The event will be held on November 12, 2026 from 7:00 AM to 8:30 PM.

About This Talk

How Did You Get There?

When we ask, "how do you get there?" - whether about a summit of a mountain or a point in life - the answer may be simple or a convoluted route you may not expect. Join Monika Deviat for a presentation on her journey from shooting heavy metal legends on stages to chasing light and stars in the mountains, becoming a Nikon Ambassador and Dark Sky advocate along the way. Photography led her down an unexpected path into nature and adventure, full of interesting twists and rewarding opportunities.

About Monika Deviat

Monika Deviat is an internationally published photographer and Nikon Canada Ambassador based in Alberta, Canada. She is not just a photographer, though. Monika is a metalhead, speaker and educator, pole and aerial athlete and instructor, hiking guide, and non-practicing physicist.

Her photography career started in darkness - capturing the energy of concerts and events. She has travelled across North America and even on International Waters to shoot heavy metal shows and festivals. In 2015, Monika shifted from shooting stars on stage to stars in the sky. Photographing the Milky Way inspired her to start doing landscape photography and led her to hike and scramble in the Canadian Rockies. She spends a lot of time hauling ridiculous amounts of gear up mountains to shoot the night sky. Spending hours alone beneath a star-filled sky is one of Monika’s favourite places to be - and it’s what first sparked her interest in dark sky preservation. Through her photography and education, she advocates for protecting dark skies and safeguarding the wild places where they can still be experienced.

Monika's photography does not fit into a single niche, and she shows her versatility, technical skills, and creative eye across multiple photography genres. Beyond photography, Monika is an engaging educator, leading workshops that blend knowledge-sharing with memorable experiences.