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The First Vermilion Lake | TIME LAPSE MOUNTAIN TOURS

One of the most famous locations for sunrise and sunset photography is the Vermilion Lakes. The landscape elements that provides a image with all the items necessary for a unique composition is changing moment for moment each and every day of year. The number one reason I love pursuing time lapse photography on the Great Divide is the never ending observation of the transition of earthly elements of time slipping into the future. With this being said please enjoy a summer’s afternoon on the Vermilion Lakes. 

Mount Norquay Ski Out | TIME LAPSE MOUNTAIN TOURS

It only takes 5 minutes from downtown Banff to get to the parking lot of the lower power line trail to start your ascent up the Mount Norquay Ski Out. The trail is over grown by flora such as bushes in places, however trail finding is never complicated on your way up. In this tour the sights to enjoy were completely worth the go including a few sunset micro avalanches on the slopes of  Mount Rundle. 

Mount Temple is a mountain in the Lake Louise region and one of the tallest peaks in Banff National Park! It is the tallest peak in the Lake Louise region. The mountain can be photographed from numerous angles however the most popular is from the northwest. The peak receives it’s best light in the later afternoon. There are a great number locations to photograph this massive mountain of 3,544m - (11,627 ft).  Below I will list six however there are dozens of locations from Castle Mountain to the Ice Fields Parkways. 

1) Beehive

2) Mount Fairview

3) Devil’s Thumb

4) Tower of Babel 

5) Lake Louise Ski Area 

6) Herbert Lake

-Happy Shooting Everyone!

The first pioneers of the area that is now Banff National Park named many peaks in relation to old world passages. The Tower of Babel is part of the Valley of the Ten Peaks. To capture sublime shots from this peak this photographer would suggest leaving from the Moraine Lake parking lot well before sunrise and the use of headlamps will be a necessity however the rewards will be breathtaking for sure folks!

Creating a starburst sun like this one on a late autumn afternoon was achieved by using a high f-stop such as 11 to 16, and under exposing enough so there is no zebras. Keep tract of the information on the histogram to find the most suitable exposure for quality detailed highlights and enjoy recovering your shadow details in Lightroom or Photoshop’s Camera Raw plug-in. One can enjoy shooting this location of the Valley of the Ten Peaks all hours of the day and making time for time lapsing the region is always worth the B Roll assets!

Happy shooting and thanks for dropping by.... over n’ out.

The Valley of the Ten Peaks is the number one destination in the Canadian Rockies according to the Trip Advisor and today I will discuss with you why. The valley is found in the world famous Banff National Park. The premier national park of Canada and most fundamentally, part of the very first UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here are tips you won’t find in most photographic guides you will pay for.

When setting out to document this spectacle of a rock show you first have to know the best time of year to photograph or film. The great secret of Moraine Lake is that only for a short period of time around the summer solstice does all the peaks catch the alpine glow of sunrise. 

There are numerous locations to shoot the region and  if you want a serious portfolio of your trip in give yourself at least three days of relentless shooting because it takes planning to make each trip a selection from each location a success. 

The image below was captured at the top of the Rock Pile.... and was captured just after the summer solstice...  just after sunrise. 

Happy Shooting Folks Until Next Time!

Over n’ Out.....

Double exposure images can produce much satisfaction. Achieving the best outcomes proves that one invest much time collecting and experimenting with various images to producing the desired effect. I recommend working with both stationary subjects and wildlife of your preference. I have shared a image I produced in Photoshop that our followers still appreciate today.

Herbert Lake is the first significant body of water on the Ice Fields Parkway. One can photograph the lake any time of day, however, the morning reveals the reason why some of the greatest photographers in the history of the Canadian Rockies call it the Lake of Reflections. The lake is a lovely shoot most of the day after the morning hours, and then, splendid sunsets can display alpine glow like nowhere else on planet earth. I strongly suggest shooting this lake both in still and time-lapse photography - I can visit this location with multiple cameras to get a wide selection of images from wide angle and telephoto outcomes.

I strongly suggest under exposure of raw images to insure as diverse of selection of polished image files possible.

As with all my posts of the Canadian Rockies and the Great Divide the f-stop should be below nine to insure least amount of sensor dust to remove during retouching. 

Happy Shooting Folks and Over n’ Out....

To be honest it is probably just as common to eat or drink on the Banff Avenue as it is to have a go at getting that postcard perfect photograph of your time in the park. The best advice I have is to be anywhere from the Parks Administration Grounds and Caribou Street. Work at getting a telephoto setting to bring out the impact of iconic Cascade Mountain. 

There are numerous micro gardens on the avenue and standing on one of the stones can help you obtain that unique image. 

You don’t have to be some rock star photographer to get a perfect shot on Banff Avenue simply because the backdrop is so easy to work with anyone using the ProCamera app for iPhone will score a professional looking image with a little imagination. 

Difficulty of this location is nothing more than than one’s Fstop being set to 8 and showing up to observe the composition of light.

Underexposing needs for the best mage depends on the moment for the creative solution.

Happy Photo memories to you and your time in Banff.

How to photograph Mount Victoria and Lake Louise?

Mount Victoria is a mountain that is decorated with a elegant glacier and is located in a cluster of peaks over 11,000 feet tall. Even  though Lake Louise is one of the most picturesque places on Earth a great many people leave with photos that are washed out or back lit with underexposed details. The reason for this is how differently the lake is lit from day to day. The valley Lake Louise sits in is aligned almost perfectly North and South. One can achieve superbly beautiful photographs all day and everyday despite the season. 

Like all digital photography in the Canadian Rockies there are many ways achieve a quality exposure; the camera holder can use ND, Graduated, with Enhancing Filters or be like me, and just shoot with the naked lens with no filtration for a sharper image. I will then edit underexposed regions in Photoshop or Lightroom with numerous remedies available to save the desired details 

If shooting with naked glass I find under exposing up to 3 stops with the f-stop no higher than 9 for less digital dust. This will help prevent blown out highlights such as clouds, and alpine peaks in the background of your compositions. 

Finally choice of wide angle or telephoto is user’s preferences. 

Have fun, and know that anyone can achieve remarkable photos of  Mount Victoria with current technology.