Meet Lee
Lee is a fine art photographer based in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, Canada. An award-winning and published photographer, Lee is known for a bold monochrome photographic style that highlights the intimate, abstract and often unnoticed structures of the natural world. Lee’s approach to photography is matched by a passion to challenge himself to explore wild places and have fun while doing it. Because who ever said that dad jokes, belly laughs and chocolate don’t belong amongst the finer things in life?
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. 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. Lee would carry this camera on all his adventure’s as a kid. As an adult, Lee experimented with different genres of photography and techniques. Ultimately, Lee was drawn to tight, abstract, and artistic frames captured exclusively in black and white.
In addition to photography, Lee’s dad inspired his sense of adventure. 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 a body of photographic work that showcases more unique perspectives of the landscape and involves a process that is as rewarding creatively as it is to Lee’s passion and well-being.
Today Lee is an admired speaker who has presented to art and media students and at national and regional photographic conferences. Each year, he donates his time to work with a select group of photographers to help them develop their craft and skills in his annual mentorship program. See the link to his CV at the bottom of the page for further details.
When he’s not behind the lens, Lee’s interests include travel, curating bad dad jokes, training with hot yoga, hockey, and watching bad sitcoms, and British crime dramas. In his ideal world, these are best enjoyed with dark chocolate and coffee.
Artist’s Statement
Lee's work reveals overlooked details and unexpected forms found in nature. Looking beyond the obvious, he explores the intimate, nuanced and sometimes abstract qualities of the natural world, inviting viewers to discover a renewed sense of curiosity, calm, and connection with nature.
Highlights
Exhibits:
Lee has extensive experience exhibiting his work in a variety of curated group exhibitions at the international, regional, and local levels, spanning multiple genres of contemporary art. His international exhibitions have been held at venues such as IMAGOARS Gallery in Venice, Italy; The Glasgow Gallery of Photography in Glasgow, Scotland; and the Montreal Art Center and Museum in Montreal, Canada. Regionally, his work has been displayed at the Three Sisters Gallery and artsPlace in Canmore, Canada. For a complete list of Lee's exhibitions, please refer to the downloadable CV at the bottom of the page.
Award Highlights:
Lee has received several international photography awards in the fine art, abstract, and landscape genres. In 2024, he was honoured as the Photographer of the Year at the London Photography Awards and was named Photographer of the Month by The Glasgow Gallery of Photography in September. His most recent awards include:
Snow Much to See International Ice and Snow Festival - Images and Neige – Winner Abstract Category (2026)
1839 awards - Silver in both Abstract and Landscape categories (2025 Photographer of the Year Contest)
MonoVisions Awards - Third Place in the Abstract Category and three Honourable Mentions in the Landscape Category (2025)
Global Art League Competition Finalist (2025)
New York Art Competitions - 39th Chelsea International Fine Art Competition - Honourable Mention (2025)
The Exposure One Awards - One Shot Photo - Bronze Medals in Fine Art, Abstract and Landscape (2025)
For a complete list of Lee’s awards, please refer to the downloadable CV at the bottom of the page
Published:
Lee has been featured in several notable international and regional publications, including Black and White Magazine (2024 and 2025), Elements Photography Magazine, Nature Vision Magazine, and the Canadian Rockies Annual. For a complete list of his publications, please refer to the downloadable CV at the bottom of the page.
Speaking:
Lee has presented at numerous national and regional photography conferences, with his most recent appearance being at the Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival Photo Rodeo in November 2025. Additionally, he has spoken to the photography class at the University of Calgary's Department of Art and Art History. For a complete list of his speaking engagements, please refer to the downloadable CV available at the bottom of the page.
Podcasts:
Lee has appeared on a variety of international and national podcasts. Notable appearances include The PhotoWalk with Neale James, a former on-air personality from BBC One, and a wonderful experience on the podcast of Frames Magazine, a fine art photography publication. For a complete list of podcasts featuring Lee, please refer to the downloadable CV.
Lee Nordbye is available for:
Gallery Representation and other fine art print partnerships