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A close-up of "Smoke in the Valley" by Scott Dimond: an ultra-high-resolution VAST photo.
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4,650 megapixels! A very high resolution, large-format VAST photo print of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park with smoke from a wildfire in the valley in the background; fine art landscape photograph created by Scott Dimond in Alberta, Canada.
4,650 megapixels! A very high resolution, large-format VAST photo print of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park with smoke from a wildfire in the valley in the background; fine art landscape photograph created by Scott Dimond in Alberta, Canada.
4,650 megapixels! A very high resolution, large-format VAST photo print of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park with smoke from a wildfire in the valley in the background; fine art landscape photograph created by Scott Dimond in Alberta, Canada.
4,650 megapixels! A very high resolution, large-format VAST photo print of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park with smoke from a wildfire in the valley in the background; fine art landscape photograph created by Scott Dimond in Alberta, Canada.
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    2,262 x 884 px
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Smoke in the Valley

4,650 MEGAPIXELS
4,650 megapixels! A very high resolution, large-format VAST photo print of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park with smoke from a wildfire in the valley in the background; fine art landscape photograph created by Scott Dimond in Alberta, Canada.
This photo is 22,040% higher resolution than a typical photo.
Scroll to learn more.

Smoke in the Valley

4,650 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
This photo is
22,040% higher resolution
than a typical photo.
Scroll to learn more.

Smoke in the Valley

4,650 MEGAPIXEL VAST PHOTO
Waterton National Park, Alberta, Canada

It all started with a lightning strike. That is how the Kenow wildfire in Southeastern British Columbia came to be and that is how my need to get down to Waterton Lakes National Park (Alberta, Canada) became more urgent. I have a list of locations that I think will be particularly well suited as subjects for an ultra-high-resolution photo and of course, the decision is always where to go next.

Photographing all the images needed to assemble an ultra-high-resolution photo is a time-consuming task that can take hours to shoot. There is always the high risk of sudden changes in the light falling on the scene that can completely ruin any possibility of producing an acceptable final image. Smoke is one element that can reduce the risk of such changes in lighting. So with the many wildfires burning in British Columbia, all of southern Alberta was covered with thick smoke for days and weeks at a time. It was these conditions that convinced me that now was the time to get down to Waterton National Park and create the ultra-high-resolution photo I had in my mind’s eye.

This image was actually produced on my second attempt. The day before, I had risen early and arrived on location well before sunrise to set up the special equipment I needed and to start the process. But about an hour into shooting, the wind came up and destroyed any possibility of pulling off a successful image. With a 500mm lens and relatively long exposure times, even a light breeze is enough to cause camera shake that ruins the shot. As the wind was blowing directly into the camera, windshields were not an option and I had to pack it in.

The next morning, I repeated the process and had much better luck with there being very little wind. The valley was full of smoke and it looked very promising. As I started shooting in the faint light before sunrise, my first subject was the iconic Prince of Wales Hotel while it still had its lights on. I knew that they would be off by the time I finished shooting hours later. I then captured images of the lake and foreground leaving the mountains and sky to the end, with the hope that some early morning sunlight from the east would provide some color. In the end, it all worked out well and I’m very happy with this exceptionally ultra-high-resolution photo.

As I was taking in all this beauty at Waterton and creating this photograph, I never dreamt that it was in any way at risk. The Kenow fire in particular had shown no signs of moving east up the Akamina Valley and risking Waterton and I really had no understanding of how unpredictable and uncontrollable such fires can be. But that all changed because, sadly, in just a few days, the entire western slopes along the lake were ravaged by wildfire. Fire departments did an exceptional job protecting the town site and the Prince of Wales Hotel but when it was all said and done, after destroying over 38,100 hectares, the fire was not considered under control until early October.

It may take almost a century before the area returns to its pre-fire condition, so I’m immensely thankful I was able to capture this high-resolution image of Waterton Lakes National Park in all its splendour when I did.

Date & TimeAugust 31, 2017:  5:00am
LocationWaterton National Park, Alberta, Canada
Coordinates49.068445, -113.900018
Focal Length500mm
Aperturef/16
Shutter1/25
ISO400
Num of Exposures624

VAST photos are the highest resolution photos ever made.
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This is not an ordinary photograph.

Its resolution is 22,040% greater than a typical photo. Click on the boxes below to zoom in.

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Canvas print

Our ready-to-hang canvas prints are created using a specialty printer that carefully lays pigment inks down onto archival-quality fine art canvas material. The canvas is then stretched around a 1.5-inch-deep wood support structure to provide depth and elegance. Our canvas material has a delightfully matte finish that looks spectacular in any lighting conditions while retaining maximum vibrancy and contrast. Click here to learn more.

