Stunning shot by Toronto photographer wins major award and you can tell why
A Toronto photographer is turning heads across the nation with a stunning photo captured in Canada's rugged north.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) revealed the winners of its 2025 Reflections of Nature photo contest, and out of 10,600 entries submitted over a three-month span, it was Toronto-based photographer Steven Heipel who came out on top with a stunning photo of an Arctic fox blending in with the frozen ocean of Baffin Bay.
Heipel's grand prize-winning photo, "A Last Glance," was far from a chance snapshot, as the intrepid photographer had journeyed by snowmobile and qamutiik in hopes of catching polar bears in their natural habitat.
During the ten-day trek, one of Heipel's Inuit guides spotted an arctic fox perched on an iceberg while the group was stopped to chip away chunks of ice for fresh drinking water. With the rest of the group gathered at one end of the iceberg, Heipel waited alone when the perfect moment finally presented itself.
The fox was passing through the maze of sea ice while Heipel quietly whispered pleas for the small animal to turn and face him. Moments later, the fox indeed glanced back, a puff of steam visible as it exhaled.
Heipel's shutter fired, and a moment of serene Arctic wonder was immortalized in pixels.
Canadian Wildlife Federation
"Nature photography is a powerful way to educate, inspire and connect Canadians to wildlife," says Sean Southey, CEO of CWF.
Southey congratulated all involved in the contest and noted that images like Heipel's "showcase some of the many species and habitats that we are working together to conserve for the use and enjoyment of all."
Steven Heipel
