2026 CANADIAN ROCKIES FALL COLORS

Witness incredible mountain peaks complimented with fall colors in the Canadian Rockies on this photography workshop in Autumn 2026

SEPTEMBER 19 - 25, 2026

The towering peaks of the Canadian Rockies are always an impressive sight, drawing millions of visitors every year to this North American treasure. Pairing them with the beauty of fall colors and you have a combination that landscape photographers just live for! Throughout the mountain ranges in Alberta and British Columbia, with turning leaves highlighting the landscape, there are photographic opportunities around every bend in the road. Imagine yourself standing in a field surrounded by peaks composing a beautiful scene with your camera. Seeing every breath as you take in that crisp mountain air of the cold morning while letting those creative juices flow. The excitement builds as the light starts to hit the incredible mountain range before our eyes. This will be our environment for one full week in the best of the Rockies!

On this 7 day Autumn Photography Workshop we will be spending our time in search of the best conditions and locations with visits to Banff, Kootenay, Mount Assiniboine and Jasper all being possibilities. We could spend all morning photographing sunken aspen trees, and the afternoon jagged mountain peaks with fresh snowfall and golden larches. We have planned this workshop to stay fluid with locations and still take advantage of special opportunities only afforded to those planning well ahead. You will be guided to some of the most beautiful places in the area including some off the beaten path, and provided with expert instruction on how best to capture the light and interesting compositions. The goal of the workshop is to give you the ability to explore, learn, and fine tune your photography skills both in the field as well in post processing development to bring your images to life.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These dates can shift slightly with the availability of accommodations and helicopters to Assiniboine. Exact dates will be confirmed with our group in December 2025.

INSTRUCTORS : DANI LEFRANCOIS & LYLE KRANNICHFELD       

GROUP SIZE : 8 - 10 Participants

COST : $6250

DEPOSIT : A 50% deposit is required to secure a spot, with the balance due 120 days prior to workshop

INCLUDED: 7 Nights Lodging

NOT INCLUDED: Meals, Transportation

ITINERARY

We will meet in the afternoon on Saturday September 19 at our hotel in Banff for introductions and a brief orientation before heading out to shoot through sunset followed by dinner. After the first day, we will meet well before sunrise to get to the best possible locations to chase the morning light and continue shooting until the sun is too high and light too harsh. Our morning sessions can be extended by finding small scenes or backlit trees to photograph while the sun rises in the sky. We will break each day in the late morning until mid afternoon to eat and rest up for our afternoon/evening photography session. On some days we will be driving to our next hotel location during the middle of the day. As time allows, we will also be doing post processing instruction in both Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop for those that are interested. We will gather several hours before sunset to take advantage of the late afternoon sun and mountain shadows and continue photographing until the last of the evening light fades. Our last night together will be on Friday September 25 and participants should plan to travel home the following day.

USEFUL INFO / PHYSICAL DIFFICULTY

The sun rises at approximately 7:30 am and sets at 7:30 pm during this time of the year in Canada. Add in driving time to and from locations and we could be leaving at 5:30am in the morning or getting back at 10pm some evenings. We will do our best to make sure we have a good meal before setting out for the evening. Temperatures can range from 30 degrees in the mornings to 60 degrees during the day, so be sure to pack layers, hats, gloves, hand warmers, etc.

Physical difficulty of the locations will be easy to moderate. For reference Banff sits at 4500 feet above sea level and we may drive or hike to higher elevations. Taking a helicopter ride is a very real possibility to gain access to one of our most breathtaking locations and nightly stays. It is important for participants to be in good physical health. While many locations will be a short distance from a parking lot, there is a possibility for longer hikes with an elevation gain of a thousand feet. All hiking is optional and we will give you the best descriptions of terrain and difficulty for any hikes that we plan on doing with the group.

AIRPORT / ACCOMMODATIONS / RENTAL CAR INFO

We will be moving hotels a few times and begin our trip in Banff on September 19, 2026. All lodging is included for the nights of September 19 through September 25, checking out on Saturday September 26 and traveling home on that date. Lodging will be single occupancy rooms except for our two nights that will be spent at Mt. Assiniboine which will be double occupancy.

The nearest airport is Calgary (YYC) which approximately a 90 minute drive to Banff.

Transportation and meals are not included in this workshop. We will be carpooling during this trip and a standard rental car will be sufficient.

WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT

Mountain peaks and more mountain peaks with fall colors! This time of year is our favorite time to explore and create among some of the most beautiful mountain ranges in North America. The Canadian Rockies are a special place with enough variety of the landscape that is also easily accessible. The area really gets transformed when the leaves begin to turn in September. Crisp mountain air, glowing yellow larch trees, winding rivers and beautiful mountain scenery will all be a daily occurance. We will be driving quite a bit to cover as much ground as possible of this diverse area, all in an effort to create breathtaking and memorable images..

The days are structured to not wear anyone out and get the most enjoyment of the surroundings and scenery. We will provide tips in the field to capture images correctly "in camera" with the goal being that technical part becomes second nature and students can then focus on the creative aspects of landscape and nature photography. Post processing instruction will run the gamut of importing and organizing files into Lightroom to processing images in Lightroom and Photoshop and finally prepping images for the internet or for print. We are an open book and willing to share any tips or tricks we’ve picked up over the years to help you turn your photos into art!

