Himba village, Nambia, October 2021
Back at the airport after a quick weekend getaway to Minnesota and my mom's hometown of Decorah, Iowa to surprise my uncle Harold at his 80th birthday party. Many thanks to my cousin Nikki for taking me out to enjoy the scenery last night and setting us up for this lovely Midwest summer sunset. Let's hope I can get back to Alaska in a reasonable time flying standby.
As always, thank you for following along...
Colin
Hello and happy Saturday, everybody! I will be offering a digital photography class on Sunday, September 24, at the Eagle River Nature Center if you or anyone you know may be interested. It begins at 9 am with a classroom portion and then we will go outside for the rest of the day (weather permitting). The focus will be on understanding basic principles of digital photography and shooting in manual mode with an emphasis on capturing fall colors. We will finish around 5 pm. The cost is $75 and is limited to 10 people. Follow the link to register and, as always, feel free to share. Thank you for following along!
http://www.ernc.org/courses/digital-photography-workshop
Colin
It's not often that I share the "Facebook Memories" that show up in my newsfeed, but this is worth sharing. It's been 8 years since I decided to take chance by offering a ride to a stranger, which turned into a great friendship. This was written in 2014, after the world lost a very unique soul:
It was a dull, overcast day when I was was on my way to Denali National Park to photograph fall colors and give a slide show lecture to a tour group at one of the lodges near the park entrance. Driving through the endless strip malls and stoplights that make up Wasilla, the scenery matched the muted skies as the line of traffic moved slowly along. As I was passing yet another row of box stores, I noticed a gaunt, lanky fellow alongside the road thumbing for a ride. I caught just a glimpse of his face, but it was enough to see that he had a unique look and exuberant personality that I wanted to photograph.
I’ve been known to give someone a lift when they need it, but this guy looked a little shady; not to mention the large, bone-handled knife on his belt that didn’t put me at ease either. For the next few miles I debated going back to pick him up. I was on a mission to get through Wasilla and up to Denali as quickly as possible but I also saw a potential photographic opportunity that I didn’t want to ignore. I ultimately decided to turn around and offer him a ride in exchange for photos.
I parked my truck and walked over to him, camera in hand. As he stood up from his crouched stance and looked at with me an inquisitive, wild-eyed gaze I asked: “Where are you going?” “Willow” he said, which is only an hour up the road in the same direction I was headed. I replied: “Tell you what, I’ll give you a ride in exchange for letting me take some photos of you, you’ve got a great look.” At that moment, he dropped his head to the side and let out a big laugh, showing off years of poor dental hygiene that only served to compliment his piercing blue eyes, sharp cheekbones and braided goatee. He was the embodiment of Alaskan redneck, standing well over six feet tall and topped off with a hand made birch bark hat. “Sure” he said, and we introduced. His name was Jeff but I silently gave him the nickname “Crazy Jeff” as I shook his hand. I picked up my camera and watched the personality I saw gleaming from the side of the road come to life before me.
There was never a dull moment on the ride to Willow, Crazy Jeff had a lot of energy and I was keeping an eye on the Crocodile Dundee knife still riding on his belt. I brought him to his son’s place and he showed me around the sawmill equipment he had stored there; he was a logger from California who moved to Alaska in his early twenties, continued to work in the lumber industry and did his share of gold mining as well. He was hoping to get his saws and truck moved over to his cabin near Hatcher Pass to start his business up again. I took more photos of him, gave him the sandwich and banana I had packed for the road and continued northward to Denali after getting directions to his cabin.
A couple weeks later I would find my way out to Jeff’s place, the absolute quintessential Alaskan log cabin on the banks of the Little Susitna River, complete with electricity and a stellar view of the Matanuska Range but no running water. Seeing as he was not getting adequate nourishment, I brought him some basic groceries, fresh vegetables from my garden and a few jars of canned salmon. Looking around at his hand made log furniture, books, and guitars it was clear that he was a very talented individual. After that day I would routinely visit my friend, usually with some food I made up at home and a bottle of wine or a few beers. I would show him photos I’d taken; sometimes we would play guitar and one way or another we would almost always end up in some sort of philosophical discussion. A friendship was formed that day I stopped to give Jeff a ride, and to be honest I didn’t do it out of good will, I really just wanted to photograph the crazy bastard!
I hadn’t seen Crazy Jeff, or CJ as I began to call him, for almost a year. I’d been a lot of places since that last visit and I was looking forward to catching up with him and sharing my recent adventures and photographs, so I made a point to stop by his cabin on my way to Valdez yesterday. When I pulled into the drive I saw a number of people outside – four men standing around a pile of lumber and two little girls riding bicycles. Something didn’t feel right, in all the times I’d been to CJ’s cabin I never met another person other than his oldest son Tyler. I walked up to the men, who appeared to be doing some remodeling on the home, and asked if Jeff was around. One of them walked over to me with a blank expression, it was Tyler. He informed me that his dad passed away last November, the result of a brain tumor.
