Great Canadian Photography: Meet the 2017 Share Your Canada Photo Contest Winners

Congratulations to the winners of our annual photo contest—choosing among such amazing entries wasn’t easy! Here are the winners, along with some others we felt worthy of special mention. Thanks to all who participated!

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Storming skies
Photo: Alicia Strelkov

1st Place: $500 – “Storming Skies”

Winning photographer: Alicia Strelkov, Alberta

“When a sudden storm blew up just as the sun was setting, I ran to get my camera. It was an incredible sight, and I was very excited the photo turned out so well.”

Here are 10 Stunning Photos That Remind Us How Beautiful Canada Really Is.

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Croquet, anyone?
Photo: Rhea Hayes

2nd Place: $300 – “Croquet, Anyone?”

Winning photographer: Rhea Hayes, British Columbia

“For the past three years, Port Coquitlam‘s mayor has hosted a croquet tournament in support of our local Port Coquitlam Community Foundation. Local businesses pay to participate in the all-day round-robin event, which culminates with the announcement of the day’s winner, followed by dinner, drinks, several different auctions and live music. The participants are encouraged to wear traditional white and it is a sight to see, especially with the colourful accents and the umbrellas to protect yourself from the sun!”

These photos prove British Columbia is one of the world’s most beautiful places.

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Ready for his close-up
Photo: Curtis Dauphney

3rd Place: $200 – “Ready for His Close-Up”

Winning photographer: Curtis Dauphney, Nova Scotia

“I captured this image in Cape Breton, N.S., on one of our first warm spring days last May. I was lucky enough to stumble upon these two friendly moose that were simply catching some sun and having lunch. They’re a perfect example of the marvellous wildlife Canada has to offer!”

Check out Nova Scotia’s Best-Kept Bird Watching Secret.

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Island life
Photo: Luc Levesque

Runner-Up – “Island Life”

Winning photographer: Luc Levesque, Newfoundland and Labrador

“I took this photo at Cavendish Pond, N.L. I was driving along one spring afternoon when I rounded a bend in the road and saw this incredible view. This pic captures the quintessential scenery of many Newfoundland outports—the little multi-coloured huts framed the iceberg perfectly.”

This couple’s trip to Newfoundland completed their quest to visit every province.

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At One with Nature
Photo: Dawn Kawahara

Runner-Up – “At One with Nature”

Winning photographer: Dawn Kawahara, Alberta

While vacationing in British Columbia, my sons—Jesse (12) and Justin (ten)—and I explored one of the redwood forests. Jesse has always been attuned to nature, and he fit in well among the towering trees. He was exploring all the little details on the forest floor, and as he looked up towards the canopy, I couldn’t resist taking this shot of him as the sun’s rays highlighted him against the trees in the background. He was completely at home in nature.”

Here’s 50 of the Most Beautiful Quotes About Nature.

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Sweet nectar
Photo: Adrienne Assinewai

Runner-Up – “Sweet Nectar”

Winning photographer: Adrienne Assinewai, Sudbury

“I love this photo because I just love the milkweed bunch in our backyard. Not only is it great for the monarch butterflies, but it also serves as the place to be for other insects. We enjoy observing insects visit the patch and also enjoy watching ants dip their tiny bodies into the flowers to get at the nectar. These milkweeds are such a temptation to bugs that they are a great distraction from our vegetable garden!”

These 20 stunning shots will inspire you to flex your green thumb.

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Bear With Us
Photo: Claudia Edel

Runner-Up – “Bear with Us”

Winning photographer: Claudia Edel, Alberta

“While camping in Waterton Lakes National Park last summer, there was a sudden commotion. An RCMP officer dressed in his red serge appeared, along with park staff to chase a bear back into the woods. The bear climbed up into several trees, while park staff shot rubber bullets to get the bear to move. They, together with the Mountie, were finally successful in scaring the black bear back into the forest.”

Here are 13 often-overlooked reasons it’s awesome to live in Canada.

Originally Published in Our Canada

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