About the Episode

Paul Zizka is an award-winning mountain landscape and adventure photographer based in Banff, Canada.

From the peaks of the Canadian Rockies to iceberg-laden seas off the coast of Greenland, Paul’s journey to capture the “under-documented” is a testament to his passion for exploration, his creative vision and fierce sense of determination. These qualities, combined with his pursuit of fresh perspectives and a deep love for the landscape, have resulted in an ever-growing portfolio of cutting-edge images.

Whether it’s wading waist-deep into a glacier-fed lake or chasing auroras from dusk til dawn, Paul is known for an adventurous spirit that draws him to the extraordinary. Highlighting his collection are his signature self-portraits, epic mountaineering moments, dreamy astrophotography images, as well as a window into some of the most remote corners of the planet.

In June 2016, his passion for the craft and for teaching led him and Dave Brosha to launch OFFBEAT, a company that strives to help fellow photographers discover their creative side and develop a deep appreciation for the wilderness. He is also passionate about sharing the beauty and grandeur of his own home country and was named a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society in 2017.

Paul’s images have been featured on countless book covers and in a variety of highly regarded publications, including National Geographic, Outside Magazine, Globe and Mail, Wall Street Journal, Alpinist, Maclean’s, Canadian Geographic, Islands, and Outdoor Photographer. His client list includes leading national and global brands such as Canon, Apple, NHL, Dell, Arc’Teryx, Panasonic and MEC.

A prolific adventurer, Paul’s explorations have taken him to all seven continents, as well as to each of Canada’s provinces and territories. 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, which is believed to be the first of its kind, and a 1488-km solo crossing of the South Island of New Zealand. He has also explored such destinations as Antarctica, Norway, Svalbard, Nepal, Greenland, the Caribbean, Niue, French Polynesia, Namibia, the Faroe Islands, Baffin Island and the Torngat Mountains.

Paul has published eight books (published by Rocky Mountain Books) including four coffee table style books of photography: Summits & Starlight: the Canadian Rockies (2013), The Canadian Rockies: Rediscovered (2017), Aloft: Canadian Rockies Aerial Photography and Spirits in the Sky: Northern Lights Photography (2021).

Paul lives in Banff, Alberta, with his wife, writer Meghan J. Ward, and their two daughters.

Paul’s Website: https://www.zizka.ca

Cryophilia Project: https://www.zizka.ca/cryophilia

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