Book Your Seat on the PhotoPills Expedition to the Canadian Rockies before September 8th and Get €500 Off (Only 1 Spot Left)
We’re going to the Canadian Rockies...
Are you in?
Around the Crescent Moon...
From February 2nd to February 8th 2025, Rachel Jones Ross, Felix Inden and Bryan Peters (PhotoPills Masters) will be traveling across the Canadian Rockies to photograph the Aurora Borealis, the Milky Way and the Winter Golden Light along with frozen landscapes, turquoise lakes and majestic mountains...
Right when the Sun is in the period of solar maximum, which means we will be more likely to see and photograph the dancing green lights of the Aurora!
Of course...
We’ll be taking photos all day long...
But...
Can you imagine it?
To photograph the Aurora Borealis, the Milky Way and the beautiful Winter Golden Light with blooming frost flowers, frozen turquoise lakes, methane bubbles trapped in ice, rushing rivers, deep forests, glaciers and snow-capped mountains.
We’re dreaming about it!
To achieve it, we’ll use the planning power of PhotoPills and the expert knowledge of Rachel Jones Ross, Felix Inden and Bryan Peters to always be at the right place at the right time.
Top secret: we have quite a few legendary photos planned already ;)
The Deal (Only 1 Spot Left)
We're offering you a €500 discount on the regular price!
All you have to do is to book the last spot available before Sunday September 8th.
Read carefully all the details of this unique adventure.
And when you’re ready, click here to book your spot.
Please, book as soon as possible. The seats are sold on a first come, first served basis.
The Adventure
12 PhotoPillers | 3 PhotoPills Masters | Canadian Rockies | Endless legendary photos
Warning! This is not a honeymoon... But it’s not a hiking adventure either. All shooting spots are at a short walking distance from the car.
We’re recruiting 12 brave PhotoPillers (PhotoPills and photography nerds) to join us on an 7-day expedition to photograph the Aurora Borealis, the Milky Way and the Winter’s Golden Light along with some of the gems hidden in the majestic Canadian Rockies.
It’s winter and it’s going to be cold!
The average temperature is between 0ºC (32ºF) and -12ºC (10.4ºF)... But it can reach -40ºC (-40ºF)!
The lakes are frozen, and the snowpack is deep.
Frost flowers “bloom” along open bodies of water, and mounds of pillowy snow simplify the landscape. Snow and ice are the perfect companions for Aurora as they reflect the dancing green lights.
This expedition is a non-stop adventure to chase legendary photos and you are a key asset!
We have planned tons of photos, and we’ll travel many kilometers to capture them...
But we also want to maximize our flexibility in terms of itinerary and schedule in order to take advantage of all the opportunities that the changing weather will surely put in our way.
If we're fortunate enough to be out photographing the Aurora or the Milky Way at night and it takes us into the late hours, we'll take a little extra sleep the next morning, skip Sunrise and kick start our day a bit later.
On the other hand, if the conditions make us skip the nighttime photography session, we'll rise and shine early to catch the Sunrise.
Whichever path we take, you can count on us to seize every photo opportunity and be right where the magic happens!
You are about to embark on a PhotoPills’ style journey. And it’s not going to be a honeymoon precisely... :P
You’ll be a true PhotoPiller!
Are you in?
Day 1. Sunday, February 2nd - Welcome to the Canadian Rockies
It’s Sunday morning...
And you land in an early flight at the YYC Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Although I suggest arriving the day before and staying at the Hotel 11, MOD A Sonesta Collection, which will be our pick up place.
10:00 am
After picking you up at the airport (or at the Hotel 11), we’ll continue our journey towards the Rockies.
Due to its wonderful pristine nature, the Canadian Rockies have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage-list. The magnificent mountains stretch for about 180,000 km2 (69,500 mi2) through Alberta and British Columbia.
12:30 am
We arrive at the village of Canmore, located in the Bow Valley within Alberta's Rocky Mountains, where the comfortable Falcon Crest Lodge will be our base and home for the rest of the week.
