. This image perfectly captures the magic of a sunset in the mountains, and it has been widely celebrated as a masterpiece of landscape photography.
Known for her dreamy and ethereal landscape photography, Elizabeth Gadd, a photographer based in Toronto, Canada, uses her camera work to evoke the tranquillity, warmth, and coziness of nature. She has a keen eye for detail and often composes her shots in a way that draws the viewer’s eye to a particular element of the image. In many of her sunset photos, she often positions a lone figure—such as a hiker or prominent landmark—against the stunning backdrop of a sunset. Gadd’s work brings a sense of scale and perspective to the vastness of the natural world and makes the viewer feel like they are a part of her landscape.
While there are undoubtedly many other Canadian photographers who specialize in capturing the beauty of sunsets, the works of Aspinall, Zizka, and Gadd are truly inspiring. This summer, take the time to venture outdoors, find your own perfect spot, and watch the sky transform into a canvas of breathtaking colours. Oh, and don’t forget your camera.
Photos Editor (Volume 49; August-December, Volume 50) — Samira is pursuing a Neuroscience Specialist while simultaneously learning and building skills in Photography. She is inspired by seeing the impacts of visual communication on people’s perspectives, understanding, and behaviour. She seeks to cultivate a safe environment where students express their creativity freely and convert their passions into purposes. In her free time, she is probably at the beach or fighting over the last piece of nachos.