It’s 5 pm on February 6th, 2009, and for the first time in over a month, it’s snowing outside here in Banff!! So with that in mind, I give you my three favourite Banff winter photography locations, which, in my mind, are always better when there’s fresh snow on the ground and trees:
3. Lake Louise. Located an hour inside Banff National Park, few locations in the world offer the grandeur of Lake Louise, beautifully framed between several towering peaks and with no less than seven glaciers at its head. For optimal winter photography, aim for early or mid-morning, from 9 to noon. But be forewarned, it’s cold at that time of the day!!
2. Mount Rundle and Vermilion Lakes. One of my all-time favourite locations to photograph in Banff National Park at any time of year, this classic offers up a variety of views as you hike and drive the Vermilion Lakes Road. Winter photography rarely gets better than a sunny afternoon spent taking pictures at one of Banff’s most beautiful locales. Aim to spend all afternoon here on a nice winter day, focusing your efforts on getting ready for the alpenglow sunset that will light up Mount Rundle.
1. Castle Mountain and the Bow River. Though not as well known or as visited as Lake Louise or the Vermilion Lakes area, this is my favourite winter photography location in Banff National Park. It offers a spectacular view of a gorgeous sunlit mountain above the picturesque Bow River and surrounding snow-clad forest. I often spend entire afternoons walking the edges of the river and looking for different angles to photograph Castle from. You can find this gem halfway between Banff and Lake Louise just off the Trans-Canada Highway at the Highway 93 South junction.
That’s it for now, but watch in coming posts for a spring preview of wildlife photography opportunities in Jasper National Park. And please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or comments at info@wildernessprints.com
Happy Shooting!
John
