Big Rock

Big Rock is one of the largest glacial erratics in the world, a massive quartzite boulder dropped here by retreating glaciers thousands of years ago, rising dramatically from the flat Alberta prairie. The sheer scale of the rock is what makes it photogenic, and your best compositions use the surrounding grassland to emphasize just how out of place this enormous stone looks on the landscape. Try shooting low and close to exaggerate the rock's height against the sky, or pull back wide to show the open plains stretching behind it. Golden hour light in the morning or evening brings out the warm tones in the quartzite surface and casts long shadows across the ground. A wide angle lens works well here for environmental shots, while a mid-range focal length helps isolate interesting surface textures and lichen patterns. The site is easily accessible with a short walking path and interpretive signs nearby. (Okotoks, Alberta, Canada)