In Banff, in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, from December to end of February, the Winter sun is cherished as it is not long shining on the landscape. Many lament the short days as the sun comes up around 8 and goes down at 4, so when the sun is up people get out and enjoy the outdoors for the brief, shortened days. In the teeth of the winter these days are short days and can be quite cold, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t enjoyable.

The Winter Sun – It comes up late, it comes up low and at a flat angle, and it comes with intensity, hue and glow.
Still others (like landscape photographers,) see this as a great opportunity to capture the special Rocky Mountain moments that the Winter Sun brings. The low angle casts intriguing shadows and rays of light over the landscape. The sunrises can be vibrant and filled with hues and magical lighting. At its peak the sun barely rises over the tops of the peaks. You can be walking a trail and be blinded by the sun shining right into your face but turn to the side and voila, the special lighting of the Winter Sun can be seen – even felt!

A December cold snap settles over Banff in the Bow Valley.The cold air clashing with the warm water of the sulfur spring adds mist and mood to the shot and the low sun sets the sky aglow.
It can be cold, but that just keeps the air clear and the sun seems to pierce the air and highlight features of the landscape. In the later months one has to be up at 3 and 4 to get to the locations to shoot sun up, but come the winter days, with sunup around 8, you can catch some extra sack time and still be on location to get that special moment the Winter Sun brings .
Winter Sun, it is different, it is special to this time of year, and it makes for wonderful moments to see the unique Canadian Rockies in Banff National Park. Even the wildlife enjoys it!

The Winter Sun gives a golden glow to the air, the water and the mountain ( Crowfoot Mtn.) before the Bow Lake gets frozen over.
Photo Credits
All Photographs Are © Ron Hallam
Ron Hallam Photographer Bio Hi, my name is Ron Hallam. I am truly blessed to be able to live in and work in this stunning location; Banff, Alberta. I closed in and renovated the deck of my condo to be an editing studio. The studio is paneled in Alberta cedar. The main part of the ‘studio’, though, is the Banff National Park and the Canadian Rockies! I chose the name Gita Photos because G.I.T.A. is an acronym for God Is The Artist. No view of the mountains is ever the same – changes in light, perspective, time, weather. I want to engage you to feel and share the experience of unadulterated and uncomplicated moments of beauty to awaken your awe and inner child.
Website: Gita Photos – Blog and Musings
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