Caribou Magazine Cover

After more than a decade, I am happy to see this image finally get its due...

I took this in Denali National Park in September, 2010. The scene was perfect - a few mature bull caribou grazing & locking antlers on a ridge with North America's tallest peak (Denali) in the background. I composed in anticipation of it being used for a magazine cover, vertical orientation with one caribou isolated & moving into the frame, and it paid off..

A big thanks to American Essence Magazine and writer Skylar Parker for the wonderful article (I posted last week) and cover story!

Colin

Denali - "The Tall One"

Here's another look at North America's tallest peak, Denali. I'm still editing through photos from my recent trip into the park. Even though the wildlife sightings were scarce, the weather was beautiful and we had great views of "The Tall One" from many different locations.

Hope you enjoy, and thank you for following along!

Colin

_CTB2212.jpg

Autumn Equinox in Denali

Hello and Happy Autumn, everyone! This is where I spent the autumnal equinox last week - in the shadow of North America's tallest peak. Wildlife sightings weren't as abundant as I'd hoped for but we had wonderful weather in the park with varying perspectives of Denali throughout the day.

There is still plenty of fall color in South Central Alaska but it's going fast, so I will enjoy it while I can. As always, thank you for following along!

Colin

Denali at sunrise, September 22, 2020

Denali at sunrise, September 22, 2020

Fata Morgana

North America's tallest mountain, Denali, was glowing in low angle afternoon light yesterday. This was taken approximately 130 miles from the base and you can see why it is the steepest vertical rise in the world, ascending from sea level to more than 20,000 feet in that relatively short distance. The mirage at the base of the mountain, known as Fata Morgana, is caused by warm air settling over the top of a colder, denser air mass, resulting in an atmospheric duct that acts as a refracting lens.

There's a bit science to start your day. As always, thank you for following along!

Colin

_CTB0142.jpg

World Photography Day 2016

Happy World Photography Day 2016! The world's first known photograph was created 177 years ago today. The process has changed considerably since that time, even since I began shooting twenty years ago. I resisted the digital revolution and continued to shoot film until 2007, when I finally broke down and got my first digital SLR. As an artist, I love the possibilities that newer technology provides, making it possible to produce images that simply could not have been captured using film. At the same time, you might say it has been a double-edged sword as the stock photo market has been saturated with low-priced, royalty free images and in many cases businesses and publications have come to expect photos for no cost at all. That being said, change is inevitable and the only way to survive is to adapt. Social media provides a platform to do just that.

This is one of my first and most memorable photographs - aurora borealis and the Big Dipper over North America’s tallest mountain, Denali, taken on Kodak slide film in 1998. It is still among my best selling images to date and has landed in several publications, including Alaska Magazine and was also used by the US Postal Service on a commemorative stamp sheet. I’m excited to see what the next twenty years will bring in the way of photographic technology and business pursuits; the possibilities are endless.

Colin