Tuesday 14 January 2014

No Instagram filters necessary: Photographer puts all other selfies to shame ...


  • Paul Zizka’s long-exposure photographs place him in the context of Canada’s awe-inspiring wilderness


By

Damien Gayle



13:06, 14 January 2014


|


13:14, 14 January 2014




These beautiful long-exposure photographs offer a novel twist on the too-often shamelessly narcissistic trend for ‘selfie’ pictures which is sweeping the internet.


Paul Zizka, 34, has put his own slant on the celebrity-led photographic genre, made popular by photo-sharing website Instagram, by including his silhouette in these dramatic shots of the Canadian wilderness.


Rather that a vainglorious attempt to propel himself to 15 minutes of internet fame, his inclusion of himself in the shots is an attempt to show the relationship between a mere man and the awesome natural world surrounding him.


Communion: Canadian photographer Paul Zizka stands waist-deep in Lake Minnewanka, in Alberta


Communion: Canadian photographer Paul Zizka

stands waist-deep in Lake Minnewanka, in Alberta’s Banff National Park,

in this twist on the trend for ‘selfie’ photographs



Clinging to blue: A long-exposure renders this cascade of ice in an ethereal blue as Mr Zizka holds on, at Haffner Creek in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia


Clinging To Blue: A long-exposure renders this

cascade of ice in an ethereal blue as Mr Zizka holds on, at Haffner

Creek in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia



Twilight encounter: The awe-inspiring magnitude of the wilderness surrounding Banff National Park


Twilight Encounter: The awesome magnitude

of the wilderness surrounding Banff National Park’s Bow Lake is

emphasised by Mr Zizek’s profile in the centre of the frame




Steward of the stars: Mr Zizka at Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, British Columbia


Galactic gateway: Mr Zizka stands at the end of a jetty on Bow Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta


Heavens above: Mr Zizka is seen left at Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park, British Columbia, in a work titled Steward Of The Stars. In the right-hand image, he stands at the end of a jetty on Bow Lake in Banff National Park, Alberta, the stars of the Milky Way arrayed before him, in a photograph he has dubbed Galactic Gateway



Pillars In The Sky: The stunning glow of the reflection of the Aurora Borealis in Lake Minnewanka is emphasised in this long-exposure photo taken at Banff National Park


Pillars In The Sky: The stunning glow of the reflection of the Aurora Borealis in Lake

Minnewanka is emphasised in this long-exposure photo taken at

Banff National Park



At One: Mr Zizka is seen in meditative pose, again at Banff National Park


At One: Mr Zizka is seen in meditative pose, again at Banff National Park’s Lake Minnewanka, as day breaks over the dramatic horizon



Starstruck: In this shot the photographer is lying on the frozen waters of Lake Minnewanka, his flashlight pointing towards the incredible night sky


Starstruck: In this shot the photographer is

lying on the frozen waters of Lake Minnewanka, his flashlight pointing

towards the incredible night sky



Midnight At Moraine Lake: A long-exposure photograph captures in detail the Rocky Mountains as they rise above and are reflected in the titular lake in Banff National Park


Midnight At Moraine Lake: A long-exposure captures in detail the Rocky Mountains as they rise above and

are reflected in the titular lake in Banff National Park



Mr Zizka, from Alberta, one of Canada’s three so-called Prairie provinces, began experimenting with night photography just two years ago.


Captivated by the spectacular scenes of his home region, he nevertheless decided that to create photographs which were more unique he add the context of the human form into the shot.


Using long exposures, allowing the night’s sky illuminating the mountains around him, he has sought to create a relationship between the central figure in the image and the nature around him.


Mr Zizka’s photographs showcase breathtaking sights from the the Banff National Park and Kootenay National Park, both in the Canadian Rockies.


Usually venturing out into the wilderness alone, his project is on-going as he gets new ideas every day for how to record himself in remarkable locations.


