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Banff Springs Driveway

I took this about six years ago while staying at the Banff Springs hotel in Alberta. This was out back facing the conference area.

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Banff Springs Driveway
The grounds of the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada

The Banff Springs is a massive property with majestic views of the Canadian Rockies on all sides. While there I walked around taking shots of everything. This image has a nice leading line and captures some of the environmental elements. I’ve had three bracketed frames in my archives for a long time. Now that I have the newest Aurora HDR software from Skylum, processing it is easier than ever.

see the Canada gallery

I’ve been going back into the archives a lot lately. It’s funny how you see things in a different light over time. I wish I could go back and change my camera settings, but it’s also good to notice how my technique has improved. The mountains, on the other hand, have not changed, they are just as majestic as ever. Time for another road trip.

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Castle Hallway

The Banff Spring Hotel in Alberta is one of the more amazing places I’ve stayed at. It was built to resemble a Scottish castle as it sits within the majestic landscape of the Canadian Rockies. The inside spares no detail and I spent hours walking the hallways taking pictures of the architecture.

Castle Hallway
The castle hallway from the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta

We started in Jasper and drove down the Columbia Ice Fields Parkway which is probably the most scenic highway on the planet. Everything about this area is so beautiful that you gladly forget the world you came from, at least I did. I am glad I took a ton of pictures to remind me of that trip. I’ve been itching to go back ever since.

See more from the Canadian Gallery

This is a tricky image produce. The hallways were basically dark except for the lamps along the way. I ended up combining five different exposures in AuroraHDR Pro to bring out all of the shadows without blowing out the highlights. I then processed in Tonality Pro for monochrome and then back in AuroraHDR for some finishing touches like radiance and glow. I never know how the image will turn out and I ended up doing about three versions, in the end I preferred the monochrome. It seems to be a good balance of all the detailed aspects of thus scene. Now with all that behind me, time to start thinking about a plan to come back here.

More images of interesting architecture from the gallery

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Lake Louise

Lake Louise is a must see. Only what you don't see in this photo is the bus loads of people behind me. But that's because it was the middle of summer and this is a must see. So, if this is the middle of summer, how come there's snow back there? Well, ...those are big ass mountains, and sitting on top are glaciers. So the scale is grand, as in really really big, as in OMG. So there you go, now you know, now you know why you need to visit the Canadian Rockies. You're welcome.

Lake Louise is a must see. Only what you don’t see in this photo is the bus loads of people behind me. But that’s because it was the middle of summer and this is a must see. So, if this is the middle of summer, how come there’s snow back there? Well, …those are big ass mountains, and sitting on top are glaciers. So the scale is grand, as in really really big, as in OMG. So there you go, now you know, now you know why you need to visit the Canadian Rockies. You’re welcome.

Click on photo to enlarge or obtain print

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Banff Walking Bridge

Last summer I went to Banff in Alberta and captured this walking bridge over the Bow River. Recently I got back from New Zealand. Now I'm conflicted as to which one I liked best. That's impossible to answer so let's just fuhgeddaboudit. But if there was another place on earth as beautiful and either of those I'm not sure what I'd do. That's the problem with being a photographer. Good problem to have I suppose. And I have a sneaking suspicion there could be other surprises in store, ...like maybe Iceland? One day. Nothing wrong with dreaming.

Last summer I went to Banff in Alberta and captured this walking bridge over the Bow River. Recently I got back from New Zealand. Now I’m conflicted as to which one I liked best. That’s impossible to answer so let’s just fuhgeddaboudit. But if there was another place on earth as beautiful and either of those I’m not sure what I’d do. That’s the problem with being a photographer. Good problem to have I suppose. And I have a sneaking suspicion there could be other surprises in store, …like maybe Iceland? One day. Nothing wrong with dreaming.

Obtain a print of Banff. Or New Zealand from my portfolio. You decide.

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Cascade Pond

Cascade Pond is just on the outskirts of Banff in Alberta Canada. I don’t keep track of the moon phases as well as I should so it was a happy coincidence that the full moon was rising as I showed up at sunset. Also happy were the mosquitoes as they feasted in my arms while I waited for the moon to come out from behind the scattered clouds. In the end I was happy to get the shot and happy to get back in the car. All in all it was a happy occasion. Happy 2014 everyone!

Cascade Pond is just on the outskirts of Banff in Alberta Canada. I don't keep track of the moon phases as well as I should so it was a happy coincidence that the full moon was rising as I showed up at sunset. Also happy were the mosquitoes as they feasted in my arms while I waited for the moon to come out from behind the scattered clouds. In the end I was happy to get the shot and happy to get back in the car. All in all it was a happy occasion. Happy happy happy.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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After the Storm

This summer I was in Banff Alberta and captured this shot over the Bow River one morning. About a month before we arrived this river overflowed it’s banks and the town (not to mention others downstream including Calgary) was virtually shutdown as the residents and business owners worked to cleanup, restore power and prepare for the summer tourist season. The early morning calm and stillness of this scene belies the catastrophe and Herculean efforts that proceeded, and when we arrived it was as beautiful as you see here with no signs of what just happened a few weeks before.

