Follow Me On My Photography Adventures
Ketchikan was my favorite photo port. We took a boat ride into the wilderness to a salmon fishery to hopefully capture wild bears catching salmon in the stream. Along the way we saw some sealions and seals and countless bald eagles. The salmon hatchery did not disappoint and we got to see bears catching salmon up close and in the wild. The lighting was tough with low overcast skies and occasional rain showers. However, I still got some good images that I will probably hang on my wall.
In Icy Strait we took a boat ride out to see the humpback whales. Although not my favorite photo excursion, it was a great in person experience. We saw numerous whales rolling and tailing and even a few breach. I also got to witness the humpbacks catching fish. They would circle a pod of baitfish and then start blowing bubbles around them to scare them into the center. The whale would then come from deep under them, open its mouth wide and swallows countless baitfish while breaching out of the water. It was amazing to witness this in person.
In Juneau we took a seaplane ride to a remote lodge called Taku Lodge. There we explored the grounds, at fresh caught salmon and drank glacier water. Across from the lodge was another large glacier which is part of the Juneau ice flows. While flying to the lodge we flew over these giant ice flows, the stretched on for miles and miles. The grounds of the lodge were also full of blooming flowers, bees and humming birds. We had hoped to spot a bear, and although we saw plenty of tracks and scat, no bears.
In Skagway we took a helicopter ride to go hiking on a remote glacier. This was one of the most memorable experiences of the whole trip. The glacier water was a unique blue that contrasted with the frozen ice. There were also caverns, holes and flowing streams of water on its surface. The whole glacier was surrounded by mountains which helped to frame the glacier from both above and at the surface.
The second day of our cruise took us into the majestic waters of glacier bay. The shooting conditions were tough with low hanging overcast clouds, but it also made the resulting shots more moody and captivating than if there had been blue skies. We saw hundreds of otters, a few eagles and seals and a ton of floating ice that had broken off from the Margerie glacier.
My family and I checked off a bucket list adventure this summer by taking an Alaskan Cruise from Seattle to Sitka, Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau, Icy Strait and Ketchikan. Alaska contains some of the most beautiful countryside America has to offer. In addition to towering snow-covered mountains glaciers and forests we saw bears, otters, sea lions, seals, whales, orcas and eagles. I captured some great photos of our adventure despite some challenging weather conditions.
In Sitka we walked the town, went to see jumping Salmon, visited the national park, walked out into the bay at low tide and visited a bear rescue habitat. Alaska has tidal swings of 20 feet which exposes vast areas of shoreline at low tide.
I had the unique opportunity to acquire press credentials and photograph the LIV Golf Tournament in Miami for one of the local newspapers. This was my first time shooting professional golf or really any golf at all. It took a little bit to figure out how to best position myself to capture the best shots but I was able to capture a few good ones for the paper. I enjoyed the challenge and experience but not as much as racecars, motorcycles, air shows and other events I have had the opportunity to photograph in the past.
For summer vacation this year we went to Amelia Island and spent a week relaxing, going to the nearby fort and doing a day trip to Savannah. I did not use my camera much this trip as most of the activities were water related. Also, my son brought his camera with him and I spent most of the time helping teach him photo composition tips and camera settings. I had also just been here a few months prior and got some decent shots of Amelia Island on that trip. I did get one shot of the fort I liked at Sunset.
Here are some of the shots my son captured:
I was recently commissioned by a friend to try and capture a captivating photo of the Anhinga Trail. She had a relative whose father had helped to build the Anhinga Trail back it the 1960’s but unfortunately, had recently passed away. She wanted me to capture a photo that she could then have printed in large format and present to her relative as a memento to remember her father by. I spent a couple days scouting the location and taking some test photos from different angles and different times of day to see what I thought would best accomplish the goal. I ended up capturing three (3) good images. One was a sunrise, one a sunset and one late afternoon thunderstorms. My favorite was the sunset with a sunburst. Turns out it was her favorite one as well and the one that got printed and presented as a present. I really enjoy commissioned work as it forces you to think creatively and capture images or location you might not otherwise attempt. I have walked the Anhinga Trail hundreds of times but never saw it as a good landscape location. However, because it was the location she wanted, I made the attempt and ultimately got one of my all time favorite images.
I had to travel to Amelia Island for a work related conference recently. I of course brought my camera in case I had some time to do some exploring. One area I wanted to try and capture was a place called boneyard beach. It is part of a state park and consists of a stretch of shoreline that is littered with large, old, dead trees. This shoreline is only accessible during low tides. At high tide the water covers most of the trees and you can access the beach. The conditions weren’t great while I was there but I still managed to capture some fun shots. I found the conditions were more suited to black and white images vs. color.
Another fun place I spent an hour or so at the Fort Clinch State Park. It is an old civil war era fort made from bricks and sitting right on the water way separating Georgia from Florida. I tried to capture some unique images while also learning a little history.
Lastly, visited downtown Amelia Island after my meetings had concluded one evening and played around a little with some moving light photography.
