The 2025 Canadian Geographic Photos of the Year are as stunning as you'd think
Explore the breathtaking winning entries from the Canadian Geographic 2025 Photo of the Year competition
A split second. A perfect angle. And thousands of photographers chasing moments that may never happen again.
Canadian Geographic received more than 7,000 submissions from across the country for its 2025 Photo of the Year competition, making the judging a monumental task.
“The images are so outstanding, and there are so many that make you stop and say, ‘Whoa!’ or ‘What is that?’ or ‘What's happening…what’s the story here?'” says Alexandra Pope, editor-in-chief at Canadian Geographic.
While timing always matters, Pope says the winning images are rarely accidental.
“It’s mostly work with a little bit of luck,” she adds. “You have to know your locations. You have to have the picture that you want in mind, and you have to plan for the time of day that you're going out.”
That preparation paid off in the “Weather, Seasons and Skies” category, where a dramatic lightning strike southeast of Calgary earned storm chaser and photographer Matt Melnyk the top prize.
Lightning strikes as a severe storm tracks southeast of Calgary on a summer afternoon. (Matt Melnyk/Canadian Geographic)
“I could see the storm,” Melnyk shares. “It was intensifying. It had nice structure. I could see the rain and hail core nicely isolated. I'm like, ‘Oh, this is a good storm, and it's shooting out lightning like crazy! I need to get to a spot now.’”
And for Melnyk, the reward goes far beyond the image itself.
“You'll never get the same lightning shot twice,” he adds. “So I feel like you're basically getting a shot in time that you'll never, ever get again.”
Pope says that dedication, whether it’s driving hundreds of kilometres or waiting for the perfect second, is exactly what makes these images stand out.
You can click here to see and learn more about the winning photos and scroll down for a quick look at a few of the top picks!
Salmon flees a black bear in B.C. (Anthony Bucci/Canadian Geographic)
Sea otter greeting photographer Anthony Bucci on Vancouver Island. (Anthony Bucci/Canadian Geographic)
Climber Simon Ennals rappels into an ice cave on the Dome Glacier in the heart of Jasper National Park, Alta. (Will Lambert/Canadian Geographic)
Flora, fauna and fungi in B.C.’s Howe Sound. (Eli Wolpin/Canadian Geographic)
The Milky Way sets over the Salmon Glacier near Stewart, B.C. (Runner-up: Shane Turgeon/Canadian Geographic)