May 2023
May in Kodiak was full of rain with just short bursts of sunlight. It’s been a tough month for landscape photography. Flat light is great for waterfalls and for the right kinds of forests, but Kodiak doesn’t have many waterfalls and I struggle finding good compositions in forests.
I think the whole month we only had 4 or 5 days with sun, usually on days I was working. I usually love Alaska this time of year for midnight sun and late outdoor nights, but all this fog and rain is tough.
Hopefully the sun will come more in the next month and leaves will start to grow again. Here’s my best photos from the past month.
Boats in Kodiak
This month opened with Kodiak’s first cruise ship visit this year. I got to follow the first tour group to leave the ship for work and met some folks who are visiting Alaska for their first time. Just two days later the USS Harpers Ferry came to town as part of Northern Edge 2023.
Kodiak Island Brewing
I got to meet the owner of Kodiak Island Brewing to talk about a gin they launched. It was incredibly smooth and I bought a bottle later that night.
First Sand Pattern of the Month
First Light of the Month
The first peeks of light hit early on, but it only lasted one day. I was so excited to see this perfect reflection at Lake Gertrude. It’s not very often I see large and clean reflections like this.
A few other miscellaneous photos from that day. Some light hitting a mountain, a portrait of a young eagle, clouds that caught color for the first time in a while, and melting snow on the side of a mountain that I thought looked like a massive tree nestled in the mountain.
In/Visible Light
The black and white image is my favorite from the month. I used a special filter that only let in infrared light, which is normally invisible to human eyes. The color photo on the other hand was shot seconds later in standard visible spectrum light. I had these two framed together for an art show and displayed in my home and I feel that it shows how the world could look completely different in the different light spectrums.
Flooded Trees
Shortly after that one day of light, it rained. A lot. So much so, that there were giant puddles and minor flooding around state parks. It was pretty dark, but I thought that long exposures actually helped show the motion of the water.
Tour of the USS Lake Champlain
About a week after the USS Harpers Ferry visited Kodiak, the USS Lake Champlain came to town. I got in touch with the crew and was able to plan a short tour while they were docked, and shot a photo essay for work.
Fog and Boats
It was a really foggy month. I couldn’t imagine going out to sea in this, but some brave souls did.
Hoping for Light
I saw a break in the clouds and hints of blue, but only saw the sun itself for less than 15 minutes that day. There were plenty of spots around the island, but clouds kept rolling in and keeping the town and roads in shadow.
Abstracts and Details at Buskin Beach
A few more sand patterns, plus crystals growing in the rocks along the beach’s cliffs. It was a lovely stroll as I tried to take my mind off of knowing I had wisdom tooth surgery the next week.
A small tree growing between the cracks of a stone cliff, one of my favorites from the month. It tells a story of resilience of how the tree is holding on despite the challenge of growing roots in stone.
Fog in Old Growth
My favorite composition from Fort Abercrombie State Historic Park yet.
A few other scenes from around the park. I liked these images, but I really struggle to find order around old growth forests like this.
A Drugged Up Adventure
I actually don’t use drugs recreationally. I haven’t even used weed in years. I had just gotten my wisdom teeth out and would have felt miserable staying home, so my partner, Amelia, drove me around to see what kind of photos I would take while I was still high on the pain killers the dentist gave me for the surgery.
The black and white images are once again, infrared. I’m not sure what that green plant is, but I remember being very excited to see something growing though.
The Harpers Ferry Leaves Kodiak
The Harpers Ferry came back to Kodiak later in the month. I didn’t get to tour it, but I did get to watch it leave port and sail around Chiniak Bay before it disappeared in a distant fog.
Distant Light Rays
That day was the first direct sunlight I’d seen in weeks. We had just about an hour that day, but across Monashka Bay, just past the road system there, we saw beautiful light beams poking through the clouds. They moved quickly through the scene but it was beautiful. I was especially happy with the first image and the panorama — make sure to click or tap on the images to see them full screen.
CrabFest
CrabFest is Kodiak’s equivalent to a town or county faire with vendors filling downtown parking lots. Kodiak Island Brewing celebrated their 20th anniversary, there was live music, and plenty of entertainment options for kids as well. The Chamber of Commerce also helped plan several events like survival suit races and the Blessing of the Fleet.
The CrabFest Parade
The centerpiece of the festivities however was the parade. Several businesses and groups brought or sponsored floats, and participants tossed candy, beads, and other goodies to kids and adults on the sides of the street. Police kept crowds and floats in line, and even Rep. Mary Peltola came to town for the festival and walked with a group of her supporters. I walked the line with my camera in the pouring rain, covering it with my jacket to keep it from getting too soaked, but it’s a good thing my camera is weather resistant. Read the story by my supervisor and colleague, Kirsten, here.
One Last Break in the Clouds
The grass is finally turning green, and I got to see one last peek of light before the month ended. Hopefully June brings more light, more green, and maybe I’ll get to see why Kodiak is called the Emerald Isle. May was a difficult month, but if I’m lucky I’ll get to see the sun a bit more often.
