Breakout Sessions
Lightchasers is proud to work with some of the top brands in photography and will be featuring multiple Breakout Sessions with our partners.
BRAND EXPO
Location:
Brand Expo Showroom (formerly Ezzies bar)
One of our core tenets for Lightchasers is to break down barriers to access and that includes interactions with your favourite brands. We are very fortunate to be supported by all of our incredible brand partners and our Brand Expo allows you to interact directly with representatives from Fujifilm, McBain, Kase Filters, Sony, Nikon, The Camera Store, Tamron, and Canon as well as tourism groups like Living Sky Tours and South Canadian Rockies. From free sensor cleanings to new product demos, touch and try experiences, to opportunities to try out new gear in the field, and just asking questions and chatting with reps, our Brand Expo allows you opportunities to interact with our partners in ways you won’t find anywhere else.
Brand Expo Hours
Friday 9-1030am, 1-3pm
Saturday 9-11am, 1-3pm
Sunday 9-11am, 1-2pm
Tech Talks in 20
Location:
Main Ballroom
Join Lightchasers founder and McBain Camera Ambassador, Shane Turgeon, and McBain Camera General Manager, Rene Rodrigue, for a series of 20 minute Tech Talks discussing the fundamentals of topics like the night sky and wildlife photography, tips and tricks for editing and a return of last year’s wildly popular topic, “Why is My Camera Misbehaving?”
Why is My Camera Misbehaving - Rene Rodrigue
Friday 1:45pm
We’ve all been there. Standing in the field in that perfect moment ready to capture the perfect photo…we click the shutter with great anticipation aaaaaand…something has gone wrong. Our camera is not doing what we told it to do. As user friendly and intuitive as cameras have become, they’ve also become incredibly complex. In his 30 year career as a photographer and 20+ years as a photographic retail specialist, McBain GM Rene Rodrigue has likely seen it all. From the easiest fixes to the real head-scratchers, Rene is here to answer your most stubborn gear-related questions!
Understanding the Night Sky - with Shane Turgeon
Friday 2:15pm
Learning to photograph the night sky can be overwhelming for those new to the genre. But before you can properly photograph the night sky, you need to have a solid understanding of the night sky, its seasons, and its targets. Join Shane as he takes you on a tour of the various elements that make for compelling night photography and the best times of the year to do it.
Lightroom Tricks to Make Your Images Pop - with Shane Turgeon
Saturday 1:45pm
We’ve all looked at other people’s images and wonder just how it is they get their photos to look the way they do. Well, it all comes down to editing. Just how much editing you do is up to you. For some, the process is very lengthy and involved but with just a handful of easy tips, you can start taking your images to the next level with ease!
Nightscapes 101 - with Shane Turgeon
Saturday 2:15pm
Now that you have an understanding of the night sky, Shane will go over the fundamentals of how to not just photograph the night sky but how to create compelling nightscapes as well. From scouting to composing and focusing in the dark, Shane will cover all of the basics that you’ll need to get started!
Tips for Better Wildlife Photography - with Shane Turgeon
Sunday 1:30pm
Are your wildlife shots lacking the lustre you’d like? Are they blurry or out of focus? Are you having trouble finding the subjects you want to photograph? Join Shane Turgeon as he shares some tips and tricks to help you improve your wildlife imagery!
Portfolio Reviews
Location:
Heritage Inn Lounge
Feedback. It’s something we’re all hungry for when it comes to our photography. But finding opportunities for meaningful and constructive feedback is increasingly hard in a world of social media platitudes or positive comments from non-photographer friends and family members. To help you improve your images and your eye, some of our presenters have generously offered to review a selection of photos from our attendees each morning. Participants are to have their photos ready to show on a tablet, laptop or in print and each review is limited to a maximum of 10 minutes to help ensure everyone has an opportunity for feedback.
Portfolio reviews are first come, first served.
Saturday 9-10:30am
TJ Thorne
Craig Hilts
Sunday 9-10:30am
Tracey Halladay
Jacquie Matechuk
Field Sessions
Our field sessions are designed around the fact that everyone experiences a location differently. Instead of putting you in a prescribed spot with a subject, theme or model where you mimic what an instructor tells you to do, our sessions are designed to let you explore an area and to engage with your own creativity and ability to see and respond to the landscape emotionally; to look deeper and to come away with images that are more personally satisfying than technically perfect or commercially appealing.
Presenters in attendance are there to help answer questions or provide insight to their methods but not to tell you what to shoot or how to see. In order to ensure ample opportunities for attendees to attend at least one, and possibly two field sessions, and in order to minimize impact on the areas where our sessions take place, we do have attendance caps in place. We also highly encourage people to carpool to our shooting locations to minimize parking impacts.
We also know that many attendees may be more inclined to explore the area on their own during these times and we welcome and encourage you to do so if group shooting scenarios aren’t your cup of tea! Each of these locations as well as Waterton National Park, Castle Provincial Park, the Pass and the surrounding prairies provide many great photography opportunities for the solo explorer outside of our scheduled sessions.
Whether you’re joining us for group sessions or exploring on your own, please practice leave no trace principles and pack out whatever you pack in.
This year we have four brand new sessions in three new locations as well as spots at some of our favourite locations from the past for those who are joining us for the first time or who couldn’t attend these sessions in previous years. Sessions are limited to TWO per person and sign ups will go live on March 15th, 2024. Schedule may be subject to change.
