Time for a little wilderness and wildlife advocacy. Alaska’s Bristol Bay needs our help. It is home to the world’s largest, most productive salmon run and it is threatened by the advancement of the Pebble Mine. The Pebble Mine would be a massive open pit mine that would leach into the ecosystem of one the most productive wildlife regions on the planet. I have been photographing in the region, which includes Katmai National Park and the famous McNeil River Bear Sanctuary, since the early 1980s, and understand first hand what this massive extraction project would do to the wildlife, the fishery, as well as the thriving, sustainable wildlife viewing industry.
Click here for a brief interview I did on the subject.
Brown bears associated with the Project area are a resource that has high ecological, economic, and social value. Southwest Alaska residents and visitors were estimated to spend nearly $145,000,000 (2019 dollars) annually to view wildlife and generated more than an additional $133,000,000 in associated annual economic activity. Much of the wildlife viewing activity in southwest Alaska is centered on observing brown bears. For more information, this study drills down on the economics involved in brown bear viewing ins South-central Alaska.
Watch:
I strongly urge you to take 20 minutes and watch Koktuli Wild, a video by Brendan Wells which perfectly illustrates the fragile beauty of the wilderness that feeds the potent Bristol Bay watershed. It is uplifting, beautiful, informative, and most importantly galvanizing. Even if you never see it with your own eyes, just knowing this this wilderness exists is affecting.
UPDATE: 6/29/2019 – The U.S. House of Representatives passed amendment 90, being called the “Huffman Amendment,” to the Energy and Water Appropriations Act. However, this is only the begging and Alaskans have called upon Senator Murkowski to to stand with Alaskans in opposing the Pebble mine.
UPDATE: 7/31/2020 – Following an Army Corps of Engineers Environmental Impact Study, which organizations like the NRDC have labelled as inadequate and flawed, the house has once again voted to suspend any funds for issuing a permit to the mining operation – the battle continues!
This past March saw plenty of time spent with great company photographing the culture and wildlife of India during Holi, and I’m thrilled to be able to post some of the photos our workshop participants captured along the way. Though the mass of humanity participating in the celebration can be overwhelming, it truly is a once in a lifetime experience and I’m glad we were all able to come away with some incredible shots. Thank you to everyone who participated – it truly was an honor to visit these ancient and culturally revered locations with you!
May began with our second Carmel-By-The-Sea workshop in as many years, and this is fast becoming one of our most requested Photography Retreats! Not only is it a beautiful and accessible location that doesn’t require leaving the states, there is just so much to see and do in the area that each trip is a little different.
Sea otters, seals, and a variety of shore birds can be found here and we usually take a relaxing kayak tour to photograph them from the water. If you’re not an avid or even mildly experienced kayaker, fear not – we just go along for the ride and hire professionals to do the work for us so we can be free to photograph!
Next year’s retreat is already on the calendar – get signed up today to reserve your spot. Spaces are already spoken for, and this trip will be a sell out!
In spite of the evening cloud cover which thwarted our star photography, we had a great time in the Utah canyon lands near Moab. Studying and staring at all the rock formations is like looking at shifting clouds–how many faces and forms can you see? This is an excellent place to put your artistic eye into action, capturing graphic images of shadowed rocky columns silhouetted against a bright blue sky, or using the natural textures, lines and layers of the landscape to lead your viewer through your shot.
Overall this was a fantastic trip; it’s always humbling to visit such a massive wide-open landscape! Enjoy the photos!
It’s May, and the sun is out here in the Pacific Northwest. Have you thought of what you want to do in July and August? Consider joining me in Alaska’s Katmai National Park to photograph bears. Scary? No. Exhilarating? Indeed! These are the last Katmai trips I am offering until 2021 so if you have been sitting on the fence, it’s time to jump off and sign on. None of us are getting any younger!
Just two spots are left on my Romania tour with native son Gavriel Jecan, and two spots just opened up on the Antarctica Fly/Cruise in February. Sign up today to ensure your spot in these trips before they fill up!
Photographing in Patagonia I am running into people I know at every turn! Hopefully the variety in the slide show indicates all of the varied opportunities that have presented themselves on this trip – it’s been a good one! Save one miserable day that was spent chasing ghosts up a mountain in gale force wind and rain, but that’s all a part of nature photography. We have seen eight different cats, all responding differently toward us – some are prone to flee at first sight of our group, while others casually hang around not seeming to mind our presence at all.
Over all this has been a fantastic trip with great company, and I’m excited to sit down and edit what has been a satisfying batch of new captures.
India is always a dazzling adventure. This trip began with leopards and ended with tigers, with Holi and Varanasi were sandwiched in between. Holi is a spring festival, but has become a rambunctious free-for-all where crowds fling brightly colored spices and powders into the air to banish the gloom of winter. I don’t know if I’ll ever have the energy to photograph this event again!
I’ll be posting some terrific photos my workshop participants took very soon, so stay tuned for those!
Recently I collaborated with B&H Photo Video to share a few quick tips on shooting wildlife photos for World Wildlife Day.
Click here to check out the video, and don’t forget to visit my gear page which lists a lot of the equipment I use both in the field and to manage and edit my photos!
One of the more fascinating aspects of my annual trip to Katmai has been the ability to recognize specific bear families and even individuals as they grow, not only in physical characteristics but in their personalities, demeanor, and mannerisms as well. It’s always a powerful feeling of a connection with nature when I recognize an animal I’ve previously spent time photographing. I wonder if they recognize me?!
They are probably far too busy fishing to be concerned with me, however. You’ll note the dates from when these photos are taken generally fall into the late July and early August weeks. This is when the rivers run red with spawning salmon. We come here at this time every year because the bears are active, occupied, and ripe for fantastic shots in their element. Again I will occasionally recognize individual bears in the tactics they use to fish.
This image has gotten a lot of play this year and for good reason – it’s not often you’re able to capture a bear charging at you, claws bared. I hate to dispel any legends of my fearlessness and resolve, but I wasn’t in true danger here – the bears are far too busy fishing and adjusted to human visitors to be a true threat. That being said, always take precautions! Our local contacts ensure we are taking all the appropriate measures for safety.
All of these photos are available as prints in my online store; click a title above to add some wildlife to your home or office! Better yet, join me on one of two workshops happening this summer at the end of July and in early August and capture your own images to frame and share! These workshops will sell out, so don’t hesitate to get on the list to join me on the ground in Katmai and make your own connection with these awesome animals!
I absolutely love this time of year, the days are getting longer and spring is right around the corner! After many cold weather trips this winter I am ready for the new palate of color that spring bestows upon us.
Of special note I have several opportunities coming up in the beautiful Pacific Northwest this year: the Olympic Peninsula in April when the mosses are rich and green and the rivers are clear; Mount Rainier in August when the wildflowers are at their peak; Lake Quinault in September for a restorative retreat in the ancient temperate rainforest; and a renewed Photography as Art seminar in November.
These workshops only have a few spaces left so sign up today before they are all sold out!
