Photography and Photo Tours: Specializing in Alaska's Wild Lands & Wild Life
I used to love sleeping in. I could easily hit the 10:00 mark (or later) when I was younger. But now that I am “older”, I have a hard time making it past 6 or 6:30. Especially now that I live in Alaska. It seems like a sin to sleep in and miss the possibility of an amazing sunrise over the countless mountains. This morning was no different; woke up at 5:30 and sauntered (read: stumbled lazily) out to the living room. Did some image work & keywording for my upcoming submissions to my stock photo site (more on that soon), all while watching Art Wolfe’s Travels to the Edge DVDs. I’m a multi-tasker, what can I say?
Pioneer & Twin Peaks, Palmer Moose Flats - Copyright 2010 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 24-105 @ 24mm, 5D mk 2, 1/5" @ f/18, ISO 200)
At just before 9, I noticed a slight glow on the horizon out my window. Well, that can’t be – the weather idiot said to expect cloudy skies and a good chance of snow on the horizon. And they’ve never been wrong before. I parted the shades and sure enough, just spotty clouds and full view of the mountains.
Time to go.
Ice Sheet, Frozen Pond in Palmer Moose Flats - Copyright 2010 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 24-105 @ 24mm, 5D mk 2, 1/10" @ f/18, ISO 200)
Less than 5 minutes drive from my home is the Palmer Moose Flats. Moose Flats, you say? The Glenn Highway cuts south through the Moose Flats as it winds towards Anchorage. I have seen many dozens of moose along this stretch in the past, almost entirely during my commute. When I shoot in the area, I never see moose. Is this Murphy Moose’s Law?
The color wasn’t quite as nice as some times in the past, but it’s just nice getting out and breathing in the cold, refreshing morning air. Doesn’t hurt to have a scene like this for a view either.
Paw Prints & Chugach Mountains - Copyright 2010 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 24-105 @ 24mm, 5D mk 2, 1/20" @ f/18, ISO 400)
Ok, so my front yard isn’t the “standard” front yard…
*A quick side note regarding these images – each is a blend of two separate exposures, taken back to back. One exposure was for the foreground and the second exposure is for the sky. The camera can not capture the dynamic range that the human eye can see, so photographers have 3 options: 1 – get only 1/2 the exposure correct and live with the results (either the sky will be too bright or the foreground too dark), 2 – use a special filter called a ND-Grad (it’s darker on the top half to bring down the exposure in the sky), 3 – take 2 shots and blend them in Photoshop (my preferred method). The 3rd method (which is what I used) is more flexible than resorting to using a filter in the field and gives me higher quality than I used to get when using filters. To each their own though, use the tools you have to the best of your abilities.
Stay tuned…
All images are available for purchase. Please contact me if you are interested in ordering a print or purchasing image rights for reproduction. All images & text are protected under international copyright law. Any unauthorized use of copyrighted material will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Design by Graph Paper Press. All content © 2010 by Sixtyone North
I am happy to learn more about the methods you have used in these images, I have yet to tackle that “Blending” method goal, in time I will, just need to be set up the image proportions before “Happy Shootin” away! These are just way too cool, I love how the tracks take you “up” to the mountain line, as well the relfecting of the sunlight in the other images. Yet in both shots you have 2 different colors of the sunrise! Way cool!
Thanks Jena:)
The different sunrise colors just go to show how quickly and dramatically light can change in front of us. ‘Gots to move quick!
The meandering paw prints are fascinating…where was that creature headed – at what hour did he/she pass through…maybe wanted to check out the beautiful sunrise over the distant mountain??? Lovely shot – wouldn’t you like to have been there when those prints were being left…
Hope you had no trouble with quaking ice sheets!
Thanks “M & D”… now, I wonder who that could be…
I nearly passed by the prints earlier in the morning, almost trampling them with my much larger boots. Glad I didn’t now. I wondered the same thing about the critter that made those.
Nice Morning Dave. Moose were on the flats yesterday. Easy to see them now with the frosties after the ice fog.
Thanks Todd – yeah, they are easy to spot now. Last night, while driving home just during the twilight, I saw about 9 moose on the south side of the road. And not far from it, really got to be cautious driving that stretch.