These series of images has been split up in 3 different series. One collection is solely focused on the coasts of British Columbia. The second collection is focused on the Canadian Rocky Mountains, both British Columbia and Alberta. The third is a collection of images that I took in the Yukon and Alaska, US. I separated them, because the style of images is drastically different from one another. But because I took them during the same trip in 2017, I feel like I should connect them somehow by explaining that all of these images have been taken around the same time. I started out in Vancouver, working my way up to Bowen Island, Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island, Kootenay's and the Rockies, Yukon, Alaska, Haida Gwaii, the Rocky Mountains again and ending my trip back in Vancouver. This is a rough depiction, because in total I've driven over 16.000 kms in my camperized second hand pick-up truck and I've taken a hell of a lot of detours.

 

This album, as the title suggests, is a series focused on the Canadian Rocky Mountains. A truly impressive landscape, filled with the most picturesque locations, mountains, lakes, waterfalls, hot springs and glaciers; a true marvel of nature. With such a ridiculous amount of beauty you have to pinch yourself every now and then. I remember the first time driving towards the Rockies; seeing the first high peaks of the Kootenay's/Top of The World Provincial Park when I drove through Cranbrook. A local mountain climber told me to go to the Bugaboo's first before taking the turn-off towards Yoho, Jasper and Banff. A lot less touristy, but nevertheless extraordinary; raw and adventurous. A place which in the end turned out to be my personal highlight. Jasper, Banff and Yoho were, not to my surprise, a lot more touristy. But none the less truly impressive. Unfortunately after spending 2 days in the Bugaboos, I saw the first hints of smoke filling up the valleys because of nearby forest fires. On the third day the smoke lifted, so, full of energy I drove off towards Yoho. The next day the smoke got blown back into the valleys, where it stayed for another 2 weeks. After 2 weeks my lungs started to burn, I couldn't stop coughing and, naturally, started feeling sick (and frustrated). This is the moment I decided to drive off towards the Yukon and Alaska. After my 4 week trip to the Yukon and Alaska (part 3 of these series), and another 2 to Haida Gwaii (part 1 of these series), I drove back the Rockies halfway fall where, to my relief, all the smoke had been lifted. This gave me the opportunity to enjoy the Rockies with a lot less tourists, crystal clear views, knowing exactly where I wanted to go and what to enjoy.

 

This trip has never been about photography or me trying to "look" for the essence of the north. This trip has been a somewhat personal journey; an escape and a way for me to get rid of unneeded stress, the feeling of being claustrophobic in Europe. Above all it was a way for me to feel grounded again and to have a breather. Therefore this is not a series, but a collection of stand alone images that I took along the way.