Speakers
Sandra Bartocha
KEYNOTE SPEAKERSandra Bartocha is a German photographer, author, and speaker whose work is less concerned with describing the visible world than with making moods, rhythms, and transitions tangible. In her images, she is not searching for the spectacular, but for the delicate and fleeting – for the spaces in between.
Her photographs are characterized by poetic depth, subtle nuance, and a visual language that understands nature as an emotional landscape. Her work is exhibited in numerous museums and galleries worldwide. With her photobooks, LYS – An Intimate Journey to the North and Rhythm of Nature, she has demonstrated how photography can become a visual narrative that extends far beyond a single image. Alongside her artistic practice, Sandra Bartocha is deeply engaged in contemporary photographic discourse. Since 2007, she has served as Vice President of the German Society for Nature Photography (GDT) and as editor-in-chief of the magazine Forum Naturfotografie. In addition, she works as a curator and editor, supporting other photographers in shaping image series into coherent exhibitions or thoughtfully sequenced books.
She is regularly invited to serve on juries for major international photography competitions, and her own work has received numerous accolades, including Wildlife Photographer of the Year and the International Photography Awards.
Eric Bennet
Eric has had the good fortune of traveling all over the world in pursuit of his art. While he spends most of his time exploring the deserts near his current home in Utah, photography has taken him to over 30 different countries, from the coastlines of Australia to the glaciers of the Arctic, in search of new experiences and landscapes. He likes to think that the deep love he has for nature and exploration shows through his imagery.
Eric believes that landscape photography has the power to cause people to fall in love with the remarkable, natural beauty of our planet. His travels are motivated by this idea that if he can capture a place in the right way, he can give the world a glimpse of its true value in its unaltered, natural state. He hopes that his imagery can inspire a desire in others to protect and conserve the little wilderness we have left.
In the modern world of landscape photography, Eric seeks to set himself apart by having an unmistakable and unique style. His constant search of unseen places and perspectives has provided him with a refreshing and original portfolio of visual art. Through the combination of his creative vision with advanced post-processing techniques, he has been able to teach many clients how to improve their photography skills as well.
Travis Layton
Presented by Nikon
Travis Layton, known online as Trav in the Bush, is a bird photographer, educator, and Nikon Ambassador based in Victoria, BC. Before picking up a camera, Travis spent years working as a wilderness guide across Canada, leading multi-day trips by foot, sea kayak, and dog sled. It was during these times in the backcountry that shaped the way he sees the natural world and continues to influence his approach to wildlife photography today.
Through his brand, Trav in the Bush, Travis teaches bird photography in a way that’s authentic, accessible, and deeply tied to nature. He brings humor, real-world field experience, and a grounded approach to every lesson, whether he’s sharing educational content online or leading his bird photography workshops. Travis’ work focuses on helping people slow down, notice the birds more, and consistently capture sharper, more intentional bird photos.
Follow Me North: Jesse and Susan Villemaire
Follow Me North is led by Jesse and Susan Villemaire, photographers and educators based in Muskoka, Ontario who are known for their friendly, down-to-earth approach to wildlife and landscape photography. Their workshops in Algonquin Park, South Africa, and other amazing places around the globe are built around a simple idea: “Inspiring connections with nature, and each other, through photography.”
Jesse and Susan focus on ethical practices, real hands-on learning, and meeting people exactly where they are in their photography journey. Their teaching style is practical, clear, and encouraging, helping photographers build confidence, understand behavior in the field, and create images that feel authentic to them. Above all, they hope people walk away feeling more connected, more inspired, and more present in the places they explore.
Erica Robinson
Presented by Tamron
Erica Robinson has always had a strong passion for both photography and travel, but once merging the two together is where she found her true passion. After studying photography in college her first adventure was working as a photographer for a cruise line out on the ships. Trying to pursue a different genre she then worked with talented Boston wedding photographers while learning the technical side working for a local camera store. Photography is an incredible tool that allows us to stop a moment and relive it every time we look at that image. She genuinely enjoys teaching others how to capture that moment, to relive it over and over again.
Joe Desjardins
Presented by Sony
For nearly three decades, Joe Desjardins has chased the wild through his lens. From the rugged peaks of the Rockies to the frozen edges of the Arctic, he has built a reputation for capturing the untamed beauty of wildlife and landscapes across Canada and beyond.
His work has earned multiple national accreditations with the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC) in wildlife, nature, landscape, equine, portraiture, and others—along with the prestigious designation of Master Photographer in Nature (MPN) with Master Photographers International. Award-winning and nationally published, Joe’s images serve as both inspiration and reference for photographers at every level.
As co-host of The Nature Photo Guys Podcast with Chris Gibbs, Joe blends humour, insight, and hard-earned field experience to connect with a wide audience of nature enthusiasts. Above all, Joe’s greatest passion is teaching. Through workshops, seminars, and speaking engagements, he thrives on helping photographers refine their technical skills and uncover their creative voice. Whether in a classroom, along a trail, or waiting quietly for wildlife to emerge, he finds energy and inspiration in the enthusiasm of his students.
For Joe, the true reward is when his photography inspires others to step outside, explore, and experience the wild for themselves.
