The world’s moving so fast, the man who says it can’t be done is interrupted by someone doing it.

- Elbert Hubbard

2010 will be the 6th straight year that I’ve been shooting solely in Alaska. In truth, it feels as if I’ve just arrived. Everything is still new and fresh to me, even though I have experienced it (whatever “it” is) several times now, in most cases. I’ve witnessed glaciers calving, both from a boat and from just across a raging river. I’ve seen humpback whales hurling their 40 ton bodies into the air, then the added blessing of seeing young whales being nurtured by mothers.

Breaching Humpback Whale, Kenai Fjords National Park - Copyright 2007 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North

I’ve watched pods of orca actively hunting, and sea otters frolicking in water so close that I could literally reach out and touch them (Dave Taylor & Sixtyone North take no responsibility for missing digits and or limbs in this pursuit – darn lawyers…). I’ve been 18 inches from a wild 800 pound brown bear on the Katmai Coast and a few feet from Dall sheep – including large rams, ewes and a very young lamb.

New Shorts - Courtesy & Copyright 2008 Tim Smith

Dall Sheep Ewe & Lamb - Copyright 2007 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North

I’ve stood atop glaciers as they shuddered beneath during an “ice quake”, and rappelled deep into crevasses to catch a glimpse of their “inner workings”.

Child's Glacier Detail - Copyright 2009 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North

I have witnessed incredible sunrises and sunsets in some of the most remote and beautiful country anywhere on the planet. It has been a brilliant 5 years, the best of my life to be certain. If it were to all end tomorrow I would be happy with my life and the things I had seen. However, I look forward to many more “5 year reflections”. I have taken many photos and will continue to do so (insert omnipresent deity of your choice here) willing.
But what have I given back in return? Sure, I still offer free advice to photographers planning a trip to “America’s Last Frontier”, and I offer instructional photo workshops & tours throughout this great state. But what have I given back to our community, or our environment – from which I’ve taken so much?

A Note on Personal Projects

What is Your Project?

So here is my challenge for you. What can you do in your community? What project can you undertake? Big or small. Self indulgent or awareness/movement building. How can your photography make a difference? After all, you’ve been taking pictures for a long time too? Is it time for you to give back? Do you have a project, either a consideration or something that you are actively pursuing? Post it below in the comments & invite everyone along for the ride.

Here are a few more points from my latest presentation, in closing.

• Do not wait for opportunities to come along
• Create them and maximize their potential
• Do not wait for things to fall into place
• Put them there
• There isn’t anyone who will work as hard as you, for you
• If there is, you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough

Go big.

Stay tuned…

This is a good time to remind you of my upcoming photo workshop/adventour in June. Seats are limited, but we have a few spots open at this time. Please click HERE to read more about this one of a kind experience. Of course, if you have any questions, please contact me at any time. I look forward to seeing you, on this incredible tour!

Don’t wait, don’t hesitate… the remaining seats will not last much longer.

This is the workshop I’ve been subtly hinting about for a while now. I’m very excited to be hosting this workshop along with my good friend Gary Gullett. Gary is the owner and founder of Chicago Photo Safaris, and we met over 1 year ago while photographing the wild waters wildlife of Kenai Fjords National Park.

No kidding, this is going to be a long post. I’ve written a trip description for our workshop/adventour – you will find it below. If you have any questions regarding this amazing photo workshop, please feel free to email any time. I will respond as quickly & completely as I can. If this trip sounds like something you want to do, consider this – it will fill quickly. Before the trip was formally announced, we’ve already taken reservations. We are limiting the workshop size to 12 participant photographers. Each participant can also bring a non-photographer spouse/friend at a heavily discounted rate. We are also offering 2 price points for this adventour; a single occupancy rate for travelers wishing for private accommodations, and a double occupancy rate for photographers looking to save a little money by doubling up with another photographer.

Don’t wait, don’t hesitate, don’t delay – reserve your spot now & make an investment in your photography & yourself.

All reservations will be handled by Chicago Photo Safaris. Gary Gullett is presently on a photography trip to Australia, so actual monetary reservations/transactions will likely wait till his return in a few weeks. However, if you have a serious interest in this workshop, please send me an email to get on the workshop list. The people on this list will be called upon Gary’s return to secure their spot, and a reservation deposit will be taken at that time.

For immediate public release.

Photo Workshop: Alaska’s Southern Coast. June 11-18, 2010

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Get ready for the trip of a lifetime.

Power Creek & Rainforest. Cordova, Alaska.

