When you are photographing wildlife somewhere silly cold, the cameras and lenses stay outside to prevent condensation on the optics. I was up in the North West of Iceland photographing Arctic Foxes and went out to check on the batteries of my cameras when I noticed some movement up the mountain side out of the corner of my eye.
I grab my 800 mm lens, point it towards the commotion and grab a few frames. When I chimp the back of the camera I notice the 2 foxes, one blue morph, one white fighting. Yep, a bit blurry and grainy, but, it’s my first white arctic fox!
You Never Forget Your First…White Arctic Fox
This is kind of an unusual portrait of a Jay. According to my guide book, Jays are notoriously shy and would never sit out in the open like this. Fortunately for me, the Jay didn’t read the same book.
Portrait of a Jay
Darn crow strikes again! I’m up in the Białowieża forest, on the boarder of Poland & Belarus, when suddenly this Red Fox shows up. Totally unexpected it looks like a juvenile and as I get ready to capture its image, wouldn’t you know it, but a crow shows up!
When I was in Finland, photographing Wolves & Bears, the skies were full of crows and they showed up in way too many of my images.
Now, I’m almost 2,000 km away and sure enough, crows show up. I can’t help but wonder if they were following me.
Are the Crows Following Me??
White Tailed Sea Eagles, once prolific over Europe are now a rare sighting. One grey morning, sitting in a hide, I noticed a pair of Eagles in the distance up in a tree. The larger, male, flew off, and came back caring a branch in its talons.
Sea Eagles use these branches to make a nest. As the female watched, the male added more and more branches to the nest, in preparation for the spring and a clutch of 2 eggs.
Slowly, the birds are making a comeback in the protected Białowieża forest, on the boarder of Poland & Belarus. I’m rooting for them !
White Tailed Sea Eagles on the comeback!
I really like photographing squirrels…I really dig their antics and facial expressions. There is a park in the center of Warsaw that has Red Squirrels scampering about. With no fear, you can hand feed them peanuts. The best part is they are all named Barbara.
Photographing Goshawks up in a hide in the Białowieża forest, this little guy got into a staring contest with a Goshawk. I could feel the tension and I feared for Barbara. Moments after I captured this interaction Goshawk and Barbara went their separate ways and I had a sigh of relief.
You Never Forget Your First…Red Squirrel
You never forget your first Bison…or in this case first and second!
I’ve flown ¼ way around the world to see the European Bison in the Białowieża forest, former playground of Tzars and Kings.
I’m very interested in conservation and this herd of Bison is a definite success story. Once roaming all throughout Europe, the last Bison was shot in 1918 ( or 1919 or 1927 depending on what you read). There were 19 in “Human Care”, either zoos or private collections. With a huge international effort, the largest land mammal in Europe is back roaming and stronger than ever! There is a registry of breeding to insure a healthy genetic stock. I’ve seen it. It’s written in Polish. I only know 4 words…
You Never Forget Your First…European Bison
“Look, there is a furry tail…squirrel??” This was my first Pine Marten. I knew of them, and had never seen one out in wild. Agile and an excellent climber these bushy tailed mammals can quickly scamper up a tree, and if they fall, will twist about, like a cat, and land on all fours.
When my companions were done staring at me, we focused on photographing the Pine Marten, as we knew he would not stick around for long. The Pine Marten scampered up a tree stump and posed for us! It’s moments like this that make sitting in a cold, dark, cramped hide for 10 hours worthwhile.
You Never Forget Your First…Pine Marten
The snow was starting to fall as we drove into the Białowieża forest. Located in Northern Poland, close to the boarder with Belarus, the forest is the largest primeval forest left. At one point it was the hunting grounds for Tzars and Kings. Now it is a reserve of the enjoyment of all, and a safe haven for animals. I was out looking to photograph European Bison, the largest mammal in Europe.
“Stop the car! I see something!” As I strained through the muddy jeep windows I saw antlers poking out from behind a tree. Slowly creeping out of the car, the 14 point Red Stag buck and I stared at each other, not sure who was more curious. It was me, as he went back to munching on Lichen growing on a fallen tree.
The buck and I spent a few minutes together, photographing him first, and then I put my camera down so we could just spend time together. This image still gives me goosebumps.
You Never Forget Your First…Red Stag
Let’s’ get something out of the way right now…I totally dig Nantes. There is a great collection of people, food, museums, history and walkable streets here. I almost kinda know my way around after a week!
Nantes in January is grey. The streets, the buildings and the sky, all grey.
I decided I need a project! Color!! On my walk-about, to the Jules Verne museum, I looked at the town for color. Here’s some of the images.
Nantes in Color
Ever wonder where all the cool mechanical “creatures” at Burning Man come from? Off Nantes, just over the River Loire, is an Island called “Ile de Machine”. Here, a group of dedicated builders make the most amazing animated “creatures”. Tip: Don’t come in January. The workshop is closed.
