About Lee Nordbye
“Lee is not just any photographer; he's a trailblazer, carving his own path through the rugged terrain of creativity and capturing the essence of nature's grandeur.”
— Edward Forbes, President of the Calgary Camera Club
Lee Nordbye is a landscape photographer, speaker, and teacher based in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. An award-winning and published photographer, Lee is known for a bold photographic style that highlights the intimate details and nuances of the natural world. Call him a fine art photographer with an adventurous spirit, Lee enjoys spending time in the outdoors and immersing himself in his subject in order to capture scenes in the moment. His elegant and soulful approach to photography is matched by a passion to challenge himself, explore wild places, and have fun while doing it.
A recovering accountant, Lee retired in 2016 after 26 years of number-crunching and now dedicates his detail-oriented mind to scanning the landscape for elements often lost in grand, sweeping images. Growing up in Slave Lake, he explored Northern Alberta on motorized vehicles and had an early introduction to camping and hiking in the Rockies. Lee has now shifted his focus to primarily exploring off the beaten track and using his two feet to get there. The result is the creation of a body of photographic work that showcases the landscapes and involves a process that is as rewarding creatively as it is to Lee’s passion and well-being.
Lee considers himself a lifelong student of the art of photography. His first camera, a Kodak Instamatic, came as a gift from his dad, who was an avid amateur. In 2015, Lee invested in workshops with some of Canada’s leading landscape photographers, and his own unique approach to photography emerged. Today he is an admired photography instructor and speaker. He has presented to such groups as the Professional Photographers of Canada (Alberta Region), the Land & See Conference, and camera clubs across the country. Through his mentorship program, he works annually with a select group of photographers each year to help them grow in their craft and skill. He is also one of four moderators behind the popular black-and-white Facebook group, Tones of Place.
When he’s not behind the lens, Lee’s interests include travel, curating bad dad jokes, learning to play guitar, training with hot yoga, hockey, and watching Formula 1 racing, bad sitcoms, and British crime dramas. In his ideal world, these are best enjoyed with dark chocolate and coffee.
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Highlights
Awards:
London Photography Awards - Photographer of the Year Professional Category (2024)
The Glasgow Gallery of Photography - Photographer of the Month (Sept 2024)
Black and White Magazine Portfolio Contest - Merit Award (2024)
Muse Photography Awards - Platinum, Gold and Silver medals in Black and White Fine Art and Landscape Photography (2024)
Monochrome Awards - Honourable Mention Fine Art (2023)
reFocus Awards - Bronze Medalist Black and White Landscape and Peoples’ Choice award for Black and White Fine Art and Abstract (2023)
Black and White Photo Awards ~ Finalist for Landscapes (2023)
Digital Photo Magazine’s ~ Finalist for Black and White Image (2022)
International Bronze Medal, Master Photographers International 6th Annual International Image Challenge (2020)
Exhibits:
Finalist International Contest of Contemporary Art Award (Curated Group Exhibit), IMAGOARS Gallery, September 2024 (Venice, Italy)
Textures (Curated Group exhibit), The Glasgow Gallery of Photography, Upcoming September, 2024, (Glasgow, Scotland)
Stay Curious (Curated Virtual Group Exhibit), Omi Art Gallery, London, July 30 to August 30th, 2024
Beauty in Abstract (Curated Virtual Group Exhibit), Brouhaha Gallery, April to May, 2024
Monochrome Moments (Curated Virtual Group Exhibit), Art Square New York Gallery, April to June 2024
It’s All In The Details (Curated group show with Pam Jenks), artsPlace
June/July 2024 (Canmore, AB)
Friends in Focus (Curated Group Show), Elevation Place ~ Exposure Photography Festival
Feb/March 2024 (Canmore, AB)
Sculpt (Curated), Framed on Fifth ~ Exposure Photography Festival
February 2023 (Calgary, AB)
Below the Peak, The Heart of Edson Gallery and Studio
2020 (Edson, AB)
Below the Peak, cSPACE ~ Exposure Photography Festival
2020 (Calgary, AB)
Speaking:
Canadian Association For Photographic Art national conference in Kelowna (June 2024)
Professional Photographers of Canada (Alberta Region) annual conference in Fort McMurray, Alberta (2023)
Land and See Photographic Conference, PEI (2022)
Camera Clubs across Canada, including British Columbia and Yukon Inter Club series, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver
Podcasts:
Fstop Collaborate and Listen (June 2024)
Frames Magazine (January 2024):
You Can Learn Photography Podcast (Nov 2023)
Published:
Nature Vision Magazine Issue 6 - Multiple page interview with images
The Omi Art Gallery - On line Article - Capturing the Intimate Details of Nature
The Rockies.Life - On line Article on It’s All In The Details Exhibit
Rocky Mountain Outlook On line and In Print - Article on It’s All In The Details Exhibit
Black and White Magazine Special Issue #167 - Two pages
Canadian Rockies Annual - Volume 5 - One Full Page
The Camera Store ~ Interview
Teaching:
Educator and leader, black-and-white and landscape workshops
Assistant, OFFBEAT Photography workshops
Artist’s Statement
“A recovering accountant turned adventurer and photographic storyteller, I love to chronicle the unusual nuances of the outside world. With a curious mind, I explore our planet by challenging myself in my adventures and in my art.”
Lee Nordbye is available for: