Alaska
I visited Fish Creek, near Hyder, Alaska, with the hope of getting a few, final bear photos before I continued back south, towards my home in Colorado, near the end of my Summer 2016 trip to Alaska. Unfortunately, I didn't see any bears here, but the nearly fluorescent blue waters of Fish Creek – made so blue by the virtue of being glacial melt – made this scene worth a shot. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
Haines, Alaska, is, at times, a difficult place to take photographs. Any direction one looks results in beauty. So it can be difficult to plan shots. I'd shot Mt. Krause – the mountain in this photo – one evening, but wasn't entirely happy with the results. I figured it might work for a sunrise photo, though, and returned early the next morning in order to try again. I'd say the few hours of sleep I lost to get this photo were well worth it! Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
I'd left my campsite in Haines, Alaska one evening in order to go up the road to take sunset photos. After only a minute or two on the road, I glanced in my rear view mirror and was forced to do a double-take. Had I really just seen a rainbow as incredibly vibrant as I thought? I got out of the car and was thrilled to find that the answer to that question was a resounding “YES!” The nearly horizontal light from the setting sun really adds some punch to this photo. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40.
I spent a couple days in Haines, Alaska, and developed a bit of a routine that involved at least one visit per day to Haines State Forest, where a mother bear and her two (nearly full-grown) cubs would show up fairly reliably to snag salmon caught on the weir. They'd then either scamper off into the forest, or, if one was lucky, make their way down the river, playing all the way. This is a shot I got of the two cubs play fighting. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24.
The American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines, Alaska, is set up to educate people about an American icon – the bald eagle. It was here that I took this spectacular photo of an adolescent bald eagle's head. Notice the white head isn't entirely white. This is because the eagle is young. They are born entirely brown, and their heads and tail feathers only turn white at five or six years of age. Available in the following sizes (Square): 10x10, 12x12, 16x16, 20x20, 24x24.
There are a lot of bald eagles in Alaska, and in many cases, these majestic birds are fairly used to being around people, so you can get fairly close to them without frightening them off. I was camping in Haines, Alaska, near the bay, when this guy flew in and perched him (or her) self on an old support column, and began scanning the shore for dinner. I was able to enjoy watching him for probably about 15 minutes before he decided to move along. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, 20x24.
Falls Creek Falls. Is that really the name? Yup. This little cascade is incredibly easy to get to – it lies just off the Seward Highway between Anchorage and Seward, Alaska. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
I saw a fair number of moose while traveling in Western Canada and Alaska during the summer of 2016, but typically from afar. The young moose in this photo, however, was wandering through the edges of Kenai, Alaska, where I'd stopped to photograph an old Russian Orthodox Church. Although I didn't want to press my luck and get dangerously close to such an enormous animal, she seemed uninterested in my presence, and got close enough to me to capture this closeup. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 8x10, 11x14, 16x20, 20x24, 24x30, 30x40.
Full Moon over the Kenai Mountains
Homer is a strange little town on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. I had been in Alaska for roughly a month when I made it to Homer, and of that time, there had only been one day in which it didn't rain at all. So when the weather turned beautiful on the afternoon of August 20, 2016, I didn't think there was much of a chance it would stay that way for long. I've never been happier to be wrong. I intended to shoot the sunset from an overlook above town this evening, but ended up getting there too late. Oops. Fortunately, I had a backup plan. I knew there would be a full moon rising shortly after sunset, but wasn't sure of the direction in which it would come up. When I checked my phone and saw that it was going to rise above the Kenai Mountains to the southeast, I knew I was going to be in for a good show. This is one of my favorite photos from my entire summer on the road. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30.
Homer, Alaska, is a nice little town. With a population of roughly 5,000, this photo makes it seem like there are as many boats as residents. But this all makes sense, given that Homer is known as the “Halibut Fishing Capital of the World.” Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, outside Whittier, Alaska, is a great place to see wildlife that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to see in the wild. The grizzly bears that live at the Center were a real treat to watch as they played together on the largest habitat for non-wild bears in the world. After splashing around in one of the on-site ponds, this bear relaxed and struck a few beautiful poses for me before going back to his primary task – having fun. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36, 30x45.
The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center, outside Whittier, Alaska, is a great place to see wildlife that might otherwise be difficult or impossible to see in the wild. The grizzly bears that live at the Center were a real treat to watch as they played together on the largest habitat for non-wild bears in the world. After splasing around in one of the on-site ponds, this bear relaxed and struck a few beautiful poses for me before going back to his primary task – having fun. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36, 30x45.
I went on two wildlife and glacier viewing cruises while in Alaska. The weather was atrocious on my first cruise, but quite nice on the second one, which made up for the lost opportunities of the first. Departing from the town of Whittier – one of the strangest towns on the planet – the cruise I went on in the middle of August, 2016, traveled down Blackstone Bay in order to see two tidal glaciers, including this beauty: Blackstone Glacier. Like most glaciers on the planet, it is rapidly receding, so I was happy to be able to see it in the condition I did. Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
Exit Glacier, which lies in Alaska's Kenai Fjords National Park, and extends from the massive Harding Icefield, is one of Alaska's premier attractions. It is possible to visit the National Park, and walk all around, and in some places, directly on top of this beautiful glacier. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24, 40x30, 50x40, 60x48.
