For me to leave Alaska in the summer for a chunk of time is rare. I did so in July, in part, to serve as photography guiding staff on a voyage in Svalbard. On this wonderful trip I accrued a few very notable nature encounters. One in particular ranks up there in what I have…
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It’s a rare experience for me to end up with photos that show the back-end side of work, of framing a picture and working in the field. Amy, an avid photographer who was on the Arrigetch trip, shared some shots of me taking pictures so I thought it would be fun to show both sides–the…
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Once again, thanks to all of you who chimed in with your comments and suggestions. Below is the final version and the end of this post series – time to get back to other imagery. Final because it is time to move on to other pressing projects. Final because I think it is better than…
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To all of you who were so kind to comment and offer your feedback on the cover of my 2013 Alaska – Profiles in Nature calendar – a big thank you. I have incorporated some of your suggestions and here is the new version. Of course, nothing is ever final until it goes off to…
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When the day came that I was asked to plan more than one year ahead of time, I thought: something has gone wrong. But some things are inevitable. As it turns out, before I’ve really hit the sales period for the new calendar I released this year, it’s time to get the next one to…
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After many years of photographing in Denali National Park, I can tell you that it is not every day that a bull moose walks in front of Mt McKinley, on a clear day, when you are situated in an opportunity to photograph it. As a matter of fact, probably only a handful of times in…
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Some open skies let the sun shine into the western region of Denali Park last week and I was able to capture a few images of that magic mountain known as Denali, although officially named Mt McKinley. It’s face is under constant changing light and for this reason, it never seems to get old. Pure…
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The colors in the high country of Denali National Park last week were stunning. The grizzly bear photography was less stunning, simply due to lack of opportunity on my short visit. However, this is the one scene I photographed for just a few minutes. In spite of the harsh light, the colors revive the image…
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My digital workflow always moves towards simplification whenever possible. Taking thousands of photos a year, and needing to move them from a flat, RAW state, to a processed version ready for a stock photography sale takes time. If there is one lesson universal to age, it is that time takes on a more premium value.…
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Dall sheep rams, Polychrome Pass, Denali National Park Having just returned from a few days in Denali Park, it is clear that autumn is in full swing in the high country, and the vibrant colors have scattered the hills with richness. In the latter part of the afternoon while passing through Polychrome Pass, these dall…
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UPDATE: Images from this entire shoot are now on my website: Arrigetch Peaks photos. I chose a handful of landscape photos from my recent backpacking trip into the Arrigetch Peaks. The dramatic granite spires are situated in the Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska’s Brooks range mountains. All but two of these images are…
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UPDATE: Images from this entire shoot are now on my website: Arrigetch Peaks photos. When it comes to words, Alaska gets slammed with superlatives. This is true probably because it is a big space with big views, and it’s tough to translate into little black letters. So when I attempt to summarize my recent backpacking trip…
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The town of Kodiak, situated on Kodiak Island’s east side is flanked by a large hill that rises quickly behind the small community. Along this hillside grows some very happy wildflowers that pop in color on a sunny summer morning. This view looks southward from the town at the convoluted shores of the expansive island,…
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Looking across St. Herman’s harbor to Pillar mountain reveals three prominent wind mills that whirl away under Kodiak’s often breezy weather. The wind mills contribute to Kodiak’s energy needs, largely supplied by hydro power. The lush green hillsides are ubiquitous on the island, nicknamed the Emerald Ilse for a good reason. Commercial fishing is still…
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During this week I’ll be backpacking and camping in the Gates of the Arctic National Park in Alaska’s remote arctic region. It’s a big area and more specifically I’ll be in the Arrigetch peaks, a dramatic conglomeration of granite spires which are breathtaking to say the least. Packing for a trip that requires me to…
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Late in the evening in early July, I was perched on the coastal shores of Kodiak Island, along Fort Ambercrombie park. The sun poured in from the west throwing a golden glow on the rocky cliffs at 10:40pm. Kodiak is known for its ever changing island weather, and I enjoyed a mix of sun and…
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Male Walrus, Svalbard During my recent visit to Svalbard, on the Polar Pioneer icebreaker with Cheeseman’s Ecology Safaris, I logged some amazing lifetime wildlife encounters that will last as unforgettable experiences. One of them was some interaction with a curious group of male walrus that swam over to our small group along the shoreline. They…
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I photographed this Atlantic puffin along the shores of the Island of Spitzbergen in Svalbard, on a sunny, calm evening. I’m familiar with the horned and tufted puffin that inhabit Alaska, but this was my first sighting of the Atlantic puffin. They are bright and colorful like the other gregarious puffins. As is often the…
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This male polar bear had been swimming from island to island in a glacier fjord along the northern coast of Spitsbergen, in the Svalbard archipelago. I shot this frame just as the bear was about to swim to another nearby island. I took a lot of pictures of this animal, in many different situations, but…
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Perfectly calm weather and overcast skies created conditions ideal for capturing reflections of floating icebergs in a glacial fjord on the northern coast of Spitsbergen, the main, and largest island of the Svalbard archipelago. This particular capture was actually a drive by shooting, which is why I had the shutter speed up to 1/160. Landscape…
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The polar bear ranks up there as one of the most intriguing and amazing animals. To watch it move and live in its extreme environment is an experience I wish all people could have. This particular polar bear approached our ice breaker ship while we paused for a moment in the sea ice. The snow…
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The creature I was most intrigued to see on my trip to Svalbard was the walrus on ice. I got half of my hoped for scene, which was the walrus itself, but not hauled out on ice. Still, I had quite an up-close encounter with these giant animals, who exhibited great curiosity and humorous behavior.…
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I just concluded a wonderful journey on an icebreaker ship cruising the island archipelago of Svalbard in the high arctic. Having spent the bulk of my time in Alaska’s arctic, it was a treat to explore other regions, in particular a place where mountain relief is evident, and the flora and fauna slightly different. Of…
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Sea anemone tentacles, Kodiak Island During a minus tide along the shores of Kodiak’s Ambercrombie park, I found this Anemone in a tide pool that was well shaded from the sky by a large boulder. For that reason, there is virtually no reflection from the sky above, and it rendered a clear water image. It…
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Float Planes in Kodiak Alaska Bush planes on floats are a common sight throughout Alaska, and in particular, along Alaska’s coastal shores. To travel through Kodiak, one will see float planes in ponds next to residential homes, as well as a number of commercial business that fly people to otherwise inaccessible areas. On a sunny…
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