by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 14th of April 2025

Bing Li  excels in landscape photography. He enjoys nature. When he immerses himself in nature, the beauty of mountains, rivers and wildlife evoke a sense of vastness and freedom that resonates with his soul. He sees photography as a mirror - reflecting both the beauty of the outside world and the emotions of the person behind it.  Let's travel with him through his body of work and discover more about him.

'Dawn'

Please introduce yourself and tell us about yourself, your hobbies and any other projects you are involved in.
By profession, I am a physician specialising in care of the elderly, (geriatric medicine) practicing in Alberta, Canada. I am also an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of Alberta involved in teaching medical residents and students. In addition to a busy medical practice and teaching, I enjoy backcountry hiking, playing badminton and more recently pickleball. Photography, of course. I am currently preparing to hike the WCT and Inca Trail and hope to capture some great images from these adventures.

'When the sunlight hits'

'blue moment at Emerald lake'

'Sunset at valley ofd crown'

When and how did your photographic journey begin?
My interest in photography can be traced back to the 70s of last century when I was a teenager living in China.  I had an uncle who was a photographer for a newspaper, and his pictures sparked my curiosity and interest in photography. But at that time in China, I didn't have the opportunity and the means to pursue it. At the age of 16, I had to work in a factory for 4.5 years during the suffering Cultural Revolution period, I After the end of the Cultural Revolution period, university education reopened, I worked hard to pass all the national exams and was lucky enough to get into medical school. After graduating from medical school, pursuing and practising my medical career and starting a young family took up most of my time and prevented me from participating in photography. However, life took me on a different path - I moved from China to Canada in the late 80's to pursue further training and research in medicine. Where I went through the rigorous process of rectifying and residency programme as a doctor. After my son grew up and became independent, I finally had the opportunity and time to revisit my passion for photography.
In 2018, I found and joined the 1X.com community, which was a turning point in my journey. The platform introduced me to an incredible community of talented photographers and a high artistic standard, which inspired me in photography. The outstanding work from the community continues to motivate me to engage in this amazing art form and express my feelings about nature.

For many of us, photography is either a hobby or a way of life. How would you define your relationship to photography? Describe your overall vision of photography.
For me, photography is much more than a hobby, it is a deeply personal and transformative experience. I see photography as a mirror - reflecting both the beauty of the outside world and the emotions of the person behind it. through photography, I not only capture the beautiful landscape, but also express my inner thoughts and emotions. For Hance, photography has become a way of life.

'The sunset as a spring thawing lake'

'Walking at the wild'

'The first ray of the sunrise'

What would you say is the most important experience that has influenced your steps in photography?
As a doctor, I have personally experienced the therapeutic power of photography. I have often shown some of my pictures to my patients at the end of their visits and have seen how these pictures can lift their spirits and put a smile on their faces, if only for a moment. This has reinforced my view that photography is not only an art form but also a form of healing, both for the photographer and the viewer. This was one of the most rewarding experiences. I see photography as a form of communication and an emotional bridge between the image and the viewer.

'A starry night'

'A place unlike in the earth'

You have your own style. Why are you so attracted to landscape photography?
My photographic focus is on landscape photography.  I enjoy nature. When I immerse myself in nature, the beauty of the mountain, river and wildlife evoke a sense of vastness and freedom that resonates with my soul, I feel my mind expand and my spirit calm. Nature in its grandest form has a way of reminding us how small we are. Landscape photography is also a way for me to maintain and improve my physical wellbeing.
Stylistically, I tend to favour a darker, more dramatic approach in colour and a bit of strong contrast. While I appreciate many other styles in landscape, I feel that the dark style suits me better to create a more powerful emotional impact to express the epic beauty of nature.

'Dawn'

'Autumn symphony'

What is most important to you - the mood and story behind your images or technical perfection?
For me, the mood and story behind the images are the most important elements. A technically perfect image without emotion and story or narrative feels empty. It may be visually appealing, but it may lack the power to connect with the viewer on a deeper level. But that doesn't mean that technical skills aren't important. If you do not master the technique, your image may not express your views and moods well, and therefore not convey the story you want to tell. A strong command of light, composition and post-processing would help to emphasise the subject, enhance the mood and bring the creative intensity to life. Unfortunately, I still struggle with both, as you can see from my work. Improving in these areas would be my ongoing effort.

