I had this bizarre dream last night. I was sitting in the driver's seat of a dusty old pickup truck, tapping the gas gauge, hopelessly stranded on a lonely road near Ma-Me-O Beach. The pickup’s rusty door scratched and creaked as I got out in search of help. Surveying the roadside lit only by the dancing green and yellow hues of the northern lights, I locked eyes with a coyote curiously nibbling on a strand of long grass. The coyote paused, grinned and said: "Hey, who won the McBain Photo Contest?"
That totally real dream I definitely had turned out to be the perfect setup for April’s Monthly Photo Contest. Once again, your creative submissions made a lasting impression on us, and we're excited to share the finalists and our winner.
Enter May's Monthly Photo Contest Here!
WINNER
Tonya Davison
On her road trip in Ponoka County near Gull Lake, Tonya found a couple of old Ford trucks sitting along the road. Like any photographer, she whipped out her camera, looking to explore her curiosity through the lens of history frozen in time.
Tonya described the scene, “I pulled over to check out the pickups and was amazed to see what was still in one piece. These are the old gauges used in this old Ford pickup.”
It’s amazing when curiosity intersects with craftsmanship both behind and in front of the lens. There are a lot of missed shots when we don’t trust the little voice that says, “Pull over, this might be exciting”. We’re so happy Tonya listened to her instinct. Congratulations on your win, Tonya!
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
Christopher Jarvis-Sallustio
For Christopher, capturing this great shot of a foraging coyote was a matter of precious timing. Being away from his camera with a broken hip, Christopher was eager to get behind the lens, capturing nature’s best on his first outing of spring! Somewhere between food-diving and grass eating, this Coyote learned that this grass meal was an acquired taste. When curiosity bit back, I’m sure this coyote had immediate regrets. Zero Stars. He would not recommend.
Christopher says, “This adorable Coyote was fully unbothered by my friend and me. Some of the grass obviously did not taste all that good.”
Alex Paikada
It’s been awhile since we’ve made a trip past one of our favourite landmarks past Ma-Me-O Beach, but when Alex recently made that trip, what he found was magical.
“The night surprised us,” Alex says. “A green fire unfurled across the sky, whispering secrets older than the highway humming beneath our tires. I pulled over, heart racing, and we stepped into the cold. The car became a shadow, the world a hush. My wife leaned into me, and for a moment time held its breath. We kissed beneath the dancing lights, small and infinite at once. Still, I pressed the shutter, keeping proof of all wonders you can find between destinations, and return again when you least expect it.”
Alex delivered one of the most poetic descriptions of their photo that anyone has submitted. We love his attention to detail and how present he allowed himself to be in the moment. Often, photographers can get so lost behind the camera in composition and settings that they forget to be “in” the magic instead of behind it. What a great reminder that you can be both present and intentional when capturing meaningful, balanced images.
From roadside relics to candid wildlife moments that feel a bit serendipitous, this month’s submissions reminded is that great photography often lives in the in-between stops - the unplanned pauses that reveal stories waiting just off the edge of the road.
To everyone who submitted, thank you for sharing your perspectives with us. Take a peek at this month’s entries, while we encourage you to submit your entry for May’s Monthly Photo Contest.
