Capture Your Best in the Canadian Rockies
The Canadian Rockies are just so spectacular. I have been so lucky to photograph and lead tours through the Rockies on several occasions. They almost make landscape photography easy. I am pleased to announce my 2026 Rocky Mountain Photography Tour.
Quick Details
2026 Photography Tour Dates: October 5th to October 8th – 4 days.
Where: We will use Canmore Alberta as our base of operations. Canmore features spectacular mountain scenery with a chill atmosphere, great restaurants and tons of accommodations. The town is about a 10 minute drive from Banff National Park, so very easy access to the best photography locations. For more about Canmore check out my two posts about this great little town: Canmore: Your Base for exploring Banff and My 5 Favorite Photography locations in Canmore
Price: $1000 CDN
Lakeshore Camera Club: Since I am a member of the Lakeshore Camera Club (LCC), located in Pointe Claire, Quebec (a suburb of Montreal, QC) I am extending a 20% discount to club members. LCC features weekly Monday evening meetings, held either as hybrid meetings (in person at Stewart Hall and streamed via webex) or webex only meetings. Either way you get access to every meeting. For more about the club check out this link.
Photography Tour: A Typical Day
A typical day consists of a get together before sunrise at a central location in Canmore. Meeting time will depend on our destination for the sunrise shoot, which will be communicated the day before. We will travel to our destination as a group and once we arrive, I will provide a description of the location together with advice on compositions.
Once Golden hour is over, participants are free to explore the area further, or optionally you can join an exploratory photo session at some other location. Then again you may want to visit some of the popular tourist locations in Banff, or just head back to your accommodations for some rest.
We will meet up again for a sunset shoot at a location closer to Canmore, and optionally meet for a group dinner before heading back to our beds.
Point Form
- Meet before sunrise at a central location in Canmore (time and destination for the shoot will be announced the day before)
- Drive to the morning shoot (typically 1 – 1.5 hours)
- After arriving at our destination, I will provide a description of the location, and suggest the best compositions for the conditions
- Coaching and guidance during the mornings shoot
- We may opt to visit some other locations in the area, or have a group lunch
- The afternoon is yours to explore
- Meet at our sunset location (communicated by mid-day) and review potential compositions based on the conditions
Attendees to my photography tours are serious amateur photographers and are very familiar with their cameras and lenses. They are also very practiced at finding compositions and developing a story. Without a doubt I am there to help, and guide participants as much as possible with suggestions on compositions, camera settings and looking for that portfolio shot.
Where Will We Go?
Here is a short list of potential locations as part of the Photography Tour. The itinerary will depend on the weather and expected conditions for sunrise and sunset. Using Canmore as our base we can explore locations in the Banff, Yoho, and Kootenay National Parks, and even head down to Kananaskis Provincial Park. Specific locations could include;
- Vermillion Lakes – Banff
- Two Jack Lake – Banff
- Quarry Lake – Canmore
- The Three Sisters – Canmore
- Lake Louise – Banff
- Bow Lake – Banff
- Peyto Lake – Banff
- Emerald Lake – Yoho
- Marble Canyon – Kooteny
- Wedge Pond – Kananaskis
What You Are Responsible For?
- Flights – it is recommended to fly into Calgary International Airport
- Transportation to photo locations – car rentals are available at the airport
- Accommodations – there are a variety of options
- Food and Drink – we must eat!
- National Park Entrance Fees – check out Parks Canada web site for the various options
- Equipment – camera, lenses, tripod, filters, memory cards… the list goes on
- Insurance – You must have insurance – for both personal injury and for your equipment. Tour leaders are not responsible in the case of injury or equipment damage during the tour.
Fall Conditions
The first week of October is an ideal time to visit the Canadian Rockies. Fall is in full bloom, the Aspens are a brilliant yellow, the Larches have started turning and the light is golden. Sunrise is typically at 8:00 am (a.k.a. getting up for sunrise is so much easier than summer), while sunset is at 7:12 pm (however in the mountains the daylight is shorter). Average daytime temperatures are 10 degrees C, but can be as high as 20 degrees, with overnight lows approaching the freezing point.
Layers are the key, dress warmly for morning conditions and as things warm up peel off those layers if the conditions are right. October is the dry season in the Rockies, but of course rain can be expected. If we are lucky we will see snow on the mountain tops.
Logistics
We will be based in Canmore, Alberta which is about 1.5 hours from Calgary International Airport. Canmore has many different options for lodging including hotels, condo rentals and bed and breakfast’s. You will be expected to make your way to Canmore 1 day before the tour starts. We will meet as a group for a kick-off dinner and get to know each other a wee-bit.
Your 2026 Rocky Mountain Photo Tour Leaders
FAQ
Will we go to Moraine Lake? Access to Moraine Lake is highly restricted necessitating booking a shuttle to access the lake which for a group of this size is very difficult to coordinate. But I highly recommend individuals to visit Moraine Lake, especially at Sunrise, as it truly is magical.
Will we encounter wildlife? This photo location tour will not focus on wildlife photography, but there is always a chance we will see Elks, Mountain Goats or Bears. Speaking of the latter, while the locations we will visit are not deep country, there is always the chance of there being a bear in the vicinity. Safety is paramount and everyone should have bear spray with them.
What if the weather is horrible? Weather in the Canada, what could go wrong? Fortunately October is dry season in the Rockies so chances are good for dry weather. But it can rain or snow at any time. We will tailor our travel based on weather forecasts for the different regions.
Physical Fitness? All of the locations we will be visiting are located within a short walk of the parking lot on well marked trails. Participants should be able to walk for 10-15 minutes at a leisurely pace. During the photoshoot there will most likely be a lot of standing around waiting for the right light.
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Copyright 2026 Philip Colet 