Sixtyone North & Chicago Photo Safaris are excited to announce this once in a lifetime journey to the pristine southern coast of Alaska. Diverse, beautiful landscapes and a wide variety of wildlife will surround you at every turn on this 8 day photographic adventure workshop.This is where glaciers go to die. Where oceans are born, fed and sustained. Where mountains do not rise from the horizon, they are thrust up with such force that they tear a ragged scar across the sky. Standing guard between the soaring mountains and the cold ocean depths is the ancient Chugach National Forest, the northernmost rainforest on the planet. Sheer cliff faces tower hundreds of feet above the protected ocean waters of the Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound. You will see colors so vivid, varied and lush that you may initially doubt their authenticity. But just like you, they are here – real, alive, and basking in all of Alaska’s majesty. The wildlife here is truly and simply that. Wild.

Breaching Whale. Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska.

From the moment you land in Anchorage, there is no telling what you will see. Moose wandering across the highway or right downtown in the state’s most populous city. Just outside of Anchorage we will find (at close proximity) nesting Arctic Terns. They have the longest yearly migration of any animal, at 24,000 miles. It’s breeding grounds are right here in Alaska, but soon they will start the long journey south to Antarctica. Nearby are Dall Sheep (the planets only wild, white sheep), perched precariously along steep cliffs above the Seward Highway. Sometimes they venture down right along the side of the road, eating the low grasses nearby. Bald Eagles soar overhead and Beluga Whales porpoise just offshore, in the Turnagain Arm. We will pass through stunning landscapes as we make our way south, to Seward.This small coastal town is the gateway to the Kenai Fjords National Park, and is our base for the next 3 days. From here we will venture out onto the waters of the North Pacific, winding our way between protected bays, stunning fjords and in front of enormous tidewater glaciers. The long days (around 20 hours of daylight) allow this perfect environment to create an immense amount of food for the denizens of the deep. Algae blooms feed the plankton and krill, feeding the small fish and birds, which feed much larger species. Including Dall’s Porpoise, Orca (Killer Whales) and Humpback Whales. We usually only catch glimpses of these marine giants, a geyser of expelled air, the arch of a back, and the silent sliding of a 15 foot wide tail (or fluke) into the ocean. But sometimes, these massive creatures rocket out of the water in a full breach and reveal their full size, before crashing back into the ocean with tremendous force. Sharing the ocean are a wide variety of other species, namely Steller Sea Lions and Harbor Seals. Flying above, and diving below are tens of thousands of sea birds. Gulls, Kittiwakes, Oyster Catchers, Cormorants, Alcids, Auklets, and of course Puffins (both Horned and Tufted) are everywhere.But fighting the wildlife for our attention at every turn are the wild lands. Dramatic islands and sea stacks, rugged coastlines, and thundering glaciers. You have never seen so many shades and intensities of blue, until you’ve visited Alaska. But the one that will be forever etched into your mind, is the deep black-sapphire blue within the newly exposed glaciers. You are staring literally into eternity. It creaks and groans, shutters and booms like an artillery shell exploding, as it moves slowly across the Alaskan landscape. It is a shaper of our world. A mountain crushing, valley carving, fjord chiseling combination of immense beauty and utter power. And we aren’t even half way through our adventure…

A pod of Orca surface in the Kenai Fjords National Park.

After a few days exploring this busy port and the surrounding Kenai Fjords, we head East to locations a bit less traveled and more remote. Cordova, Alaska. We will truly be taking the “roads” less traveled over the next several days. First we must cross the Prince William Sound on a high speed catamaran ferry. The 110 miles will fly smoothly by beneath us in only 3 hours. Sit back and relax in comfort and watch the beautiful Sound glide by, or stand on the back deck of the ferry and take in the surroundings in the open air. Tidewater glaciers are tucked back in the fjords, and the Sound is pock marked with dozens of uninhabited islands. You may never realize that this same area was devastated twice in the last 45 years. In 1964, the Good Friday Earthquake summoned up a tsunami that wiped out several communities. Then, on March 24th in 1989, the Exxon Valdez ran aground on Bligh Reef in the Northeastern corner of the Sound. It spilled 10.8 million gallons of crude oil into the pristine waters outside of Valdez, Alaska. Over the next few months and years, the oil spill directly caused the deaths of over 250,000 seabirds, over 3,000 sea otters, 300 harbor seals, 250 bald eagles, and 22 orca. Devastating is an understatement.
But today, the wildlife is back, as we will see upon arrival in Cordova. Dozens of bald eagles perch in trees near our lodge and all along the coastline, soaring above the quiet waters of Orca Inlet. And just offshore, we’ll float among sea otters. Not just one or two, but dozens and perhaps hundreds! We are timing our journey to see the newborn pups cradled atop their mother’s chests. These adorable animals have the densest fur of any animal, up to 150,000 strands of hair per square centimeter. Cordova is the unofficial sea otter capital of the world, and the photographic opportunities here are endless.

Sea Otter, Prince William Sound, Alaska.

