Hey Folks,
Here’s the final Image of the Month for 2015. a bald eagle from the Chilkat River, near Haines last week. Fun times down there, with a mix of weather, but some good shooting opportunities along the way. The eagles were a little farther out than we’d like them to be, but with a little patience, we’d get a nice photo opp come our way. This is one of my favorites from the trip.
Enjoy!
Cheers
Carl
Hey Folks,
Here’s an image taken this past summer at Hallo Bay, in Katmai National Park. The sow has 2 cubs, and this one was just finishing nursing from her when I made this photo. The other sibling, a male, had taken his fill already and wandered over to a nearby wood pile to explore and climb around on. There’s always plenty of action at Hallo Bay.
Brown bears will nurse for as long as 2 years, and some even longer. It’s an amazing experience to be so close to, and hear the growling and purring and moaning and all the little noises they make. I once watched 4 cubs nurse at once from their mother, and it was a symphony of different sounds coming from a tangled mess of fur. Pretty cute.
I can’t think of an animal I enjoy photographing as much as bears, be they brown, black, white or other. The grizzlies of interior Alaska, the polar bears of the arctic, the black bears of the forest and lush coastal areas, are just an amazing animal to photograph. They’re often super tolerant of us, and all our frenetic clicking and gasps of excitement over what to them is, I’m sure, often very benign daily behaviors.
Next year I’ll be at Hallo Bay in early August, running the Alaska Brown Bears and Coastal Wildlife Tour in conjunction with Greg Downing and his awesome photography instruction company, Naturescapes. Greg’s an incredible photographer, and I’m really looking forward to working with him once again.
In case you didn’t see it, here’s a video of some incredible action from the year’s tour.
If you’re interested in coming out next summer, hit me or Greg up and have a chat. Katmai’s always a blast and you’re never quite sure what surprises it holds.
Cheers
Carl
hey Folks,
Whoops sorry about this. I haven’t posted in a while. Things were pretty hectic since July, and I’ve now got a little bit of down time so I’ll try to make up for that. Instead of posting an Image of the Month for November, I’ll upload a handful of photos, one for August – Nov. So, without further adieu
Image of the Month August 2015 – Chitistone Canyon, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park
Hey Folks
Just back from a great brown bear photo tour to Katmai National Park with some fun folks, where we got to witness some fantastic brown bear viewing and photography opportunities. Absolutely awesome!
This one is from our 2nd last day, where we found a brown bear (or group of brown bears) feeding on a whale carcass. Here, at high tide, the carcass was floating in the bay, and the bears would swim out one at a time (typically) to feed. Often crawling up on top of the carcass made for some fun photo opportunities, which we all made the most of. Good times!
I have the following days set for this tour
Let me know if you are interesting in a trip next year
Cheers
Carl
Hey Folks,
Just a quick one to say “Let the Games begin!”.
Backpacking season is upon us again, so soon. I’m definitely looking forward to time in these mountains again, it’s always a blast.
And just to liven things up; anyone who knows where this photo was taken, post your answer below, or on the Facebook page, and the first 3 people to post correct answers will snare themselves an awesome Expeditions Alaska cap. The caveats are
I’ll give you a hint; the chances are pretty good you’ve never been there.
Partial credit for creative, clever and well-constructed answers.
Cheers
Carl
Hey Folks,
No prizes for guessing where I’m headed for the start of the summer season! The beach, of course, at Icy Bay, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park. Funnest place ever! Mt. St. Elias towering above us all in the background!
Cheers
Carl
Hey Folks,
Been a while since I posted a polar bear photo. I can’t wait to get back to the arctic this fall and see these amazing animals.
This image is one of my favorite polar bears I’ve taken so far. Hope you like it.
And, if you’re looking for a great polar bear photo tour, I’m filling up for 2016, so you might want to touch base and get your name in before this one is full.
Cheers
Carl
Hey Folks,
Anyone else read A Walk in the Woods?
As far as backpacking movies, this looks like it’ll be fun. The trailer is cool. Nick Nolte as awesome as ever.
I loved Bill Bryson’s book when it came out all those years ago, and am looking forward to seeing the movie.
Cheers
Carl
Hey Folks,
As the northern lights season, or aurora borealis season, starts to wind down for those of us here in Alaska, it’s often harder and harder to be motivated to get out yet again and spend the night hoping for some nice displays. Last night I saw the data online looking promising for the northern lights, and the skies here started to clear up a bit, I thought I’d keep an eye skyward.
So after movie-time finished, I checked outside and sure enough, the northern lights were kicking overhead. I grabbed my camera gear, threw on some pants, and headed out.
This shot above is a photo of the aurora borealis corona. I’ve often been asked what the corona is, and why it’s called the corona. No, its not enough the famous song, Muy muy muy muy, Corona, by English punk band The Knack.
I’ll tell you a little known secret. The activity or display we call a “corona” is named for a very simple reason; Continue reading…
Hey Folks,
Here’s the image for this month, from a crazy month chasing the aurora around Alaska. We had some phenomenal nights this year, absolutely incredible auroras. Great group of folks for the trip, we all made some nice images, and had a bunch of fun.
Cheers
Carl
