Capture the Dark 2026

I was recently honoured to receive the People's Choice Award in DarkSky's Capture the Dark astrophotography competition. I could not have achieved this without the support of my friends and family who voted for me and the many others who enjoyed my photo, and to them, I am incredibly grateful.  

Above is my photograph "The Great Bear and the Rainbow Bridge La Grande Ourse et le pont arc-en-ciel" depicting the constellation of Ursa Major surrounded by the mosaic of the northern lights and multiple meteors. 

Artist Statement 

As a young Canadian fascinated by ancient folklore, I’ve grown up learning of Indigenous stories in which the Aurora Borealis represents the spirits of ancestors. I believe this image reflects those legends, depicting the constellations of Ursa Major (the Great Bear) and Canes Venatici (the Hunting Dogs) surrounded by the vibrant mosaic of the northern lights. 

Déclaration de l'artiste 

En tant que jeune Canadien qui a grandi en apprenant de nombreuses histoires autochtones où l'aurore boréale représente les esprits des ancêtres et qui est fasciné par le folklore ancien, cette image représente bon nombre de ces contes. Il montre les constellations de la Grande Ourse, le grand ours, et des Canes Venatici, les chiens de chasse, entourés de la mosaïque des aurores boréales. 

I submitted my entry in both English and Français to connect with the Canadian and northern themes of the image, even though my Français really isn't the best. I also wanted to connect the photograph to Indigenous stories and traditions surrounding the Aurora Borealis, which I have long been fascinated by.

I remember the night I took this image quite well. It was late at night and my family and I went out to observe the auroras, which were absolutely stunning with their many colours. We were all taking photos, but as soon as I took this image I knew it was one of my favourites. 

Technical Details:

Camera: Canon EOS Rebel t4i
Aperture: f/3.2
Shutter Speed: 1.3 seconds
ISO: 1250

I encourage everyone to check out the other winning photos here: https://darksky.org/what-we-do/events/photo-contest/capture-the-dark-2026-winning-photographs/

I also encourage you to check out DarkSky and their movement to bring awareness to the issues of light pollution and the preservation of our night skies.