But sea otters are just a little of what our Cordova base camp has to offer. You will be hard pressed to find a more diverse landscape, anywhere. The Chugach Rain Forest dives inland right from the coastline, sweeping up the lower ramparts of the surrounding mountain ranges. It is lush in every sense of the word. Old growth. Trackless. Dark. Mysterious and draped in vibrant silvery green moss. This forest will suck us in, enveloping us in its history. Glacier and snow melt fed streams rush through the forest, a milky turquoise blue coursing through the deep forest. A cool mist hangs in the air. The forest is still, yet alive all around us. We will walk the shores of nearby lakes, fog shrouded and lit warm by the early morning sun cresting the ridges above. Ducks, geese and grebes are everywhere – raising their young families in this idyllic and tranquil setting.

Canada Geese & fog. Eyak Lake, Cordova, Alaska.

Child's Glacier. Near Cordova, Alaska.

We will pass over the Copper River (the 10th largest river in the United States), as it fans out into the Copper River Delta after its 300 mile journey from deep within the Wrangell Mountains. The Delta is the largest wetlands along the Pacific Coast of North America. This area is the annual stop over for 16 million shorebirds (including all of the worlds Western Sandpipers) and the largest population of nesting Trumpeter Swans on the planet. We will watch for bear and moose as well, as they frequent the trails to be explored. Further on, the Delta changes shape. It is a stark plain in comparison to the nearby rainforest. Grey waters rush by with amazing power, tearing trees from their roots and carrying them down stream. Ancient ghost forests struggle to remain standing against the torrent. But beyond looms the massive Child’s Glacier. We will be given a unique opportunity to witness the raw power of a glacier as it slowly tears through the Alaskan landscape. We will set up less than 1/4 mile from the glaciers terminus, and photograph it for several hours as it crashes over and over into the undercutting Copper River. This will give us ample time to study multiple facets of this natural wonder as it slowly dies the same death it has been undergoing for several thousand years, up close and personal. We will have a great meal prepared on site (over open fire) as we study the dynamics of glacial geology, through our lenses. Eating steaks, munching on s’mores, and sipping at wine as one of the most awe inspiring sights crashes directly in front of us. Over and over again.
Natural drama doesn’t get any bigger than in Alaska. And this is Alaska’s best kept secret. There are opportunities too great to pass up. This is one of those. Are you ready?
Beautiful & grand landscapes. Diverse & awe-inspiring creatures. Witness your dream adventure come true. Witness Alaska’s Wild Lands & Wild Life.

Sea Otter Mom & Pupp. Prince William Sound, Alaska.

Itinerary:

June 10-11 – Arrive in Anchorage prior to 12 PM local time in preparation for tour departure at 6 PM local time on June 11th. We will make our way south from Anchorage to Seward, on the Kenai Peninsula. Along the way, we will look for a variety of migratory and resident bird species, Dall Sheep, and Beluga Whales. That’s just in the first hour of the drive! We will circumnavigate much of the Turnagain Arm (a fjord that cuts east of the Cook Inlet), then drive over Turnagain Pass. There will be lush fields of lupine to consider for subjects as well. We will pass glacially fed streams and lakes, and be surrounded by vast mountain ranges throughout our journey to Alaska’s southern coast. Once checked in at our Seward lodging, we will check into our the harbor and coastline just outside our door, looking for Bald Eagles, Sea Otters, and Steller Sea Lions. We may also see Humpback Whales right from the Seward waterfront! For those not minding a late night, we will take part in an optional sunset shoot (weather dependent). Overnight in Seward.

Wild Columbine. Near Cordova, Alaska.

June 12 – Optional sunrise shoot in beautiful Resurrection Bay. We will board a small boat tour early in the morning for our full day boat adventure into the incredible Kenai Fjords National Park. A light breakfast and delicious lunch will be served onboard this small boat cruise. We will be on the constant look out for Humpback Whales and Orca (Killer Whales), as well as Dall’s Porpoise, Steller Sea Lions, Sea Otters, Harbor Seals and more. There are tens of thousands of birds that call the Kenai Fjords region home through the summer months; Bald Eagles, Cormorants, Gulls, Auklets & of course Puffins! We will also visit one of the dozens of tidewater glaciers in the area. So much variety, so much beauty. Bring your memory cards and extra batteries! Upon arriving back in Seward, we will have dinner (not included) and discuss the days events. After dinner, we will explore more of the surrounding area, perhaps an easy hike to Exit Glacier, along the coastline looking for Sea Otters, continuously surrounded by immense beauty. Optional sunset shoot. Overnight in Seward.

