Paul Zizka is a professional mountain landscape and adventure photographer based in Banff, Alberta.
Specializing in photographing in difficult conditions and hard-to-reach places, Paul has a passion for shooting alpine sports and backcountry experiences, capturing the spirit of adventurers and finding unusual angles of common mountain subjects. As a landscape photographer, he particularly enjoys the challenge of capturing nature’s beauty at night and the unique features that come with a dark sky – stars, Northern Lights and dramatic silhouettes.
Paul’s award-winning photos have been featured in a variety of publications, including IMPACT, Alpinist, Huffington Post, The Guardian, Canadian Geographic, Islands, PhotoLife, and explore magazine. In addition to his work for a number of clients, over the past few years Paul has created a signature collection of images for Banff Lake Louise Tourism, which are used to promote Banff National Park throughout the world.
In the Canadian Rockies, Paul has hiked extensively in the backcountry and photographed from the summits of countless peaks. His adventures abroad include a 1400-km unsupported double-crossing of Iceland on foot (2004), which is believed to be the first of its kind, and a 1488-km solo crossing of the South Island of New Zealand (2007). Recent travels have taken him backpacking in the Caribbean, exploring tiny insular nations of the Pacific, trekking in remote corners of Scandinavia and Nepal, and ski touring on Baffin Island.
Awards
2015Telluride Photo Festival 1st Place Action and Adventure Winner – Cryophilia, Haffner Canyon, Canada Islands Magazine 26th Annual Photo Contest, Second Prize
2014Audubon Society of Greater Denver’s Share the View contest, Grand Prize 2014 – Cryophilia, Haffner Canyon, Canada
Audubon Society of Greater Denver’s Share the View contest, Second Prize 2014 – Midnight Bubbles, Vermilion Lakes, Canada
Islands Magazine 25th Annual Photo Contest, Second Prize
British Columbia Magazine 2014 Photo Contest, Grand Prize
Mountain Image, Finalist, the 2014 Banff Mountain Book Competition (for Summits & Starlight: The Canadian Rockies)
2013Global Arctic Awards, Jury Choice.
Western Magazine Awards, Best Photograph – Architectural, Landscape or Still Life, Impact Magazine, The Land That Does Not Melt
2012For Mountains in Motion:The Canadian Rockies (2012/2013):
- WINNER – Best Documentary – Atlanta Shortsfest – Atlanta, GA, USA
- WINNER – Best Cinematography – Dixie Film Festival – Athens, GA, USA
- WINNER – Best Documentary Short – Asheville Cinema Festival – Asheville, NC, USA
- FINALIST – Banff Mountain Film Festival – Banff, Alberta, Canada
- FINALIST – Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival – Vancouver, BC, Canada
- OFFICIAL SELECTION – Banff Mountain Film Festival – WORLD TOUR 2012 / 2013
- WINNER – Best Cinematography – ColdSmoke Awards Film Festival – Bozeman, MT
- WINNER – The People’s Choice Awards – ColdSmoke Awards Film Festival – Bozeman, MT
- WINNER – Best Experimental Film – Honolulu Film Awards – Honolulu, Hawaii
Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival Photography Competition, Landscapes Category, First place (February)
2011Alpinist Magazine, ice climbing photography contest – First place (April)
Exposure Photography Festival, Where We Are: A Sense Of Place Mural Exhibit in Canmore, One of three images selected (January)
2010Michael the Maven Photo Contest, Landscapes category – Second prize (January)
World Energy Council Energy Photo of the Year Competition – Winning image (November)
CIWEM Environmental Photographer of the Year 2010 Photo Competition (4500 entries) – Shortlisted image (September)
United Nations World Tourism Organization 2010 Photo Competition (500 entries) – Runner-up at the (September)
International Vaccine Institute international photography contest – Bronze award (August)
2010 WiebeTech Photography Contest – Runner-up (August)
Canadian Tourism Commission, Local’s Know Contest – 2nd, 3rd and 7th places (March)
Summits and Starlight: The Canadian Rockies
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