Alaska is a place where you are going to either lose or find yourself. After spending three months there this summer, I can honestly say it was a little of both.
There is no shortage of things to photograph but you'll do yourself a disservice if you don't put the camera down and just take the time to marvel at the panoramic beauty.
As I write this, we have just added a 25th state to our map since we made a decision to live on the road. In my opinion, as breathtaking as the landscapes I've seen are, nothing...and I do mean nothing, comes close to the scale and magnificence of Alaska.
Culling my favorite photographs from this experience was daunting. I decided that the first grouping should be in black and white. The bold drama of Alaska's gigantic mountains and unpredictable weather system seemed to lend itself to this medium.
I'm still reeling from such a unique road trip. Alaska is, in many ways, a state out of time. Some of the towns we visited felt like we were stepping into the past. The vast undeveloped landscape showed no trace of a human presence and we were in awe of the undisturbed grandeur.
With all of that being said by way of an introduction, I hope you enjoy Alaska as seen through my viewfinder.
Into the Clouds
There is a sense in Alaska of not only being north of the Lower 48 but being above everything else.
Snow and Ice
No matter the season, both elements are omnipresent in Alaska's terrain. Although there is a noticeable global warming effect where temperatures are on the rise with each passing year.
An Abundance of Glaciers
Everywhere you look, ice fields abound. To me, they seem to encapsulate time itself. Our lifetime on this planet pales in comparison to the history of each glacier.
Nature's Season Gauge
The Fireweed flower is everywhere. It is said that the petals fall off from the bottom to the top as the summer wanes. When it wilts, it's a sign that fall/winter is approaching.
Magnificent Mountains
It would be difficult to find anywhere in this state that was devoid of some kind of mountain range. Seen here are the Talkeetna Mountains on the way up to the now defunct Independence Mine.
Independence Mine
A ghost town goldmine sits atop Hatcher pass near Wasilla. There are many old gold mines still in existence from the rush of the late 1880s.
Finger Lake
We camped by this beautiful lake in Wasilla. The water was quite choppy at the time but a long exposure smoothed out the ripples.
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