June 13 – Optional sunrise shoot. We will spend our last full day in Seward exploring the area and all the photographic options nearby. Exit Glacier, or perhaps a more strenuous hike (optional) to Tonsina Creek & Point. We will spend part of the afternoon at the Alaska SeaLife Center, where you’ll get the unique opportunity to photograph marine mammals up close & personal, as well as learn all about them from wildlife biologists. We will have our first classroom session and discuss the power and versatility of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop – bring your laptops so you can follow along and try out your new digital darkroom skills! After the SeaLife Center closes to the public, we will step behind the scenes for a backstage view of the aviary. Walk among puffins and other beautiful sea birds, feed them fish from your hands, and get an amazing opportunity to see these beautiful feathered creatures up close. Following dinner, we will again head out to nearby locations and conduct an optional sunset shoot. Overnight in Seward.

God Beams Over Turnagain Arm. Alaska.

June 14 – Optional sunrise shoot. We will meet for a delicious breakfast at one of Seward’s many great eateries. Then we will check out of our hotel and head north to Whittier. Along the way, we will photograph more wild Alaskan landscapes and watch the beautiful scenery roll by. As we near Whittier, we will stop by Portage Lake to photograph icebergs recently calved from the Portage Glacier at the other end of the lake. Then it’s on to Whittier, and our high speed ferry service to Cordova. We will glide quickly over the pristine Prince William Sound in the comfort of the catamaran. This area is frequented by many varieties of marine wildlife; different whales (Humpback, Minke, and Gray), Orca, Dall’s Porpoise, Steller Sea Lions, Sea Otters, and a wide variety of bird species. We will be moving at nearly 40 mph, but if you close your eyes, you may forget that you are moving at all – the catamaran is so smooth and quiet, even at this speed. Depending on the 2010 schedule, we may stop over in Valdez – the end of the line for the oil delivery pipeline that starts over 800 miles to the north, in Alaska’s North Slope near the Arctic Ocean. Upon arrival in the waters around Cordova, the scenery changes. The water takes on a smooth, quiet appearance. Mountains rise up from the coastline, and all around is rain forest. Welcome to the Chugach. After docking we will check in at the Orca Adventure Lodge, our base for the next five days. We will eat a hearty meal cooked by their skilled chefs and discuss the coming adventure. Optional sunset shoot. Overnight at Orca Adventure Lodge, Cordova.

A Blossom Revealed. Near Cordova, Alaska.

June 15 – Optional sunrise shoot. After a delicious breakfast at the lodge, we will head out to get our first real look at the amazing diversity that surrounds Cordova. Amazing rain forest. Beautiful, glacially fed lakes and streams. Pristine coastline. Lakes & ponds filled with migrating and breeding birds. Endless trails to wander, sloughs to explore, and diverse ecosystems to melt into. This is Alaska at its finest. No crowds, no rushing around. Just our small group exploring these untamed lands. We will have access to 18 foot ocean going skiffs to take our group into Orca Inlet, in search of the not-so-rare Sea Otters that call this area home. We won’t have to look long or hard, they are everywhere! Young & fluffy pups cuddled on their mother’s chests or swimming nearby. Large adults, and even the rare cream colored Sea Otters. Hours of photographic options while floating on these tranquil and protected waters. Optional sunset shoot. Overnight at Orca Adventure Lodge, Cordova.

June 16 – Optional sunrise shoot. Today is another day of grand landscapes. After another great breakfast, we will slowly make our way to the Copper River Delta, and the Child’s Glacier. All along this route, we will be surrounded by wildlife – mostly avian, but we will also watch for the hundreds of local moose and even brown & black bear. There are many Bald Eagles, Trumpeter Swans, Canada Geese and a wide variety of ducks along the way too, so keep those telephoto lenses at the ready. We will pass by several glaciers, and may stop by Sheridan Glacier if people are up for a hike to the edge of its terminal lake. Moose and bear frequent this area, so we will keep our group close and our cameras at the ready!
There really is no way to properly describe the incredible sight that is Child’s Glacier, but we’ll have plenty of time to capture its majesty on “film”. We will spend the rest of the day at the viewing area less than 1/5th of a mile from it’s vertical face. The Copper River is swollen this time of year, and the melt water undercuts the glacier’s terminus, causing it to calve frequently. Massive chunks of ice, some hundreds or even several thousands of years old, fracture off and crash into the cold waters. It never gets old, and the sound and sights will stay with you forever. Plus, you’ll have “pics” to prove it! A great dinner prepared over open fire by a chef from our lodge with your new friends all around, and an awesome sight before you. A nice glass of wine or a local Alaskan microbrew, something to help wash down your hearty meal. Then roasting marshmallows and building s’mores over the campfire… holding a marshmallow stick in one hand, your camera’s remote release in the other. It really is hard to prioritize! It will be difficult, but we will have to head back to our lodge on the coastline, and our comfortable beds for another great nights sleep. A dream filled night, the scent of an open fire or the ocean on your clothes, and a thundering boom deep within a glacier you will never forget. Overnight at Orca Adventure Lodge, Cordova.

