August 2023
The weather improved and the bears are out here in Kodiak! It’s a beautiful month to go out and explore with dappled light, and plenty of wildlife. I’ve never really identified as a wildlife photographer, but it’s certainly fun to play with sometimes.
I also had a lot of chances to practice photojournalism — I was in the field a lot. My boss left for Undercurrent News to cover fisheries. I’m the only reporter at KMXT right now so I’m meeting a lot of people and bringing my camera to every event.
Make sure you tap on images to see them full screen!
Boats at night
I don’t do a lot of night time photography, but it’s always good to have a varied stock of boat photos.
South End Trails on Near Island
Island Trails Network is a small nonprofit on Kodiak that does a ton of work on trails and cleanups around the archipelago. This summer they did a ton of work on the southern trails on Near Island. Read the story here.
Fog and Light
I loved all of the texture and fog that surrounded what I believe is Woody Island, near Kodiak. I got this just from Mission Beach.
The fog was very patchy and flowed through various scenes. I got really lucky at Fort Abercrombie State Park and captured these light rays just before the sun set behind some mountains.
Changing of the Guard for the USS Cypress
The first image was my favorite from this set. The previous captain checked his crew’s uniforms for the last time as his successor checks his new crew’s uniforms for the first time. Read the full story here.
Buskin Sunset and the Texture of Waves
Some semi-long exposures of receding and crashing waves with beautiful clouds in the sky. Which ones are your favorites? I love the small rainbow in the first one but the textures in the second are great too. I also think the clouds in the second one look almost like a dragon.
Surfing at Buskin
I met this cool surfer girl at Buskin Beach that same day as well. She seemed really nice and I got this handful of images out of my first attempt at sports photography!
The Pacific Spaceport
I actually didn’t get a ton of images from touring the rocket launch facility in Pasagshak. Read the story here.
I did get this cool, kind of cinematic landscape on the drive though.
Finally, Bears
After months of searching, I finally got to see the famous Kodiak Bears. This species are the largest brown bears in the world and I’m lucky enough to see them just from the roadside.
Senators on the Island
Alaska’s senators, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan, brought the ranking member of the senate agriculture committee to Kodiak to learn about farming and food security in rural communities. Read the full story here.
Blue Skies at Lookouts
Sometimes it’s nice to just take photos at the popular lookouts. Both of these are easy to get to and frequented by a decent amount of people. There’s nothing wrong with getting the classic views.
Providence’s New Housing Units
Housing is tight on the island. When I was getting ready to move here, it was my biggest worry. But Providence in Kodiak decided to make it easier to move by building apartments new employees can live in for up to a year. Read the full story here.
Aboard the USS Healy
The country’s only icebreaker in the northern hemisphere stopped in Kodiak. Read the full story here.
Bears up and Close
One of my favorite wildlife images since getting here
The bears here are adorable
Light in Middle Bay
What a lovely drive. I believe Middle Bay is one of the most underrated spots in Kodiak.
Pillar Creek Hatchery
The hatchery is run by the Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Read the full story here.
Bears in Light
The bears are adorable and sometimes get really close. I love them. I’m terrified sometimes.
Last light of the month
Sometimes the sunsets here are nice. It also looks like the color of the flora is starting to shift for fall. All the rain from the summer has left me feeling shorted this year but maybe autumn will bring nicer weather. I’ve been seeing a lot of bears and I’m really looking forward to capturing some fall foliage in the coming months.
