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The 2016 Banff Landscape Photography Summit

 occurred on

Jan. 10-12, 2016

 

     The first landscape photography summit was a huge success.  There were 55 attendees over the weekend listening to presentations delivered by some of the best photographers, photography publishers, and photography educators in the country.  The exit surveys encouraged us to do it again and grow it into something more permanent.  The comments you gave me in those same surveys were the impetus for the formation of the International Landscape Photographers Association.

A study of lines, colour and tonal contrast by © www.brianmerry.ca

     Visit last year’s Summit itinerary on the website to see all of the details for Summit 2016 including the the presenter’s biographies.  Changes are coming soon to that Summit website too.  That same website, www.banffphotographysummit.com, will be updated with all of the details for the 2nd Landscape Photography Summit.  The next Summit in January 2017 will be held in the heart of the Canadian Rockies again, the town of Banff in Banff National Park.  

 

     The Highlights from last years conference included a panel discussion on our ethics in wildlife photography titled, “How Far Would You Go to Get the Shot?  How Far is too Far?”  The panel included seasoned nature photographers, photography educators, journalists, a leading human-wildlife conflict scientist and manager and representatives from Parks Canada.  The panel was well balanced and brought healthy discussion around the issue to the table.  

     Last year, all full Summit pass holders also enjoyed the Banff National Park Landscape Photography Day Tour, one of Brian Merry’s most popular landscape photography tours.  He scaled up his popular day tour from full sized passenger vans to mini-buses to accommodate everyone with the full weekend Summit passes.  The tour lasted from sunrise to sunset and we covered a large portion of the “Front Country” of Banff National Park with stops and some of the best landscape photography locations Banff has to offer.  Locations are selected based on the present weather of the day and Brian’s 20 years of practical shooting and tour leading experience all over Banff.  This tour will once again be an important part of the 2017 Summit.  

Roy Ramsay, editor and publisher of Outdoor Photography Canada Magazine, delivered our keynote speech setting the tone and opening up the first ILPA Landscape Photography Summit.  Roy is eager to join the Summit again this year and we’re working hard to get him back to the mountains once again to present.  

     Robert Berdan delivered a comprehensive presentation on editing and made his photoshop workbook available for download on the website.  Robert’s knowledge on editing, coupled with his many years of being a photoshop instructor at the college level, helped him to deliver a great overview of the most popular editing software on the market.

     Another highlight, or should I say nightlight, of the Summit was the Night Sky Photography presentation and field session lead by Ethan Meleg.  Ethan’s very entertaining presentation included a primer on night sky photography, which we quickly went to practice in the field immediately after his talk.  The session was conducted at the most popular night sky photography location in the Rockies.  Most of the Summit presenters took part in co-leading the field session.  

     The 2016 Summit was truly a great event and I’m excited to see it continue to evolve.  There was lots of one on one time between most of the delegates and the presenters.  I believe that this personable quality of the Summit was one of it’s greatest successes.  The 2016 Summit was truly a great event and I’m excited to see it continue to grow.  This was a highlight for many attendees.  After all, we all just want to get out and shoot right?!

 

Now for the 2017 SUMMIT!!

 

     The 2016 Summit was amazing.  It will be hard to beat.  But if we do top last year’s Summit, then Summit 2017 is going to be THE landscape photography event of the YEAR,… again!  I think that we probably will achieve this lofty goal too.  Would you kindly join us on Jan. 13-15, 2017 for the 2nd ILPA Landscape Photography Summit to judge it, and enjoy it for yourself!!  

 

See you at the 2017 Summit!