Landscape photography in Alaska poses some interesting “angle of light” dynamics. Because the location of the setting sun is continually changing, seeking a photographic angle perpendicular to the sun becomes restrictive to a certain orientation, and time of year. For example, midnight golden light in the arctic shines out of the north, rather than the…
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The season of spring is distinctly noted in the images, as the color phase of the Rock ptarmigan in conjunction with the new green shoots on the plants are telling signs. This bird staked out a territory near our camp along the Nigu river, and made his calls frequently in quest of a mate. We…
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I spent 10 days on a river trip in Alaska’s arctic, beginning on the Nigu river, which means “rainbow” in Inupiaq. The Nigu flows north out of the Brooks Range, with its headwaters located in the Gates of the Arctic National Park. It then flows through the National Petroleum Reserve, where it joins the Etivluk…
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The Columbia glacier in Prince William Sound has been receeding rapidly for many years, and all the chunks of ice in this photo are trapped in a tidal lake by an old glacial morraine. Its truly a wild place to explore and walk around. I took this picutre after climbing on top of another large…
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Harlequin ducks inhabit Prince William sound in large numbers, often in flocks exceeding a hundred birds. Since the Exxon Oil spill of 1989, studies have sought to determine the long term damage of oil contaminants to this species. They are know to return to the same feeding grounds each year, thus increasing their risk should…
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Surprisingly, sea otters are larger than they may appear. Most often one sees their cute, whiskered faces peering from the water as they playfully groom or feed on shellfish. But when they are viewed completely out of the water, as in this photo of otters on a floating iceberg, their size is considerable. A mature…
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While flying over the Copper River Delta in south central, Alaska, I grabbed a few frames of Harbor seals hauled out on a sand shoal along the river delta. They were pretty densely packed together and I was curious as to how many were present in the picture. Field biologists have methods for counting and…
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I’ve owned a Canon 5d Mark II for a few months now and have had some time to test it out under different shooting conditions. The digital files created by the camera are excellent, and this topic has been well discussed on the web already. What I’d like to share are a few comments specifically…
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If you are a bird, the condition of your feathers means everything. And so the process of preening is a continual one. It is also at this stage that a bird can ingest oil and other contaminants that may adhere to their feathers in polluted waters. This Surfbird (Aphriza virgata), was one of thousands along…
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I’ve spent the last two weeks photographing in the Prince William Sound region with a primary focus on the birds migrating through the area at this time of year. Eight days were spent on the MV Discovery, owned by Dean Rand of Discovery Voyages. I met Dean while working on the Exxon Valdez Oil spill…
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In the late 1700’s, the first recorded European to set foot on Alaska was George Steller, a naturalist on the Russian expedition led by Vitus Bering. Steller landed on a rugged prominence called Kayak Island, a 23 mile island directly exposed to the violent waters of the Gulf of Alaska. A great book on details…
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The Copper River Delta in eastern Prince William Sound, serves as an important refueling stop for the shorebirds that migrate along the western coast of the US. Hundreds of thousands of birds congregate here in early May and spend a few days on average feeding on the rich inter tidal shores before journeying on to…
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Mt. Redoubt volcano has brought Alaska once again to the national news scene. Situated near the Anchorage International airport, recent eruptions, some emitting gas and ash to 50,000 feet, have caused havoc with incoming and outgoing commercial flights. You can learn all about the volcano and get current updates from the Alaska Volcano Observatory website.…
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On average, I do a handful of assignments a year for Alaska Magazine. One of those, featured in the May 2009 issue, is about the community of Delta Junction, just 90 miles south of Fairbanks. Delta has an interesting history, dating from Alaska’s pioneer days, but of recent development as well, including agriculture and military…
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FINALLY! A continual source of frustration with my previous blog platform was the very small photos afforded in their presentation. As a photographer, who appreciates big images, it drove me nuts. So welcome to a new blog, a new space, with much better customization and options for larger photos, that one can truly enjoy. I…
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Arrigetch Peaks of the Brooks range, Gates of the Arctic National Park, Alaska Canon 5D Mark II, 24-105mm IS L (35mm) 1/1250 sec @ f 8, ISO 400 I’ve long wanted to see and photograph the Arrigetch Peaks of the Brooks range, and a recent visit only increased my desire to return for a more…
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Lightplay on a mountain ridge in the Alaska range. Canon 5 D Mark II, 24-105mm L IS, (102mm) 1/800 sec @ f4.5, ISO 400 I’ve been doing some aerial photography recently, thanks to a friend and willing pilot, Hugh Rose. Do to low light we elected to not land on a glacier in the Alaska…
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Stream in the Alaska range mountainsCanon 5D Mark II, 24-105mm f4.0L IS, 1/400 sec @ f13, ISO 200 The heat of the spring sun bears forcefully upon Alaska’s winter landscape. Daylight increases at a rate of about 7 minutes per day, and while the snow is thick in many places, it can’t resist the marching…
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Caribou on the mountain ridges of the Brooks range–all the little brown dots in the foreground, I’m guessing perhaps 1000 in this group.Click on the image to see it larger. Thanks to a generous friend, colleague, pilot, Hugh Rose, I spent an afternoon flying over the Brooks range looking at caribou along the mountain ridges.…
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Truckers travel the Haul road north of the Brooks range, arctic, Alaska.Canon 1Ds Mark III, 500mm f4L IS, 1/500 sec @ f8, ISO 400 The James Dalton Highway was built as an access road to the Arctic ocean during the days of the of the Trans Alaska Pipeline construction. It still serves the main purpose…
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Bull Muskox in blowing snow Canon 1Ds Mark III, 500mm f4.0L IS, 1/500 sec @ f7.1, ISO 400 I just returned from a week of photography in Alaska’s arctic. Surprisingly, late March and April still deliver significant sub zero temperatures in the far north, even as the sunlight rushes back at a rapid pace. I’m…
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Yup’ik Miracle Drummers and DancersCanon 1Ds Mark III, 300mm f2.8L IS, 1/250 sec @ f2.8, ISO 1250 The Yup’ik Miracle Drummers and Dancers perform at the Festival of Native Arts in Fairbanks, Alaska. The group are tradition bearers from the Yup’ik culture and have been performing together since 1994, promoting drug and alcohol free communities.
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Canon 1Ds Mark III, 70-200mm f2.8L, 1/160 sec @f2.8, ISO 1250 w/off camera flashInu–Yupiaq dancers at the 2009 Festival of Native Arts, Fairbanks, Alaska The annual festival of native arts, which celebrates native culture, art and dance began last night in Fairbanks, and runs through Saturday evening. Each year, there is a representation of native…
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Dogs race along the track at the Limited North American sprint dog race, Fairbanks, Alaska.Canon 1D Mark III, 500mm f4L IS, 1/800 sec @ f10, ISO 400 Sprint dog racing is in full swing in Fairbanks this time of year, even as the long distance mushers work their way towards Nome on the Iditarod. The…
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Mid day shadows across birch trees, Fairbanks, AlaskaCanon 1Ds Mark III, 400mm f5.6L, 1/15 sec @ f32, 100 ISO Fresh snow has cleansed the ground of the boreal forest surrounding my house, and the stark mid day shadows cast by the strengthening sun create a pattern of contrast. For some altitude, I took this frame…
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