Clouds catch the color of the waning light above Alaska’s magnificent Alsek mountains and lake, part of Glacier Bay National Park.
Early in Spring 1992 Ian Kean of the Canadian River League called me out of the clear blue. I had never heard of the River League and he had a proposal for me: he wanted me to join a group of writers and artists as the photographer for a two week float down the Tatshenshini River in western Canada and ending up in Dry Bay, Alaska. The Tatshenshini was being threatened by the proposed development of a huge copper mine, and Ian was intent on galvanizing support to protect this rich wilderness area from permanent environmental damage. Not only would it affect waters and lands on the Canadian side of the border, but the mine drainage would flow downstream into Glacier Bay and affect the rich fisheries and wildlife in the Gulf of Alaska.
Bear tracks on the banks of the Tatshenshini River, Yukon, Canada.
Of course, I jumped at this adventure and it became one of the best journeys of my life. In late July we met at the headwaters of the river on the east side of the coastal ranges in the Yukon. Anyone who’s ever been rafting knows about the incredible amount of gear and preparation that goes into such a venture. We inflated rafts and loaded them with gear and got underway on this grand adventure. Floating through a landscape is unlike any other form of travel. It can be so peaceful, then the river reminds you of its strength and your heart pounds with excitement. We saw moose along the river, and evidence of wolves and bears—their tracks imprinted on sand bars where we bivouacked.
A close-up of the rocks on the shore of the Tashenshini River, Yukon, Canada
Initially we experienced marginal weather, clouds and drizzle as we floated through dense forests and high glaciated mountains. I photographed what I call intimate landscapes, willows growing in sandbars, rushing waters opaque with glacial flour, and wildlife tracks. What I recall most vividly were the breathtaking views as we broke out of the mountains and clouds. The Saint Elias Mountains, Mount Fairweather and then the confluence with the Alsek River and its vast glacial-fed and iceberg-rich Alsek Lake is where everything came together photographically. Icebergs, mountain reflections, uncommonly still waters all combined for what would become the iconic shot. It was truly exhilarating.
Green willow branches push their way through a sandbar, Tatshenshini River, Yukon, Canada
Back in Seattle, the film developed, I provided the River League with the best photos from the journey. One image was looking east at sunset, captured the view of this timeless landscape. It was produced as a poster for fundraising and to send to lawmakers in Ottawa to drive home the epic beauty of this area. This was a wilderness to protect from exploitation forever, which it was in 1993, through no small effort on both sides of the border. The US was vigorously opposed to development, led by Vice President Al Gore. The Tatshenshini-Alsek Park is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well.
St. Elias Mountains, Alsek Lake, Alaska. Early morning light illuminates fog and floating icebergs, which combined with the jagged mountains creates a surrealistic view.
This is a great example of how a single salient photo can capture the spirit of a place, touch people on an emotional level and rally support. You look at the photo and cannot but think, “Of course, this must be saved, especially for generations to come.” Over the decades, it has been driven home to me time and time again, that yes, a single photo can be an exceptionally important conservation tool , connecting with people on a visceral level.
White water rafting, Alsek River, Yukon, Canada
As Earth’s land continues to be developed, it is necessary to protect greater and greater swaths of the natural environment, if not for our sanity, then certainly for our survival and the species we share the planet with. The Tatshenshini was protected nearly 25 years ago, and there is no shortage of wild areas that still have yet to be protected. I strongly encourage people to join and support local and international environmental-protection organizations. We only have one planet after all.
—Recycle & utilize sustainable alternatives, whether it’s in your day-to-day activities or camping. Simply using reusable water bottles and shopping bags is an easy thing to do that has great impact. There is great power when a lot of people do very simple things.
Grey wolf tracks in a sand bar, Tatshenshini River, Yukon, Canada
With the recent eruption of Mt. Etna in Italy, I’m reminded of a trip I made there in 1991 to photograph the volcano. It was an incredible and fortuitous trip – below you’ll find photos and the story behind the trip!
Mt. Etna Volcanic Eruption, July 2001
Upon returning from a trip to Bolivia in South America I turned on CNN as I was unpacking my bags and getting ready for a little down time at home. This is my typical routine to try and catch up on the news and world events as I can spend several weeks away from television and radio and in the days before the internet it was far more difficult to try and keep abreast of what’s been going on while I was away.
The lead story as I began sorting camera gear was of Mount Etna, the largest volcano in Europe. The reporters were focused on tremendous explosions coming from the summit and a river of lava that was slowly flowing down the flanks of the mountain threatening the town and homes in the valley below. What I saw, however, was not a great tragedy but an extraordinary event, nature in all its glory and I knew I just had to photograph it!