Ile d’Machine
We arrived in Nantes, via TVG, and took a 3 hour wander, my favorite activity in a new town. Nantes is beautiful, steep in history and the people who live here have great pride in the region. I couldn’t help but notice the industrial Garbage Cans in this midevil city.
Garbage Cans of Nantes, Loire Valley, France
This is what climate change looks like. Just a few years ago, this area was a huge glacier, with snow packed for decades, maybe even centuries. Looks like it will be gone within the next few years...
Dying Glacier
These two whaling ships were docked in Northern Iceland. Whaling, specifically for Minke whales, has been a part of Icelandic culture for ages. That’s all over as the last whaling ship has been mothballed.
Last of the Whaling Ships
My dad always said “Life is what happens when you’re making other plans”. That was so true this morning. Let me explain…
I’m a morning person, married to a non-morning person. We’re in Reykjavík and I got all my gear ready to sneak out and take sunrise photos. The sunrise was kinda meh…Looking around, I saw cranes everywhere…
What you might not know, is photographers love a project, so, on the spot I made one up. Cranes of the Old Harbour…All of these images were captured on the same morning in the Old Harbour section of Reykjavík.
Cranes of the Old Harbour
Weighing in towards 750 pounds, this was my first Eurasian Brown Bear. About 7 ft tall, she was getting ready to hibernate for the next few months. The largest animal and predator in the Tigra forest, these bears just lumber along, ignoring every other animal, unless she comes across a pack of wolves. They have enough respect for the pack, that the bears will head back into the forest to avoid the wolves.
Having one or two cubs, she will mother them for the first two years, avoiding any male bears, before sending them out on their own.
You Never Forget Your First…Eurasian Brown Bear
Native to Sub-Saharan Africa, these birds are found all across Northern Europe. About 16” tall, these chatty birds, are attracted to sparkly, shiny things. Aren’t we all.
I really liked the original image, and something just didn’t sit right with me. De-Saturating it (getting rid of the colors) really highlighted the composition, transforming this into a much stronger image.
Pied Crows
The DMZ zone, between Russia & Finland has probably more Ravens per square KM than any other place on the Earth. Or, at least it sure seems it. The birds serve a vital role in the eco-system, notifying all the other forest dwellers when there is food about. On the negative side, out of my 15,000 images taken during the week, dang Ravens flew into and ruined at least 1/3rd of my images. In the hides, whispers are the way to talk…and I sure whispered “Dang Raven” an awful lot….
Dang Raven….
I hate to say this out loud, but you don’t need to travel the world to take intimate portraits of wildlife. Let me explain…
Its’ a beautiful autumn day in the Carolinas and I’ve been sitting at my desk, doing important desk stuff for the last few hours. My brain is getting fried and I’ve had enough of sitting and being inside. Just up the road is a historic home with 100’s of acres of trees, meadows and ponds. Hiking boots go on, I grabbed a camera body and my 150-600mm lens and went for a walk, or, as I call it, a “forest bath”. I saw this little fella hopping about and scrunched down to photograph him (her?). An excellent way to spend 2 hours. Sometimes a forest bath is all I need. Go try it.
Squirrel, Weymouth, NC
Reykjavik has cats. Lots of them. Reykjavík banned dogs until 2006.
In 1924 Reykjavík was a small fishing village. The largest settlement in the country, it was destined to become the largest city, and capital of Iceland. As the population increased, the decision was made that dogs did not belong in a city, but rather out in the countryside. For the next 60 years it was illegal to own a pet dog and any strays were sent to the countryside. The only dogs allowed were work dogs, that the owner’s had to have a permit. The dog free streets became a haven for cats, and Reykjavík became known as the “City of Cats”.
Things went this way until 1984 when Albert Gudmundsson, Finance Minister for the country, was arrested for bring his dog, Lucy, into town. Fined 58,000 Krona, it became a highly publicized scandal, and, over time, the laws were slowly changed. In 2006 the ban was fully lifted, ending 82 years of canine discrimination.
Cats, Reykjavík, Iceland
Sun Voyager is a sculpture that pays homage to Iceland’s Viking heritage. Designed by Jón Gunnar Arnason, the Sun Voyager can be found on Sæbraut, not too far from Harpa. The sculpture looks out into the sea, remembering voyages of the past, and anticipating future voyages. Sunrise and sunset are the perfect time to photograph the Sun Voyager.
Mt Esja has popular hiking trails. Almost 3000 ft at it’s highest peak, the trails are moderately difficult and range from 2 hours to 5 hours. I’m not sure which view I prefer; that of Reykjavík from Esja, or Esja from Reykjavík.
