Alaska - a weekend getaway

Going for a walk-about (grizzly bear cub)

Grizzly bear cub 

A walk along the beach

Curious grizzly bear cubs

Grizzly bear cubs play fighting

Grizzly bear cub checking out its surroundings

Moose alongside the Haines Hwy

Breaching humpback whale

Partial eclipse of the sun (Sunday, May 20)

Flowering Praire Crocus (Putsatilla patens)

Flowering Shooting Star (Dodecatheon sp.)

At long last the unofficial kickoff to summer 2012 has begun!

Last weekend, during our Victoria Day holiday (four days), I had an opportunity to join a couple friends on a road trip to Haines, Alaska.  Throughout the weekend we were treated to endless photo opps thanks to chance encounters with wildlife, breathtaking scenery and a partial eclipse of the sun.

One of the many highlights of our excursion was photographing three two-year old grizzly cubs foraging on sedges and clams on the tidal flats near the Chilkoot River (Haines, Alaska).  With camera and tripod in hand, I spent close to two hours photographing the young bruins as they went about their business feeding, playing and scouting out their surroundings.  Soft lighting, a vibrant green background and cooperative bears made for a successful photo shoot.

On Saturday afternoon we were treated to an unexpected bonus – two humpback whales breached directly in front of us while we were eating our lunch on the rocky shores of Chilkat State Park.  Unfortunately, for me, I did not have my 300mm lens on hand.  Oh well, watching the whales enjoy themselves in the waters was a sight I won't soon forget.  Apparently, according to the locals, this is the time of year when the whales return to the Inlet to feed on krill.

The first of the flowering plants were also in full bloom as the praise crocuses, lupins and shooting stars added splashes of purple across the landscape. 

The weather did not cooperate for Sunday's partial eclipse of the sun.  Overcast skies obscured our view for most of the day.  We did, however, catch a few fleeting glimpses of the eclipse throughout the afternoon.  I guess we, here in the Yukon, will have to wait until Oct 23, 2014 to see and photograph the next eclipse (that one will also be a partial one).

Roadside encounters with moose, black bear (11 in total), porcupine, elk and mule deer were common occurrences. For some strange reason we didn't see as many swans as we did on last years road trip.

Alaska continues to impress me with its pristine wilderness, snowcapped mountains, salmon filled rivers and colourful folks who call this place home.  I'm already looking forward to my next visit come June.

Ahh, beautiful Alaska!!  We could not have wished for a better weekend.

Hope you enjoyed your weekend.

Cheers,

Claus

Photo info:  Grizzly bear shots photographed with a Nikon D700 camera, Nikkor 300mm f/2.8 lens with 1.7x convertor, mounted on tripod, cable release.  320ISO, f/6, Aperture Priority mode.

Flower pictures:  same camera, Nikkor 105 f/2.8 Macro lens, mounted on tripod, cable release

Whale watching

A humpback whale swimming on its back

What a day at sea!

Yesterday afternoon I joined a whale watching tour that took us ten miles off the shore of Cape Cod.  During our four-hour tour we spotted 15 humpback and 18 minke whales feasting on an abundance of aquatic invertebrates, fish and plants.  The highlight of the afternoon was spotting a mother humpback with her six-month old calf in tow.  We were also treated to some fin slapping and breaching (unfortunately I was too slow to capture the breach on film - only managed a shot or two of the enormous splash).  According to the biologist onboard fin slapping on the water is a form of communication between whales.  Toward the end of the tour I managed to photograph a humpback swimming on its back.  Incredible creatures!

Our marine biologist was able to recognize most individuals that we spotted thanks to the unique colour patterns and markings on the the backs, tails and fins of each whale.  He was extremely excited to have observed that the mother humpback and her calf were new to the area (and as of yet un-named).

Photographing these marine mammals was relatively straightforward.  Throughout the photo shoot it was important to keep in mind that a whale may breach or slap its tail very close to the boat and the resulting splash may very well drench the camera gear (salt water is unforgiving to electronics).  I always carry a plastic bag large enough to cover the camera and lens just incase.    For my images (available on my website) I used a Nikon D700 with a 300mm f/2.8 lens attached.  The vibration reduction mode was switched to 'on' to compensate for the rocking motion of the boat.  I also decided to use Aperture Priority mode as this took care of the ever changing light conditions which allowed me to concentrate on the composition of my images.  You will also need to figure out an ISO that is high enough for fast shutter speeds which makes for crisper images since both the boat and whales are constantly moving.  Using the Continuous High Shutter Speed mode allows you to shoot numerous frames per second.  Depending on light conditions you may wish to underexpose your images by as much as 1-full stop (this ensures the white colour markings on the whales are not blown out). 

Here's another useful tip - the straps on the camera and lens are there for a reason - USE THEM!!  Also, try not to hit the heads of excited kids with your lens.

More images from yesterday's photo shoot are available on my website.

Hope all is well in your corner of the world.

Cheers,

Claus