MEET THE INSTRUCTORS

DANI LEFRANCOIS

Meet Dani Lefrancois: part wilderness child, part road trip aficionado, and full-time photo guide. Hailing from the overly tamed, highly populated area of the Niagara Region in Southern Ontario, Dani's childhood was a blend of summer camps and road trips with mosquito bites and car sickness (but only if she’s reading). She practically grew up with a map in one hand and a camera in the other, ready to explore the world around her and capture nature at every turn. Her love affair with photography was truly sparked on a fateful journey to Cape Breton Island, NS, where the rugged landscapes and salty air whispered secrets only a lens could capture.

But it was a wild romp through Banff & Jasper National Parks and through Yukon and Alaska that lit the fire under her tripod, making her realize that snapping shots wasn't just a hobby—it was her calling. In 2011, Dani packed her bags, bid farewell to the Ontario flatlands, and set up camp in Banff, where the mountains echoed her ambition, and the glacier fed lakes sang her name. With her trusty adventure dog, Tuzo, by her side, they conquered trails, played in rivers, and Dani took more photos of Tuzo pooping in pretty places than she could count.

When Dani's not squeezing as much life out of a photo day as possible from sunset to the night sky to her favourite, sunrise, you'll find her cruising the open road, windows down, music up, and the tallest can of iced tea that she can find within arm's reach. Hiking, driving, knitting and Netflixing, she's a woman of extremes from always on the go or not moving at all. For the past two decades, Dani's calendar has been a graveyard of missed photo contest submission deadlines, a testament to her eternal optimism and perpetual forgetfulness. She's watched deadlines sail past like ships in the night, waving goodbye to her dreams of fame and fortune, one missed entry form at a time. But hey, who needs prizes when you've got a camera full of memories and a dog who thinks you're the greatest photographer in the world? For Dani, the real prize lies in the moments she captures, not the awards she misses out on. As Dani's wild journey continues, she finds the most joy in guiding others around the majestic landscapes of Banff National Park and to exciting new locations around the world. And though her track record with contest deadlines may leave something to be desired, Dani's determination remains unshakable.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of life, Dani knows the true treasures lie in the simple joys—camping under a blanket of stars, hiking to hidden waterfalls, and sharing her passion for the landscape with anyone who will listen. So, as Dani Lefrancois blazes her trail through life, camera in hand and Tuzo by her side, one thing's for certain—wherever Dani goes, laughter, love, and endless possibilities are sure to follow.

LYLE KRANNICHFELD

The most incredible moments in Lyle's life have revolved around the beauty of the natural, wild parts of our world and a connection with the animals we share it with. He is very fortunate to live on Maui with his wife and daughter, which is obviously the best place ever.

As a full-time working landscape, wildlife and underwater photographer for over a decade, he has thrived on taking these moments and distilling them down into simple, compelling fine art images. To that end, he has sold more than a million dollars of his art to clients all over the world out of Pueo Gallery, which he owns and occasionally operates. He has been proudly published by Ocean Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Kiteworld, Standup Paddle Magazine and more, most recently including work for Patagonia and an upcoming scientific paper on never-before-seen Humpback Whale behavior. Lyle is also an f-stop gear ambassador.

As of late, this relationship with the outdoors has blossomed to include a genuine love of sharing it with others, leading small group workshops to some of his favorite locations around the world. That moment when a guest experiences something or some place for the first time is everything. Before joining Destination Earth Photo Tours, he operated his own trips taking guests to swim with Humpback Whales in Tonga as well as cage diving in Mexico with the Great Whites. With an emphasis on providing life changing wildlife encounters, he focused on teaching photography and post processing in equal measure, along with responsible stewardship of our oceans, respectful wildlife interactions and conservation.

He specializes in large prints to 8’ wide or more but is proficient teaching everyone in an approachable and easy to understand way, from the rote beginner to the seasoned vet.

CANCELLATION POLICY

We reserve the right to cancel the workshop if minimum participants are not met or in the event of an emergency. In the event of emergency where a guide cannot personally attend, then a replacement guide will be the first option. If a cancellation does occur, participants may either use the fee towards a future workshop or receive a full refund. We are not responsible for travel expenses incurred and therefore strongly recommend travel insurance to cover such costs.

A $200 change fee will be charged for changes or cancellations. Participants who cancel prior to 90 days before the workshop will receive either a full refund or credit to a future workshop minus the change fee. Any cancellations within 90 days of the workshop cannot be refunded under any circumstances. Only if we are able to fill the vacancy, will the participant receive a credit to a future workshop minus the change fee. Workshop credits are good for one calendar year from the date of the missed workshop.

Any cancellations within 30 days of the workshop (for any reason) will forfeit their entire registration fee as it is extremely difficult to fill the space on that short of notice. If a true emergency arises last minute we will do our best to work with you granting a partial credit towards a future workshop, but this is not guaranteed. Again travel insurance is strongly recommended.