A photo portrait from a family trip through Romania and Bulgaria. Each country was distinctly different from the other due to different influences in their histories and modern-day trajectories. In Romania, we largely spent our time in the gorgeous Transylvania region with its Saxon-influenced architecture, folklore (you might be familiar with Dracula), and the mountainous countryside that linked our journey from town to town. In Bulgaria, we journeyed cross-country to visit more diverse parts of the country, including the mind-boggling rock formations of Belogradchick, the Medieval city of Veliko Tarnovo, the seaside resort town of Sozopol and the Madara national historical-archeological reserve.
Here in our mountain landscapes, there exist individuals whose passion is as big as the peaks that cradle them. These intrepid souls are artisans of altitude; their canvas is the very terrain that challenges them. Here are just a few of my favourite images from over the years.
I’ve been photographing ice since the very early stages of my career. Whether glaciers, ice caves, frozen lakes, or mountaintops, I would continuously find myself drawn to cold landscapes in search of ice in its many forms, textures, and hues. Icescapes are among the most dynamic, visually exciting, and rewarding places a photographer can document. But as I spent more time shooting ice, it became apparent that I was capturing something that is vanishing.
Rust-red roofs and sand-coloured buildings set again the azure blue of the Adriatic Seas. Quaint and historic towns that feel like a storybook in real life. Wild skies and crashing waves that keep a photographer on his toes. This, in a nutshell, was our family trip through the Western Balkans.
On a mission to document vanishing ice across the globe, I found myself in Ecuador back in February — a South American nation named for its position on the Equator. You may wonder why I’m chasing ice on the Equator, but Ecuador is home to Andean peaks towering up to 6,310 metres. It turns out that the country’s stratovolcanoes are home to a number of receding glaciers.
In my mind, few natural phenomena match the magic or grandeur of the aurora borealis. I’ve been actively chasing this natural wonder, also known as the Northern Lights, for over a decade. Based on my experience chasing the lights, here are my top 5 tips for increasing your chances of viewing and/or photographing the northern lights.
It has been a once in a lifetime – more like millennia – event. The comet NEOWISE has been visible in the dark skies over my home town of Banff, Alberta, and it’s been a highlight of my career to photograph it. Knowing it’s such a rare event has added an exhilarating element to the creative task of capturing it, and to see it converge with such celestial wonders as the aurora borealis has been an unforgettable experience.
This time around, play time meant finding ourselves camping on the Greenland ice sheet for three nights, about 50 kilometres away from the closest settlement, Kangerlussuaq. Our main purpose over those few days was to document supraglacial lakes, these surreal, turquoise bodies of water that have proliferated along the edge of the ice cap recently.
I frequently get asked for tips on how to photograph the aurora borealis. Capturing the dancing lights is a fine science of checking the data, ensuring you have optimal conditions, knowing your gear, and being ready to wait... and wait... and wait. It takes patience to capture that green glow and come home with images you're happy with. Here are some of my best tips.