Produced using a specialty, large-format fine art printer operating at 300ppi resolution—the gold standard for sharpness
Printed onto heavyweight, 100% acid-free fine art canvas to preserve color-accuracy and longevity
Created using materials and methods that exceed the rigorous technical standards required to achieve the prized "giclée" industry rating
Designed to meet the most demanding standards for color-permanence set by leading museums
Handmade by award-winning master printmakers with over 4 decades of experience
Optionally accompanied by your choice of elegant floater frame available in a variety of trims
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VAST Print™

A VAST Print™ represents the pinnacle of the photographic medium. Each print is a true photograph created specifically for you using light-sensitive paper exposed in a darkroom with the industry's highest precision exposure technique. Your print is then sealed with a shine-enhancing protective glossy coating*, adhered to a sturdy aluminum composite backing, and finished in one of two ready-to-hang formats:

  • Frameless floating display: A hidden mounting brace on the rear gracefully "floats" the print off the wall for a sleek, modern look.
  • Framed display: The print is mounted inside one of our handcrafted 100% wood frames with a decorative separation between the print and the frame so that the print appears to be floating within the frame, providing depth and elegance to the finished photo.

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*Note: a non-glossy, satin matte coating is alternatively available on request.

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Certificate of authenticity  
with artist signature
affixed to the back

Mounting brace floats the display
off the wall by 3/4 inch
Metal back
4,650 megapixels! A very high resolution, large-format VAST photo print of the Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Lakes National Park with smoke from a wildfire in the valley in the background; fine art landscape photograph created by Scott Dimond in Alberta, Canada.
Paper print
Shine-enhancing
protective coating
Laser-exposed at a truly unprecedented 610ppi resolution
Created using fine art paper with a specialty emulsion enabling unsurpassed micro-contrast, ultra-bright whites, and deep blacks
Printed with a chromogenic process that produces "continuous tones" of silky smooth color (other printers use noticeable dots of ink)
Sealed between an extra-thick, shine-enhancing protective coating and a sturdy aluminum composite backing for a sleek look
Award-winning product quality recognized industry-wide
Designed to meet the most demanding standards for color-permanence set by leading museums
Handmade by certified master printmakers with over 4 decades of experience
Hand-signed by the artist and accompanied by our digitally-enhanced, holographic certificate of authenticity
Optionally accompanied by your choice of elegant floater frame available in a variety of trims
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Digital file

Due to their record-setting resolutions, VAST photos are the most versatile images ever created, with the quality necessary to look great at any size and in any project. Purchasing one of our standard royalty-free licenses provides you with the digital file at your choice of resolution and a permit to use it for most types of projects. Click here to learn more.

Usage in most media formats*
Unlimited number of projects*
Worldwide, perpetual usage*
Not for use in merchandise for sale
Non-exclusive (i.e. we may license the photo to others)

For a premium license that gives exclusivity, glass-related use in North America, or use in merchandise for sale, contact us.

Total Pixels4,650,445,266 px
Width109,086 px
Height42,631 px
Aspect Ratio2.56 : 1
Date & TimeAugust 31, 2017:  5:00am
LocationWaterton National Park, Alberta, Canada
Coordinates49.068445, -113.900018
Focal Length500mm
Aperturef/16
Shutter1/25
ISO400
Num of Exposures624

How much resolution do I need?

Here are some rough guidelines for this specific photo:

small
2 megapixels
  • Fine art prints < 8x3 in
  • Marketing prints < 15x6 in
  • Use on webpages at sizes smaller than full‑screen
  • Wallpapers for devices with low‑resolution screens
medium
10 megapixels
  • Fine art prints < 17x7 in
  • Marketing prints < 34x13 in
  • Use on webpages at full‑screen sizes
  • Wallpapers for devices with high‑resolution screens
large
50 megapixels
  • Fine art prints < 38x15 in
  • Marketing prints < 75x29 in
  • Large murals viewed from > 12 ft
  • Massive murals viewed from > 25 ft
huge
250 megapixels
  • Fine art prints < 84x33 in
  • Marketing prints < 169x66 in
  • Large murals viewed from > 6 ft
  • Massive murals viewed from > 11 ft
colossal
1000 megapixels
  • Fine art prints < 169x66 in
  • Marketing prints < 337x132 in
  • Large murals viewed from > 3 ft
  • Massive murals viewed from > 6 ft
full file
4650 megapixels
  • Fine art prints < 364x142 in
  • Marketing prints < 727x284 in
  • Large murals viewed from > 1 ft
  • Massive murals viewed from > 3 ft
Fine art
prints
(300ppi)
Marketing
prints
(150ppi)
Large
murals
(~20x8 ft)
Massive
murals
(~40x16 ft)
Use on
webpages
Digital
device
wallpapers
small
2 megapixels
< 8x3 in < 15x6 in less than
full-screen use
low-resolution
screens
medium
10 megapixels
< 17x7 in < 34x13 in full-screen use high-resolution
screens
large
50 megapixels
< 38x15 in < 75x29 in if viewers will be
> 12 ft away
if viewers will be
> 25 ft away
huge
250 megapixels
< 84x33 in < 169x66 in if viewers will be
> 6 ft away
if viewers will be
> 11 ft away
colossal
1,000 megapixels
< 169x66 in < 337x132 in if viewers will be
> 3 ft away
if viewers will be
> 6 ft away
full file
4,650 megapixels
< 364x142 in < 727x284 in if viewers will be
> 1 ft away
if viewers will be
> 3 ft away
Photo id: 10314