A Moment in Time
by Paul Zizka
(featuring his new book - Summits & Starlight)
November 5, 2013
Block Lake at sunrise
"Photography for me simply started as a "dry," somewhat selfish way of documenting remarkable places, light, and weather events. I have a rather practical mind, and picking up a camera seemed to be the obvious way of chronicling the mountain experience. With time I became increasingly fascinated with the interplay of light, weather and the landscape and this expanded my emotional connection with high places. I began paying attention to how sunlight filtered through the evergreens, how all but one twig were pointing the same direction, and how fast the clouds were moving. Soon this magnified way of observing the natural environment became indistinguishable with life as I had known it.
Sentinel
I also realized that with enough intention, a photograph had the power to affect people who had not even been around when it was taken and who had no previous history with the location. The ability to freeze a moment in time, and the challenge of conveying the meaning of that moment to others, remains a very appealing part of photography for me.
Blazing skies - Aurora over Lake Minnewanka in Banff National Park
Growing up in suburbia, but having lived in close proximity to mountain wilderness for years now, it has become increasingly apparent how humans have become disconnected from the natural environment, from where we originated eons ago. We have, essentially, walked away from nature. From that situation emerged a new sense of purpose for me: the possibility of inviting people to go back to the wilderness through my images, and to be reminded of what the natural world adds to one's life. I have no doubt that reconnecting with nature is a big part of solving our common issues. And by extension I feel that I can play a role in preserving these special places so that the crucial connection will remain possible for generations to come.
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A Daunting Site |
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The Rundle Show |
Yoho Drama
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Burning Man |
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Light on Seracs |
Starstruck
Mountaineers Reward
Paul's first photography book, Summits and Starlight: The Canadian Rockies, hit the shelves in October 2013 (published by Rocky Mountain Books).
ABOUT THE BOOK
Summits and Starlight is a collection of what I feel is my finest Canadian Rockies work from the last five years. I believe it offers a different photographic perspective of our Shining Mountains. Although some of the images were taken during the classic "golden hour" at iconic, roadside locations that many will recognize, most photographs are from places that take a considerable amount of work to get to, or were taken under light or weather conditions perhaps not traditionally associated with landscape photography. As such, I am hopeful that this book will show viewers a side of the Canadian Rockies they had yet to experience, or were largely unaware of. It is my hope that these pages will evoke in the reader a desire to experience this special, unique part of our planet, and to keep it the way it is for generations to come. May these mountains keep you all dreaming and venturing into the wild.
Purachase Book Here
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Paul Zizka is a professional mountain landscape and adventure photographer based in Banff, Alberta. Specializing in photographing in difficult conditions and hard-to-reach places, Paul has a passion for documenting the interplay of light and weather in the mountains, shooting alpine endeavours, unique international locations, and capturing the spirit of adventure. Paul's award-winning photos have been featured in a variety of publications, including explore magazine, IMPACT and Canadian Geographic. His commercial clients, such as Banff Lake Louise Tourism and Parks Canada, depend on his photography to bring Banff National Park to the world. See more of his work online at www.zizka.ca or follow along on Facebook.
E-mail: info@zizka.ca
Web site: zizka.ca
Box 1543
Banff, AB
T1L 1B5 |
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