First off, know that M’s mountain maternity session took place IN MAY. The first weekend of May, but still. Welcome to Alberta, I guess. M was getting her makeup done by none other than the talented Sarah of S.Kay Makeup Artistry, our resident Calgary Makeup Artist, and I was driving out to Banff to make sure all my spots were looking tip top, and to check to see if the lakes were fully thawed or not. I wasn’t even off 16th Ave yet and it turned into a whiteout. Snow, slush, sleet coming down, my windshield wipers couldn’t keep up.
Then it stopped.
Then the sun came out.
Then it started to rain and snow while the sun was shining down.
What. Is. Going. On.
Oh, you know. Just Alberta weather. I knew that M was coming somewhere behind me, driving through every single season as well, and probably having the same little heart attacks that I was with every shift in weather.
I got to Canmore, couldn’t see the mountains. I was worried… but as SOON as I got past the Banff National Park gate, it was like magic. The clouds parted, the blue sky and sun were shining bright and I could see all my favourite mountains. EXCELLENT.
It lasted long enough to get a handful of family shots…
Of course once we got into the gowns, things started to shift again. Suddenly clouds dropped, it got windy, and cold, and started to rain, hard! We were able to get these shots before we had to run for cover in the car!
SURE ENOUGH another storm passed over us, NO VISIBILITY - AGAIN. We persevered. We waited 10 minutes, and the storm passed. The sunset sky that the universe gave us for the rest of her session….was BREATHTAKING.
I have to say that I absolutely LOVE when the mountains still have snow on them, I think they’re stunning. Like wearing their Sunday best, or their best dress out on the town. There is still snow on the ground in some of these images, despite it being May, we were just on the cusp of the snow melting and Summer taking over.
Of course, just because there’s no snow in one spot we photograph in, doesn’t mean that 500 feet away there isn’t full on Winter just hanging out. I love these spots I use because they all have the ability to offer completely different variations of backdrops to your photos - adding in different gowns in different colours, fits and seasons, and it’s easy to make total magic!
All gowns in this blog post are available to use in your own session from my Client Closet.
Makeup was provided by Sarah of S.Kay Makeup Artistry.
Session took place in the Banff Area in Banff National Park.
