We’ll start a little later today, after a long day yesterday. Today, we head to Johnston Canyon, just north of Banff township, where water forces its way and cuts through the limestone to form the canyon walls, waterfalls, tunnels and pools. This is a popular canyon, and a fairly easy climb, with a great payoff. We will bring our tripods, ND and polarizing filters and create beautiful pictures of this rushing water. It gets a little misty at the top, with the thundering force of the water, but it’s worth the effort to capture the falls. As we make our way out of the canyon, we’ll pass through the forest and alongside Johnston creek.

After our hike through the canyon, we’ll drive a little further north to capture Castle Mountain along the Bow river. A mountain was never more appropriately named, and this is a castle that needs exploring. A truly beautiful mountain, made evident by all the wedding photos that are taken here every day.

We will return to Banff, for an early night, as we have an early morning tomorrow. (B)

We begin with an early morning sunrise shoot of the Vermillion Lakes west of the town of Banff and at the foot of Mount Norquay. These three lakes provide stunning mountain reflections of Mt. Rundle and beautiful light. We will start at the first lake, and finish our time on the third and furthest lake. This location may provide opportunities to photograph wildlife such as bald eagles and elk. We will return to the hotel for breakfast after the shoot.

After breakfast, we’ll take a mid-morning gondola ride as we ascend the side of beautiful Sulphur Mountain on the Banff Gondola. At the top, we’ll enjoy a 360-degree view of 6 scenic mountain ranges at 7,486 feet above sea level. The view from the top of the range will leave you breathless and exhilarated with unlimited photographic opportunities.

We will have an afternoon rest, so that we are ready for a sunset shoot. After dinner, we will head to Two Jack Lake where sunset comes alive. The lake is a short drive from Banff township, one which will provide breathtaking views of Cascade Mountain. Along with this stretch of road, we may encounter Bighorn Sheep feeding alongside us. As we wait for the sun to set and the waters to calm, we’ll encounter beautiful mountain reflections and interesting foregrounds which will lend to some spectacular photography. (B)

Today, we move camp a little further up the highway, to Lake Louise. A large portion of the most spectacular scenery in the park is in this section.

Before we get to Lake Louise, we will stop for a while at Morant’s Curve. Made famous by Nicholas Morant, a staff photographer for the Canadian Pacific Railway, this stretch of railway along the Bow River is not to be missed. Set below the majestic Mount Temple, this was one of Morant’s favorite locations across Canada. We will capture the light off the slopes of the Rockies and if we’re lucky, we’ll even have the opportunity to photograph a train coming around the bend of Morant’s curve.

Upon our arrival in Lake Louise, we’ll drop our bags at our hotel, and get some much-needed lunch. After our break, we’ll drive a little further north up the Icefields Parkway, where some very beautiful scenery awaits us. Along the drive, there’s a pretty good chance we’ll spot brown bears foraging for food along the highway.

First, up will be Bow Lake, and along with it, Bow Glacier Falls. A large lake, with towering peaks rising from the deep blue waters, make for some great images. There’s a small mountain lodge at the shore of the lake that we can grab some tea or snacks. If the weather is good, and the energy level is high, we can take a 2-hour hike up to Bow Glacier Falls for a backcountry experience that will be truly memorable.

And finally, we will head to Peyto Lake, a short drive from Bow Lake. Peyto Lake is one of Canada’s more recognizable lakes, as it looks like a bear. The 10-minute hike up to the viewpoint is very worth the effort. (B)

Although this day sounds like it’s all about lakes – each of them has unique and special qualities. Moraine Lake is one of Banff’s most sought-after scenes. If there is a location not to be missed while exploring the Canadian Rockies, this treasure is it. Glacially fed, Moraine Lake is nestled in the valley of Ten Peaks with an elevation of roughly 6,000 feet. In July, the lake will fill and cast a distinct shade of blue that will be a memory you carry for the rest of your life.

We begin early, as the best shots are at sunrise. By 5:30 am, the crowds will have gathered at the viewpoint. But we will get settled into a location that will provide us with unobstructed views, and without people taking selfies in front of us. Several peaceful walks and casual hikes are nestled around Moraine, and this stunning location deserves several hours of exploration. We’ll take our time at this location and enjoy breakfast here.

We’ll head back down to Lake Louise to photograph this mountain lake in the late morning. Capturing images of the bright red canoes paddled along the glacier-filled lake, or even paddling a canoe on the lake, will be a great experience. After a light lunch at the Chateau Lake Louise, we will begin a hike up to Lake Agnes. The hike is a little more than 2 miles (3.2 km) each way. Approximately 3 hours round trip, plus time to photograph the lake and waterfalls. Once we reach Lake Agnes, there is a European-style Tea House, with hot cocoa and welcome snacks.

In the evening, we’ll settle in for our Farewell Dinner, in one of Lake Louise’s best restaurants. (B) (D)

On our last morning together, we will take a short trip into British Columbia’s Yoho National Park to photograph Emerald Lake. Since Emerald Lake is just a short drive across the provincial border into British Columbia, the opportunity to photograph her is just too good to pass up. We will have an early morning, so that we arrive at sunrise.

In addition to capturing the beauty of Emerald Lake, on the way back to Lake Louise, we will stop at the Natural Bridge, which is a rock overpass, over the Kicking Horse River. It’s an incredible natural phenomenon, and a wonderful way to spend our last morning together.

We’ll return to our hotel in Lake Louise for breakfast, and conduct our final group discussion, review our past weeks photos, trade contact information, and check out of our hotel , and bid you farewell. We urge you to extend your stay in Alberta and make good use of everything you will learn on our photo adventure. (B)

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