Check-in starts at 3:00 pm so we’ll spend some time buying groceries, snacks, or any last minute items you may need for the week.
Ah, and we’ll have lunch at a local restaurant.
What about having the crispy skin salmon, the bison sirloin or the Buddha bowl? Delicious!
4:45 pm
Today we’ll photograph Sunset and, if lucky, the Aurora in Lake Minnewanka, located in Banff.
Lake Minnewanka is a super large glacial lake. It’s 21 km (13 mi) long and 142 m (466 ft) deep.
The lake is surrounded by a stunning mountain range. Among the peaks, we find Mount Inglismaldie (2,964m or 9,724 ft) and Mount Girouard (2,995m or 9,826 ft).
We’re staying on the other side of the lake, where the view of the mountain is spectacular. It’s time to use the PhotoPills Planner and the Augmented Reality view to plan our Sunset shot:
The Sun is setting at 5:35 pm on the horizon. But it’ll hide before behind the tall peaks at our back. So we need to be ready, at the planned shooting spot, to capture the light on Mount Girouard in front of us.
Golden hour begins at 4:44 pm, Sunset is at 5:35pm, golden hour ends at 5:57 pm and blue hour ends at 6:11 pm.
6:15 pm
What happens after Sunset will depend on the Aurora forecast and the cloud layer.
If there are chances of getting the Aurora dancing in the sky, we’ll stay and enjoy the show.
Get your snacks and groceries ready!
Also, the Moon (25%) sets at 11:30 pm. And we hope its light will help us with our foreground exposures :)
Plan & Pray!
On the contrary...
If there is no Aurora, we’ll pack up and go back to the hotel where we’ll enjoy a well deserved dinner.
We'll go to bed early because we have an early start!
Photographic pills:
- Sunset, golden hour and blue hour at Lake Minnewanka.
- Aurora Borealis at Lake Minnewanka (if clear skies and Aurora activity)
Day 2. Monday, February 3rd - The Three Sisters
6:00 am
Today we’ll photograph the Sunrise with The Three Sisters...
Back in 1883, during Canmore's era as a coal mining hub, Albert Rogers observed the trio of peaks after a snowy tempest, their white summits resembling veiled nuns, and aptly dubbed them the “Three Nuns.”
However, by 1886, renowned geologist and mapmaker George Dawson had christened them the Three Sisters.
Each peak also bears its own name: Big Sister (2936 m, 9632 ft), Middle Sister (2769 m, 9084 ft), and Little Sister (2694 m, 8838 ft), symbolically representing Faith, Hope, and Charity.
Look!
The Sun is rising in the southeast, casting its morning golden light on the three emblematic peaks.
Time to press the shutter!
Blue hour begins at 7:38 am, golden hour begins at 7:52 am, Sunrise is at 8:13 am and golden hour ends at 9:04 am.
9:00 am
Breakfast at a local Cafe.
11:00 am
Downtime at the hotel.
12:00 pm
Expedition briefing with Rachel, Felix and Bryan to get to know each other better, and to go over the locations, gear and techniques you’ll be using during the week. Alse, important logistic and safety instructions will be given.
12:45 pm
Aurora photograph class with Rachel.
2:00 pm
Time to go grab lunch.
4:30 pm
We arrive at Emerald Lake, one of the most stunning lakes in the Canadian Rockies.
Located in Yoho National Park, Emerald Lake is known for its blue and turquoise waters, surrounding pine forest and snowy peaks.
There we’ll find Michael Peak (2,701m or 8,862ft), Walcott Peak (2,575m or 8,448ft) and President Peak (3,123m or 10,246ft).
It’s a 5min walk to the Sunset spot in Emerald Lake. Here we enjoy a beautiful view of the frozen landscapes: the water, the trees, the peaks.
It’s time to scout the area and fine tune your compositions. And to practice the focus stacking techniques you’ve learned with Rachel.
Look! As the Sun goes down the golden light begins to fall on Michael Peak.
The spot is perfect to use both a wide angle lens and a telephoto lens if you wish to capture some parts of the landscape.
