Meet Stephen Elms. He’s a police officer and a member of the Explosive Disposal Unit in Ontario. Stephen’s got a yen for Robert Frost, the movie "The Bear," and an ear for Eddie Vedder. And when he’s not diffusing bombs and fighting crime – he’s a fine wildlife photographer, as you can see from this stunning shot of the Milky Way taken in Algonquin Park.

 

 

"This picture was taken while I was on a canoe trip with my dad in September 2009.   We camped on an island on Tim Lake in Algonquin Park and the stars were absolutely incredible. You could see the Milky Way with the naked eye so I had to try to capture it in a photo.  It took a few attempts as I was fumbling around in the dark. [But] the way the picture turned out was exactly as it appeared in the night sky."

 

 When I first saw your photos on thebigwild.org, I thought to myself “here’s a guy who lives and breathes photography.” Except – that’s not entirely true. What do you do for a living?

 

"I’ve been a police officer for 13 years.  I just completed 7 ½ years work on the Tactical Team (SWAT) and I am also a member of the Explosive Disposal Unit. I think that's why I enjoy the outdoors and photography so much.   Both activities are such polar opposites of what I do on a day-to-day basis. Photography provides a great outlet to relieve my stress and “recharge my batteries”.

 

 

Have you ever had a close call in the wild? A lynx or bear get a little too close for comfort?

"A few years back I was on a fall canoe trip in Algonquin Park with my dad.  We went for an evening paddle in hopes of finding some wildlife along the river.  Sure enough, as we rounded a corner we came upon a huge bull moose wading waist-deep in the reeds along the edge of the river.  The water was dead calm and there wasn’t a sound to be heard.  As we paddled closer we could actually hear the bull grinding his teeth as he chewed the weeds.  Needless to say we got a little too close and the moose decided to let us know we were not welcome.  He let loose a huge snort, dropped his ears and shook his head violently from side to side.  We backed off right away!"

 

 

"I did a night hike when I was about 19 years old with my dad in Algonquin Park.  We hiked up to the top of the Lookout Trail.  We were anxious to get to the top and watch the show.  It was the peak of the Leonid Meteor Shower, and it did not disappoint.  We sat perched on top the rocks with a view that spanned for miles across the park, and we sat there for hours.   There is something about the night sky that is so intriguing and humbling."

 

 

 

"The song “Rise” by Eddie Vedder describes (to me) the ability to rise up and overcome the challenges and difficulties in life (which would include my photography).   One of my favourite songs of all time!"

 

 

"Don’t laugh, but my all-time favourite movie is “The Bear”.   To this day I’ve yet to find a movie that makes me smile, laugh and chokes up as much as that one."