Mitch Leong

Etched in the scriptures that line my soul. A little boy, dares to walk where no man has before. Blissful silence is periodically shattered by deafening sounds of avalanches that surround us in the cirque. Streams and rivers to be crossed had stripped away the warmth in our feet. A terminal moraine is littered with fallen ice formations from the mid summers heat, creating a maze with walls 50 feet high. Drawn by a distant whisper, to a land void of ghosts. The most mesmerizing glacier cave unveiled itself. To be a true explorer, is to be lead by the voice in your heart, not pushed around by the fears in your head. The mountains are where you find out who you are. . #monodsports #explorealberta #travelalberta #earth #earthfocus #banffsprings #banffnationalpark #imagesofcanada #explorecanada #lensdistortions #mybanff #socality #foundwildproject #albertanice #arcteryx #arcteryxcalgary #yourshotphotographer #artofvisuals #bealpha #sonyalpha #visualsofearth #mountaincultureelevated #whererockies #sharecangeo #discoveralberta #canadiancreatives #ngphotographerchallenge #100fortheocean2024 #natgeoadventure #bupapictureofhealthchallenge

Mesmerizing stillness silences the darkness, as morning begins to rise upon Lake Louise. My favourite waterway in all of the national park. To stay at @fairmontcll is a dream no matter the occasion. Reminded persistently, that the moments nature gifts us will be treasured forever. . . #monodsports #explorealberta #travelalberta #banffnationalpark #fairmontlakelouise #imagesofcanada #earth #earthfocus #lensdistortions #pursuitlife #explorecanada #mybanff #socality #tourcanada #foundwildproject #albertanice #banffnice #yourshotphotographer #artofvisuals #bealpha #sonyalpha #canenvironment #visualsofearth #mountaincultureelevated #whererockies #sharecangeo #discoveralberta #curiositybanff #ngphotographerchallenge #natgeopoy23

‘It’s not that simple.’ Though you and I know the truth. I summited Mount Temple for the first time in the summer of last year. Hooked to finally climb one of the tallest peaks in the Rockies. A challenge I was not yet familiar with, yet I still oddly yearned for more after I had conquered it. I dreamt of walking along the ridge, nothing but clouds flooding the valleys, and stars above. I saw this frame in my mind from the moment I left the summit a year ago. Some said “it wasn’t that simple”, that I was “in over my head” or I’d stepped too far this time. That to attempt something like this I had to be “crazy”. In life, not just in mountaineering. If you believe that your dreams and goals are just one step, one thought, or one day away from being achieved, they really can be. The only reason they may seem so far away is because we behave in accordance to that belief. So the truth… it really is that simple, and it always was.

A century of crashing waves have crafted stunning sandstone caves along the West Coast of Vancouver island. Vivid hues of green, yellow, and even red, paint the walls of these caves; they serve as a proxy for mineral deposits from both the rock and the salinity of the ocean water. Erosion acts as the maestro when constructing sea caves. Surges of water from the Pacific Ocean carve out and form features along weaknesses in the rock. Faults, bedding, fractures and planes may all be weak spots for erosion to occur. . #natgeo #artofvisuals #earth #wildernesstones #folkscenery #discoverearth #nature #mountainlifer #planetearth #explorecanada #parkscanada #sharecangeo #polarpro #sonyalpha #yourshotphotographer #voyaged #earthcapture #earthfocus #natgeotravel #westcoast #vancouverisland #seacaves #westcoasttrail #explorebc #parksstories #canada #bcisbeautiful #roamtheplanet #pacificnorthwest #adventure

Even in my wildest of dreams I could never have thought up a place as beautiful as this. From the rolling hills of the foothills, to the towering castles of the eastern main ranges. To the frigid icefields of the north, to the vast lush boreal forest in the valleys. I have fallen in love with the way you are, I see pieces of you in me, and I to you. How dangerous, to finally have something worth losing. . #artofvisuals #earth #nomadict22 #wildernesstones #folkscenery #discoverearth #nature #mountainlifer #planetearth #explorecanada #parkscanada #mybanff #sharecangeo #polarpro #sonyalpha #yourshotphotographer #natgeo #explorealberta #travelalberta #banffnationalpark #canadianrockies #arcteryx #mountaincultureelevated #whererockies #voyaged #earthcapture #cascademountain #banff #canada #earthfocus

Destined for the depths, fate said otherwise. Fossils of ancient time now stand on the shoulders of giants, shining among the stars. The Canadian Rockies are known for its abundance of fossils, even high up in the alpine. Once a giant sea, Alberta was home to many aquatic species. Oxygen poor (anoxic) conditions help conserve remains and fossils. Combined with a lithology constructed of mainly sandstone, fossils such as corals and shells are easily preserved. . #artofvisuals #foundwildproject #natgeo #yourshotphotographer #earth #wildernesstones #discoverearth #nature #stayandwander #mountainlifer #planetearth #explorecanada #parkscanada #mybanff #sharecangeo #polarpro #sonyalpha #explorealberta #travelalberta #mountaincultureelevated #whererockies #kananaskis #canadianrockies #hikingbangers #earthcapture

