The Victoria Glacier dominates and nourishes Lake Louise. A tiny piece of it is visible, the lowest ice in the middle distance. It's actually a bit bigger than the lake, though we didn't climb up to check. The mountain is -- guess what -- Mount Victoria (3464m/ 11362ft), to the right is a bit of Mount Collier (315m / 10545ft). On the water are happy Japanese tourists in canoes. We know they were happy by the lilt in their voices as they called to each other.
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Kodak Portra 400NC
Contax 645, 80mm, f11.0 1/125 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

Lake Louise, Alberta, dissipating storm clouds overhead, Victoria Glacier far in the west, tourists in canoes.

I include this image for comparison with the adjacente similar one. The difference is not only the camera and lens: a cheap point and shoot with this image, an expensive professional 6 x 4.5 cm roll-film camera; the difference is also the film scanner; this image is scanned in a high-quality mass-production lab by Kodak, the other is scanned in a professional shop. Instructive.

August 30, 2002. Banff National Park

Kodak Portra 800 35mm; Canon z90w
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

Lake Louise Boathouse under Fairview Mountain; Victoria Glacier off in the right-hand distance. August 30, 2002.

Kodak Portra 800 35mm; Canon z90w
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

The Lake Louise Chateau in all its glorious excess, glowing smugly in the footlights of the evening sun.
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Kodak Portra 400NC
Contax 645, 80mm, f22.0 1/180 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

The famous Chateau Lake Louise --not a chateau at all, but simply an expensive hotel way off in the Canadain Rockies -- in repose in the evening sun, August 30, 2002. Whitehorn Mountain lurks in the background.

Compare this with the preceding photo of the Chateau; this with the $125 35mm point-and-shoot at about a 90mm zoom; the other with a very expensive medium format SLR.

August 30, 2002
Kodak Portra 800 35mm, Canon z90w
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

A peek at Lake Louise and the bluffs of Fairview Mountain throught the trees along the hiking path. August 30, 2002.

Kodak Portra 800 35mm; Canon z90w
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

For centuries the cliffs of Fairview Mountain, encouraged by the freezing of water, have been shedding rock. Even the seed sown on rocky ground springs up, and does its best to fulfil its genetic fate.
30 August 2002, Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Alberta

Kodak Portra 400NC
Contax 645, 80mm, f4.0 1/125 sec

Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

Deadfalls and till, Lake Louise northwest shore.
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Fuji NPZ 800
Contax 645, 80mm, f8.0 1/90 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

The north flank of Fairview Mountain, at the southwest end of Lake Louise. At the bottom right corner you can see a bit of the river from Victoria Glacier which fills the lake.
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Kodak Portra 400NC
Contax 645, 80mm, f5.6 1/125 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

The shoulder of Fairview Mountain bluffs in the evening sun. The tiny green fuzz is actually not moss, but full-sized evergreen trees.

August 30, 2002; Lake Louise, Alberta
Kodak Portra 800 35mm Canon z90w
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

Lake Louise, Fairview Mountain bluffs, canoeists.
Evening, August 30, 2002.

Kodak Portra 800, Canon z90w
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

Standing on the north shore of Lake Louise, looking southwest toward its source. At the right is Mount Lefroy (3423m / 11227ft) and the Lefroy Glacier on its face, in center is Mount Aberdeen (3151m / 10335ft), and beside it, a bit of Haddo Peak (3070m / 10070ft).
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Kodak Portra 400NC
Contax 645, 80mm, f4.0 1/180 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

The beauty of Lake Louise is not only in the vistas.
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Fuji NPZ 800
Contax 645, 80mm, f8.0 1/180 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

The craggy origins of Lake Louise.
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Fuji NPZ 800
Contax 645, 80mm, f11.0 1/60 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

You walk a couple of miles along the north shore of Lake Louise at the end of a long tiring day, and discover the trail climbs a hundred feet or more, steeply up a pile of rocks. You trudge up, and at the top you're rewarded with this spectacular wall, making the whole trip worth while.
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Fuji NPZ 800
Contax 645, 80mm, f5.6 1/60 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

Walking along the trail, looking up, one might wish, just for an instant, for a hard hat.
Lake Louise, 30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Fuji NPZ 800
Contax 645, 80mm, f8.0 1/125 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

Japanese tourists, Lake Loise, Slate Range in the background. Whitehorn Mountail ski area), left; Redoubt Mountain center; flank of Fairview Mountain, right. The Lake Louise lodge is in shadow.

August 30, 2002.
Kodak Porta 800, Canon z90w, 28mm
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

Lake Louise is quiet in the evening after a showery day. The "chateau" is at its eastern end, a massive 8-story hotel. Beyond it is Whitehorn (2669m/8754ft), on which are the famous ski slopes. Redoubt Mountain (2902m / 9518ft) is beyond, in the center. On the right is just the peak of Lipalian Mountain (2714m / 8902ft) over the dark flank of Fairview Mountain.
30 August 2002, Banff National Park, Alberta

Kodak Portra 400NC
Contax 645, 80mm, f8.0 1/350 sec
Copyright © 2002 Daniel L. Johnson

The file names are my file numbers, and are not directly related to image contents. The subject and technical data are contained within each jpeg file itself, as a comment readable by the Gimp or Photoshop, and the comment is provided to the right of each thumbnail image below.

All photographs are copyright © Daniel L. Johnson; all rights reserved. Photos may be copied and disseminated only without charge, and with attribution.

I'm not in the photography business, but if you'd like a print of any, these photos in real life are all 6x4.5 cm color negatives (unless noted otherwise), and we can arrange this through Photos, Inc., of Minneapolis. I send them my negative and you send them your charge card number and address, and in a week or two you'll get a print. email me at drdan AT wwt.net if you wish to pursue this.