In general, what is your relationship to your subject beyond that of an observer? Do you carefully prepare the place you want to photograph?
I try to connect deeply with the scene in front of me. Nature is not just a subject to be captured, it is something I immerse myself in, experience and respect. The vastness and power of epic landscapes evoke emotions in me. I want to be able to translate those emotions into my images and for viewers to feel the same awe and serenity.
Before I go out to shoot, I usually look at Google Map and Earth. I try to get to the locations as early as possible so that I have enough time to scout the area and set up my equipment. For shooting and safety, I make sure I have a headlamp, bear spray, emergency blanket if I am going into the mountains. I bring hand warmers if it is winter and cold.

'An unsettled morning in Shadow lake 2'

'Sunrise at Two Jacks lake 2'

What do you think are the main characteristics of a successful landscape photographer?
I believe that strong landscape photography should transport the viewer, allowing them to experience the scene as if they were standing there themselves. As the photographer behind the lens, I think they should have some qualities to be able to do this.   1. emotional connection and storytelling, 2. patience and perseverance, nature does not always cooperate; to capture the better light and moments often requires waiting, enduring harsh weather and multiple trips. #. Preparation and knowledge, good preparation certainly increases the chance of capturing truly remarkable images. 4. Technical mastery while storytelling is at the heart of an image, strong technical skills help bring the vision to life and ensure the final image is both artistically and technically compelling. I am quite weak in this area 5. continuous learning and adapting, photography is an evolving journey. It takes persistent effort to learn.

Could you tell us more about your workflow from idea to final product?
My workflow usually starts before the shutter is released. If I have an idea for a shot, say the sunrise in Lake Louise, I would check the map and weather forecast to make sure I am in the right place and at night with possible lighting. In post-production, I use Lightroom for most of my work, with Photoshop for some fine adjustments. I rarely use another plug-in application. I tend to favour a darker, higher contrast style as I find it creates a more immersive and dramatic experience for the viewer. So far, 1x.com is the only photography platform I send my images to.

Where do you get your inspiration and what inspires you most?
I am basically self-taught in photography. The beauty of nature is the most inspiration and motivation for me to do photography, I also get inspiration from many outstanding photographers from different places, I watch 1x.com on a daily basis and get inspired by the works of many great photographers in 1x.com. Even though I never meet them, I consider them as my mentors in photography. I also quit frequent digging into Instagram to lean. I have also been inspired by many master photographers like Ansel Adams, contemporary artists like Mark Adams (marcadamus), John Fan (johnfan), Larry Deng (larry73) and Henry Liu. Their views on art and photography, their masterpieces have inspired me and helped me shape my own vision and style of photography. These artists have deeply influenced my photographic journey. I have also learnt a lot from many of my fellow members in 1x.com. Thank you all in the 1x.com family.

'A moody morning'

'waiting for the sunrise'

What is your favourite photo? Please tell us the story behind it.
As I said, I am still quite new to photography, so I do not really have a favourite photo. However, if I had to choose one, I might go for this one I took 3 years ago.  It was a weekend in early June. It took me 2 hours to get up to Little Beehive Peak behind Lake Louise, a fresh avalanche had blocked the trail to the top, I had to scramble to an open area near the summit and stay there alone all night. The wind was strong, the temperature below -10. Even though I was prepared with a down jacket and an emergency blanket, it was still very cold. But I was rewarded by being able to take my first Milky Way image. The picture is certainly not perfect, but it is the one I would remember for a long time.

'Milky way'

Many people feel that if you have a passion for photography, the equipment is not very important. But can you please tell us what gear you use?
I agree that the passion for photography is the most important factor for a successful image, but the equipment also makes a difference. Just like a soldier, a good weapon increases the chance of winning the battle. For the camera, I use Sony a7RIII and IV, the lens: Sony GM 16-35 mm F2.8, Sony G 75-400 mm F5.6, Sigma 25-70 mm, F2.8. My tripod is FLM and Benro.

'Sunset moments'

'After an evening rain'

Now that we have almost reached the end of this interview, I would like to ask you to tell us about any plans or photography projects you would like to be involved in.
As I said before, I am a self-taught photographer and quite weak in post-processing, I plan to systematically update myself by attending some learning classes for Photoshop. Although landscape is still my focus, I would like to learn and get involved in other areas of photography, especially black and white, street photography and drone photography. This year I plan to hike the world famous WCT and Inca Trail, I hope to achieve this goal and capture many beautiful images along the way.
Finally, I'd like to thank the 1x.com family for being an incredible source of inspiration and growth in my photographic journey. From my early days with 1x.com to where I am today, I have learned immensely from many outstanding photographers in the community, 1x.co is truly the best place to learn, improve and connect through photography. I am honoured to be a part of this remarkable family. Thank you.

'Sunrise at Dolomites'

'Morning glow'

'A dragon in the woods'