Glacier Lake

Glacier Lake - the headwaters of Eagle River. This was the final destination on our trek into the valley. The glacier is visible in the background, roughly 2-3 miles from this point. Originally, Tyler Howie and I planned to hike the Crow Pass Trail over from Girdwood but a portion of the trail is currently closed due to a dead moose lying next to the trail, which creates a potentially dangerous situation if a bear should be guarding the kill. Instead, we decided to hike from the Friends of Eagle River Nature Center, where I reside, up to the lake and back.

Solstice Trek in Eagle River Valley

Returned from backcountry trip into Eagle River Valley late last night, exhausted and sore from hiking nearly 30 miles with fifty pound packs. We made it to Thunder Gorge on Monday evening and up to the Glacier Lake on Tuesday. Freija was an excellent traveling companion, crossing turbulent glacial rivers and leading the way for much of the trek. More photos to come...

Colin

Sunset Moon

Last night's sunset moon, taken at approximately 11:15 pm. These are the longest days of the year - after next Tuesday, June 21, we will slowly start losing daylight, going from almost 19 hours of daylight to less than 6 hours by December 21. This time of year is exhausting for those of use who chase light, even the moon appeared to be taking a rest on the mountain.

Little Climber

Black bears are excellent climbers; you might even say that cubs have "squirrel-like" agility, which serves as an escape mechanism when there is perceived danger. If you compare the claws of a black bear to those of a brown/grizzly bear, the difference is easy to spot, making it apparent how black bears are suited for climbing trees while grizzlies have claws designed for digging.

 

Black Bear Color Phases

Not all black bears are black in color, as you can see with this chocolate colored cub. North American black bears exhibit a range of color phases including brown, cinnamon, blonde, and in the case of the spirit bears of British Columbia, even white. In some western states, brown and cinnamon colored bears are actually more common than black, as the lighter color reduces heat stress in direct sunlight. You can learn more from the North American Bear Center .  

 

Limited Edition Print Offer

Attention friends, due to the overwhelming response to a couple of photos I shared recently, I have decided to offer an edition of signed and numbered prints. Mothers' Day Aurora and Momma Moose Love are both available in a limited edition of just ten prints each. Individually, they are $75 but I am also offering them as a pair for $125 (a savings of $25). Please follow the links below if you’d like to make a purchase and share this with your friends. Every sale keeps me out exploring and creating images to share with all of you and will help fund my journey to Australia this November.

Cheers!

Colin

Mothers' Day Aurora  

Momma Moose Love  

Both prints combined, for a savings of $25

New Logo

I’ve recently spent a good deal of effort designing a unique, impactful logo for my images, something symbolic and representative of my work as a wildlife photographer. Rather than download a piece of clipart, I wanted to create something original. After some thought, it occurred to me that I had the perfect symbol tattooed on my right shoulder – the paw print of my cat Spike, whom I lost 3 years ago. With a fair amount of digital time and equal parts determination and frustration, I was able to extract a silhouette by working off a photo of the tattoo. You can view the new logo in the bottom of this tiger image; also significant as this was the first tiger we saw in India and where I left Spike’s ashes. While traveling in India, locals would ask if my tattoo was that of a tiger. Sometimes I would explain the story behind it, but often I would just smile and nod in agreement, because Spike truly was a wildcat at heart. If you look closely, you might notice that the print is not exactly symmetrical; it is this slight imperfection that makes it the perfect tribute, in my opinion, and proves it was not downloaded. I could have corrected the symmetry, but then it wouldn’t match his print.

Now that I’ve created the logo, I will be updating the images on my website and Facebook page. Please let me know your thoughts on the design.

Cheers,

Colin

 

 

 

Newborn Moose

Moose are commonplace in residential areas throughout Alaska, especially in springtime. It is not at all unusual for cows to drop their calves in someone’s yard and spend much of their time raising the newborns in semi-urban neighborhoods, seeking respite from predators. I rarely see newborn calves near the Nature Center, where bears are more prevalent.

Keeping On

Yesterday was Bob Dylan’s 75th birthday. A friend posted the following line from one of his songs: “The only thing I knew how to do, was to keep on keeping on, like a bird that flew.” (Tangled up in Blue)

Bob Dylan, born Robert Allen Zimmerman, was raised in a small, desolate mining town not far from where I grew up in Minnesota. Despite his gruff singing voice and being ridiculed by peers, Bob had a vision. An avid poet, he put his lines to music and followed that vision, eventually becoming one of the most consequential songwriters of our time.

Since first picking up a camera nearly twenty years ago, I have followed a vision of creating and sharing the wonder of the natural world through photographs. In recent years, I have learned to put ego aside, express gratitude for beautiful opportunities and celebrate every successful endeavor, no matter how big or small it may seem. Eking out a living as an artist, adventurer, or any other non-traditional pursuit, requires more than talent, it takes passion and persistence in the face of overwhelming doubt. Often times, there is no clear path going forward or guide as to how to earn a living as a professional photographer. I will always have vocational skills and a college degree to fall back on, and there have been periods when I was resigned to the notion that I should put all this aside and get a “real job" for lack of a better term, knowing that it would be easier to make ends meet but simultaneously drain my soul, which brings me to this bald eagle image. I took this seventeen years ago, around the same time that I declined a very secure career offer with the federal government, to pursue a dream. Two years later it became my first magazine cover. The issue also included a feature story about me (An eye for Nature). A month or so after being published, I learned that it quickly became their best-selling issue to date. The news came on a day that I was feeling despondent and unsure about my future. It was the catalyst I needed that day, to “keep on keeping on” and remain open to opportunities that present themselves, lining the pathway to fulfilling not just a dream, but also a vision and a purpose.

Happy birthday, Bob. Thank you for keeping on and not losing sight of your vision.

Colin

In Front of the Camera

Last week I got to spend some time in front of a camera for a change. I was guiding a film crew from the UK that is producing a documentary about wildlife in the Anchorage area and they wound up interviewing me for a few segments. From what I understand, the film is going to air on a French television station. Since I do not "parle Francais" I assume they will have a voice dubbed over mine. This was a new and enjoyable experience for me. You can view some excellent samples of their work at: http://www.offthefence.com/Production/Home

Ferns in the Wind

I took this photo around this time last year on a windy, overcast day that was mostly uninspiring. Often times, I find myself prejudging what photo ops might present themselves based on the weather conditions rather than seeking out something new and innovative. It's easy to get stuck in this rut and dismiss potential opportunities based on the quality of light, but when you take a closer look at the forest and make some adjustments, the results can be rewarding. When I noticed the movement in the ferns blowing in the wind, I was suddenly inspired to try and capture that energy in a photograph. Using a slow shutter and zooming in during the exposure exaggerated the movement while bouncing a flash at the end added a bit of definition to the plants.