I knew Denali National Park would be one of my favorite places in Alaska before I visited it during the summer of 2016, but I thought it would be a highlight more for the scenery than the wildlife. Fortunately, both the scenery and wildlife were spectacular. No private vehicles are allowed on the one road that goes 90 miles into the Park – instead, visitors must go in on one of the shuttles that are operated by the Parks Service. I got extremely lucky on an early morning bus ride coming back towards civilization from Wonder Lake Campground, and was treated to a mother grizzly and her two cubs walking alongside the road. They were unfamiliar to the Parks employees, who hadn't seen this particular family of bears yet this year. Watching them wander around, play, and eat was one of my favorite experiences in Alaska. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24.
Denali isn't the only beautiful mountain in Denali National Park, Alaska. The entire Alaska Range, of which Denali is the highlight, is quite beautiful, especially at the golden hours of sunrise and sunset. I took this photo from my camp spot at Wonder Lake just after sunrise. I love the way the clouds below blend into the forest in the foreground. Available in the following sizes (Panorama B): 30x12, 40x16, 50x20, 60x24, 75x30, 75x30 Triptych (3 x 25x30), 90x36, 90x36 Triptych (3 x 30x36), 105x42, 105x42 Triptych (3 x 35x42), 120x48, 120x48 Triptych (3 x 40x48), 135x54 Triptych (3 x 45x54), 150x60 Triptych (3 x 50x60).
Only about 30% of visitors to Denali National Park are usually able to see its namesake – Denali, formerly known as Mt. McKinley – the highest mountain in the United States (and North America), at 20,310 feet. I count myself very lucky that, after having to deal with bus difficulties caused by a massive landslide during my visit, I made it to Wonder Lake Campground and awoke on the morning of August 9, 2016, with a stunningly clear view of this majestic peak. A few hours later, when the Park's first buses began to make it to the part of the park from which one can view the mountain, clouds had already poured in and obscured the view. Sometimes, all the planning in the world doesn't quite compare with a bit of good luck! Available in the following sizes (Panorama A): 20x10, 24x12, 32x16, 40x20, 48x24, 60x30, 60x30 Triptych (3 x 20x30), 72x36, 72x36 Triptych (3 x 24x36), 80x40, 80x40 Triptych (3 x 27x40), 96x48, 96x48 Triptych (3 x 32x48), 108x54, 108x54 Triptych (3 x 36x54), 120x60, 120x60 Triptych (3 x 40x60).
Denali National Park was one of the highlights of my summer, 2016 trip to Alaska. While there, I camped at Wonder Lake with the intent of shooting Denali – the highest mountain in North America – at sunrise and / or sunset. On the night that I took this particular photo, “The Mountain” was hiding in the clouds, as it does more often than not. Fortunately, the trip was a blast regardless, and as I was walking around in the evening, I saw a ton of snowshoe hares, like the two shown here. They change color with the season, so within a few months, these guys will be pure white. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle A): 10x8, 14x11, 20x16, 24x20, 30x24.
The early part of my summer, 2016 trip to Alaska was somewhat disappointing from the perspective of a wildlife photographer. In the month leading up to my taking this bald eagle shot, I'd seen zero moose, one bear, one caribou, and legions of little critters – gophers, chipmunks, etc. So when a full-grown bald eagle landed in a tree that I happened to be driving by at the exact right instant, I didn't waste a second in getting my camera gear out and snapping a few shots. I got several photos that I think are worth posting here, but this one struck me as at least a bit unique, since he was screeching as I took the photo. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 8x12, 12x18, 16x24, 20x30, 24x36.
There are almost 100,000 glaciers in Alaska, and most of them aren't named. Most are inaccessible, but some – like the Worthington Glacier, located on the Richardson Highway, which runs from Glennallen to Valdez – are on the side of the road, and easily reached on foot. I walked up to this glacier during my summer, 2016 visit to the largest state in America, and carefully made my way to its terminus (the end of the glacier). From there, I was able to look into the ice cave that had formed here, although I didn't dare go any further. Perhaps another time. But for now, I'll settle for this beautiful shot of one of these rapidly retreating natural wonders. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
Kennicott is an abandoned mining camp northeast of Valdez, Alaska. Surprisingly, the entire camp lies within the boundaries of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve, the largest National Park in the United States. Originally constructed in the early 1900's as a copper mine, the entire camp, now declared a National Historic Landmark, Kennicott today functions as a tourist spot in an absolutely stunning location. The village is surrounded by beautiful mountains, and enormous glaciers occupy major portions of the valley below it. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
Alaska is filled with relatively unheard-of natural gems, like Liberty Falls, where I took this photo, just northwest of Chitina, just outside of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. The falls themselves aren't shown in this photo, but the rapids below the falls were, in my opinion, even more beautiful than the waterfall itself. Available in the following sizes (Rectangle B): 12x8, 18x12, 24x16, 30x20, 36x24, 45x30, 60x40, 72x48.
Alaska's Wrangell-St. Elias National Park is the second largest National Park in the country, occupying over 20,000 square miles. The Park is accessed by one of two dirt roads, which allow access to lakes, camp sites, streams, and day-hikes. I took this photo from the northern road into the park, looking south towards the Wrangell Mountains. The Wrangell Mountains, although quite close to the Gulf of Alaska, are some of the highest in North America. Available in the following sizes (Panorama B): 30x12, 40x16, 50x20, 60x24, 75x30, 75x30 Triptych (3 x 25x30), 90x36, 90x36 Triptych (3 x 30x36), 105x42, 105x42 Triptych (3 x 35x42), 120x48, 120x48 Triptych (3 x 40x48), 135x54 Triptych (3 x 45x54), 150x60 Triptych (3 x 50x60).
