About Rocky Mountain Fine Prints

About Gita Photos

Gita Photos is a Landscape Photography Studio based in Banff, Alberta and Banff National Park a World Heritage Site.

Hi, my name is Ron Hallam. I am truly blessed to be able to live in and work in this stunning location; Banff, Alberta. I closed in and renovated the deck of my condo to be an editing studio. The studio is paneled in Alberta cedar. The main part of the ‘studio’, though, is the Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies!

I chose the name Gita Photos because G.I.T.A. is an acronym for God Is The Artist. No view of the mountains is ever the same – changes are constantly happening in light, perspective, time, weather. I want to engage you to feel and share the experience of unadulterated and uncomplicated moments of beauty to awaken your awe and inner child.So, if you love landscape images and scenery,my work is based in the beauty of the natural world as displayed in the Canadian Rockies and Banff National Park – I aim to awaken your awe and inner child!

In my work I go throughout the Park to find locations where the natural wonders of the Rockies are illuminated by the natural light of the moment. As one client testimonial put it, I want to offer you “ an instant escape to someplace magical” ( Jane Fedosoff, Toronto, Ontario) Another client commented “Ron’s photographs are not just beautiful images of the Canadian Rockies. They are Ron himself – his life experiences, his love for this place and his eye for detail- that show a depth and unique understanding of this special place we are lucky to call home.” (Phil Monod, Banff Alberta)

I’m in the second half of my life. I spent the first half running a ski shop and skiing and hiking in and around Banff National Park. I tinkered with photography for a long time – first with disposable cameras in the 70’s. Needless to say the disposable left everything to be desired and I walked away wanting more, much more.

Then, for one special hiking trip to Nepal, I purchased a proper SLR camera. The SLR provided better images, but I still needed time to learn and study and work at the craft of image making and film processing. Meanwhile, the time commitment necessary to run a shop (and my shop was a passion) meant work gave me limited spare time. That translated into playing when I could, and took precedence over study of camera, technique and processing.

So, or my second half, having left the ski business, I wanted to stretch and work my “creative muscles” and took up photography full time. I got down to focused and dedicated photographic endeavor. That started with a new DSLR and becoming familiar with the digital technology. Then I began to study, test,experiment and work at image making in this new era. I learned about the digital way of image capture and developing (editing). As an Artist, one never ceases to grow, to learn and evolve – concepts,vision,style,technique all evolve and interplay and this site shows the journey! ( Please ,Come along! )

The Rockies Landscape is so grand that larger Panorama shots are a favorite for me to create, but as you will see from my work, everything in this magnificent place draws me to capture images of all kinds of landscapes. I like to work in both Color and Black and White . The choice is very much image dependent and how I visualize the image coming to life, that is as a print. ( Viewing an image in print, I maintain, is the end aim and the “life” for the image. Not as a screen saver or a Social Media post, though these have their own merits.)

Every time I make an image, it is the direct result of letting the “something” inside me come up to the surface, and compel me to record that moment of what I’m seeing and feeling. I want to engage you to see the Rockies, and feel the Rockies exactly the way I do. I want to have you try to understand and engage with my emotions and perspective, point you to the exquisite, intricate and profoundly intelligent designer – the God who created this natural world.

Then, if you are awed by creation but also perturbed by economic disparities in the world, I hope you will browse the Art Fighting Poverty Gallery dedicated to Poverty Relief and assistance for the marginalized. (https://www.gitaphotos.com/art-battling-poverty ) While you and I enjoy the beauty of the Rockies, many are struggling simply to survive. When you purchase my Art from the Art Battling Poverty Gallery (or indeed any image purchase) a portion of each sale of each sale, 15% will be donated to one of the two Charities I work with – CAUSE Canada and Embrace International Foundation in your name.