Saskatchewan is known for its living skies and endless horizons where some say you can even watch your dog run away for three days. For photographer Herry Himanshu (@herry.with.an.e), Saskatchewan’s landscapes set the ideal canvas for the perfect shot. Get to know the face behind the lens as we chat with SaskTel customer, Herry, about what inspires his work as a landscape photographer on the prairies.

With Herry’s work you’ll often find abandoned farms, old churches and once-loved homes set against the living skies. He says isolation inspires most of his work.

“I’m drawn to minimalism, and [the] old builds make for a perfect minimal subject in the flatter prairie around them.” From golden hour to nightfall, Herry captures the prairie in some of its best light.

As a self-taught photographer, Herry got his start taking photos on his iPhone. After his interest in night photography outstripped the iPhone’s capabilities at the time, he decided to invest in a camera—he now rarely leaves the house without it. With a little help from fellow photographer friends, Herry was able to better grasp two of the most important factors in photography: light and composition.

Before heading out to capture the perfect shot, there is a lot of planning that goes on behind the scenes. From searching Google Maps Satellite for potential shots to driving out to see it in person, Herry says he spends hours finding the ideal location. What he really says makes his photos sing is that impeccable lighting.

“Golden hour is the best time to shoot, be it sunrise or sunset. I usually go out about 2-3 hours before sunset to allocate about an hour of drive time and then an hour to shoot around and find the best possible composition for when the sun goes down.”

We are all familiar with Saskatchewan’s cold winters, but for Herry, this is his favourite time of year to shoot, especially when there is hoarfrost. The icy textures of winter create interesting depth and dimension, characteristics that make up a compelling image.

Throughout the years, Herry has experienced a vast amount of prairie landscapes in all their glory. He reflected on summer of 2018 when he watched the northern lights at Good Spirit Lake. “I stayed up the whole night through sunrise and watched the lights go bonkers above my head.” But if he had to choose a favourite Saskatchewan spot to photograph, he says it would be Castle Butte.

“I’m very drawn to its rough and rugged landscape that’s full of textures, and an absolute killer place to be on top of and catch a sunset.” If he could adventure anywhere to capture his next shot, his destination would be Athabasca Sand Dunes in northern Saskatchewan. Although travel is limited at this time, he also aspires to visit the Yukon, New Zealand and Norway to photograph their famous landscapes.

What all started as an interest in photography has now grown into an expedition to create that captivating shot. Although it can seem daunting to venture into the photography world, Herry admits that most popular phones have great cameras to get hobbyists started. In regards to apps, Herry recommends using the camera app to shoot and VSCO Cam to edit. Both apps are user friendly and allow for customization. Sharing your photos on a social platform doesn’t hurt either. Herry has been able to gain a following through the use of hashtags and from time to time collaborating with other pages. Above all, he says the most important component for growth is consistency.

We hit the road with Herry on an endeavour to learn and test out the hottest products—this time it’s the new LG Velvet 5G. Take a peek behind the scenes as Herry captures another unbelievable prairiescape.