June 17 – Optional sunrise shoot. We will cover some of the opportunities we missed on Tuesday (the 15th). Perhaps more time on the water with the otters, bald eagles along the coastline, several options of rainforest hiking. More wild life & wild lands around this hidden gem that is Cordova. We may have another classroom session in the afternoon (weather depending), delving deeper into the power that Photoshop and Lightroom have to offer. There are more waterfalls to discover and explore, more bear to seek out. More photos to take and more stories to share. Optional sunset shoot. Overnight at Orca Adventure Lodge, Cordova.

Nature's Boardwalk. Haystack's Trail near Cordova, Alaska.

June 18 – Optional sunrise shoot. Our final day. After an early breakfast, we will board the ferry for the return trip to Whittier. Once there we will make our way to Girdwood, and the Alyeska ski area. For those that reserved their seats, a flight with Alpine Air is in order! Beautiful, grand aerial views of Alaska’s mountains, valleys, glaciers and oceans. For those wishing to keep their feet on the ground, we will do an easy hike to Virgin Creek Falls, and perhaps the Winner Creek Trail. For the more adventurous, ride the gondola to the ridge line that looks out over Alyeska Resort and Girdwood. Then jump off! For an additional fee, you can fly with an expert paraglider pilot (tandem) over the beautiful slopes and forests below. Then we will make our way along the Turnagain Arm back to Anchorage, watching for Dall Sheep, Bald Eagles and Arctic Terns before dropping you off at your hotels or an optional “Epilogue” dinner at one of Anchorage’s amazing restaurants. Then, your adventure continues wherever your camera takes you, wherever your lens points you, and wherever your heart pulls you.

Note: We will attempt to follow this itinerary whenever possible. But keep in mind that it is rough guideline/suggestion. While pursuing photography, it is best to learn to adapt and then embrace whatever mother nature throws at you. If the weather simply is too hostile to venture into, we will adapt by covering digital darkroom topics in classroom sessions. But if the weather is beautiful, we will forgo those indoor sessions and embrace the good weather outdoors. Naturally, we reserve the right to alter this itinerary at any time. We will make every effort to keep you up to date regarding any changes as early as possible, but any additional costs incurred due to schedule or itinerary changes are the sole responsibility of the participant(s).

This is a whole new class of workshop. Part adventure, part tour. An Adventour!
One thing is for sure, the photo adventure workshop is all about diversity. Prepare yourself for long days in the field, early rises and late evenings. The sun rises around 4 am and sets after 11 pm. Of course, these sunrise and sunset shoots are not mandatory, but they will be offered whenever the weather cooperates. Weather is always a consideration, and the only thing regarding it that can be guaranteed, is that there will be weather. You have set aside valuable time and money to participate in this adventure. Regardless of the weather, we will do everything in our power to maximize your photographic opportunities. Sometimes, this means shooting in less than ideal conditions. Always remember one of Dave’s Photographic Axioms: Weather can make the photograph – good or bad, blizzard or gale. Many people put their cameras away and head back inside when “the weather outside is frightful”. That’s when we head out. Some of the most valuable gear you can buy is good rain gear for yourself and your camera equipment.

Have we piqued your interest yet? Many a photographer has dreamt of an Alaskan adventure, yet the cost of bringing “the right gear” has stymied their plans. The idea of investing not only in the trip of a lifetime, but also high end cameras and lenses to make the trip worthwhile, is down right intimidating. This kind of investment can easily put a trip like this for many photographers. But what if you had gear waiting for you, gear of your choosing? Professional gear… gear that you paid just a fraction of the cost to use, at your leisure while on your tour? Gear that you don’t need to worry about transporting to and from Alaska? We have this solution already in place for you. Everything from fisheye lenses and macro/micros up to the latest (& huge) 600mm f/4 lenses from both Nikon and Canon. And everything in between. Need another camera body for a backup, or have you always wanted to try out a high end pro body made by Canon or Nikon? We’ll arrange it for you through our gear rental partner at Borrowlenses.com. You don’t need to do anything special, just let us know what your needs are (or let us help you figure those out!) and we’ll take care of the rest! We get a discount on our rentals because of the quantities we deal in, and we pass that rate directly on to our clients. Dave Taylor has a long history working with Canon equipment, and Gary will help you pull become very proficient using your Nikon gear.
Running out of excuses, aren’t you?

Sea Otter. Prince William Sound, Alaska.