Golden hour begins at 4:49 pm, Sunset is at 5:40 pm, golden hour ends at 6:02 pm, and blue hour ends at 6:16 pm.
7:00 pm
After the blue hour, when the light begins to fade away, we’ll pack up and go to the Emerald Lodge, where a delicious dinner awaits.
8:30 pm
The astronomical twilight ends at 7:35 pm. It’s when the nighttime begins. And if the sky is clear, and the Aurora is dancing, we’ll be right by the lake, photographing it.
The Moon (37%) sets at 1:03 am, so we’ll have a partial Moon to work with in the early evening, which will be bright enough to illuminate the landscape, allowing us to capture all of the beautiful details of the scene while shooting the Aurora.
11:30 pm
As soon as we’re happy with our shots, we’ll go to bed. Because tomorrow we’ll get up very early to photograph the Sunrise.
Photographic pills:
- Sunrise, golden hour and blue hour at the Three Sisters (if we did not photograph the Aurora till late the night before).
- Sunset, golden hour and blue hour at Emerald Lake.
- Aurora Borealis under a Moonlit landscape at Emerald Lake (if clear skies and Aurora activity)
Day 3. Tuesday, February 4th - The Dragon and the Castle
7:00 am
After a good sleep, and a 30 min drive, we arrive at Vermilion Lakes, our Sunrise destination in Bow Valley.
Here the view of Mount Rundle (2,948m or 9,672ft) and Sulphur Mountain (2,451m, 8,041ft) is spectacular.
We’re shooting towards the south. The Sun is rising right behind the majestic peaks in front of us.
In my opinion, the rock formation resembles the back of a dragon... What do you think?
We’ll shoot here until the end of the golden hour.
Blue hour begins at 7:38 am, golden hour begins at 7:52 am, Sunrise is at 8:13 am and golden hour ends at 9:04 am.
9:30 am
Breakfast at a local Cafe.
11:00 am
Downtime at the hotel.
1:00 pm
PhotoPills Class with Felix followed by a focus stacking class with Rachel.
2:30 pm
Time to go grab lunch.
4:30 pm
Our next photo involves the golden light and a stunning mountain that resembles a castle. It’s called Castle Mountain (2,766m or 9,075 ft). It’s located in the Banff National Park, at about 1h 30min drive from the lodge.
The shooting spot is by the Bow River. We’re shooting, pointing to the north. So, as the Sun is setting in the west, it’s casting its light on the rocky Castle from the side, creating a show of spectacular shapes and textures.
Golden hour begins at 4:49 pm, Sunset is at 5:40 pm, golden hour ends at 6:02 pm, and blue hour ends at 6:15 pm.
7:30 pm
If the Aurora forecast looks promising (I hope) and the clouds are disappearing, we’ll have dinner in the great outdoors. Our plan is to stay here as much time as we can photographing the green dancing shapes of the northern lights.
At 7:34 pm, the astronomical twilight ends and nighttime begins. With the absence of sunlight, the sky belongs to the Aurora Borealis – the real queen of the night.
The Moon (47%), as always during the expedition, is out there helping us to correctly expose the foreground.
And Castle Rock is placed in the perfect spot. Can you imagine it? To photograph the Aurora with such a natural castle?
Can’t wait!
11:00 pm
Today it’s been a very long day. It’s time to go to bed and recover some energy. Tomorrow is the Secret Day.
Photographic pills:
- Sunrise, golden hour and blue hour at the Vermilion Lakes (if we did not photograph the Aurora till late the night before).
- Sunset, golden hour and blue hour at Castle Mountain.
- Aurora Borealis under a Moonlit landscape at Castle Mountain (if clear skies and Aurora activity)
Day 4. Wednesday, February 5th - The Secret
I’ve been giving you lots of details of this amazing expedition to the Canadian Rockies.
Maybe far too many...
But on February 5th we’ll do something very special...
What will that be?