CJ was a man who chose to live in the corners of society and for much of his later years, in solitude. He was extremely intelligent and always up to date on current affairs, but I often wondered if he suffered in his isolation, causing his occasional mood swings. He is gone now, leaving behind children, grandchildren, and at least one person wishing he could have seen that infectious smile one last time.
Shine on you crazy diamond, you were one of a kind and a true friend. Thank you for the wisdom and character you imparted. May the four winds take you safely home.
It never ceases to amaze me how an creature that weighs several hundred pounds can retreat into a small stand of brush and suddenly appear out of nowhere. This is why it's a good idea to make a bit of noise to announce your presence, rather than startling a bear that could be protecting a food source or a cub. Stay alert, my friends!
Colin
It's that time of year again when the (normally) fresh mountain air holds a tinge of decaying salmon. On average, out of 4,000 salmon eggs laid only two adults will return to their birthplace to spawn. This is one of the "lucky" few that were strong enough to endure a lifespan that included a few years at sea running a gauntlet of predators that includes seals, orcas, fishermen, and finally, bears. Hopefully this male was able to contribute to a future generation of sockeyes before becoming a meal for a hungry brown bear
It's also a good time of year to be aware of your surroundings when traveling in the backcountry and avoid succumbing to the circle of life just yet.
Colin
A few days ago I posted 3 photos from the glacier wedding portrait session I did last Saturday with Kristian Burchat and Brittni Marquezat Matanuska Glacier. The positive feedback on my Facebook Page has been overwhelming and I can't express how much I enjoyed working with this lovely couple (and their dog, Ginger) or how truly inspiring the session was. I channeled some beautiful energy that day and set out to create unique, breathtaking images.
Here are a few more photos from that day, including some behind the scenes shots to tell the story. One aspect I truly enjoy about this work is having to improvise when you're in the field. As it turns out, a large reflector serves many purposes, including a makeshift changing room.
Thanks again for following along and if you or anyone you know is considering glacier-themed portraits, please contact me!
Cheers,
Colin
He hails from Australia and she, from California. Fate brought them together and love took them to Alaska. Later this year they will make their way south, eventually traveling the entire Pan-American Highway to Patagonia, the southernmost portion of South America. Yesterday I had the honor of capturing their special day in a very special location – Matanuska Glacier. This was my first opportunity to shoot wedding portraits on a glacier. While the lighting was challenging – a white dress against white ice on a sunny day – it certainly was a unique and very inspiring session. Normally, my largest lens is reserved for wildlife photography but yesterday it proved worthy as a portrait lens. I wanted the compressed look of the telephoto for a dramatic effect. Congratulations, Kristian Burchat and Brittni Marquez, and thank you for including me in this beautiful adventure called life.
On a side note, if anyone is planning a glacier wedding please contact me!
Colin
Happy World Photography Day, 2017! I just returned from spending the afternoon shooting wedding portraits on a glacier. On this day, I am reminded of an eagle photo I took in 1997. I was just figuring out the Nikon camera I’d received as a gift the previous Christmas & having some fun on the beach in Homer. After having the film processed and printed, I came to this image and felt a strong sense of satisfaction in what I’d captured. Looking back, I realize it’s not an award-winning photograph by any stretch, but it was enough to sustain my interest in photography, which blossomed into a passion and even more, a way of life. If I hadn’t captured this image, I may have ended up on a different path and I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to earn a living creatively, let alone spend the day shooting portraits on a glacier. As always, thank you for following along.
Gratefully yours,
Colin
"A natural beauty should be
preserved like a monument
to nature." (Neil Young).
Fireweed is blooming, summer is slipping past, and beauty abounds in Homer, my happy place.
Colin
August is almost upon us. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, wild roses and geraniums have bloomed and faded, leaving the fireweed in all its glory. Salmon will be returning to spawn any day now, followed closely by the brown bears. Summer is short but intense in this part of the world; there is never enough time to capture all of the moments and harvest all of the bounty that is provided, but this is a land of abundance and with each season comes new opportunity to explore and appreciate Alaska for all it has to offer.
Here is a recent sunset from one of my favorite trails here at the Nature Center, the Albert Loop. With the return of the salmon and, consequently, hungry bears, the state park closes this trail annually to minimize human & bear encounters. I’ve been spending a lot of time out here while I still can, listening to the water rush past and absorbing the sounds of solitude.
Colin
Tigress, Bandhavgarh National Park, India
Happy International Tiger Day, 2017! Over the past century, the world has lost approximately 97% of the wild tiger population while 3 subspecies have gone extinct. Thanks to the tireless work of NGO’s such as
Panther, World Wildlife Fun, and International Tiger Da, as well as cooperation with regional governments, tigers are beginning to rebound in some areas, perhaps nowhere is this more evident than India, where anti-poaching efforts and habitat preservation have provided very encouraging results.
