Debra Garside

Debra Garside is an internationally recognized Canadian wildlife and fine art photographer whose work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., and the Natural History Museum in London. Her polar bear image Warm Embrace was a People’s Choice finalist in the 2017 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition. In 2018, she was named a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in recognition of her work as a photography educator, guide and wild horse specialist.

Her photography explores wild horses, wildlife and remote landscapes, with notable collections documenting the horses of Sable Island and Alberta’s foothills. Three photographs from her Alberta Wild Horses series were selected for the permanent art collection at Calgary’s BMO Centre.

Debra’s thirty-year career as a highly accredited horse trainer and former Grand Prix show jumping rider brings a deep understanding of animal behaviour to her wildlife photography and equine portraits. Through extended observation and immersion, she creates intimate images that reveal the individuality and presence of her subjects.

Now based on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Debra seeks moments when an animal appears to offer a connection rather than simply be observed. Her photographs invite viewers to pause, feel and discover what each image has to say.