Meet Raymond McDonald
Raymond McDonald is a seasoned photographer and passionate aurora chaser who leads The Aurora Pursuit as both photographer and guide.
His relationship with the northern lights began six years ago in Yellowknife. Continuing his journey across Alberta, Raymond deepened his understanding of the aurora and honed the skills needed to capture its beauty. His photographs serve to preserve these moments, inspire others, and share the stories written beneath the northern sky.
For years, Raymond shared his expertise, locations, and techniques with only a select few while cultivating the philosophy that now shapes every expedition. He discovered that experiencing the aurora is not just about being in the right place at the right time. It also requires preparation, patience, adaptability, and a true understanding of the night sky.
Now, Raymond is opening this experience to a broader audience. He founded The Aurora Pursuit for guests seeking more than a typical northern lights tour. Each expedition offers intimate group sizes, freedom from crowds, flexibility to follow changing conditions, and professionally captured memories beneath the aurora.
Raymond believes the best aurora experiences are not simply found; they are pursued. For those willing to pursue the northern lights, the reward may be an unforgettable experience.
A Photographer’s Pursuit
Twice a year, Raymond drives north from Drumheller to the shores of Great Slave Lake. The journey takes two days and covers more than 1,500 kilometres. Driving instead of flying is deliberate.
Flying takes you to the destination but leaves the journey behind. The road offers moments that cannot be planned. The aurora may appear above the 60th Parallel sign. The fading afternoon light may settle over Alexandra Falls and Louise Falls. A herd of wood bison may emerge along Highway 3 at dusk, just kilometres outside Yellowknife.
These encounters are not interruptions along the way. They are part of the pursuit.
Raymond has travelled this route enough times that it no longer feels like an ordinary road trip. It has become an annual pilgrimage. Each journey is a return to familiar waters, an immense sky, and the anticipation of what the night might reveal since no two nights are the same.
​
That rhythm determines the way Raymond approaches the aurora. The pursuit is the experience and the Aurora is the destination.
Where the Pursuit Began
Raymond spent years living in Yellowknife and returns twice a year to the landscapes, roads, skies, and viewing conditions that influenced his obsession for pursuing the aurora. For him, it is not a seasonal job but an annual pilgrimage.
1,000+ Aurora Nights Captured
With more than 1,000 aurora photographs captured, Raymond brings a photographer’s understanding of timing, movement, exposure, and composition into every expedition.
Small by Design
The Aurora Pursuit is intentionally limited to small groups to preserve mobility, comfort, and a more personal experience beneath the Northern Lights.