Visualize your eventual demise to affect how you live in this very moment. By knowing what purpose your dreams serve, we can never be misguided. The age of exploration may never die, no matter how familiar one gets with each corner of the world. The more we understand, the more one should realize just how little we know. There are worlds to be found, explored and protected. Those of which can be found in our very backyard. . #natgeo #yourshotphotographer #bupapictureofhealthchallenge #artofvisuals #foundwildproject #nomadict19 #wildernesstones #earth #discoverearth #stayandwander #nature #mountainlifer #explorealberta #planetearth #explorecanada #parkscanada #mybanff #sharecangeo #sonyalpha #banffnationalpark #icecave #glacier #icefieldsparkway #canadianrockies #earthfocus #arcteryx #whererockies #earthcapture

The abyss gazes back; but I’m alone, lost, but already home. Blood turns cold; lie awake cause’ you can’t dream without it. I am only alive because fate wants me alive, but not to reach forever. Impossible for us to reach immortality. There is no better life purpose than to perish in attempting the great and impossible. Still, I find myself here for a second time. Everything since is extra, because when you’re dead already, you’re free. Being human means losing everything you ever loved; but would you ask to be anything else. . #artofvisuals #foundwildproject #earthfocus #earth #nomadict #wildernesstones #stayandwander #folkscenery #discoverearth #nature #planetearth #sonyalpha #yourshotphotographer #natgeo #getoutside #utah #moab #roamtheplanet #visitutah #adventure #earthcapture #astrophotography #milkyway #bupapictureofhealthchallenge

Respect, splits the difference between admiration and invasion. Art bears the influence, when science isn’t enough to spell compassion. Spring had sprung in the rockies, warming the valley bottoms. A time of which, life begins to teem. The morning sun wasn’t the only thing that had just began to cut through the pine trees; flashes of orange with curious eyes followed soon. I sat motionless, and soon so did this curious red fox. Together we sat silent in the forest, enjoying the distant echoes of voices and chatter. . #redfox #artofvisuals #foundwildproject #nomadict #wildernesstones #stayandwander #folkscenery #discoverearth #nature #mountainlifer #explorealberta #explorecanada #parkscanada #mybanff #sharecangeo #sonyalpha #yourshotphotographer #banffnationalpark #canadianrockies #wildlife #earthcapture

The happiest, romanticize life, because the magic exists where you choose to find it. Dwell in the beauty of life; watch the stars, and see yourself running with them. Seagulls began to gather by the thousands, finding refuge along a warm sheltered beach on the coast. Running through the masses, felt like running through the galaxies high above. They began to play our theme song as waves crashed in the distance, and a cool ocean breeze strum the trees ashore. Our sun, baking the sands below our feet numbing the soreness. It only took one step, for chaos to ensue. One step, for our dreams to come true. . #earth #imagesofcanada #nomadict #earthfocus #explorecanada #foundwildproject #yourshotphotographer #natgeo #arcteryx #artofvisuals #sonyalpha #sharecangeo #bcisbeautiful #hellobc #wildernesstones #pacificnorthwest #discoverearth #adventure #explorebc #mountainlifer #westcoast #westcoasttrail #parksstories #vancouverisland #earthcapture #bupapictureofhealthchallenge

Sacred granite spires are the cathedrals of the Bugaboos. Nestled in the Columbia Mountains, this provincial park is nothing short of immaculate. An environment teeming with both fauna and flora, it is the unique lithology of the Bugaboos that draw adventurist and climbers from all over the globe. The orogeny of the Purcell mountains have granted huge spires of granite to be constructed. Cooling slowly from magma chambers inside the earth, minerals such as biotite, quartz, potassium feldspar and muscovite have a chance to crystallize in mesmerizing shapes and colours. Throughout many areas of both trails and walls, these minerals can be seen in what seems to be cosmic numbers. . #earth #bugabooprovincialpark #imagesofcanada #earthfocus #explorecanada #natgeo #yourshotphotographer #artofvisuals #sonyalpha #mountaincultureelevated #sharecangeo #purcellmountains #wildernesstones #discoverearth #canadianrockies #adventure #hikingbangers #explorebc #earthcapture #bcisbeautiful #mountainlifer

Translating science into a universal language! With @mitchell.leong - Winner Best of the Week 10 at #nomadict / “Like many others, I wasn’t born into this. Photography had never even crossed my mind when I was young. It began when I was in a bad place and felt like a lot was going wrong. When it was time to get back on my feet, I let my heart decide what I should pursue instead of what everyone else thought I should. That’s when I felt compelled to spend more time in nature. Photography came shortly after. I loved the vast landscapes, fragile ecosystems, and intimate moments. It sparked the creative side I needed to share with the world. Ever since I took my first shot, it’s been an unexplainable feeling at times. Whenever I have the camera in my eye, I can only describe it as a feeling of “I’m home.” I was supposed to do it. Not only that, but I also studied geology and biology at university.  As a geologist/biologist, I needed to be more effective. If I could translate science into a universal language everyone could understand, I could create a meaningful yet lasting impact. That’s where art can act as a bridge of empathy and understanding. Art and love are essentially the same; it is the process of seeing yourself in things that aren’t you. We cannot care for something we don’t understand; that’s why photography is important. I want to be the voice for the places and animals that can’t communicate.  Following this path is how I eventually captured my winning shot - see pic. 1. This trip to the coast allowed me to travel to a legendary place. We were blessed by the weather every night, with little clouds and many clear nights to stargaze. I love staying up late because it is a time when you truly feel connected with yourself and the land. Astrophotography also gives an ethereal sense and evokes many emotions, so I couldn’t pass up pristine shooting conditions!” Congratulations @mitchell.leong ! You are now one of the finalists to win our Yearly Contest! ✨ You can read the full article with Mitchell and learn from his most valuable experiences by reading the full article. Link in bio!