Winners

“When my family and I were at our cottage on Six Mile Lake one weekend in March, we spotted a beautiful barred owl staring right at us. We were shocked at first but remained calm and quiet to peacefully watch our new little owl friend. The sun was shining on the second day of spring, the snow was melting and the muddy ground was beginning to peek through. The owl was perched on a branch in the middle of the mixed evergreen forest camouflaging himself against the bark of the tree. I knew the second I took the photo, that it needed to be shared with everyone because it was so cool. I love the different colours in the photo and how the owl looks so symmetrical. I also like the rough bark of the tree against his soft, white and brown feathers. I wanted to get close by zooming in but also wanted to show where he was in the woods, but if I had to change anything, it would probably be maybe cropping the photo a bit.”

“I wanted to capture something small but beautiful in nature. I think I achieved my goal because the snail shell stands out with its bright colours and patterns on its shell.

This photo makes me feel calm and curious. It reminds me to slow down and notice the little things in nature that end up being so cool. I like the bright colors and patterns on the shell and how the light from the sun reflects off it.

The rough bark in the background with the smooth shell textures look cool together. The branches also guide your eyes to the shell. The snail is the main character so I thought the wood in the background would make it look even more entwined in nature.

This snail is part of the Temperate Deciduous Forest biome and the Mixedwood Plain Ecozone. Snails use their shells for protection and to blend into their surroundings. This photo reminds me how animals survive in nature. To improve my photo, I could try a different angle or take the photo at a time with softer light, like in the morning.

That might show more details and colours off the shell.”

“The goal of this photo is to show a frog at the Toronto Zoo in a natural moment. I wanted to capture a small animal that is often overlooked.

I feel calm when I look at this photo because it reminds me of nature.

Artistically, I focused on the frog and its colors. The lighting helps the frog stand out.

Scientifically, the frog is an amphibian that needs water to survive.

The biome is likely a wetland or forest area.

The photo could be improved with better lighting or a more active pose.”

“Morning rain droplets on winter moss. I wanted to capture the bright reflecting rain drops resting on the moss to create an astonishing magical photo. I love this photo very much because it was taken near my home and really shows how beautiful nature can be. I had recently done research on Ecosystems and learned that a wet mossy landscape indicates a functioning Micro-Ecosystem. Providing water and shelter to micro-organisms like tardigrades, nematodes and mites. I think it is amazing how one little piece of moss living by the Fraser River can be such a huge part of the Ecosystem. I don’t know how I would improve this photo because I love the focused droplets, blurred background and natural colouration of it.”

“The goal of this photograph is showcasing the calling of spring through migrating birds. The significance of robins arriving after winter provides relief and hope. The subtle beauty of robins is also eye-catching, especially when aligned with a complementary background.

I feel connected to this photograph for two reasons. Firstly, it was taken at my home, making me feel secure and safe with the photo. Secondly, I have always loved watching birds fly during migration. This makes the photograph symbolic, joyful, and comfortable for me.

The different levels in my photo make it visually appealing. The foreground, the robin, and the branches are main subjects of this photograph. Meanwhile, the background and middleground highlight the picture’s depth and clarity.
The science behind the photograph is the robin landing on a tree to eat berries and to find a resting place, or even to set up nesting areas for hatchlings.

Something I could improve is how the lower half of the photo has more visual weight than the top, causing heaviness compared to the upper half. This could be improved by taking the photo at a different angle, where the branches could be less crowded, making the picture more balanced.”

“I feel so truly connected to this photograph due to the experience it gave me. It was a quiet afternoon and I went out to photograph snowflakes. I sat down on the trail just near a puddle of melted snow when suddenly a group of American Robins came up to me out of Curiosity. They stayed with me for a while, dipping their little heads in and out of the water whilst I sat in awe. Though they are a simple and common bird. I was still so surprised to see them this close! I took this as a sign that spring shall be on its way!”

“The goal of this photograph was to capture the moment in a natural ecosystem, when a monarch butterfly as lands on a flower while appearing to reach toward a nearby fly. I wanted to highlight how even small organisms share the same space.

I feel personally connected to this image because it made me notice details in nature that I usually overlook, such as how insects interact with one another. It changed how I see everyday environments as active ecosystems rather than empty scenes.

the bright orange and black butterfly contrasts with the softer green background, helping the subject stand out. The positioning of the butterfly’s wings and body creates a sense of movement and direction toward the fly, adding tension and interest to the composition.

this image represents pollination and insect interaction within an ecosystem. It shows how organisms share habitats and species depend on flowering plants and each other for survival.

This photograph could be improved by capturing sharper focus on both insects and by using a different angle to make their interaction clearer.”

“I have always been someone who looked up at the sky with wonder. So, when I first went outside at night at Nitinat Lake I was nothing but struck by wonder.

After letting my eyes adjust and studying the sky for what seemed like forever, I got my camera and decided I had to capture this moment of amazement through my lens. I wanted to get as much of the milky way in the photo as i could, while still keeping the mountains and lake in the picture, as a way to contrast how small we are in comparison to the Milky Way.

From a scientific aspect the only way i was able to see the milky way to this level was due to extreme lack of light pollution. Nitinat is very far from any city lights, so as a result of that the sky is extremely dark. This represents how wild and untouched parts of our world still are and how we should strive to achieve that in more places. Overall, this photo could have been improved by accounting for the rotation of the planet, thus reducing the slight blur in the stars.”

“This picture is a macro photograph taken with a macro filter on an 18–55 mm lens at 18 mm. The image captures morning dew drops caught in a spider web, which I always find symbolizing the hidden beauty, complexity, and interconnectedness of nature. I wanted to highlight this special detail of the forest, something only a macro lens can reveal.

There is a strong vignette present. If the lens were of higher quality, the vignette would likely be reduced and the image would be sharper, but I really liked for the focus to be in the center, highlighting the beautiful morning jewels of nature.”