This summer I was in Banff Alberta and captured this shot over the Bow River one morning. About a month before we arrived this river overflowed it's banks and the town (not to mention others downstream including Calgary) was virtually shutdown as the residents and business owners worked to cleanup, restore power and prepare for the summer tourist season. The early morning calm and stillness of this scene belies the catastrophe and Herculean efforts that proceeded, and when we arrived it was as beautiful as you see here with no signs of what just happened a few weeks before.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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Photo Art

I’m sure there is a name for this, a photo of a scene of an artist painting a scene. If nothing else it’s circular in reference and something that would drive someone like me mad, but this is art, or photography, …or something else, so no madness today. I was in Banff Alberta along the Bow River when I captured this. That was in summer and I imagine now that winter has hit it looks a little different, perhaps a bit more white in the frame. I like to call what I do Photo Art because in a way I paint with light. My pallet is the of light of various apertures, yet it’s a pallet nonetheless. I could go on but you get the idea. New forms of art, new mediums. Thank you unknown artist, from you I draw inspiration.

I'm sure there is a name for this, a photo of a scene of an artist painting a scene. If nothing else it's circular in reference and something that would drive someone like me mad, but this is art, or photography, ...or something else, so no madness today. I was in Banff Alberta along the Bow River when I captured this. That was in summer and I imagine now that winter has hit it looks a little different, perhaps a bit more white in the frame. I like to call what I do Photo Art because in a way I paint with light. My pallet is the of light of various apertures, yet it's a pallet nonetheless. I could go on but you get the idea. New forms of art, new mediums. Thank you unknown artist, from you I draw inspiration.

Follow link to obtain a print of this photo.

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Quiet Corner of the Castle

This is a piano I found in a corner of the Scottish castle otherwise known as the Banff Springs Hotel, in Banff Alberta. When I was there I took quite a few photos of the place which is a small measure of how impressed I was by the ambiance and architecture. If anyone ever invents a time machine, this is the place I’d like to visit fifty or a hundred years ago. From the looks of the furnishings I’d think little has changed, it’s as though the place was cut right out of a movie set and a playground for the rich and famous. Perhaps the only difference now is that people like me, not so rich and famous, can wander the halls and get lost in reverie and imagination.

This is a piano I found in a corner of the Scottish castle otherwise known as the Banff Springs Hotel, in Banff Alberta. When I was there I took quite a few photos of the place which is a small measure of how impressed I was by the ambiance and architecture. If anyone ever invents a time machine, this is the place I'd like to visit fifty or a hundred years ago. From the looks of the furnishings I'd think little has changed, it's as though the place was cut right out of a movie set and a playground for the rich and famous. Perhaps the only difference now is that people like me, not so rich and famous, can wander the halls and get lost in reverie and imagination.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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Rundle Lounge

No trip to Banff in Alberta Canada is complete without a visit to the Banff Springs Hotel. This is the Rundle Lounge where I imagine many VIPs have sat and discussed, well whatever VIPs discuss. My musings aside, the grandeur of the place is enhanced by the Canadian Rockies just outside. I took this early in the morning before it was crowded, but later that day a Royal Canadian Mountie in a red uniform and wide brim hat was in the lounge talking to some children. The children were wide eyed and I too was a little impressed. What a nice gesture to have these legendary officers come here and mingle with the guest and pass on a little legendary Canadian hospitality.

No trip to Banff in Alberta Canada is complete without a visit to the Banff Springs Hotel. I was there this summer and so availed myself with camera in hand. It's patterned after a Scottish castle and the interior exudes old world charm and architecture. This is the Rundle Lounge where I imagine many VIPs have sat and discussed, well whatever they discussed. My musings aside, the elegance and grandeur of the place is enhanced by the majestic Canadian Rockies just outside. I took this early in the morning before it was crowded, but later that day a Royal Canadian Mountie in a red uniform and wide brim hat was in the lounge talking to some children. The children were wide eyed and I too was a little impressed. What a nice gesture to have these legendary officers come here and mingle with the guest and pass on a little legendary Canadian hospitality.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.

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Light in the Mirror

I’m not much of a furniture buff but place it in a castle and turn down the lights and suddenly my imagination seems to take over and I’m transported away from this world. Mostly I imagine the scenes of past ages playing out with me as a bystander, as though watching a movie or viewing a prior life. Certain music does that to me also, for instance when I listen to Loreena McKennitt scenes and emotions from a different place and time play out. So it is that when I take photos like this they are not so much about the furniture but the images they evoke in my mind and the portals they open to other worlds and other times. But then a hotel guest walks by in flip flops and I’m brought back into this world.

I'm not much of a furniture buff but place it in a castle and turn down the lights and suddenly my imagination seems to take over and I'm transported away from this world. Mostly I imagine the scenes of past ages playing out with me as a bystander, as though watching a movie or viewing a prior life. Certain music does that to me also, for instance when I listen to Loreena McKennitt scenes and emotions from a different place and time play out. So it is that when I take photos like this they are not so much about the furniture but the images they evoke in my mind and the portals they open to other worlds and other times. But then a hotel guest walks by in flip flops and I'm brought back into this world.

Follow link to obtain a limited edition print of this photo.