Well, you'll have to be there, with us, to figure it out :P
Day 5. Thursday, February 6th - Frost Flowers and the Milky Way
4:00 am
Wake up! We’re going to photograph the Milky Way core rising next to Mountain Peak in Bow Lake.
5:45 am
Bow Lake is located on the Icefields Parkway, about 1h and 15 min away from our hotel.
The impressive rock wall of Crowfoot Mountain (3,055 m or 10,023 ft), the glacier, and the infinite Wapta Icefield provide us with a unique photo opportunity.
And, on top of that, let’s add some frost flowers in the foreground and the Core of the Milky Way rising next to Crowfoot mountain in the background. Cherry on the cake!
The Moon is below the horizon. Nighttime ends at 6:21 am. It’s when we enter the astronomical twilight. A period of time when, despite the sky not being completely dark, the Milky Way is still visible.
7:30 am
As the blue hour begins, the scene changes completely. The sky is filled up with beautiful cold colors. Later, as the Sun rises, the blues give way to the reds and oranges. The colors of the golden hour...
Colors that fall on Crowfoot Mountain, just in front of us.
Blue hour begins at 7:40 am, golden hour begins at 7:53 am, Sunrise is at 8:15 am and golden hour ends at 9:06 am.
9:00 am
We’ve had breakfast in the field from our groceries. And now we’re on our way (90 min) to our brunch spot.
11:00 am
Copious brunch in one of our favorite Cafes, perfectly located for our Sunset shot.
1:00 pm
In winter, if it is cold enough, a curious phenomenon occurs here in Abraham Lake: methane bubbles are trapped between the layers of ice.
The methane bubbles are produced by the bacteria eating dead organic matter at the bottom of the lake. As they float upwards towards the surface, the bubbles get trapped in the ice... Creating a unique foreground for our photos!
So the idea here is to photograph the bubbles along with the majestic Mount Michener (2,545m or 8,350 ft) at Sunset and at night, when we expect (we beg) the Aurora Borealis to appear in the sky.
Look! The Sun is already setting and the golden light is falling on Mount Michener.
Golden hour begins at 4:51 pm, Sunset is at 5:43 pm, golden hour ends at 6:05 pm, and blue hour ends at 6:19 pm.
7:00 pm
Dinner in the field. It seems that we’re going to be lucky. A strong Aurora has been predicted and the skies are clear (I hope so!).
If the Aurora finally doesn’t occur, we’ll save energy and go back to bed.
8:00 pm
The Moon (70%) is illuminating the landscape...
One thing we love about Abraham Lake is the multiple photography options that it offers. We could spend several days just photographing the frozen lake, the trees, the mountains...
Nighttime began at 7:39 pm. We’re getting ready at our shooting spots to photograph the Aurora.
11:00 pm
Bed time! Tomorrow another big day awaits!
Photographic pills:
- Milky Way at Bow Lake (if we did not photograph the Aurora till late the night before).
- Sunrise, golden hour and blue hour at Bow Lake (if we did not photograph the Aurora till late the night before).
- Sunset, golden hour and blue hour at Abraham Lake.
- Aurora Borealis under a Moonlit landscape at Abraham Lake (if clear skies and Aurora activity).
Day 6. Friday, February 7th - The Triangle and the Red Train
3:00 am
If we go to bed early the night before, we’ll wake up and get ready to photograph the Milky Way just before Sunrise, we’re going to Tangle Ridge.
5:45 am
Tangle Ridge is an impressive 3,000m (9,800 ft) mountain summit located in Jasper National Park. Due to its pointy shape, it forms a beautiful triangle under the stars.
The Milky Way Core is slowly rising behind the peak, forming a beautiful diagonal of stars. We’ll shoot the Milky Way until dawn.
The Moon is below the horizon. Nighttime ends at 6:21 am. But we’ll keep shooting the Milky Way until during the astronomical twilight, till not a single star is visible.
7:00 am
The Sun is rising on the left side of Tangle Ridge, hidden by the Rocky Mountains. It’s impossible to see it.
But what we do see is the golden light hitting the top of the peaks on the right!