We are here every step of the way; before, during and after your adventure. We’ll make sure you have everything you need before leaving for Alaska, you’ll get a detailed packing list & suggestions. Have a question about your trip, send Dave an email and he’ll use his on location knowledge to get you feeling confident that you are fully prepared. Once here, Gary and Dave will put every ounce of their effort into making sure that you have a successful photographic journey – through expert instruction and guiding, both in the field and our short but intense classroom sessions. In these sessions we will cover Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. Topics like image management, layers and layer masks, sharpening, panoramic images and much more will be covered. Photography has several difficult facets to learn. Your guides have years of experience teaching everything from the fundamentals to the most advanced techniques, and have developed teaching methods to simplify this process – speeding your growth and broadening your horizons in the process. You will become more confident, more efficient, and more successful in your photography. You may shoot thousands of images over this week long journey. Photographers have learned, “Pics, or it never happened”. Can you get those pics? We’ll show you how

There is one more option to consider. We are proud to offer a cooperative endeavor with Alpine Air – the premier helicopter flight seeing service in Alaska. Alpine Air has worked closely with several large cinematography projects, professional photographers, and national/international TV shows. And now it’s your turn! We have arranged a reduced rate, and one more incredible opportunity – Alpine Air will take you up in their incredibly maintained 4 seat helicopters, the perfect aerial photography platform. With the doors off. Yep, you read that right – nothing but open air between you, the mountains, mountain ranges, passes, glaciers, icefalls, crevasses, ocean and wide open sky. Well, maybe one thing between you and those things – your camera and wide angle lens! This is an incredible offering, one you don’t want to miss, and one that you will grin broadly at every time your memory floats back to that incredible aerial session over south central Alaska. The sites are amazing, the experience jaw-dropping, the memories… everlasting. Of course, this trip is weather dependent – but if you don’t fly, you don’t pay. Just that simple. A la carte offering to any participant that is interested. Cost: $550 per participant. This may be a good time to add that wide angle image stabilized/vibration reduction lens to your rental order!

Tour Date: June 11-18, 2010

Workshop Leaders: Dave Taylor & Gary Gullett

Group Size: Limited to 12 photographer participants + spouses/friends (non-photographers)

Investment

$3990 (Double Occupancy) – per photographer

$4690 (Single Occupancy) – per photographer

$1990 (Double Occupancy) “Tag-along Rate” – non photographers. Limit 1 “Tag-along” per photographer participant

The non refundable reservation fee is $750 per participant.

Once the tour has filled, we will keep a waiting list in case of emergency cancellations

Because of our small group, this tour will fill quickly. If you think this trip might be just what you have been waiting for, don’t delay, contact us immediately!

Sea Otter Mom & Pupp. Prince William Sound, Alaska

What’s included in your investment: All travel within Alaska from the time we meet in Anchorage on June 11th, till we drop you off back in Anchorage on June 18th. This includes our van service throughout the trip, an extraordinary 10 hour boat trip in Kenai Fjords National Park, the high speed ferry from Whittier to Cordova (and back), and ocean going skiffs for our photography sessions on Prince William Sound (out of Cordova). Also included in your investment is all lodging during the tour, double occupancy rate applied. Should you prefer the privacy of your own room, we also have a single occupancy lodging rate of $3999. Lodging in Seward overlooks the harbor and Resurrection Bay beyond. Want a balcony on your room, just add $30. But do it quickly (these rooms will fill fast!). Lodging in Cordova is at the amazing Orca Adventure Lodge. Secluded and set along the Prince William Sound coastline, this rustic and historic lodge will be our comfortable base of operations for 4 nights. From here you can set yourself adrift in a sea kayak (not included), walk the rugged shoreline, or explore waterfalls and rain forests just outside your door. Included in our stay here is a chef prepared meal at Child’s Glacier – wonderful food in an amazing setting.

Of course, all instruction & guiding is included – both field and classroom sessions from your two dedicated and passionate guides.

Turnagain Arm Flats, Golden Carpet. Alaska.

What’s not included: Any travel expenses to and from Alaska, any lodging & transportation before and after your tour, and meals (except for the Child’s Glacier dinner and breakfast & lunch on Kenai Fjords small boat cruise). Why no meals? Simple – tastes and appetites are too varied to factor into our cost. Tips/gratuities are not included for guides/logistics partners/lodging or restaurant staff. Nor is travel insurance (which we highly recommend) or photographic gear. If you are interested in renting gear at a lower than market value rate, please ask – we’ll be happy to make recommendations for appropriate equipment and arrange everything for you, no worries, no hassles! Beverages & snacks are also not included. Also not included; visas, passports, immunizations (only applicable to foreign travelers), laundry, phone, “pay per view” TV (where available) at lodging, cost of hospitalization or emergency evacuation if necessary.

