Over the course of her career, Vancouver-based photographer Taylor Roades has earned a reputation for evocative and filmic Landscape and Travel photography. A native Canadian who has endeavored to inquire into her national identity through deep journeys through the provincial landscape, Taylor recently published a photo book entitled A Ribbon of Highway in April 2023. It is a collection of photos taken over the course of ten years, which explores, “the cultural threads that hold Canada together, and effortlessly weaves local idiosyncrasies together with iconic landscapes from coast to coast.”
Her recent assignment with Travel + Leisure was an opportunity to translate her personal work into a commercial editorial domain. For this assignment, Taylor documented Canada’s iconic trans-continental train voyage from Vancouver to Toronto. She was tasked with capturing the experience of train travel as well as the magnificent landscapes of the Canadian countryside to accompany a written piece narrating the same route. Ever the adventurer and explorer of her nation’s spirit and environment, Taylor eagerly accepted a unique project that aligned both thematically and aesthetically with her work.
Trains were the mode of transportation that heralded the Industrial Revolution. Their evolution and expansion across the world laid networks for people and goods which fostered the exchange of culture, ideas, and economies for generations to come. The modern world would not look the way it does without the advent of locomotive travel. Although trains have lost their centrality in day-to-day life, they still maintain an aura of intrigue and nostalgia for travelers.
Those who journey long distances by train are privy to landscapes unseen by high-speed car and air travelers. On the slow meandering journey through isolated countryside and communities, passengers connect to the routes laid by prior generations, as well as with their fellow travelers, with whom they are able to develop relationships inaccessible to most rapid transit travelers. Taylor’s previous explorations of Canada through its magnificent landscapes and remote villages laid the foundation for this kind of project.
I began photographing in Toronto and moved to Vancouver on the west coast in 2013. I have been photographing assignments in between, and have been photographically exploring what Canadian Identity looks like ever since.
A voyage like this had always intrigued her adventurous spirit and she didn’t have to think twice about accepting the assignment.
I couldn’t have been more thrilled to take on the assignment. The train journey across Canada plays a big part of our history and lore but was something that always seemed out of reach for me. There either was not enough time — it takes about 5 days to cover 4000 km — or money, but it was always something I thought I might do one day. So, when I got the call I knew this was my chance!
Taylor Roades had been in touch with Photo Editor Skye Senterfeit, but this was her first project with Travel + Leisure. The life of a freelance photographer is ever-busy, and oftentimes scheduling conflicts can sometimes mean missed opportunities. In this case, due to Taylor’s relationship with Skye, they were able to navigate the complications of a busy work schedule.
I had spent all of August on three different assignments in the Arctic and Northern Canada. Travel + Leisure wanted me to start the shoot in mid-August for timing reasons. I very desperately asked Skye to let me push the start date to September 3rd so I could do everything. I promised that I would have the initial edit done for her to make selects within two days of finishing the two week journey.
With an amicable and trusting professional relationship already established, planning and coordinating was a straightforward process.
I had a few meetings with Skye where we talked about the type of images that work well in the style of layout. This was going to be at least a 5 page spread so I knew that quantity and variety mattered. I also had access to an early draft of the story so I could put myself into the writer’s shoes.
Together, Taylor and Skye determined the variety of images necessary and established a shot list.
I really wanted to create a set of images that showed the journey, the changing weather, the changing landscape and shot at different times of day so it really looked like the undertaking of time it was. If all the images were shot in the middle of the day it wouldn’t have the same sense of moving through space and time.
Taylor Roades has been documenting the Canadian landscape for over ten years. Her photos create a depth and nuance that draws out the warm beauty — even in the most frigid climates — of the natural world. Canada is a massive and ecologically diverse country. A major challenge of this assignment would be to document this variety as she traversed the continent.
The landscape varies enormously from the start to the end of the route and so because I was trying to create this body of work that encompasses the whole journey I was in that state when you are working where you are constantly paying attention to what could be the best shot.
