December 19, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR DECEMBER    "I Went To NZ For Nature, But..."

Curio Bay, The Catlins, New Zealand

I flew some 30 hours from Alaska to New Zealand for landscape photography, but some of my best images ended up being surfers in a lucky coincidence of good surfing waves and very strong opposing winds. As the waves began to break, the winds would turn water into spray, adding to the visual excitement.

This talented young surfer relished the moment as he went aerial!

Canon R5, RF100-500mm f4.5-7.1 lens at 500mm, exposure of 1/1600 sec at f8, ISO 640, handheld.

October 27, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR NOVEMBER    "What Long Claws You Have"

Chilko River, British Columbia, Canada

Grizzly Bears gather in this river each fall to scavenge Sockeye Salmon that have made their journey from the Pacific Ocean to spawn, and then die. Only while they are feeding do you realize how long and dangerous their claws are...

Grizzlies differ from Coastal Brown Bears in that they only scavenge the dead or dying fish, and reject live ones.

Canon R5, RF100-500mm f4.5-7.1 lens at 500mm, exposure of 1/500 sec at f7.1, ISO 6400, handheld.

September 28, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR OCTOBER    "Fall Colors Abstract"

Tombstone Territorial Park, Yukon Territory, Canada

Waking up one September morning in the Yukon to this colorful abstract on the windshield, I couldn't resist recording the image with my iPhone.

This images is a little misleading, since we had experienced fairly good weather on this trip until the last day. But the image is indicative of the wet fall weather Alaska has endured since mid-July, which looks to be continuing into October.

Apple iPhone 13 Pro, 5.7mm lens, exposure of 1/60 sec at f1.5, ISO 250, handheld.

September 8, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR SEPTEMBER    "Sunset Over The Arctic Ocean"

Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, Canada

One of my goals for the summer was to drive the Dempster Highway through the Yukon to the community of Tuktoyaktuk in the Northwest Territories. Besides seeing and photographing the endless tundra and ponds, I wanted to see the sun set and rise over the Arctic Ocean. Mission accomplished!

This journey of over 2300 miles on mainly gravel roads proved to be quite doable with a suitable vehicle, but not easy. Miles of potholes, anyone?

Canon R5, RF100-500mm f4.5-7.1 lens at 223mm, exposure of 1/800 sec at f7.1, ISO 6400, handheld.

August 6, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR AUGUST    "Feed Me, Feed Me!"

Kenai Peninsula, Alaska

Anyone spending time outdoors in the spring and early summer has heard the plaintive cries of young hungry birds, wanting to be fed. The parents are usually off hunting for food to feed them, or perched nearby ignoring their pleading since the young have just been fed.

This young American Dipper (aka Water Ouzel) is still too young for larger solid food, so will have to be happy with regurgitated partially digested aquatic insects.

Canon R5, RF100-500mm f4.5-7.1 lens at 500mm, exposure of 1/800 sec at f8, ISO 12800, handheld.

July 4, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR JULY    "Clamming With An Audience"

Lake Clark National Park, Alaska

Before the salmon arrive later in July, Brown Bears (aka Grizzlies) feed mainly on the abundant grasses, but those along the coast of Cook Inlet also go clamming on the mudflats. Incredibly the bears smell the clams which are buried a foot below in the mud, dig them up, and adroitly open the shells and eat the meat.

So in June photographers gather along the coast (this happens to be at Silver Salmon Creek) to photograph them.

Canon R5, EF24-70mm f2.8 II at 61mm, exposure of 1/800 sec at f5.6, ISO 100, handheld.

May 31, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR JUNE    "Moose Calving Season"

Denali National Park, Alaska

Mid-May is calving season for moose in Alaska, but because last winter was so brutal, moose newborns are rare this year. When the cows face poor nutrition during the winter, the fetuses are reabsorbed.

Or like these twins, born malnourished and weak, with a poor survival rate. These only lasted less than a week before disappearing (cause unknown).

Canon R5, RF100-500 f4.5-7.1 lens at 500mm, exposure of 1/500 sec at f8, ISO 2000, handheld.

May 1, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR MAY    "Just The Boys Playing"

In The Chobe River, Chobe National Park, Botswana

When the rains begin to fall in Africa the elephants and other large mammals become less dependent on waterholes or rivers, since water is now available almost everywhere. These mature bull elephants are lazy, and know a good thing when they find it and don't bother to leave for greener pastures.

So after a long day of eating luscious vegetation along the river, the 'boys' let off some steam roughhousing in the river.

Canon R5, RF100-500 f4.5-7.1 lens at 300mm, exposure of 1/500 sec at f7.1, ISO 1600, handheld.

March 30, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR APRIL    "The Bushes Have Eyes"

Male Lion In His Lair, Chobe National Park, Botswana

The eyesight of African guides never cease to amaze me. Another guide had given us a very broad location and as we drove along a very bushy section of road our guide spotted this lion hiding. Basically spotted a patch of tan and the eyes, and had to point that out to us 'blind' tourists! With a little back and forth of the vehicle I was able to get an image with both eyes.

Canon R5, RF100-500 f4.5-7.1 lens at 400mm, exposure of 1/400 sec at f7.1, ISO 2000, handheld.

February 27, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH    "Brutal Winter Continues"

Blowing Snow In The Alaska Range Mountains, Alaska

While our extreme cold temperatures of January may have lessened in February, they were replaced by gale force winds as a continuing train of storms hit the state. And the wind chill of such winds feels worse than equally extreme cold with no wind.

Living in a mountain pass can be challenging; the winds from the south are funneled which increases their speeds, and in a major wind storm like this, the mountain tops get gale force winds too.

Canon R5, RF100-500 f4.5-7.1 lens at 254mm, exposure of 1/1250 sec at f8, ISO 100, handheld.

January 31, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR FEBRUARY    "Serendipitous Browsing"

Subadult Moose, Denali National Park, Alaska

So far this winter the word 'brutal' best describes our weather--from freezing rain to blizzards to deep freezes have made life difficult for both humans and animals.

This 8-9 month old calf is doing what moose do to survive the winter, browsing on deciduous tree branches, but what isn't obvious is that he is standing on a 6 foot snow berm to reach branches that are normally out of reach.

Canon R5, RF100-500 f4.5-7.1 lens at 363mm, exposure of 1/500 sec at f8, ISO 6400, handheld.

January 1, 2022

IMAGE OF THE MONTH FOR JANUARY    "Dogs Can Fly?"

African Wild Dog, Okavango Delta, Botswana

Well maybe not flying for any distance, but a wild dog chasing an impala puts all of its energy into the chase, and sometimes that means being airborne.

This is the Alpha Male of the 13 dog strong Ash Pack. And in case you are wondering, the impala got away by running into a thick Papyrus swamp.

Canon R5, RF100-500 f4.5-7.1 lens at 238mm, exposure of 1/500 sec at f7.1, ISO 10,000, handheld while panning.