Field notes on shooting the Canadian outdoors.

Coast Journal documents the working details of outdoor nature photography in Canada: which camera settings hold up in changing mountain light, how to build a composition in open terrain, and how seasonal light behaves from the Rockies to the boreal forest.

Morning light over the Canadian Rockies
Morning light in the Canadian Rockies. Photograph via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Three fundamentals, written for the field.

Each article covers one fundamental in practical terms, with examples drawn from photographing Canadian landscapes.

Lake Louise panorama, Alberta

Camera Settings

Camera Settings for Nature Photography

The exposure triangle in practical terms — aperture, shutter speed, and ISO choices for moving water, wildlife, and wide mountain scenes.

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Moraine Lake and the Valley of the Ten Peaks

Composition

Composition Techniques for Outdoor Scenes

Building order in open landscapes — the rule of thirds, leading lines, and foreground anchors applied to lakes, ridgelines, and forest edges.

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Aurora borealis over Chisasibi, Quebec

Natural Light

Working with Natural Light Across Canadian Seasons

How light changes through the year at northern latitudes — golden hour, overcast diffusion, snow reflection, and long winter shadows.

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From the camera in your hands to the light on the scene.

01

Settings first

Exposure decisions are explained as trade-offs, not fixed recipes, so they transfer between cameras and conditions.

02

Then composition

Framing techniques are shown against real Canadian terrain — alpine lakes, river valleys, and mixed forest.

03

Then light

Seasonal and daily light is covered with attention to high-latitude conditions found across much of Canada.

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Start with the camera settings notes.

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