As dawn broke on September 30, 2019, Jean-Christophe Lemay was high in the Chic-Choc mountains on Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula. It was his last chance to see the Gaspé caribou herd before the area closed for mating season. As the sun rose, Lemay realized something astonishing: he was surrounded by 14 caribou — nearly half the Gaspé population at the time. “I spent six or seven hours shooting videos, photos and just enjoying the moment,” says Lemay. “I couldn’t leave, it was so surreal. I think, to this day, it was my favourite day in nature.”

The memory remains a high point for the 32-year-old wildlife photographer, who was born in Ottawa and raised in L’Orignal, Ont. Lemay has long been inspired by the stunning nature that surrounds Rimouski, Que., where he moved in 2010 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in biology and has remained ever since. But his first photographic love wasn’t wildlife; it was the ocean. Summer surfing trips to the east coast of the U.S. in his youth allowed Lemay to hone his craft, shooting photos of waves and surfers with his first camera, a small waterproof Pentax W80.

While at university, his appreciation of wildlife grew. Icy Rimouski winters froze any chance of shooting the waves of the St. Lawrence River, but his studies provided no shortage of animal subjects. “I think foxes have to be the animal I’ve photographed the most,” says Lemay. “They’re everywhere, they’re photogenic and people love them. But my favorite is the Canada lynx. They’re just so mysterious and captivating, such beautiful animals. At the same time, they’re very elusive, so it’s kind of a challenge.”

Lemay’s ethereal wildlife portraits have since appeared in magazines such as Nature Sauvage, Canadian Geographic, and Beside, and have earned him a huge following on social media. In June, Lemay opened his first boutique and gallery, JC Lemay Photo, in Rimouski. As for the future, Lemay has a simple goal: “It’s a huge privilege to be doing this as a full-time career. I just want to keep doing this forever.”