Requirements: We recommend that you arrive in Anchorage before June 11th at noon. We will be meeting June 11th at 6:00 PM for the start of your tour. Do not make any plans to depart Alaska before June 19th, as we may well go late on June 18th. We require full medication lists and contact numbers in case of emergency. You will also be required to sign a waiver & assumption of risk form, as required by law. You must understand that, by booking your travel with us you are accepting our policies and will agree to follow our guidelines at all times. Our guidelines and policies have been put in place to ensure a safer adventure travel experience, for you (our clients), our guides & logistics partners, and for our planet as well as its inhabitants. Our tours are eco-friendly, and we follow the mainstay ideal of “Take only pictures, leave only footprints”.  As the sign says – The client is always correct. Please ask your guide if you are still considered a client.

Brown Bear, Katmai National Preserve, Alaska.

And now, for something a little different.

Brown Bear Stalking Salmon, Katmai National Preserve, Alaska

Stay tuned…

The entire Labor Day “long weekend” fall color tour was shot in the company of two great photographers, and as I mentioned in an earlier post, they pushed me to take my photography to the next level. If you want to really expand your creative boundaries, shoot with people that are better than you. The other two photographers I shot with have been very nice to say very nice things about spending that weekend shooting with me, but I honestly think that I was the one presented with the gift. Their company, their photographic passion, their excellence has only pushed me into a new level of creative awareness – and for that, I am forever in their debt.

While slowly walking through the woods, looking for compositions (and hearing frequent chuckles and comments from Steven, “Nailed it!”), I continued to look for new perspectives. “Looking Up” was one of those. I found myself leaning against a beautiful trunk gazing up at the sky, I even shot a couple of variations of “Looking Up” within closely spaced trunks, but it was too constricting.

Then I looked down.

Dappled warm light, a forest floor carpeted in colorful fallen leaves, and incredible textures – both soft and hard edged. I adjusted my wide angle lens and got my tripod in close to the trunk. Upon gazing at the Live View image during the initial composition, I felt a perspective slide into place. The shot appeared as though I was descending from high up in the canopy, just nearing the ground. I felt like a black bear, my head glancing down over my right shoulder, looking for a soft spot to land.

It is an unconventional perspective, to be sure. But I am really drawn to it for some reason. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

A Bear's View. Aspen grove in autumn and fallen leaves in warm light. Just off the Richardson Hwy, Alaska.

Stay tuned…

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To quote Grandma, "Don't worry, there are more fish in the river..."

Brown bear on tundra, Katmai National Preserve, Alaska.

Spencer Glacier, icefall, seracs and crevasse. Prince William Sound, Alaska

God beams over Turnagain Arm, near Girdwood, Alaska

Remember to get out and shoot. Take care and stay tuned.

Anyway, back to my “eureka” multi-ment… I’m a lucky guy. No not with women – I’ve tripped and fallen through most of my relationships with the fairer sex (a few of which didn’t seem so fair, in the end); not with money – I probably owe more than my net worth; not with luck – if I had that perhaps the relationships would have been one with a really rich woman and I’d be retired by now.

But I do travel, and I meet people. Fascinating people, brilliant people, talented people, passionate people – people that shape lives. Mine to be more appreciative. I’ve compared my travels with old friends, I’ve done better than most – like I said I’m a lucky guy. I’ve been to Europe: Ireland, Germany, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina. I’ve been across the US, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean. Most recently, I live in Alaska – if there was a postcard for planet earth, Alaska could generate the best wild-lands/wildlife shots. Along with some of the most eclectic people. I have plans/dreams to visit Europe again, the Far East, the Mid-East (possibly the most misunderstood region inhabited by the most misunderstood people on planet earth), Antarctica, Australia and New Zealand, etc. 

Back to those people. Each and every one has been a life changer. Another multi-ment here. No matter who you are, or what you do – you shape others through your actions or lack of action. You shape opinions, biases, conceptions or fuel misconceptions. How you treat people will forever alter those peoples lives, consciously or not. Some people are generous, some are guarded, some are rude – but all are life changing because you react, again consciously or not. Reactions are like dominos, tip one over and the line topples. The butterfly effect… a butterfly flaps it’s wings in Australia and a few days later it rains in L.A. See? I told you this was deep.

My travels in Alaska have been the best yet. I’ve met a family of travelers from Holland (hello Jos, Jeroen, Sophie, Emma! Thank you for the Christmas Card!) experiencing America for a summer. Met them in Ken and Chris Day’s prepping cabin by Beluga Lake before we all boarded a floatplane for Katmai to visit the bears. I don’t know what it is about the Dutch and Swedes, but they don’t seem to produce unattractive people – or mean ones. The Berings could have modeled as a family, and given lessons on friendliness to the Dalai Lama – not just good, but great people. I hope they won’t mind, but here’s a pic they emailed me that I took with their camera as they posed in front of “Peaches”.