Ice Dreams: An incredible photograph peers up at the millions of stars visible over the lonely landscape of Haffner Creek, in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia


Ice Dreams: An incredible photograph peers up at

the millions of stars visible over the lonely landscape of Haffner

Creek, in Kootenay National Park, British Columbia



Wizardry: His arms aloft like some kind of celestial conductor, Mr Zizka appears to be directing the very movement of the Aurora over Lake Minnewanka


Wizardry: His arms aloft like some kind of

celestial conductor, Mr Zizka appears to be directing the very movement

of the Aurora over Lake Minnewanka



Contentment: Mr Zizka sits cross-legged, his torch illuminating his immediate surroundings, as the Aurora lights the sky above Cascade Meadows in Banff National Park


Awaiting abduction: The photographer stares longingly into the beautifully lit sky, again in Cascade Meadows


Awe-inspiring: The ethereal blue-green light of the Aurora again features prominently in these two photographs, left titled Contentment and right dubbed Awaiting Abduction, both taken in an area called Cascade Meadows in Alberta’s Banff National Park



Witness: Another of Mr Zizka


Witness: Another of Mr Zizka’s photos which captures the dramatic lighting of the Aurora Borealis, this time over Lake Peyto in Banff National Park



Mr Zizka said: ‘I was introduced to the magic of night photography somewhat accidentally on mountaineering trips that required very early starts.


‘I was amazed by the quiet and beauty of a night spent high in the mountains.


‘Eventually, I ended up shooting more at night than during the day and I still take great pleasure in trying to document the magic that the stars, the moon and the aurora bring to a scene.


‘I find that a photograph can sometimes convey so much more, or at least a very different feel if a person is included in the scene.


‘I like the relationship between man and mountain that it instantly creates. So I think including myself in the images helps people relate to a photograph, even though some have never been anywhere near the location.’


Blown Away; Mr Zizka lies along the central road markings of Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, as the heavens are arrayed above him against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains


Blown Away; Mr Zizka lies along the road

markings of Icefields Parkway in Banff National Park, as the heavens

are arrayed above him









Comments (31)


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Steve in Texas,


Roscoe, United States,


1 hour ago


Banff is spectacular …. In no particular order ….. Yellowstone/Teton, Glacier, Yosemite, Grand Canyon and Banff are my all time favorites





Brenda Vawter,


Edmonton, Canada,


4 hours ago


I don’t think Wordsworthbloke has been to Banff. While a couple of the pics may have been enhanced a little, most of them are exactly the way they look to the naked eye. Ive been to all those places multiple times and have seen those same images. The stars are that beautiful. The northern lights are that bright. The mountains and lakes are that amazing. And though you cant see in these pics, yes the water is that colour!





Deena,


London,


6 hours ago


Amazing views!





Grohldoll,


Basildon,


6 hours ago


Wow just WOW





Wordsworthbloke,


London, United Kingdom,


6 hours ago


Beautiful photos yes…. heavily color edited in post. Unfortunately these places simply don’t look like that to the naked eye.





Tabitha,


Nottingham,


7 hours ago


I am a huge fan of both the Canadian Rockies and Paul’s work. As an enthusiastic amateur I can only dream of producing images as beautiful as these.





Sandie Mahon-Weir,


Newtownards, United Kingdom,


9 hours ago


Banff is a truly magical place, and his photos bring to life what everyone should see one day, if you haven’t experience this place before.

I have traveled a lot over the years, and my heart will always be in Banff, lake Louise, it always feels like I am coming home, one I step foot in the Town.





Chloe,


London, United Kingdom,


9 hours ago


Amazing wish i knew where these were…





Wordsworthbloke,


London, United Kingdom,


7 hours ago


Read the Descriptions





mjru,


realworld.com, United Kingdom,


9 hours ago


Fantastic, breathtaking.





mjru,


realworld.com, United Kingdom,


9 hours ago


Just beautiful, I would love to see northern lights.



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