Sun Voyager Overlooking Mt Esja, Reykjavík, Iceland
This is definitely one of my favorite images. It brings back great memories. Taken on Lake Tjornin, on a February day the school children are walking across the frozen lake towards downtown. I had just left Fríkirkjan I Reykjavík (the green and white church next to Lake Tjörnin), and this scene was right infront of me. As a photographer, you‘ve got to be ready.
The woman out front kinda looks like my wife, and if you look deeper into the image, a number of the homes in the background are under renovation.
This image is only printed as a panorama (24” x 80”, not mounted), and is perfect for behind a couch at home, or in a hallway for the office. Please eMail me for availability, remaining prints in the edition, pricing and delivery time.
It’s Not Marianne, Lake Tjornin, Reykjavík, Iceland
This is Godafoss. It is situated on the Ring Road, between Lake Myvatn and Akureyri, I think it’s one of the most impressive waterfall in a country filled with waterfalls. The Blue-Green tail waters flow through the lava fields crated centuries ago.
About the year 1,000, Iceland was at a crossroad. With a Christian population increasing, the lines were being drawn for a battle with the Pagans over the “official” religion of the country. Both sides had gathered at the Althing and demanded a decision. Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði, an honorable man, revered by both sides, and was chosen to make the decision. He disappeared for 3 days and upon his return, declared Christianity to be the “official” religion of Iceland, however, Paganism was not banned and still allowed to be practiced, in private.
Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði lived by a waterfall, and when he returned home, he removed all of the idols from his alter and cast them into the waterfall. From that moment the waterfall was named Godafoss.
Iceland is dotted with small churches. Back in the day, you were never more than a day’s walk away from the nearest church.
*As a side note, the prefix “foss” in Icelandic means waterfall.
Tail Waters of Godafoss, Iceland, 2018
I was told a group of Walruses is called a huddle. I’m not certain if it’s the true name, but it does make sense. When you come upon a huddle, the Walruses are all in a giant pig pile. A male Walrus weights in at 2 tons! It’s tusks, which are overgrown canine teeth, can be 3ft long. The tusks are used for fighting among the males, and determines who is the strongest, and leader of the huddle. Tusks are used as tools for digging the seabed for mollusks, breaking holes in ice and aid the walrus when climbing out of the water, onto ice.
So, they are really big, averaging 10 ft long, and they definitely keep an eye on you, especially if there are youngsters about. What no one ever mentions, in all the reading I’ve done about Walrus, is the smell. Sweaty rotten clams…
A Huddle of Walruses, The High Arctic, 2017
Ice fascinates me. If you look towards the right of this image, the blue ice in the water looks like a beautiful, sparkling gem. Now take a look at the ice formation on the beach. In addition to the beautiful shapes, it’s kinda dirty. It’s not just any ole dirt. You see, ice can take a while to form, to build up all the layers. What we’re looking at is the past. Maybe some of the “dirt” in the ice came from Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano erupted in 920, 1612 and 1821–23 and recently in 2010. Maybe I should have paid more attention in Geology class in High School…
Ice and the Sunrise
This is a Northern Fulmar. Similar to a gull, these birds are found in brutally cold Arctic regions. About the size of a crow, these opportunistic birds will forge on the ocean’s surface and just below, enjoying fish, crustations and any scraps from passing fishing vessels. The birds live in large colonies and reach maturity at about 8 years of age. The female will lay only 1 egg and both parents are equally involved with the chicks upbringing.
The funky bump on its nose is actually a desalination plant, as the bird can turn salt water into fresh. Pretty cool.
Bird photography is a serious challenge and I have high regards for those who do it well, not so well, and are learning the skill. I have gobs of bird photos that are not in focus…might make a nice coffee table book…. : )
Northern Fulmar, 79˚34’
The Shoebill Stork, also known as the Dino-Bird, has relatives that trace back to Ancient Egypt. Close to 5ft tall, and 12lbs this bird is not in the stork family, but is more closely related to Pelicans & Herons (Pelicans kinda freak me out because they swallow their prey whole and the stomach acids kills their meal as its being digested). With no fear of humans, you can greet the bird with a bow and shaking your head from side to side. They will return the greeting in the same manner, clicking their giant bill as they do.
A solitary bird, except for mating, these birds will stand motionless for hours as they stalk their prey; fish, snakes, crocodiles & vegetation, in the swamps of Central Tropical Africa. With a wingspan towards 8’ they are not a long distance flyer. 500 meters is the longest recorded flight.
Swamps in Tropical Central Africa can get very hot, and the Shoebill has evolved a pretty interesting way to keep cool. It defecates on its legs. As with most birds, their “poop” contains a lot of liquid. The evaporation of the liquid on the legs helps to cool the bird down.