I was just home from three weeks in the field in Bolivia and instantly any thought of rest and jet lag vanished. With the phone in one hand, stuffing laundry into the washer with the other, I called my friend Patrice Aguilar, living in Marseilles in the south of France, and convinced him to drive down to Rome the following day, pick me up an drive me the length of Italy to Sicily. I can be very compelling at times. With his agreement my next call was to secure a flight and about 35 hours from the time I saw the news flash on the TV I was in Sicily. When it happens, you must be prepared and ready to go—no hesitation, no thinking about it, I just do it and worry about the consequences later.
With a four-wheel drive truck and a couple of press passes in hand we managed to find our way to the town where fire trucks were spraying down the leading edge of the lava river solidifying it and managing to redirect the flow around and out of harm’s way. As I sat there and watched this spectacle my first thoughts were if you were building a town on one of the most active volcanoes on the planet, wouldn’t you expect this would be coming some day? Perhaps that’s why they had the fire trucks standing by….
Though this was where you would find all the news crews doing their filming and reporting, this was at about 4,000 feet with only a view of the leading edge of the lava and this was not what I flew half the way around the world to see. The real event was up at 10,000 feet, up at the summit of Mount Etna, the source of all the destruction and mayhem.
Purchasing a map at a local store I could see there was a four-wheel drive track leading up the back side of the mountain offering far greater promise for what I was after. Leaving the CNN and European news crews behind we drove around the mountain, camped at the base enjoying some fine Sicilian fare we picked up in the town before we left, and before sunrise the next day drove our rig as high up on the mountain as we possibly could. Patrice is one heck of a driver. Determined to get us within reach of our goal he managed to navigate our way up to about 9,000 feet where we left the rig continuing on foot the remainder of the way.
Everyone else covering the action was left behind on the other side of the mountain, once we left the crowds and the last small town, we didn’t see another car or person again. By noon we were standing on the summit of Mount Etna with a view to the south looking down at the source of the lava river. One of the many cinder cones that dot the summit of the mountain had opened and began to spew forth its red-hot river of lava.
It was an absolutely beautiful sight to stand there and witness the raw power and beauty, the elemental art of the planet. I was in awe of the power to melt rock into this viscous ooze that flowed out from the depths of the mantle. For some time, Patrice and I just stood there trying to take it all in, the only two people around witnessing this amazing sight.
I knew the beauty I was seeing could not be adequately recorded on the Fujichrome Velvia film I had in my bags so we sat there on the summit just watching the performance and waiting for dusk when the ambient light would allow the lava to glow in all its glory. The darker it would get the more evident it would be in the tiny fissures and openings of the flow.
This was taking place in the month of July 2001 and though it was hot down in the valley below, up on the summit at 10,000 feet there was quite a chill in the air. It was getting colder as the sun began dipping below the horizon. Much to our relief the winds shifted as the sun went down and soon, we were basking in the warmth of the lava itself. There’s nothing quite like being warmed by the primal heat of the earth.
Serendipity wasn’t quite done shining on us yet. As the sun descended a full moon rose over the opposite horizon shining through the plume of the eruption which rose some 2,000 feet above the summit. The conditions couldn’t have been more perfect. To capture the full view of what I was witness to I shot this scene with a 16mm lens. You can see the explosion before you, though the scale won’t reveal the massive orbs of lava being thrown from the crater were the size of Volkswagen vans. Additionally, what you can’t get from photos is the sound of an active volcano expelling molten lava high up into the air. I don’t think it could have been louder If I had been standing behind a 747 on the tarmac with its engines at full power. It was extraordinary. This was far beyond anything my senses have experienced before or since. And then the smells—the molten earth was pungent and yet subtle, a bit like a strong barbecue, it did not have the rotten egg sulfur smell that you might imagine, for that I was quite grateful.
As I stood there photographing well into the evening the winds brought forth a gentle snow of pumice. They were cool to the touch and constantly sprinkled our heads and decorated the landscape at our feet. At times we’d just break into spontaneous laughter, it was unreal and almost a fantasy.
In my decades as a globe-trotting photographer this is one of my more memorable moments. Just 48 hours earlier I was getting out of a taxi at my home, thinking over what I had just shot in Bolivia, concerned with getting my laundry done, getting slides into the lab to be developed, thinking about working in the yard the following day… but instead I found myself sitting atop an erupting volcano as far away from my home as you could get with a good friend from France whom I’d not seen years. Life is good sometimes.
Back in October while leading a pair of tours in New Zealand, I spent some time with landscape photographer and educator Richard Young discussing landscape photography and finding captivating abstract images in nature.
