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Canadian Rockies Landscape Mountain Photography

The Canadian Rockies, and specifically Banff National Park – are known worldwide as a location for stunning mountain landscape photography. Mountain landscape photography has some particular challenges and, at the same time, yields many opportunities for Canadian Fine Art Photographers.

Landscape photography in Banff ( and any mountainous location ) requires one to be safety conscious at all times. You need photographic equipment – the camera(s) of course, lenses, filters, extra batteries, and cards, etc. However, the clothing you have, layering pieces, your footwear, compass and GPS, some food, water, etc all must packed up with your gear to make for a safe and successful shoot. In the mountain environment weather conditions can change quickly and being prepared with the proper clothing and accessories is mandatory.

The Banff National Park landscape is dotted with glaciers, lakes, and rivers, and don’t forget the Wildlife. Banff National Park is known for its monolithic mountains, the shimmering glaciers, lakes and rivers of dazzling color, wondrous layers of snow and shapes, and most of all – those “rocky” craggy slope-sided summits and peaks!

Landscape photography in Banff has the additional draw and thrill of being a UNESCO World Heritage site. That designation alone should give you the clue as to why Banff National Park is one of the Wonders of the World. As a Canadian Fine Art Photographer, I use the Banff National Park landscape, the Canadian Rockies, and the exquisite work of the designer to photograph“Special Moments in the Rockies, captured in a Print Forever”.

My Rocky Mountain Photography which I have for sale, is a compilation of special moments in this landscape where the ultimate and unfathomable designer is continually displaying amazing light, wonderful shapes and forms, vast and intimate views of the stunning complexity, diversity, and synchronicity of His work!

While it is generally accepted that Mountain Landscape Photography, not just in Banff National Park and the Canadian Rocky Mountains – but as a benchmark for the genre – the photographer needs to have strong light ( fantastic light for the WOW factor ), strong composition ( use of the visual language ), and the technical skills to ensure good exposure, focus, aperture and lens choice, and the proper and creative use of these to” make” an image. As a Canadian Fine Art Photographer I want to make an image that is not just a picture, but an image, or picture if you will, to capture and portray for the viewer the wonder of the landscape and the designers work. This would be the Subject. A landscape mountain photograph, one that has you engaged ( perhaps the Wow factor), needs – Light, Composition, and Subject all working together to “make” an image.

Polar-vortex-sunrise-300x200.jpeg
Vermilion Lakes venting in the bitter cold

In mountain landscape photography, and in any other genre there is an ongoing debate about -What is the MOST important? As a Canadian Fine Art Photographer working in Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies, I would say LIGHT is the most important factor! But then again – I am amid multiple and captivating SUBECTS, and it is up to me to “make” an image, that is COMPOSITION, to capture the essence of what I see and convey that wonder to you the viewer. So I say LIGHT, COMPOSITION, and SUBJECT.

Banff landscape photography, Canadian Rockies landscape photography, and any landscape mountain photography need LIGHT, COMPOSITION, and SUBJECT – but since I work in the Canadian Rockies – my SUBJECT – I watch for LIGHT and work with COMPOSITION.

Whether you shoot with your smartphone, a Point and Shoot, or a high-end SLR Mountain Landscape Photography in Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies you may capture a Banff Art Photo or a Canadian Fine Art Photo. However, if you missed the shot you may want to check out my website for a special, captivating piece of Banff and Canadian Rockies Fine Art pictures.

You can contact me via e-mail, or you can set up a Zoom call meeting if you wish to discuss any of my images, the papers I use, or the Media I present my images on Acrylic Glass, Metal, and the traditional frame and matte.

Written by: Ron Hallam .
Updated:
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Published by Ron Hallam

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! My work invloves hiking through 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, took precedence over study of camera, technique and processing. So, upon retiring - for my second half, I wanted to stretch and work my “creative muscles”. I got down to focused and dedicated photographic endeavor. That started with a new DSLR. Then I began to study image making seriously. I learned about the digital way of image capture and developing (editing). The Rockies Landscape is so grand that larger Panorama shots are a favorite for me to create while, but as you can 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 and would love to hear which you prefer as your format of choice, and why. 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 try to have you try to understand and engage with my perspective, and 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 Battling Poverty Gallery dedicated to Poverty Relief and assistance for the marginalized. 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) just tell me to donate to either of the NGO's I work with, at time of checkout. A portion of each sale, 15% – read the ABOUT Art Battling Poverty Tab) will be donated to in your name. Have a browse and find “ A special moment in the Rockies, captured in a print forever”. And when you purchase you won't only have a special print, but you will also be giving Hope to the marginalized.