Golden hour is one of the most rewarding times to photograph wildlife, not only for the soft, warm light it casts, but also for the way it elevates a scene with natural drama and depth.

In this striking image of a red fox, the subject sits poised and contemplative against a softly blurred backdrop, a fleeting moment of stillness in the wild.

Captured by Can Geo Photo Club member Les Piccolo in the Northwest Territories, the photograph stands out for its thoughtful composition and technical finesse. The fox is perfectly framed using the rule of thirds, guiding the viewer’s eye to its alert posture and striking profile. A shallow depth of field cleanly isolates the subject, while golden light illuminates the rich texture of its fur. It’s a stunning example of how timing, patience and an artist’s eye can come together to produce a truly memorable wildlife portrait.

Other photos we featured in May included a striking image of a blue-winged teal taking flight, captured by Matt Parish, and a colourful shot of a beautiful Baltimore oriole captured by Anastasiia Khvostyk.  

Each Monday, our editors choose a new Photo of the Week to feature as the cover photo on our Facebook account. We share it on Instagram, too!

Want to see your photo featured? Be sure to join and upload to our Photo Club.

We love when you tag us on Instagram using #ShareCanGeo. Here are a few of our recent favourites.

Click on each picture to be brought to the photographer’s Instagram page!
 

Only ten days left to enter the Canadian Wildlife Photography of the Year competition! 

This year, we are awarding our grand prize winner the opportunity to take on a two-year term as a Canadian Geographic Emerging Photographer-in-Residence. During this time, they will have up to three winning images in print, be promoted in Canadian Geographic’s masthead, have opportunities to shoot on assignment and more! We also have four category winners and runners-up, who will also have their images published in our November/December 2025 issue.

As always, we’re looking for your best shots of wildlife in Canada — plus non-animal wildlife! The Canadian Wildlife Photographer of the Year will be selected from among entries to all four categories. Visit the competition website to read the full list of rules and read about the four categories.

The Competition ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on June 30th!