I think one of the most unique things about about our tours is having the point of view that there are interesting shots all around us – it’s just a matter of identifying the elements of design, and the right way to frame them. We took some time to visit Richard’s studio and print out several images on an Epson P900, and the results were stunning!
Check out the video for some excellent tips from Richard. I contribute a few things myself. I’ll be heading back to New Zealand in late April of 2026, the perfect time to photograph the changing leaves in what is their fall season—reserve your spot now and save a little cash with early bird pricing.
If you were enticed by the prints, several of these images are available for purchase. Father’s day is coming up!
Though many of my upcoming U.S. workshops are sold out, there are still spaces available on plenty of other fantastic photography retreats and workshops to join me on! Kicking off in August, I’ll be hosting a Creative Sessions workshop in the Seattle area that starts with an evening of wine, bites and a presentation at my home in West Seattle and ends with an informative critique covering the subjects from our lectures and field sessions. Jump on that one now and save a bit, as it’s on sale through Memorial Day Weekend!
After that, only one space remains for our annual adventure to Katmai, Alaska to photograph bears, and two spots remain for our California Coast retreat where we will capture the landscape at large as well as abstracts and the wildlife that inhabits the sea shore.
When autumn rolls around and the leaves begin to change, It’s a fantastic time to photograph on the West Coast. Workshops in Colorado, the Olympic Peninsula, and Sedona round out what should be an incredible year. Finally, if you’re already looking for something in 2026 I’ll be returning to Astoria to teach and capture abstract images in the oldest U.S. city on the pacific coast.
I hope to see you in one or multiple workshops this year and next!
Someone recently asked me to name five intrinsically funny animals off the top of my head, and I thought it would make for a fun Friday blog post to keep things light heading into the weekend. Leave a comment below if you have a favorite from the list, or have your own suggestion – I’d love to hear it and dive into my files to see if I have any photos of your suggestions for a future post!
These tiny primates are adorable but also kind of silly looking with their big eyes and spindly fingers. They grow to be only a maximum of about 6 inches in length, and top out at about 5 ounces in weight.
It’s usually funny to see a giant version of something you identify with as being relatively small, and the world’s largest rodent is no exception. Look at mom’s snoot! These Rodents grow to be well over 4 feet long and can weigh from 75 to 140 pounds or more.
Guanacos are a member of the camel family, located in the South American wilds. Their loping strides, long necks and camel faces somehow manage to be both graceful and hilarious – like something straight out of a Dr. Suess book. Fun fact – due to living in altitudes up to 2.5 miles above sea level, guanaco’s red blood cell count is up to 4 times more than those of humans.
A goofy bird with a goofy name – what a combo! Not to mention the fact that they also happen to be beautifully colored birds that are a joy to photograph. Their blue feet are a product of their diet, and males display them proudly in an effort to attract a mate.
The reason these guys are so funny is written all over their faces. Human-like expressions with exaggerated features combined with their interest in the camera lens makes them an obvious choice for the top spot! They are most often found in groups of 25 or more, so if you find one, you’re bound to have a whole grinning family to photograph.
Don’t forget to leave a comment below if you have a favorite animal that puts a smile on your face!
This year I was honored to be awarded The Mountaineers Adventure with Purpose award. The Mountaineers is a long-standing organization who’s purpose is to connect people to the natural world as well as to one and other, and to enjoy nature while also striving to protect it.
On April 26th, I was presented with the award at The Mountaineers annual gala, and epic evening of friends, food, and an incredible fundraising auction. More than $585,000 was raised for initiatives across branches and activities, including nonprofit publishing, adult programming, youth outreach, scholarships, volunteer leadership development, conservation advocacy, and more.
I was also pleased to meet fellow VIP guest Sasha DiGiulian. Sasha is a United Nations Mountain Partnerships Ambassador, prolific climber and powerful advocate for defending our natural world.
It was a fantastic evening at Fremont Studios here in Seattle. Their technology made for an incredible presentation, and the Mountaineers organizers did an amazing job providing such a unique and enchanting evening for everyone involved. I met several fans and was happy to share an evening with them and sign books. It was revitalizing after a busy 2025 travel schedule.
You can view a video of the Gala here. For more information about The Mountaineers, the Gala, and more photos from the evening, click the links below!
Bhutan was likely the final chance for me to photograph for my upcoming book on international spirituality and religion, Acts of Faith. I photographed the Tshechu Buddhist Festival and the Dance of the Black Hats many years ago, and it was incredible to go back there with the latest technology and my widest of wide angle lenses to ensure I could capture the colorful dancers front and center while also getting down low to capture the ancient architecture of the Rinpung Dzong monastery.
