The coastal landscapes along Katmai National Park look out towards the Shelikof Strait, a tumultuous body of water that passes between the Island of Kodiak and the mainland Alaska Peninsula. While camped along this beach, above the storm berm, the rare sight of blue sky during my trip inspired me to run to the shore…
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Describing the infusion of color found in Alaska’s summer fields of wildflowers requires a word not found in the English dictionary. There is a powerful feeling that emanate from these intense swaths of color, and I’ve often sensed that it is something more than just observation. The coast of Katmai National Park in July is…
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Aerial of Mount Augustine volcano Alaska’s southwest coast is a well known region of the Pacific rim of fire, dotted by active volcanoes and rugged mountains. In 2006, this volcano, Mt Augustine erupted and I photographed it from the Kenai Peninsula (see below). On my recent trip to the coastal region of Katmai National Park,…
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Some of the first hints of color on the tundra are the wooly lousewort flowers. They are early bloomers, and the bright pink color really pops out along the brown tundra. For anyone who has hiked across this kind of terrain, you know what I’m talking about when I say it is difficult travel. It’s…
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Muskox and baby Baby muskox rank up there with the cutest of all little creatures. There were four young ones in this herd of ancient and odd looking animals. Like many wild animals that I’ve spent time with, the younger the accompanying offspring, the more wary they behave – for obvious reasons when one considers…
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Bull caribou in the midnight sun Photographing in Alaska’s high arctic in the summer is both wonderful and brutal. The infusion of light is energizing on the one hand, but the schedule it forces can be brutally tiring as well. Golden light is restricted to the midnight hour, give or take a few. So,…
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The spring and summer wildflowers on Alaska’s tundra are nothing but spectacular. I’ve been documenting a few that I have for one reason or another, never photographed before. This is one of them, an early blooming arctic version of the common Jacobs ladder found in Alaska’s interior. The aperture of f/5.6 helps diffuse the background…
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The first few weeks of June in Alaska is the time when the newborn animals of the year begin showing up. They are pure cuteness in most respects, and they are also very susceptible to hungry predators as the circle of life takes its course in the wilderness landscape. For the latter, it means that adults with…
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I’ve had a few exceptional grizzly bear photo encounters in Denali Park over the years, and the session I recently had with this bear ranks up there with them. There are many factors that play into what distinguishes an interesting and enjoyable wildlife sighting between a good photographic one. While I’ve photographed countless bears, they…
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Gray wolf portrait, Denali National Park, Alaska Generally, getting too close to a wild wolf is not a problem I encounter often when photographing. However, in this case, a wolf from the Grant Creek pack in Denali National Park walked directly towards the vehicle I was traveling in late one evening. They often travel down…
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My experience photographing grizzly bears in Denali National park has been mixed over the years. I’ve observed lots of interesting behaviour, and had many fortunate opportunities to make some great photos. On my recent trip into the park, following a rainy night and misty morning, the wet tundra grasses glowed under the bright overcast skies.…
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As soon as the snow melts, the tundra comes alive with spring blooming wildflowers. This spring in Denali National Park, the lapland rosebay, a brilliant pink, early blooming tundra plant, seemed more abundant than usual. The colorful patches are often mixed with mountain aven, and a few other early blooming flowers. I saw this particular…
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The lime green tundra and newly budding leafs of a poplar tree along the Denali Park road are tell-tale signs of spring. This young grizzly bear takes a break from foraging on the new grass shoots and vegetation along the roadside by scratching its back on the bark of a balsam poplar tree on a…
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It is springtime in Denali National Park, and the remnant covering of snow still remains in the high country and mountain passes. But in typical June fashion, that big and ever present sun has lured many flowering plant into profusion of blossom. This cluster of wind flowers, or narcissus flowered anemones, caught my attention while looking…
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I’ll be in Denali National park in a few days on a photography permit and it was disheartening to learn of the recent trapping death of the alpha female from the Grant Creek wolf pack. She was snared by a trapper just outside the park boundary. I, like many photographers and visitors to Denali have…
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I’ve been photographing regions of Alaska’s arctic for a book project that came to completion recently. On Arctic Ground is authored by Debbie Miller, a long time Alaskan author, and published by the Mountaineers Books. During two specific trips over the past few years, I photographed regions within the National Petroleum Reserve, a giant section…
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Since the advent of a high res DSLR, I was able to continue producing images in a panoramic format without carrying an additional bulky panorama camera in the field. Each year, the software utilized for stitching multiple digital images seems to get better, easier, and more sophisticated. The benefit of merging multiple images allows for…
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I get many questions about the topic of wildlife photography in Alaska. In response to this over the years, I have written a little article that addresses some of the basic things to consider. Photographing Alaska Wildlife Photographing Alaska wildlife is a rewarding experience, it’s also a challenging one. Alaska is a big place, access…
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I license a number of photographs that artist use in reference for paintings. One particular artist, who does excellent work, made a painting from a picture I took in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, along the Marsh Fork of the Canning river. Michele Usibelli, is an occopmplshed artist and here is her representation of the…
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The tide of light has shifted in Fairbanks, Alaska and darkness is getting hard to find in the night sky. More specifically, I heard a sandhill crane yesterday morning, the first of the year. To me, that is the official, inaugurating tune of springtime. While it is still possible to get a snowfall or two,…
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Backpacking in the Arrigetch Peaks, Gates of the Arctic National Park If you have been following my blog, you may remember a trip I did last summer, where I spent 10 days backpacking in the Arrigetch Peaks, located in the Gates of the Arctic National Park, in Alaska’s Arctic. This region is well known among climbers and…
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Windy Gap, White Mountains National Recreation Area It might not be surprising to find the wind blustery on the eve of this shoot, considering the cabin is probably named Windy Gap for a good reason. It is situated along fossil creek in the White Mountains National Recreation Area, and during this time of year, the…
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Canon 5D Mark III and the Northern Lights Alaska has had a great winter season of aurora photography opportunities. Due to much of my travel, I have not participated in that winfall. Last week however, I eeked out one last chance to shoot the northern lights before daylight consumes our night skies making that option…
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A trip through the Grand Canyon on a raft is a lot of work and a lot of fun. Besides the daily fare on the river, with whitewater and ever changing tremendous scenery, some of my favorite times were hiking up the canyons, enjoying wonderful campsites and occasionally playing in the river.
On my month long journey down the Colorado river in the Grand Canyon, the majority of days were bright and sunny. However, one stormed moved through dropping some snow on the rim of the canyon, and resulting in a gray and overcast day during a hike through Monument creek. The fresh snow added some definition…
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