Copyright Bering Photography 2008

Then there are the aforementioned Ken and Chris Day of Emerald Air Service – a bear guide service based in Homer. Generous with their knowledge of bears and business, I will forever be indebted to them for their kindness and the experiences that I have due only to the same knowledge. I’ve met The Eagle Lady of Homer, Jean Keene. She’s been feeding tons of fish to the Bald Eagles on the Homer Spit since the late 1970′s, and just turned 85 this past October. She averages about 40,000 pounds of fish thrown to the eagles in a 130 day “season”. It’s late, so I won’t attempt the math. But suffice it to say, that’s a lot of stinky, slimy fish. But she loves the eagles, and all the other avians that frequent her yard. Those of us who visit her, some just get that once in a lifetime chance, others – like myself – see her several times a year to photograph the gathering of the eagles, will be forever changed by the spectacle of seeing 200-300 Bald Eagles gathered so close in such an idilic setting. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. And thank you to Steve, another Homer local, that helps nearly every day with Jean’s responsibilities.

Jean "The Eagle Lady" Keene taking a well earned break.

This weekend I met a Iranian born American named Ali Darvish. He’s possibly the most talented photographer I’ve ever seen, or met for that matter. And you won’t find a more passionate photographer and lover of life. This past Iditarod, he was flying in a small plane in rural Alaska (rural Alaska is different than rural Illinois…) when the plane suffered a catastrophic failure (I love that description, almost as much as this one…) and key pieces of the airplane fell off – namely, THE WINGS! I’m not a pilot or an aeronautical engineer, but even I know, planes don’t stay aloft very well when they lack wings. They tend to take on the trajectory of a lawn dart – remember those things? You can’t buy them for your kids anymore, but you can send your kids to pilot school… My dad has a phrase, “any landing you can walk away from”. But I take issue with what Ali went through as being a “landing”, don’t you need to have your gear down and still have the majority of the plane you took off with, to be considered a landing? Anyway, Ali is a fascinating guy – great stories from his world travels. I’d love to be able to post a link here to his online portfolio, but he actually knows less about computers than my own grandfather… sorry grandpa… But the key to Ali is – and he readily admits it – he has not desire to learn Photoshop and image manipulation. Seems ok with me, especially when you look at his raw, untouched images straight out of the camera. They don’t need to be worked on, immediate and perfected artwork. The guy just has raw talent, Photoshop CS4 (or whatever version is out now) be damned. He took about 50,000 images during his coverage of the Beijing Olympics. I’ve only seen a couple of them, but they are iconic in a way that I’ll probably never fully understand. They are a mixture of color, motion, and emotion. I hope he does a book soon, because I could look at his images over and over. They are just that inspiring. He has dreams of shooting for National Geographic, they could only be so lucky.

Then there were the Gullett’s. Spent a day with them on a boat in the Kenai Fjord’s National Park, near Seward. I don’t think I’ve ever met a happier or closer family. They welcomed me into their Alaska experience for a day, “forced” me to join them for dinner that evening, and I happily am still in touch with them. I hope to see them again next time they visit my “post-card state”. 

Team Work on the Mariah - Father Son "Gullett" Style

There are many more people that I’ve met in just 3 years, if you’re not named directly here – please know that you’ve shaped me just as much. I am only running out space in this novel;)

I overheard a conversation about me today, mostly by accident. I think it was meant as a criticism (which is fine, I can take it – I’ve found that once you’ve been shot at (oddly enough, not in the military), or walked near an unmarked mine field in a region torn apart by war and genocide, a persons criticisms are a pretty easy thing to handle – no matter how damning). This person said that I “approached photography to socialize, instead of take pictures”. I take issue with the second part, there’s nothing that I like more than taking photos, anyone who knows me understands that quickly. But the first part, “socialize” doesn’t seem as damning as it did when I first overheard the conversation. To meet people & share a moment (or if you’re really lucky, a multi-ment) of each others lives (even if just for a cab ride, or a weekend) – to socialize – what a lucky guy I am. Up to very recently, I’ve always resisted taking group photos or being a part of them – now, these people and having a photo memory of them, are some of my fondest photographs. I will endeavor to take more group shots, because traveling (and life in general) isn’t about where you’ve been or where you are going, it’s about who you meet along the way. To the life changers, each and everyone of us.

p.s. – watched a great documentary tonight. It’s about a guy that quits his great paying job to travel the world on the cheap for a year. It reaffirms my idea that it’s the people that make your life better, rather than the places you visit. A world tour is something I’ve wanted to do for some time now. I’m making a promise to myself right now, if Sixtyone North allows it, I’m taking a year off in the future, to do just that.

A Map for Saturday – documentary about a life changing backpacking trip around the globe. Highly recommended.