The Dance of the Black Hats is one of many dances that take place during this annual festival. In many cases, dancers wear terrifying masks to ward off evil spirits. The people here are incredibly friendly, as they are part of a national culture that embraces mindfulness and harmony within their community.
Enjoy the photos – and join me on my next adventure. There are still a couple spaces left to join us in Vietnam at the end of May!
Happy 55th Earth Day, 2025. It’s also National Parks week, and while there has definitely been a lot going on politically as it pertains to the parks, they are still here for you to visit – all 400-plus of them! Find the parks nearest you, and if you have kids check out National Junior Ranger Day. If you’re looking to contribute at a time when it’s definitely needed, there are opportunities to do so as well.
If you’re looking for additional ways to celebrate Earth day, our national parks, and contribute to the well-being of our critical natural environment here are a few ideas:
1. Walk to a park and hang out with your tree friends. It can be easy to forget just how soothing and therapeutic a simple walk among nature can be. In an era of social media, incessant electronic notifications, and exhausting news cycles a trip to a park and remembering what truly matters can greatly improve mental health.
2. Plant native perennials and trees for pollinators! Hummingbirds, bees, butterflies and more are an important part of maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Consider them when planting this spring and plan accordingly to ensure healthy populations.
3. Conserve water. This one is pretty straight forward, but even beyond watching your usage, ensuring you’re properly watering your yards and gardens can also maximize the health of your plants, yielding more vegetables and more opportunities to entice those pollinators. Look up how to specifically water many of your plants, as improper watering techniques can do as much harm as good. Consider a water barrel if you live in an area with regular rainfall.
4. Hand-in-hand with those vegetable yields – eat more veggies! Not only do vegetables cost less carbon footprint than raising herds of animals, you’re also helping that water issue by ensuring less vegetables go to waste.
5. Reduce, reuse, recycle. If you are an avid garner, purchase things like topsoil and mulch in bulk versus several smaller bags that create more plastic waste. Many pots and trays are biodegradable these days and can be planted directly into the dirt.
6. Pick up trash when you see it.
“To leave the world better than you found it, sometimes you have to pick up other people’s trash.”– Bill Nye
7. Support our national parks “America’s Best Idea” by joining the National Parks Conservation Association https://www.npca.org/
10. Join an Art Wolfe workshop! Not only do may of my workshops get you out into the very nature we are striving to protect, it also helps bring valuable commerce into our parks and the surrounding areas, while also supporting the businesses that sustain healthy tourism in these areas.
Some cool news from our neighbors to the north in Canada – Photographer Sandra Nelson has won the Royal Ontario Museum’s Wildlife photo contest with an image she took with us on a tour in Katmai, Alaska! Her photograph, titled The One That Got Away is a beautifully sharp image freezing the moment as two grizzly bears engage in a spat over a tasty salmon. On top of winning the contest, her image is currently on display at ROM.
A HUGE congratulations to Sandra from Art Wolfe and our staff here. These kinds of stories make all the work that goes into arranging trips that much more worth-while. Sandra has other great shots from this trip, so we will include a couple more. We are returning to Katmai this August, yet only one space remains – come make your own memories in this incredible location!
Today is National Pet Day! Traveling as often as I do makes it impossible to be a traditional pet owner, but over the years I’ve had my share of company!
Living along side a preserved greenbelt we get lots of visitors in the Wolfe garden, including these troublemakers. They are cute, they are playful, and they love to uproot the various vegetation in my garden. I’ve taken to using humane water jet devices to keep them from pawing around my ponds.
The delicate trees in my yard make excellent nesting grounds for smaller birds, like this Anna’s Hummingbird. It’s always an uplifting moment to discover their intricately assembled nests housing tiny eggs when I’m working in the garden.
Lastly, the koi. Sad to say that I’ve had koi numerous times over the years. However, much like those traditional pets they end up being a lot of work – and also very hard to protect in the pacific northwest, where fish are a favorite snack of many a predator. I had fish in my pond up until this past Christmas eve. As I was away on a trip, my security cameras caught a large river otter having himself a holiday feast, and then had the audacity to take a post-meal nap. Frustrating, but that is the circle of life!
So – happy National Pet Day to everyone who has furry, scaled or feathered friends, even if i like me your “pets” are free to roam!
There’s a lot to see here in the Pacific Northwest, and there are still spaces available to join me at Mount Rainier and on the Olympic peninsula – or if you’re open to other locations in the western US join me in Colorado or on the California Coast!
