Photography and Photo Tours: Specializing in Alaska's Wild Lands & Wild Life
Ok, this is rather embarrassing. I spent a good hour today at lunch writing today’s post. I’ve been trying out a “desktop WordPress publishing” program for the last couple of days (Ecto). It was going well. I’m gonna go ahead put a little stress on the word “WAS”…
Ice Detail, Eklutna Lake, Alaska - ©2010 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 24-105 @ 105mm, Canon 5D mk 2, 1/100" @ f/8, ISO 400)
I wrote a nice little essay on Sunday’s shoot with fellow Alaska-based photog Mark Meyer, from Eagle River. I, of course, extolled his virtues. Quick summary: he’s a great guy, talented and creative photographer, and has a very irrational fear of falling through ice.
sorry Mark…
Ice Detail, Eklutna Lake, Alaska - ©2010 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 24-105 @ 105mm, Canon 5D mk 2, 1/20" @ f/14, ISO 50)
Ice Detail, Eklutna Lake, Alaska - ©2010 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 24-105 @ 105mm, Canon 5D mk 2, 1/200" @ f/8, ISO 200)
Anyway, Mark is a great photographer (despite his irrational fear of falling through ice into a frozen lake miles from civilization), and as I’ve said before – it is always beneficial to shoot with other photographers. Especially ones that are more experienced, more talented, and more creative. They push you. Whether that is their intent or not, they push you to take your craft to the next level. And no matter what the skill level of all the participants, everyone wins. So often, photography is a solitary pursuit. The lonesome road of the “starving artist”. This is typically a strategic choice; photographers want that shot that no one else saw, because they were the only one out there. They suffered. Alone. In the cold. Walked up hill to get the shot, both ways. They slept that night in a tent made of cardboard in a pummeling rain and hail storm. The next day, they struggled to push the shutter button with their tongue because they lost 11 digits the night before in the sub-zero temps. Somehow, photography took on a stigma of a solemn pursuit of that mystical “perfect moment” in time, captured on “film”. But over the past several years, I have noticed that the vast majority of my favorite images (and by far the most popular) are ones that I took while in the presence of other photographers. Great photographers that pushed me to my next level.
And the best part?
Experiencing that “perfect moment” with someone else at your side. Someone who is enjoying it just as much as you are.
These. Are. The. Perfect. Moments.
Rime Ice Petals, Eklutna Lake, Alaska - ©2010 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 24-105 @ 24mm, Canon 5D mk 2, 1/15" @ f/18, ISO 100)
So. Yeah, I had typed up a very nice blog post for today. Pssst… this isn’t it. I finished the post at 1 pm, saved the document in Ecto, closed the program, and shut off my laptop.
Just got home, opened Ecto to upload the post to my site… aaaaaaaaaand it’s not there. The post title is still there, but there is no content. The 1300 hand-picked words? Well, I don’t know where they are. Maybe in the garbage can? Right next to my trial version of Ecto…
Bubbles Trapped in Ice, Eklutna Lake, Alaska - ©2010 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 24-105 @ 105mm, Canon 5D mk 2, 1/500" @ f/4, ISO 200)
A quick reminder. For those of you considering joining us for our photo tour “Alaska’s Southern Coast” in June, seats and time are definitely in short supply. This is a one-of-a-kind “adventour”, custom tailored instruction in some of the most incredible locations on the planet. Still on the fence? Visit the dedicated web page to read all about, check the action-packed itinerary, and take a look at the variety of the kinds of photographs we’ll help you capture. As always, please contact us at any time with questions – we’re happy to help!
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.
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You made me blush Dave. Your shots look great. The ice bubbles are lovely; that would make a gorgeous print. You really nailed the blue colors too—exactly how I remembered them looking.
Sorry about the lost post.
Bummer about the post.
However, the images do a great job of speaking for themselves. I’m loving the intimate winter portraits!
Best,
Greg Russell
These. Are. Gorgeous. Moments!! I enjoy reading your new journal posts as well studying your beautiful photographs, and I must say the color, detail and light in this series is breathtaking! The third image down (ice detail) threw me in a loop, thinking it was an actual mountain of ice! Excellent framing and exposure! Glad to see you had another wonderful photography experience with your friend Mark out in your “front yard” capturing these pristine winter images! Talk to you soon!
Perspective, clarity, colors – you have them all! I was led right into image #4 and could hear & feel the ice crunching beneath my trembling feet. Well done!!!!!!
I love your ice pics. Nice job.