Stanley Falls
Tucked into a narrow canyon along Beauty Creek, Stanley Falls is a powerful plunging waterfall framed by dense conifer forest and sculpted rock walls in the Canadian Rockies. The trail follows the creek from the Icefields Parkway trailhead, passing a series of smaller cascades that are worth stopping to shoot along the way, so bring your camera out early rather than saving it for the main falls. At the falls, a wide-angle lens works well to capture the full drop alongside the surrounding canyon walls, while a telephoto can isolate the water detail. Overcast days are ideal here since the forest canopy and canyon shade can create harsh contrast in direct sun. Use a slow shutter speed to smooth out the water and bring a polarizing filter to cut glare on the wet rocks. The trail is well-maintained and the falls are reachable in under an hour. (Saskatchewan River Crossing, Alberta, Canada)