Jillian A Brown
Jillian Brown is a Canadian documentary photographer known for taking her cameras to the extremes and pushing herself, mentally and physically, to share a story and the power of connecting to the natural world.
Showcasing the healing power we can find within nature has been a part of Jillian’s life since she was young and received her first camera. Following her passion for adventure and photography she headed west to British Columbia after studying Fine Arts and Photography in University. But just 6 years later she found herself escaping an abusive relationship and living in a tent in the woods. Diagnosed with PTSD, Jillian found that being back within nature offered her the best healing. This drove her to begin to write and share a deeper look into how nature, and our connection to it, can offer so much more than just a view.
As she utilized her tools to overcome, she learned to push herself and her craft to the limits. Shifting her mindset allowed her to achieve a world first of paddling a tandem sea kayak down the Colorado river through the Grand Canyon and become the first Canadian and female to paddle across America; documenting nature, culture, and the stories that flowed deep through the heart of the states. She began to share her journey through impactful imagery, accompanied by compelling writing and captivating presentations, speaking to university ecology classes, military members, high schools, on countless interviews and podcasts and for organizations such as Cadets of Canada, MEC, Arc'teryx, and She Summit. She was honored to be named one of the Faces of Mental Health by Bell Let's Talk.
Jillian's life revolves around her passion for sharing stories of the outdoors, encounters with wildlife, culture, giving a voice to the unheard, awareness and education, however she can as well as being a full time caregiver for her fiance. Knowing that impacting just one person in her life is enough, Jillian continues sharing, hoping she may impact just one more.
Myrna Pearman
Myrna Pearman is a retired biologist, a best-selling author as well as an enthusiastic nature photographer and writer, kayaker and backroads rambler. She is a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, the Resident Naturalist for Mother Nature’s Seeds, and is actively involved with the Red Deer River Naturalists.
Special Guest: William Neill
William Neill, a resident of the Yosemite National Park area since 1977, is a landscape photographer concerned with conveying the deep, spiritual beauty he sees and feels in Nature. Neill’s award-winning photography has been widely published in books, magazines, calendars, and posters, and his limited-edition prints have been collected and exhibited in museums and galleries nationally, including the Museum of Fine Art Boston, Santa Barbara Museum of Art, The Vernon Collection, and The Polaroid Collection. Neill received a BA degree in Environmental Conservation at the University of Colorado. In 1995, Neill received the Sierra Club’s Ansel Adams Award for conservation photography.
Neil’s assignment and published credits include National Geographic, Smithsonian, Natural History, National Wildlife, Conde Nast Traveler, Gentlemen’s Quarterly, Travel and Leisure, Wilderness, Sunset, Sierra and Outside magazines. For 26 years, he wrote 150 essays for his column, On Landscape, in Outdoor Photographer magazine. Feature articles about his work have appeared in Life, Camera and Darkroom, Outdoor Photographer and Communication Arts, from whom he has also received five Awards of Excellence.
His work was chosen to illustrate two special edition books published by The Nature Company, Rachel Carson’s The Sense of Wonder and John Fowles’s The Tree. His photographs were also published in a three-book series on the science of natural processes in collaboration with the Exploratorium Museum of San Francisco: By Nature’s Design (Exploratorium / Chronicle Books, 1993), The Color of Nature (Exploratorium/Chronicle Books, 1996) and Traces of Time
(Chronicle Books/Exploratorium, Fall 2000). A portfolio of his Yosemite photographs has been published entitled Yosemite: The Promise of Wildness (Yosemite Association, 1994) for which he received The Director’s Award from the National Park Service. A monograph of his landscape photography entitled Landscapes of the Spirit (Bulfinch Press/Little, Brown, 1997) relates his beliefs in the healing power of nature. Neill’s book, William Neill–Photographer, A
Retrospective (Triplekite Publishing, 2017) is a collection of his photographs taken over the past forty years. His most recent books are Light on the Landscape (Rocky Nook, 2020), a collection of essays and images from his On Landscape column for Outdoor Photographer magazine, and The Photographer’s Portfolio Development Workshop. Yosemite: Sanctuary in Stone, a personal collection of photographs made over 46 years, was published in 2023.
Hosted By Shane Turgeon
Shane Turgeon is a nature photography generalist and the founder of the Lightchasers Nature Photography Conference. His work is primarily focused on the night sky, wildlife, storms, and landscapes but he also enjoys his time working as a concert and event photographer. His work has been featured by Canadian Geographic, NASA, the Natural Landscape Photography Awards, PhotoLife magazine, the F-stop Collaborate and Listen podcast, and numerous national media outlets. He was named the Canadian Geographic Photographer of the Year in 2024 and in 2022 he was short-listed for the prestigious Astronomy Photographer of the Year award from the Royal Museums Greenwich in London.
While pursuing nature and landscape photos for his own personal pleasure are his primary focus in photography, he also has a keen passion for sharing both his art and the mental health benefits of nature photography and passing on his experience and knowledge to other photographers.
Shane is a proud ambassador for f-stop gear and McBain Camera.
Each and every speaker were absolutely amazing! When working on composition I now have a plethora of voices in my head giving me inspiration! The whole conference was a positive experience.Bea Kachmarchyk
GET YOUR TICKET