And be aware... It can be very cold!
Check “Uncle” Toni’s mustache during one of our past expeditions here...
Blue hour begins at 7:43 am, golden hour begins at 7:56 am, Sunrise is at 8:18 am and golden hour ends at 9:10 am.
10:30 am
After a non stop morning, we’ll have breakfast in a local café in Jasper.
12:00 pm
Though not exceptionally high at 23 meters, Athabasca Falls stands out in the Canadian Rockies due to the sheer volume of water flowing through it, making it one of the most forceful waterfalls in the region.
The water cascades over a hard layer of quartzite, eroding the softer limestone beneath and creating unique geological formations such as potholes and a brief canyon.
The Athabasca River, fed by the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield, is Jasper's largest river system.
In 1810, the renowned cartographer and explorer David Thompson navigated this river in his quest to find a fur trade route to the Pacific Ocean. His discovery of Athabasca Pass in January 1811 was pivotal in linking Canada from coast to coast.
We’ll stop here in the middle of the day, to grab our souvenir shots!
1:30 pm
We’re on our way back to Lake Louis. Get ready for another powerful Sunset!
We’ll have lunch on the go.
4:30 pm
We arrive at our Sunset spot.
Morant’s curve is located in Lake Louise...
What’s so unique about this curve?
Well...
The story involves a train...
Morant's Curve gets its name from Nicholas Morant, a photographer working for the Canadian Pacific Railway in the mid 20th century.
His photos helped promote the railway and the Canadian Rockies.
So, in addition to the stunning mountains and the Bow River, the Canadian Pacific Railway train wraps itself through the beautiful scenery.
And this is what we want, to photograph the Red Engine train slowly traveling along the valley, next to the Bow River and among the mountains: Mount Temple (3,544m or 11,627ft), Mount Aberdeen (3,152m or 10,341ft), Popes Peak (3,163m or 10,377ft), and Waputik Peak (2,755m or 9,039ft)...
Golden hour begins at 4:56 pm, Sunset is at 5:46 pm, golden hour ends at 8:07 pm, and blue hour ends at 6:21 pm.
7:30 pm
Well deserved dinner at a local restaurant.
9:30 pm
What a day! We’ll go to bed and enjoy our last night in the Canadian Rockies.
Ah! And tomorrow... Sunrise!
Photographic pills:
- Milky Way at Tangle Peak (if we did not photograph the Aurora till late the night before).
- Sunrise, golden hour and blue hour at Tangle peak (if we did not photograph the Aurora till late the night before).
- Midday shots at Athabasca Falls.
- Sunset, golden hour and blue hour at Morant’s Curve.
Day 7. Saturday, February 8th - The Farewell
7:00 am
And there we are, once more, right at the planned shooting spot, with cameras ready to photograph our last Sunrise in the Canadian rockies.
And as planned, here comes the Sun, rising in the south east, illuminating, once more, the peaks in front of us.
Click, click!
No time to waste.
Blue hour begins at 7:33 am, golden hour begins at 7:45 am, Sunrise is at 8:07 am and golden hour ends at 8:56 am.
11:00 am
After a copious breakfast at Juniper Bistro, we will make our way back to Calgary Airport, where we expect to arrive at about 4:00 pm (after stopping for lunch, of course).
It’s time to say goodbye.
See you soon my friends!
Life goes on...
Book Now and Save €500 (Only 1 Spot Left)
To book your spot to join the expedition to the Canadian Rockies at a reduced price of €5,500 (the official price is €6,000), a €1,000 deposit is required by Sunday, September 8th.
Payment in full is required by Sunday October 27th, 2024.
Please, finalize your booking as soon as possible. The seats are sold on a first come, first served basis.
What’s included in the price
- A 7-day expedition photographing the Canadian Rockies along with the Aurora Borealis, the Milky Way and Winter’s golden light.
- 7 days of learning, fun and adventure with Rachel Jones Ross, Felix Inden, Bryan Peters and the funniest geek community – the PhotoPillers.
