Banff from Above: 360° of Winter Workshop
We’ve just wrapped up our February 2021 winter landscape photography workshop here in Banff and what a great weekend we had!
I ran this workshop with my friend and fellow photographer Nick Fitzhardinge and we had a fantastic group of participants join us to make this a really fun couple of days!
It was a jam-packed schedule, with the workshop theme focusing on Banff’s stunning landscapes from the unique vantage point of the mountain tops! That’s right, we went to the top of not one, but two mountains and the best part? We didn’t have to hike up there. We got a lift which makes all the difference when you have a bag full of camera gear!
Nick and I partnered with Banff Gondola and the Lake Louise Ski Resort, giving our group exclusive access to the peaks and a stunning view during our ride up!
Our first stop was Banff Gondola which takes you to to the top of Sulphur Mountain in Banff National Park.
The gondola ride will take you up to 2281m (7486ft) to the top, where you’ll have 360 degree views over Banff.
We went up with hopes of catching sunset, blue hour and the rising full moon over the town lights.
We photographed sunset from the viewing deck where we were able to go inside to warm up if we needed to. We then ventured up to the Cosmic Ray Station which gives another incredible viewpoint, where we watched the town lights begin to glow, surrounded by the towering mountains around us.
The next morning, we hit some favourite landscape locations in Banff for sunrise, then made our way to the Lake Louise Ski Resort for our next mountain summit viewpoint. We enjoyed the views on our trip up from the gondola, which brings you to Whitehorn Mountain at 2088m (6850ft).
Once at the top, we experienced incredible light to complement the breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and Lake Louise below. We had a private area to ourselves to get creative and work on capturing the scene in front of us.
Having access to these two gondolas meant we were able to make the most of the conditions, and shoot during ideal times of the day for lighting, without having to worry about lugging our gear. We enjoyed watching the light change over the mountain ranges and were treated to some spectacular shooting conditions.
If you want to experience this for yourself, Nick and I will be offering this as an annual event. Make sure to sign up to my newsletter to receive notifications when we open bookings.
The great thing about these gondolas is they run year-round, and you can access them yourself anytime!
For details on timing, locations and pricing, visit their websites below:
Banff Gonolda
Lake Louise Gondola
