To take photo of Lake Maligne and Spirit Island

[peter_roberts4]

I am going to Alberta in August 2005. I want to take photos of

Spirit Island of Lake Maligne with 8x10 camera.

 

What is the best timing in a day to take this photo?

Where is the best location?

How can I get to the best site?

[scott___1]

i hope you are VERY quick with that 8x10 camera of yours. you'll have to take a boat ride out there, get on the last trip of the day. i think it leaves at 4:00 pm. once you dock on the island, you have, literally, 10 - 15 minutes to fight your way through the other folks on your boat, set up, get your shot, pack up, and get back on the boat.

 

i did this last summer with my 4x5 and just made it back in time. the shot i got was nothing special, as with the time restraints, you can't ask for much. if i were doing it all over again, i'd kayak out there and spend the night... that way you're working at your own pace when the light is best.

 

good luck.

[ed_prest]

There is a tour boat that runs hourly or so from the north end to the viewpoint where all the images are usually taken. You take it and instead of spending the 15 minuter there you will want to stay and go back on the next trip so there wont be tourists to content with. There is not much choice for alternate view points - either trees block the view or the magic disappears as the scene changes.

 

The mountains are high and the lake runs N-S so it gets dark early. I have camped on the lake. The morning is misty and dark. There are only 2 or 3 spots to camp on the lake and this is permit controlled.

 

I think the best time would not be in the morning or evening but regular day time - like 10 to 3.

[alec1]

Here's what I did. Knowing that the boat I was to take up comes back too soon, I arranged [in advance] with them to travel up on one boat and come back much later on another. They will work with you on that [at least they did with me]. It's no big deal for you to ride in the back of a later boat.

[kirk_keyes]

I tried to set up what Alec suggests, and they said I would have to buy a ticket for the boat out and a second one for the boat back. Since my wife was with me, that would have been 4 tickets for us, and I seem to remember the price (1995) was about $30 each. That was too much for me and ended up doing what Scott did - the 10 minutes shot.

 

Sit in the front of the boat if you can an run to the short trail to the viewpoint so you cna get as much time as possible.

[alec1]

Oops, they must have changed their procedures. Too bad. The time on the island is really limited for one boat trip.