Few people are born with the natural talent of an Ansel Adams or a Lawren Harris but the opportunity exists for anyone to discover their hidden photographic or artistic talents by signing up for a workshop. The Bow Valley is home to numerous artists who enthusiastically share their love for capturing the area’s natural beauty on canvas with oils, watercolours or acrylics. Local professionals have studied the mountain landscape to determine and understand the way pure light plays on the peaks with a glean unique to high altitude and dry air. They can help you capture a tree’s specific shape as well as its warm green colours. Artistic guides will take you on outdoor workshops where you can feel the breeze and smell the wildflowers as you attempt to capture evening alpenglow, golden larches and vibrant glacier-fed tarns on canvas. Instructors can teach you to observe the mountain landscape by immersing yourself in the magic you aim to capture.

Mountain photography is also a highly developed art form. Some of Canada’s most widely respected mountain photographers and filmmakers, including adventure photojournalist Pat Morrow, make their homes in the Bow Valley. Mountain photographers can help you choose the best equipment that won’t weigh you down as you carry your camera to high and remote locations. They’ll give you tips on how to best emphasize the drama of a Rockies’ sunrise and sunset, balance the contrast between bright sunlight and deep valley shadows, embrace a snowboarder’s speedy action and capture the scale and wonder of mountaineers scaling a 3,050-metre (10,000-foot) peak.

Mountain photography and painting workshops range from single-day outings to multi-day, high-alpine visits utilizing heli-hiking lodges where instructors who specialize in mountain arts and crafts can offer a new perspective on the Rockies’ wild and spectacular surroundings.