Luuk Wijk Photography

Pink and purple tones slowly fade away, as the sun creeps over the mountains in Jasper National Park. The first signs of spring are here, such as the multiple days of double-digits temperatures that are in the forecast for next week!

Bubble-galore at an unnamed pond in Jasper National Park from earlier this winter, before the snow covered all of this "foreground-goodness". Many photographers hunt for these frozen methane bubbles during the winter months. And almost all flock to the ever-popular Abraham Lake. However, there's no need to travel that far, I've been able to find this phenomenon on a few lakes and ponds close to home, which in my case is Jasper, Canada.

Sunset tones over Mount Edith Cavell and Beauvert Lake in Jasper National Park. With day-time temperatures rising well above freezing levels in the coming week, I am looking forward to scenes like these. Don't be fooled though, winter might snap back with a vengeance - it's Alberta after all.

Golden hour at one of my favourite spots along the Athabasca River in Jasper National Park. Mount Christie stands tall across the valley and bathes in soft, warm morning light. An image from the archives; taken in December 2016.

Pyramid Mountain bathes in morning light, on yet another frigid morning in Jasper National Park. I've been chasing a shot from this location, and have stood here for the past 4 out of 5 mornings. The recent arctic temperatures have been continuously shaping the landscape. Each day the ice grows further over the Athabasca River, and in this wind-still section, frost flowers grow along its edge. It's these intimate details that drive me to go out on the coldest mornings, as current conditions are unique and fleeting.

The Belt of Venus rises up over Pyramid Mountain, painting the sky with vibrant pink and purple tones.

It's late December and the year is drawing to an end. Reason enough to share my most memorable photography moments of the past 12 months. As much as I'd like to refrain from posting details about my personal life - to avoid complaining or voicing negative thoughts - my photography outings were spiced with emotions of the challenges I faced on a personal level. 2020 was a turbulent year, a devastating whirlwind that ripped the professional/financial safety blanket away from me... (and my girlfriend). Up until this year we were co-owners of a bar/nightclub, in a tourist town, and to put it bluntly - we were forced to give it all up. While that sounds oh so awful, photography and the pursuit of creating images has been liberating, rewarding and was the positive focus in a challenging year. Without further ado, and in no particular order, my most memorable photos of 2020. Thank you all for your support. Let's make it a happy, healthy new year!

A quintessential winter scene from the Canadian Rockies; Tangle Ridge standing tall over the hoar-frost covered Beauty Flats.

Skinning in solitude in Banff National Park. An image from the archives; taken in a pre-Covid era, but certainly suiting with current events. I hope you're staying sane out there!

Happy New Year! For 2021, I wish you all a happy, healthy and creative new year - let's make it a good one!

Winter's birth on the frozen surface of Medicine Lake in Jasper National Park. With scenes like these in the backyard, staying local does not feel too restricting.

A gigantic sweeping cloud dwarfs Pyramid Mountain and Jasper, Canada. Happy to walk away with an alternative take from this classic viewpoint.

Cotton candy clouds above the Fiddle River and Boule Range, the front range of Jasper National Park's eastern boundary.