Mating will produce a clutch of 1-3 eggs and both parents are very involved in raising the young. 1 bird will reach maturity of 3 years as the largest bird of the clutch will eliminate any other siblings. The birds will live towards 35 years. There was a bird named Bill, that lived in Japan He lived for 50 years and has passed a few years ago.
Listed as Vulnerable, there are 4000 to 6500 birds left in the wild with destruction of habitat the leading cause of their decline in population.
Research lists towards 14 birds in captivity although the information is a bit inconsistent and seems to be out of date. Tampa, San Diego, Dallas, The UK, Japan, Belgium and Berlin are listed as having a Shoebill on some websites and not on others. The zoo in Belgium was the first successful captive breed Shoebill and Tampa had a bird hatch in 2009. 14 years old, she is currently in a Zoo in the UK, waiting for an appropriate mate.
Proceeds from this Shoebill stork image will be donated to the Save Shoebill Conservation Project in Murchison Falls National Park in Uganda.
This Handsome Couple
This is an Arctic Tern, not to be confused with the Common Tern, nor the Aleutian Tern. At less than 5 ounces, these little birds migrate up to 45,000 miles each year. Horrific swimmers, they must fly the entire time, or find something to land on. Living 30 years, this means the little bird flies 3 trips to the moon and back.
Terns are colonial nesters and the pairs will vigorously defend their nests from any predator. I took this photo near Tern breeding grounds. As you walk near you must keep something, an arm, a stick, above your head so the Tern has something to attack, other than your head. Terns are kinda jerks.
Arctic Tern
As a Lewis, I claim the Isle of Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides as my family’s ancestral home. For my 60th birthday I convinced my wife and a close couple that we need to go to the Isle. The other couple has never traveled with me before. My wife has. Here’s where our story begins…
We’re driving through the back country side in the Highlands of Scotland. My camera bag was a bit lighter because I left my drone in a tree in Ullapool, but that’s another story…
So, we’re driving along, on the beautiful backroads. From the back seat I yell “Stop!”. John stops. As I jump out of the car he and his wife look confused. My wife just shrugs as she sees the reason…Hairy Cows!
I slowly creep up towards the Highland Cows and crouch low as I start to photograph the pair. Way bigger than me, and with horns, the cows looked kind of confused as well.
I’m used to traveling through Iceland, where, as long as you’re respectful, you can go on anyone’s land (mostly). So, it seems Scotland doesn’t have the same rules…Oops…And I do think this image was worth it.
Hairy Cow
This is one of my favorite images. Narrow and long it is perfect for a wall behind a couch or in a dining room. We have this hanging by our dining room table and guests always comment on it.
It’s also my largest print, to date. There is a ranch that has a print, 36” high, 192” long in their great room. Manipulating an image this size was quite a challenge and the crew that hung it did an amazing job.
This was taken off Svalbard, in 2016. Out on a small ship in the Arctic, photographing Walrus, we rounded a bend and there this mountain was, in all its beautiful colors.
What really had me amazed, besides the colors, is that the sand in the mountain range matches the sand in parts of the Middle East. Apparently there are “rivers” of sand running underneath the Earth’s surface. I should have paid more attention in Geology class.
A River Runs Through It
This portrait of a Red Wolf was captured at the North Carolina Zoology Park in Randolph County. Critically Endangered, I was pretty upset, until I read the placard.
Once the apex predictor of the United Stated South East, the NC Zoo has played a pivotal role in bring the Red Wolf back from extinction. Holding the second largest breeding program in the world, the Zoo’s program has helped to expand the original 14 individual wolves, to 230 in captivity and 30 released into to wild.
The proceeds from sales of the Red Wolf portrait will be donated to the Red Wolf coalition, to help insure the survival of this beautiful animal.
Red Wolf At Dawn
You never forget your first Arctic Fox. Mine was in July of 2016, up in the high Arctic while I was onboard the MS Origo, looking to Polar Bears to photograph.
She was definitely a mom, as she was watching her kits play along the shoreline, as well as keeping an eye on myself and my companions. An opportunistic feeder, Arctic Foxes are amazing creatures. About the size of a well fed house cat, they live on the land and sea ice in the Arctic Circle. Well adapted to the cold they can keep them warm to 60 below (Centigrade? Fahrenheit? At that cold does it really matter??). Their thick coats help them maintain a body temperature of 104F and their long, fluffy tail acts like a blanket when they wrap it around their bodies to sleep. Their feet have fur as well, which keeps their feet warm as well as to muffle any foot sounds so predators cannot hear them. The fox’s coat will morph to provide camouflage either in the snow, or along a shore line.
Arctic foxes live in a den of a male, female and towards 12 kits. The den can be over 11,000 sq ft and always has 2 entrances/exits. Because of the energy used to build a den, the fox’s den is generational, and can be 300 years old!