The main regions of Alaska divided up, and special places
Near the confluence of the Nigu and Etivluk river, is Puvakrat mountain, a notable ridge with a rocky spine, great for hiking and splendid views. We began a day hike in rainy and cloudy conditions, but mixed blue skies and dramatic clouds and light spilled across the grand vista as evening progressed. The sky in…
On our 10 day river trip along the Nigu and Etivluk, we saw two grizzly bears, both of which upon noticing us, took off across the tundra. This is the kind of reaction one likes to see when encountering a bear in the wild. Well, sort of. Photographing bears in the arctic is quite unlike…
This little Red-necked phalarope, with its elegant presence, is the only shorebird that swims on the water. There were many nesting pairs along the same lake that the pair of Pacific loons were on. I usually see this bird in south central Alaska during the spring migration, and often see them in large flocks. So…
Is there ever really enough time? To get the right shot, to get the right light, heck, for life in general. So much to see and so much to do. In this particular instance, our two canoes were all packed up and it was time to hit the river for a day of paddling, with…
Although some revel in the constant daylight of Alaska’s summers, it can be exhausting from a photographer’s point of view. Golden hour peaks at some pretty severe hours, and I’ve never been too successful at midday naps. The end result is just a loss of sleep. The light however, is magnificent. After a long day…
I’ve posted a number of photos from a recent river trip on the Nigu, which flows north out of the Brooks range mountains in Alaska’s arctic. On the first few days, there was a cruddy haze looming in the area, and I later heard reports that it was residual forest fire pollution from Russia. The…
If you are not familiar with a tussock, this is probably a good thing. Especially in the context of hiking. However, if you plan to travel across the tundra in Alaska’s arctic, you will indeed become quickly familiar with the term. A tussock is a large knob of soil with tufts of grass or sedges…
This handsome little bird has a melodious song and in early June it sings it heart out on the tundra landscape. The little bird has an extensive range, spending its summers breeding in the arctic regions of Alaska and Canada. The “longspur” refers to an elongated claw on the hind toe, not quite visible in…
While paddling down the Nigu river on a sunny day, a small herd of bull caribou stepped into the water a little bit down river. I had my camera in a dry bag with the 24-105mm lens on, so I quickly grabbed it for a few shots. Steering the boat did not go well with…
If there is one splash of color that marks the advance of spring in the arctic, it is the lousewort, a dapple of plant color that appears across the tundra before the blast of green unfolds. As one moves farther north in Alaska’s arctic, things get flatter and flatter, which introduces some composition challenges. I…