It’s no secret that the boreal habitat in Manitoba is breathtaking. But when it comes to capturing that beauty on camera, it takes a certain eye and talent.

Guy Lichter has got that on speed dial.

This Manitoba wildlife photographer makes an effort to get out to the Whiteshell Provincial Park at least once a month for ten months of the year, avoiding the busier seasons of July and August. Lichter had a wide array of beautiful wildlife photography from the Whiteshell and all over Manitoba, which goes to show his true passion for shooting in the wild. “Wilderness offers a number of things – first off a significant challenge. You don’t just walk up to an animal and take its picture. You have to find them first which can be very problematic, and then you have to get close enough to get the best picture you can, which means as unobstructed as possible without the sun being directly behind, and with a natural, but not overpowering, backdrop to the subject,” explained Lichter. “Having a love for wildlife and the satisfaction of going out and getting a great picture of some animal – knowing afterwards that the animal is still out there for others to enjoy and to further their species.”
Lichter says the Whiteshell is an ideal location due to its proximity to Winnipeg, the landscape, and an abundance of wildlife in the area.

“…I never know what I am going to see, I often go looking for eagles and may come away with nothing or come across something totally unexpected like a beaver, heron, fox, or other,” says Lichter.As evident in the above photo, Lichter has captured some amazing images of Great Grey Owls, which he says are his favourite wildlife to photograph.

“Admittedly my favourite animal to shoot would be owls, and of all the owls, Great Greys would top the list. They are such magnificent birds and very willing subjects, it’s amazing how close you can get to a Great Grey in the wild.”

Lichter has been involved with the Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wildlife Society (CPAWS) for the past four years. CPAWS Manitoba is an organization that has been championing the preservation of wilderness and parks in Manitoba since 1991.

Lichter’s photography is featured in the 2015 CPAWS Boreal Wilderness Calendar, which is available here. After CPAWS approached Lichter asking permission to use one of his photos, he researched a bit more into who they are and decided to support their cause and donate his work to their calendar.

“They are a great organization working to protect our wilderness areas for all of us to enjoy,” says Lichter of CPAWS Manitoba.

“The key for me is to be able to have these areas for all to enjoy responsibly. We are blessed with such a wonderful country with a extremely wide variety of both geographic areas and wildlife species and it would be a tragedy to not protect them for all. As my saying goes ‘take only pictures – leave only footprints.'”

You can check out more of Guy Lichter’s photography on his Flicker account.

— Marney Blunt, Experience the Whiteshell Editor/Founder.