I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to witness and photograph many species of wildlife, both in my home state of Alaska and around the globe. I can tell you that nothing matches the exhilaration of seeing a tiger in the wild. They truly are magnificent creatures and I hope that our own species will continue to reverse the trend and bring them back from the brink in all areas where they are threatened.
Colin
The best memories are spontaneous moments rather than directed and posed. I do my best to capture the mood in moments like these, to document the sequence of events, and to tell the story of every event I photograph. Congratulations, Dani and Will! July 7, 2017.
"I don't wanna come back down from this cloud." Looking out over Harding Icefield from the end of the trail above Exit Glacier in Kenai Fjords National Park on July 4, 2017. The icefield consists of 800 square miles of ice that spawns upwards of 30 glaciers. I couldn't have imagined a better way to spend the holiday. Many thanks to my good friend and hiking partner, Jerome Flynn, for the photo.
We've had some unique sunsets recently with the atmospheric haze, creating the giant fireball when the sun is low on the horizon. This was taken two nights ago and if you look closely, you can see the big sunspot AR2665, which is a storm on the surface of the sun. If you are not familiar, this is what causes aurora borealis. According to Spaceweather (http://www.spaceweather.com/), the sunspot currently poses just a 15% chance of major flares. Even if a flare was earth-directed at this point, our skies are still too bright to even see the aurora. Let's hope it comes back around when we start having darker nights again!
Happy to say one of my recent moose photos was shared on Instagram by Nat Geo Wild and has gathered over 30,000 likes since yesterday. Cheers, Nat Geo!
Happy (belated) 4th of July! I spent the day hiking up around Exit Glacier to the Harding Icefield in Kenai Fjords National Park with a good friend who is visiting from Minnesota. It was a spectacular day, albeit grueling at times (ten miles round trip with a 3,000 foot elevation gain & descent). I carried my biggest telephoto lens and tripod, which drew numerous comments from passersby but seeing a trio of mountain goats in great light against the glacial backdrop made it all worthwhile.
Colin
An Alaskan legend just reached another milestone yesterday when Dick Griffith, adventurer extraordinaire, turned 90 years old. I was fortunate enough to be included in the celebration and also document the event with photos.
Born in a one-room farmhouse in southwest Colorado, the family moved to a homestead in rural Wyoming when Dick turned 8 years old, one year after he had contracted scarlet fever. Although he survived, a young companion and friend of his did not. Later, at age 16, Dick had a bout with rheumatic fever that left him with a heart murmur. Due to this medical condition, the US military deemed him physically unfit to serve after high school and it seems that Dick has spent the rest of his life proving them wrong. He was one of the first people to raft the Grand Canyon and also explored parts of Glen Canyon prior the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963, which created Lake Powell and flooded much of the area along with the many Native American dwellings and artifacts. In addition to exploring the American Southwest, Dick also made first-ever voyages down canyons in Mexico and trekked through the Himalayas in Nepal. Perhaps his most significant accomplishment was when Dick decided to cross the arctic coast of North America on skis, from northwest Alaska to Eastern Canada, a feat that took him years to accomplish, completing it in segments. This cold weather travel came with its share of obstacles, including confronting hungry polar bears unarmed and at one point near Anaktuvuk Pass in Alaska’s Brooks Range, he literally froze his a$$ off (you can see the photos and read all about it in his biography, Canyons and Ice, written by New York Times bestselling author and fellow Alaskan, Kaylene Johnson-Sullivan).
In addition to being the first person to float through turbulent sections in canyon country, he is also credited by many current explorers as being the pioneer of the modern sport of pack rafting. Is spite of his accomplishments, Dick never sought recognition and scoffs at the idea of being referred to as any sort of legend, though it tough to deny that there are few people with his courage and adventurous spirit. Happy 90th birthday to you, sir. I believe it is safe to say that you have disproven any notion that you were not physically fit to serve in the military. For no matter where in the world my own far-flung adventures may take me, I will never hold a candle to you.
You can learn more about Dick Griffith and order a copy of Canyons and Ice here: https://www.facebook.com/canyonsandice/
Colin
Happy Summer Solstice! With 19 hours, 21 minutes, and 18 seconds of daylight in south central Alaska today, the pendulum of light now swings the other direction until December 21, at which time we will have approximately 5 and a half hours of daylight.
This is Glacier Lake, the headwaters of Eagle River. I took this one year ago today on the Crow Pass Trail using the "Big Stopper" 10-stop neutral density filter from LEE Filters to obtain a 60-second exposure.
One year ago my good friend Tyler Howie and I set off trekking on the Crow Pass Trail Pass Trail with his dog Freija leading the way. It was pouring rain when we started, which continued for the first 8 miles or so, eventually clearing off for a spectacular midnight sky. We are planning to do the hike again this year with pack rafts and float most of the way back to the Eagle River Nature Center. Traveling in a pack raft with my camera gear is going to be a new experience for me, so I've been spending some time on the river to get used to maneuvering before we depart.
Following in Mom's footsteps...
Another image from yesterday.