Times of Note:
Sunrise 5:40am
Sunset 9:30pm
Moonrise 11:30pm (Friday) 12:24am (Saturday/Sunday)
Astronomical dark: 12:32am
Good Morning at Butcher Lake
Presented by Nikon
Saturday May 25th from 7-9am
Butcher Lake is a beautiful location, especially when the winds are calm and the water flat. Loons call out in the morning air and wildflowers line the shore. And across the road from Butcher Lake lies a larger field of wildflowers equally impressive in its splendor. This location is easily accessible to all though exploring close to the lake shore may be steep and does require caution.
Presenters in attendance: Michelle Valberg, Kyle Brittain
Physical difficulty level: easy to moderate
Distance from Pincher Creek: 34km (27 mins)
Attendance cap: 40
Good Morning at Lundbreck Falls
Presented by Fujifilm
Saturday May 25th from 7-9am
Lundbreck Falls is a stunning double waterfall located a mere 20 minute drive from Pincher Creek. The waterfalls can be photographed from a variety of angles and offer a chance for both grand scenic and more intimate shots. This beautiful spot also features a great old trestle bridge that makes for wonderful compositions as well. A variety of birds also frequent this location. This location is easily accessible by all but does feature some stairs down to the lower level that may not be suitable for those with mobility issues. The falls are bathed in soft morning light around 7am but early birds may want to catch a reverse sunrise over the falls at 530am.
Presenters in attendance: Paul Zizka, Jacquie Matechuk
Physical difficulty level: easy to moderate
Distance from Pincher Creek: 26km (21 mins)
Attendance cap: 40
Playing in the Pass
Saturday May 25th from 6-10pm
We’ve partnered with our good friends at Uplift Adventures to bring you this brand new field session located in the Crowsnest Pass. This session features three beautiful places to explore: lower Star Creek Canyon, upper Star Creek Falls and the Bridge to Nowhere. Session attendees will be bussed from Pincher Creek to the Pass and split into two groups of twenty to explore the canyon and the upper falls for an hour each before regrouping to shoot sunset from the Bridge to Nowhere. The trail to the canyon is rated easy but does have some typical trail elements like logs and a creek crossing. The trail to the upper falls is easy but steep and the terrain around the Bridge to Nowhere is easy.
Presenters in attendance: Craig Hilts, Eric Seemann
Physical difficulty level: easy to moderate
Distance from Pincher Creek: 56km (45 mins)
Attendance cap: 40
Sunset on Limber Pine Ridge
Presented by Fujifilm
Saturday May 25th from 8-10pm
Not for the faint of heart, Sunset on Limber Pine Ridge is an exclusive opportunity to explore the majesty of a group of ancient limber pines located on private property that overlooks a scenic valley covered in wildflowers with the mountains in the background. This session involves a 2km hike through uneven fields and up a very steep embankment and is not recommended for those who aren’t experienced hikers or those with limited mobility. As this is located on private property, may involve potentially dangerous encounters with wildlife and a more difficult experience overall, participation in this session is limited and will be monitored with check ins and check outs.
Presenters in attendance: Josh McGarel
Physical difficulty level: hard to extreme
Distance from Pincher Creek: 11km (13 mins)
Attendance cap: 25
Sunset at Heritage Acres
Presented by McBain Camera
Saturday May 25th from 8-10pm
Located a mere ten minutes north of Pincher Creek, the Heritage Acres Farm Museum is a veritable time capsule of prairie life. Dozens of old buildings and hundreds of pieces of antique farm equipment have been rescued from across the prairies and brought here to live out the remainder of their days, enjoyed by visitors from around the world. Sessions attendees are welcome to explore the grounds at their leisure, taking photos of everything the museum has to offer with the golden hour prairie light to act as backdrop to this picture perfect location.
Presenters in attendance: Tracey Halladay
Physical difficulty level: easy
Distance from Pincher Creek: 15km (10-15 mins)
Attendance cap: 40
Astro at Heritage Acres
Presented by Fujifilm
Saturday May 25th from 11pm-1am
Located a mere ten minutes north of Pincher Creek, the Heritage Acres Farm Museum is a veritable time capsule of prairie life and features wonderfully dark skies. An old grain elevator and beautiful barn will allow attendees to face the northern sky to capture their favourite constellations or attempt some startrails. And if conditions are favourable, some late blue hour milky way core photography *might* be possible just before moonrise as well.
Presenters in attendance: TBD
Physical difficulty level: easy
Distance from Pincher Creek: 15km (10-15 mins)
Attendance cap: 40
Good Morning at Castle Falls
Presented by Kase Filters
Sunday May 26th from 7-9am
While the falls at Castle may not be as spectacular as their Lundbreck counterparts, this beautiful location features a great opportunity for not just capturing the larger scene but is also a small-scene photographer’s playground. Details in the smooth rock surfaces make for great intimate and abstract shots where photographers can lose themselves exploring it all. This location is also wonderful for early morning sightings of a variety of songbirds and even birds of prey.
Presenters in attendance: TJ Thorne, Shane Turgeon
Physical difficulty level: easy to moderate
Distance from Pincher Creek: 42km (34 mins)
Attendance cap: 40
I found the conference to be unique in that there were diverse landscape genre presenters supported by a number of appropriate companies with their products. Less a workshop and more facilitation.Jan Lyall
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