Chugach National Forest

Hartney Bay has a lot to offer, photographically, and I visit it often whenever I am in Cordova. In early May, hundreds of thousands of birds use the bay as a resting ground as they migrate north to the Arctic Slope. During June (while guiding my tour), it is not uncommon to find moose wandering the Slough side, amongst tall grasses and wading through the shallow stream. Eagles circle overhead, and bear scat can be found without too much searching. Who can blame the animals for spending time in the area? It’s incredibly beautiful; with the Orca Inlet  across the bay, and Hartney Slough leading to Heney Ridge further inland. At high tide, the salt water of the eastern Prince William Sound invades the fresh water coursing down from the mountain, and the...

I am a finally settling back into a ‘normal’ rhythm after returning from my Wild Lands & Wild Life: Cordova Photo Tour, this past Saturday. After over a full week on the road, with many late nights, a few very early rises and a mid-tour hard hitting virus, this tour was a tour de force. And soooooo worth it! The clients had an excellent time. One of the clients even cried. “Wait. I thought you said you had an ‘excellent time’, Dave?” My client (who shall go un-identified) was seated next to me during one of our aerial photography sessions. I turned towards them mid-flight and caught the glint of a tear rolling down their cheek. I asked if everything was ok. The reply was so poignant. “It’s...

I’d like to take a quick moment to congratulate my good friend, and frequent hiking partner (aka – the guy who laughs along with me as I fall and sprain my ankle or bash my shin… hey, I’m a cluts, and it’s funny!), Scott Slone of Alaska HDTV & Perfect Blend Media. You’ve likely read my praises of Scott’s work; he’s easily one of the hardest working, most creative, versatile people I’ve ever met. But he’s also a ‘rock’. He’s the kind of friend that remains solid and sure footed in the toughest of situations, and can be counted on to always give 130%. I’m privileged to call him one of my closest friends. People that see us together often say we could be twin brothers. I keep...

“Entangled”, Chugach National Forest, Alaska. ©2011 Dave Taylor/Sixtyone North (Canon 5D Mk 2, Tokina 16-28/2.8 @ 16mm. 0.5″ @ f/18, ISO 400) I don’t work much in black & white photography. I think I must be the only photographer that skipped past the darkroom and dove directly into chromes. Well, let me make one thing clear – I never ‘skipped’. And no, there was no ‘prancing’, either. It’s always funny, talking with other photographers whose career started before the advent of digital – many of them speak with a great reverence and that certain ‘twinkle’ in their eye(s) when it comes to the time they used to spend in the darkroom. “I really miss the smell”. Of...

Hello everyone. I’m back to dangle the proverbial carrot… My June 18-24, 2011, “Wild Lands & Wild Life: Cordova” Alaska Photo Tour is filling up! I have only 1 spot left, but it likely won’t last long. Never heard of Cordova? You’re not the only one! I first visited Cordova 4 years ago, and have since gone back every year to make up for lost time. It is quite literally my favorite place in ALL of Alaska – quite probably the entire world. Yeah, it’s that extraordinary. But what sets it apart?   Cordova could easily be called “Hidden, Alaska”. It is tucked back in Orca Inlet, on the eastern edge of Prince William Sound. It is remote, yet logistically fairly simple to get to. It’s just far...

I thought I’d try something new for my blog. The feedback regarding my latest image, “Winter’s Embrace”, has been fantastic. I’m very picky about my work and all of my friends say that I’m my own worst critic. I’ve always thought that was a key to making beautiful images. I tend to pick apart my work, section by section, layer by layer, and imperfection by dang-blasted imperfection. So if I like an image, I know it’s “decent enough” to show off. I’m really happy with this latest image. For me, it speaks softly of serenity. You can almost feel the light fluffy snow cascading off the graceful and towering spruce trees. If stillness can be felt, this is where you can find it in spades. The snow here is...