Allan Bly Nature Photographer | Certified ANFT Forest Bathing Guide

For over 40 years, I worked in the Telecommunication industry, building connections through communications technology. Since retiring in August 2025, I have shifted my focus to a different kind of connection: the one between spirit and nature.

Based in Edmonton, Alberta, I have been a daily practitioner of meditation for over a decade. However, my approach to photography changed forever after receiving a piece of advice from a mentor: "Just sit down and eat an apple before you select your composition." The lesson was simple yet profound—let nature bring the composition to you, rather than hunting for it.

That philosophy solidified in 2025 when I attended my first Forest Bathing sessions. I realized that while I had the technical skills of a photographer, I was missing the "key ingredient": a true, embodied connection to the forest. This realization led me to become a certified Forest Bathing guide.

Today, every photograph you see on Forest Lens is captured during or immediately after a Forest Bathing walk. These images are not just pictures of scenery; they are records of a mindful state. When I am not behind the lens or guiding a walk, I can be found tending to my hives , learning about nature from the bees.