- Full immersion in the PhotoPills method (Imagine.Plan.Shoot!).
- 6 nights of lodging (single room).
- All activities on the Secret day.
- Ground transportation during the expedition.
- All transfers.
What’s not included
- Flights/transport to Calgary, Canada.
- Medical and travel insurance coverage (strongly recommended).
- Breakfast, lunch & dinner.
- Snacks, alcohol and beverages.
- Visa.
- Anything not mentioned in the “included” list.
Do you want an example of how huge this will be?
This is a glimpse to what happened in the PhotoPills Expedition to Iceland. We had so many adventures and so much fun... We can’t wait for the Canadian Rockies!
But you don’t have to take our word for granted. Here’s what some PhotoPillers say about the PhotoPills adventures:
“I went to Iceland expecting to have the opportunity to photograph the marvelous landscape and master nightscapes. What I encountered was so much more – 14 kindred souls from across the globe who share a passion for photography. Together we expanded our creative boundaries, learned from one another and had an insane amount of fun in the process. I am confident that everyone came away from the experience a better photographer.”
“From the very moment the guys from PhotoPills announced the expedition to Iceland... I didn’t think it twice! I was using PhotoPills but not at its full capacity, so I had no better chance to learn from the creators of this amazing app. The experience was even more amazing than anything I could have imagined. In Iceland, I discovered a bunch of folks as crazy about photography as I am. I had a blast!
Photography is a continuous learning process, you always find something new that motivates you to improve. And this adventure made me improve more than I could imagine.”
"The PhotoPills guys know how to create a fantastic experience. They bring an infectiously fun energy and are always willing to drop some handy photography knowledge on you that you will take with you. You take their trip and you'll for sure have a good time, get some amazing pics and leave a better photographer."
“During my experience in Iceland I lived wonderful moments and had surprises that were beyond the expected. It completely exceeded my initial expectations! Sharing knowledge, experiences and ways of working and living photography with such a great group has been one of the most enriching life experiences I have ever had.
Who he said that learning and knowledge sharing can not be wonderfully fun?”
“I can't say enough about what a fantastic time I had during the PhotoPills Iceland photo tour! The guys from PhotoPills and Donal Boyd were so knowledgeable, accommodating, and especially lots of fun. Never a dull moment – nonstop action and shooting of amazing landscapes for 10 days. I came away with enough images and memories to last a lifetime!”
FAQs
What’s the temperature in the Canadian Rockies in February?
February is a unique time of year in the Canadian Rockies, as the mountain region slowly begins to transition to spring. The average temperature is between 0 degrees Celsius (32ºF) and -12 degrees Celsius (10.4ºF)... But it can go as low as -40 degrees celsius (-40ºF).
The lakes are frozen, and the snowpack is deep. Frost flowers “bloom” along open bodies of water, and mounds of pillowy snow simplify the landscape. Snow and ice are the perfect companions for aurora as they reflect the dancing green lights.
What do you recommend I bring along for the expedition?
Your sense of adventure and fun, your camera and your sense of humor, of course.
Besides that? When you book your seat, we’ll send you an Information Package that will give you further details and suggestions about what to bring (gear, clothing, etc.).
Is travel insurance included in the price of the expedition?
No. Participants are suggested to purchase national or international medical and travel insurance coverage.
Also, we recommend you to choose a travel insurance that:
- Covers trip cancellation costs.
- Covers Covid-19 health, travel and cancellation costs.
What is the cancellation policy?
We hope you don’t need to cancel your spot, but if a situation arises where you don’t have a choice, our cancellation policy is the following.
If you cancel and the expedition is otherwise filled, we'll refund you the full booking fee you have paid, minus a €300 administrative fee.
If you cancel and the expedition doesn’t fill, then you’ll be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the expedition:
- 91 days or more before the expedition: 100% refund, minus the deposit payment and the non-refundable costs that are withheld by our travel partners.
- 90 days or less before the expedition: No refunds will be given.
Refunds will be paid using the same original method of payment.
Credits: Cover image by Rachel Jones Ross.
