Banff
The town of Banff sits inside one of Canada's most photogenic national parks, and the viewpoint above the townsite gives you a sweeping panorama that layers the valley, the Bow River, and the jagged peaks of Mount Rundle and Cascade Mountain in a single frame. The classic shot is from Tunnel Mountain or the Surprise Corner viewpoint, where the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel nestles into the forested hillside with the mountains rising behind it. Golden hour is exceptional here, with warm alpenglow lighting up the rocky faces of Rundle while the valley floor stays in soft shadow. A mid-range zoom around 24-70mm handles most compositions well, though a wider lens helps when you want to exaggerate the scale of the peaks. The viewpoints are accessible by short walks or roadside pullouts, making it easy to reposition quickly as the light shifts. (Banff, Alberta, Canada)
