Banff & Lake Louise is full of ruggedly dramatic mountains, vibrantly coloured lakes, and verdant valleys. It is a spectacular setting for photography and filming. 

This guide provides a selection of the most iconic and accessible places to film and shoot in Banff & Lake Louise. It is divided into three locations: 

• Filming in and around the town of Banff
• Filming in and around Lake Louise
• Filming along the Bow Valley Parkway

Permits for commercial filming and photography

As travel media, you may require a film/photography permit, or may need to register your project with Parks Canada through the small scale photo/video project registration process.

Do I Need a Film/Photo Permit or Project Registration?

Most small-scale projects taking place in Banff National Park only require project registration, rather than a film/photo permit. Your project is considered “small-scale” and fits under the registration process if your project meets all of the following criteria.

• Project is intended to inform audiences about the work of Parks Canada and/or to promote visitation to Banff National Park.
• Crew size is of six people or fewer (including models or other talent).
• Equipment is limited to cameras, tripods, microphones, or other hand-held equipment.
• Activities remain in areas open to the public and during normal operating hours only.
• Adheres to all laws and regulations.
• No drones are used.

For more information and to register and/or apply for a permit for filming or photography, please visit the Parks Canada  website.

Assistance and Resources

The media team at Banff & Lake Louise Tourism is able to help you schedule your itinerary for shooting b-roll and/or live broadcasts. We can also help you speak to the relevant stakeholders and leaseholders regarding filming on specific properties and arrange interviews with local characters and experts. We have a large library of HD b-roll available for your use. 

Please contact us for additional information and advice.