Tag Archives: glaciers

Watch My Mini Alaska Virtual Photo Workshop Video Lesson

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As I expand the scope of my YouTube video lessons, I’ve come up with a new idea: Mini Virtual Photo Workshops, the first of which I have now posted to my channel. 

In this bite-sized, fifteen minute workshop, I take you to the shores of Colony Glacier here in Alaska, where I explore a small section of the scene and walk you through the process of creating a few landscape images right there on location.

With clear instruction, I explain my process for evaluating the scene, looking for possible subjects and narrowing them down into a workable composition. Using a selection three different lenses, I break them down into Wide, Middle and Long, and give you specific tips for maximizing each kind of lens when working your frame.

I also deal with exposure issues and show you how it’s possible to create a series of compelling images, even when you don’t have very dramatic light. In fact, I think that shooting in less-than-ideal light can offer a better opportunity for learning, because most of us already know how to make photos in beautiful light.

In addiiton, when you have that kind of brilliant, magical light on your subject, it’s easy to focus solely on that and miss some of the other compositional tips that can lend to a more powerful photograph.

This lesson isn’t just for Fuji users. Even though I use my X Series cameras and lenses to create these photos, the methods I talk about are universal. The process of seeing, composing and using different focal lengths applies to any kind of camera system, and the general look and feel of my Fuji-specific adjustments can easily be created in post processing, if that’s your preferred workflow.

I’m pretty excited about this lesson, and I definitely plan to do more of these \\mini virtual photo workshops. Not only does it allow you to come along with me in places that you might not normally be able to visit and get direct, real-world photography tips from me on location, I see this style of instruction as a natural progression of the kinds of online tutorials that I’ve been working up to.

So join me for my Mini Alaska Virtual Photo Workshop Video Lesson, enjoy the lesson and let me know what you think!

A Variety of Outdoor Images I Shot Last Week

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Ah… summer.

Long days and late evenings, when playing outside until sunset means getting home well after midnight and eating dinner at around 1:30AM. Welcome to my life during the month of June in Alaska.

With such a diversity of great subject matter, the exact stye and content of my photography varies during any given week or month. That said, it usually includes some landscapes, glaciers and a few aerial photos, given that June is the best month for flying.

To highlight what I’ve been doing on my summer vacation and show you the kinds of scenes that my own eye picks out, here are a few images I shot last week. All were made with the Fujifilm X-T3, with the exception of the two iPhone photos at the end of the post.

I hope you’ve enjoying your summer so far and having lots of fun shooting photos outside!

Miniature Mode, Shot with the X-T3 and XF55-200mm lens.

Chugach Mountains, Shot with the X-T3 and XF55-200mm lens.

The Little Cessna, Shot with the X-T3 and XF14mm f/2.8 lens.

Looking Towards the Light. Shot with the X-T3 and XF55-200mm lens.

Dwarf Fireweed, Shot with the X-T3 and XF55-200mm lens, using Classic Chrome Film Simulation.

Knik Glaicer Aerial, Shot with the X-T3 and XF50mm f/2 lens.

Haze from the nearby fires. Shot with the X-T3 and X50mm f/2 lens.

Shot in Miniature Mode with the X-T3 and XF55-200mm lens.

Knik Glacier Aerial, Shot with the X-T3 and XF35mm f/2 lens.

Miniature Aerial, Shot with the X-T3 and XF35mm f/5 lens.

Eklunat Lake. Shot with the iPhone.

Ferns in the Forest. Shot with the iPhone.

Aerial Glacier Photography – Ice From Above

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If you pay attention, you’ll find a multitude of patterns in nature. They exist on all levels, from intricate details that are only seen very close, to giant patterns that can only be seen when you pull your vantage point way back.

These kinds of large patterns are often best viewed from an aerial perspective, looking straight down on the subject from high above. This is one of the most intriguing aspects of aerial photography, and it often reveals very unique landscapes that are not visible to eyes on the ground.

One of my favorite aerial subjects are the dramatic cracks and ridges found on the surface of glaciers. With my little yellow Cessna, I often like to photograph some of these massive ice sheets here in Alaska.

The closest glacier to my house is the Knik Glacier, which is over 25 miles long and up to 5 miles wide in spots. That’s twice the size of Manhattan, and completely devoid of people. And, instead of skyscrapers, it’s filled with towering, jumbled ice blocks that break up as the entire sheet is slowly, but constantly pushed downhill over the course of many decades.

I love flying over and capturing the natural patterns in the ice. I like to shoot using different film simulations, especially black and white, which gives me a variety of color and tonal palettes, and I’ll often using diagonal framing to increase the dynamic quality of my compositions.

With this kind of subject matter, you’d almost think it’s a no brainer to get great images, but it can be quite difficult to line up shots while looking straight down as I’m flying over the ice.

Add in factors like wind, maintaining a steady airspeed and altitude, slightly banking the plane slightly to make it easier to shoot straight down out of the open window and watching for other airplanes, and this becomes a very challenging activity.However, as with most things that are difficult in life, the payoff is worth the effort.

Here are a few of my recent straight-down glacierscapes. What kind of pattens do you have in your world?

Even if you don’t have a bush plane or a drone, there’s an endless world of interesting patterns to photograph out there; you just might have to put your nose close to the ground to see them. Or stand on top of something very tall.