Taylor was not in continuous motion for the entirety of the trip. Instead, she spent time in each city that the train stopped to document those locations as well.
I spent four nights and five days on the train and then I spent a few days at each stop — Vancouver, Jasper, Winnipeg, and Toronto — to photograph the attraction.
While one might think this type of work is itself a form of leisure, the reality is quite the contrary. A long form and protracted assignment like this demands careful attention and awareness as the shots are, quite literally, passing you by every hour.
It was actually quite hard to maintain that level of focus for two weeks straight, especially alone. During shoot days on the train I fell into a pattern of waking up early, catching the sunrise where-ever we were traveling through at the time. The train was quiet then, so I also was able to get interior photos and a coffee. In the afternoon I’d focus more on the people I was with, catching them enjoying the view or taking pictures themselves.
On the train, Taylor was able to experience the old-fashioned pleasure of getting to know your fellow travelers in the common areas and, especially, the dining car.
There was a lot of energy and the staff really encouraged you to get to know the people you are traveling with. You are seated with a different group of people each meal and so there is a real social aspect to this kind of travel.
Taylor made many stops along the way. She was also responsible for documenting attractions off the train in the cities where train hubs were located. Unexpectedly, her favorite stop was in the city of Winnipeg located in the central province of Manitoba. Winnipeg is located at the bottom of the Red River Valley and isn’t usually considered an attractive tourist destination. What she found on this visit surprised her.
Winnipeg is a place that, on all of my travels across the country, I had never spent more than a night in transit. It’s in the middle of Canada and known for treacherous winter conditions and friendly people, but it was my favorite stop on this trip. I was there in September and the weather was balmy. The streets were really alive. Winnipeg was almost named the Capital of Canada because it was situated in the middle, and it has all of these beautiful historic buildings. It really is a hidden gem and I think readers should know it’s worth a visit.
While Taylor experienced the social spirit on the train, the trip wasn’t without complications. In fact, the forest fires which have become commonplace in the late summer and early fall months across the west almost threatened to derail the entire project.
The biggest challenge leading up to the shoot was the forest fire situation in British Columbia and The Northwest Territories. First we weren’t sure the train was going to be able to make it through the Okanagan Valley but once it was determined it was safe and running, the residual smoke completely clouded the view of the Rocky Mountains for four days.
Indeed, the fires could have jeopardized the entire project had she not convinced her editor to delay the assignment until the beginning of September.
It worked out really well because any sooner the trip would have been postponed because of the fires.
Due to the thick smoke, Taylor was not able to shoot the breathtaking views of Jasper and instead had to pivot to another of her homeland’s natural wonders.
Jasper is a world renowned mountain destination and to photograph it in a haze was disappointing. But like most constraints forced the shoot in another direction. I spent my time exploring Maligne Canyon and waterfalls where smoke didn’t affect the views. It finally rained on my last morning in Jasper, so before the train took off again I worked extremely hard to check a few things off my shot list that I didn’t get beforehand.
As a result of the unpredictable impacts of climate change on the Canadian landscape, Taylor learned an important lesson that she will take with her to future projects.
I think on this trip I really learned about managing expectations. Obviously the forest fire situation in Jasper wasn’t ideal, but I kept the photo editor Skye Senterfeit in the loop the whole time. She understood the constraints of the moment and could pass that information on. The last thing I wanted her to think was I was slacking off, and that is why I didn’t get the gorgeous mountain views. We were in communication almost everyday, and it was really fun to share a few selects as I went along because the magic of photography is sharing it isn’t it?
Indeed, there was no shortness of magic to share on this journey across the continent. As many thousands of air travelers traversed the continent above her, Taylor crafted images that capture the softness of fond memories, the romance of slow travel, and the grandeur of the natural world. Through her images, we get a glimpse of the subtleties that emerge when the world slows down around us.
See more of Taylor’s work on her website.
Credits
Photo Editor: Skye Senterfeit
Writer: Nylah Burton
Further Reading
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