Breakout Sessions
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! Waterton National Park, Castle Provincial Park, the Pass and the surrounding prairies provide many great photography opportunities for the solo explorer.
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.
All Field Session require you to sign up in advance to ensure we don't go over the allotted number of spaces for each.
Good Morning at Butcher Lake
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 splendour. This location is easily accessible to all though exploring close to the lake shore may be steep and does require caution.
Good Morning at Lundbreck Falls
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.
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.
Sunset on Limber Pine Ridge
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.
Sunset at Heritage Acres
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.
Astro at Heritage Acres
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.
Good Morning at Castle Falls
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.
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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