The 2026 Photo Location Tour

Highlights of the Canadian Rockies

The Canadian Rockies are just so spectacular. I have been fortunate enough to photograph and lead tours through the Rockies on several occasions. They almost make landscape photography easy. I am pleased to announce the dates for my 2026 Photo Location Tour of the Rockies

Quick Details

2026 Location Tour Dates: October 5th to October 8th – 4 days.

Where: Our base of operations will be in Canmore Alberta, about a 20 minute drive from the town of Banff. 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

Photo Location Tour vs. Workshop?

So what exactly is a photo location tour and how does it compare to a photo workshop? Attendees to my location tours are serious amateur photographers and are very familiar with their cameras and lenses. They are also very practiced at finding a composition and developing a story for their images. Without a doubt I am there to help, and guide participants as much as possible, but I do rely on participants for their own expertise.

What attendees lack is a knowledge of the best photography spots in the Rockies. What works for sunrise, sunset and how to work with different weather conditions. That is the expertise I bring to the table.

Where Will We Go?

Here is a short list of potential sites we can visit on our Location 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’s Included?

What You Are Responsible For?

Flights – 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.

A Typical Day?

A typical day consists of a meet-up before sunrise at a convenient 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 some orientation will be provided for the mornings photography.

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.

Fall Conditions

The first week of October is an ideal time to visit the 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 accommodations 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 Photo Location 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? Wather in the Canadian Rockies, what could go wrong? 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.

Moraine Lake

For more information about Moraine Lake, check out my post here.

Lake Louise

Bow Lake

One of my favorite locations on the Icefields Parkway, Bow Lake is the source of the Bow River, which eventually ends up in Hudson’s Bay, a couple of thousand kilometers away. The first image in the gallery below won 1st prize in the Lakeshore Camera Club Landscape Competition. For more about Bow Lake check out my post here.