The very last light of an October day in Alaska’s high arctic is like blazing amber on these blades of grass. While often windy in this land, the clouds move with rapid changes. The sun slid through an opening in the clouds and dashed across the tundra making for a fun few minutes of photography.…
During a recent photo tour the skies opened up to a magnificent and lengthy display of the aurora borealis. The group I was co-guiding with Hugh Rose started clicking frames about 9:00 p.m. and finally went to bed about 5:00 a.m. It was a great night of fun and fanciful color and light in the…
In contrast to the last picture shared of the frosted leaves, this is a micro landscape as well, but on a little larger scale. Fresh snow along with the morning light made the ingredients of contrast and shadow strong along a distant hillside. I put down my wide angle lens and grabbed my 500mm along…
If winter sends warnings, this is one of them. The frost-edged leaves signify chilly morning temperatures and the snowfall soon to come. Close-up photography is a micro landscape that requires thoughtful composition. I often wander a long time looking before deciding on a composition that seems to work within the tiny space. While waiting for others to…
I just concluded guiding two trips into Alaska’s arctic with groups of photo enthusiasts on the quest to capture images of Alaska’s magical landscape. As always, the big spaces reveal new and different opportunities every year. The great wet and cloudy season that hung over much of the state this latter autumn gave way to…
October is the month of ice in Alaska’s arctic. The season when the last remnants of heat leave the landscape as temperatures drop and the sun’s power fades away. Winds are also common in the far north and when combined with the right temperature, the plants surrounding small lakes and ponds become encased in ice…
To me this scene, although un remarkable in its topographical definition, reveals an extreme beauty found in the arctic. The tundra of Alaska’s arctic slowly flattens out as you reach the coastal plains and ultimately the north coast. In the summer it is decorated with wildflowers and birds from all seven continents choose it as the…
Off the far north arctic coast of Alaska lies the Beaufort Sea. On windy days the surf pounds the outer barrier islands which are inhabited by polar bears waiting for the sea ice to form. The broad sky in this composition hints at the wide open space that goes on for miles and miles beyond…
For those who have had their eyes on the weather in Alaska this autumn, it has been unusually wet in many regions. This has been true in the Brooks range area also and northward into the arctic coastal plains. The water soaked tundra is now freezing as the temps begin to drop. A light covering of snow…
Polar bears embody a beautiful blend of power and elegance. This is one reason they are so interesting to observe and photograph. And there are few mammal species that move so fluidly both on land and in the water. This bear rested along the shore of an island in the Beaufort Sea, along Alaska’s eastern…