Bio

Michelle Valberg, C.M., is a Canadian wildlife and portrait photographer whose work reveals the profound relationship between humanity and the natural world. Her career spans more than four decades, and in that time she has traveled to all seven continents, creating images that awaken awe and understanding. A Nikon Ambassador, Canadian Geographic Photographer-in-Residence, Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and Member of the Order of Canada, Michelle has dedicated her life to storytelling through imagery and to using photography as a bridge to conservation, empathy, and connection. Michelle is known for her ability to create photographs that feel intimate and expansive at the same time. Whether she is eye to eye with a polar bear on an Arctic coastline, wading quietly into the waters of Vancouver Island to meet a sea otter, or honoring the dignity of a portrait subject with patience and presence, her work reflects deep respect for the beings she photographs. She does not chase spectacle. She creates space. Through her lens, wildlife are not distant or exotic. They are individuals with lives, expressions, and stories. Landscapes pulse with weather, memory, and time. Portraits hold the quiet truth of a person seen. Her connection to Canada’s Arctic runs especially deep. Michelle has traveled north more than sixty times, documenting wildlife, land, and culture, and forging enduring friendships with communities who have welcomed her generously. The Arctic changed the course of her life. It opened her heart to a clarity and stillness that continues to shape her vision. The images she has created there have appeared on Canada Post stamps, a Royal Canadian Mint coin, and in national and international publications. They have also served as invitations to understand the North beyond stereotypes: as a place full of life, community, history, and resilience. Michelle’s work lives in galleries and private collections, on public installations, in books, films, and exhibitions. She has published four photographic books and continues to explore new ways of presenting imagery to move audiences emotionally and intellectually. Her recent series, Beyond the Spectrum: Infrared Wavelengths, reflects her willingness to challenge perception and expand how we see. Using a Nikon Zf camera converted to infrared, Michelle photographs landscapes, wildlife, and underwater environments in a wavelength normally invisible to the human eye. The results shift reality toward dream. Trees glow, oceans shimmer with quiet fire, bears and bison stand like guardians from another time. The work is imaginative, bold, and rooted in the same attentiveness that defines her career: an invitation to look again and look closer. Michelle’s belief in the power of story extends beyond photography. She is the director of a feature documentary titled Breathe in the World, Breathe Out Music, following the extraordinary life of musician and humanitarian Mike Stevens. The film traces his journey from acclaimed performer to his work with Indigenous youth across northern Canada, exploring the healing capacity of music, art, and human connection. Michelle has filmed, produced, and shaped this documentary from the ground up, reflecting her dedication to telling stories that matter and her courage in stepping toward new creative challenges. Philanthropy and community have always been part of Michelle’s work. She co-founded Project North, which provided resources and sporting equipment to more than forty Arctic communities. The initiative continues in spirit through her ongoing support of First Assist and ArtsCan Circle. Michelle’s collaborations with the Jane Goodall Institute Canada speak to her commitment to conservation, compassion, and education. She does not speak from a podium. She stands alongside people doing the work. Michelle teaches workshops across the world and mentors photographers at every stage of their creative path. Her approach is grounded, encouraging, and anchored in curiosity. She believes that great images are not trophies. They are relationships. They arise from time spent listening, learning, and being present. In her workshops, she helps photographers refine their technical skill while also nurturing a deeper understanding of light, movement, patience, and the emotional truth of a moment. Through every chapter of her career, Michelle remains guided by wonder. The wild world continues to surprise her. She wakes early, travels far, and carries her camera with the same sense of gratitude she held when she first began. She knows that photography has the power to move people, spark awareness, and create change. Her hope has always been to open doors to empathy. To show what is often unseen. To encourage others to know this world more fully and care for it more fiercely. Michelle lives in Canada and continues to explore the world with a quiet curiosity, a strong heart, and an unending belief in the beauty and importance of the place