April 2023

We’re just on the brink of spring here in Kodiak. As I write this the snow is slowly melting, and the grass is transitioning from yellow to green, and there’s just a few hints of flowers buds. I’ve heard that over the next few days we’ll be able to watch the green slowly climb some of the mountains that have already thawed.

I’m very ready for summer warmth. I believe we’ve hit some of our last nights with below freezing temperatures and if we’re lucky, our highs will start to approach 60 Fahrenheit this month.

As everything starts to come back to life, I’m looking forward to photographing more trees, the grasses, and maybe even some flowers. If it’s warm enough and the trails thaw out more I’ll probably start getting into the mountains more as well.

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Abercrombie Beach

Old Women’s Mountain

Kodiak isn’t much for sunsets. The town and the roads are mostly on the east side of the island and make for better sunrises but once in a while there’s a good splash of color. I’m really looking forward to coming back to this scene once there’s more color and life to be seen.

In the distance of Mill Bay Beach

Across from Mill Bay Beach there are a few islands. They show up on clear days with minimal haze and I’m not sure anyone really zooms in to photograph them. I just happened to be on a drive and noticed these three peaks caught light with a hint of color in the clouds and decided to stop.

Alpenglow

Beyond the Peaks-

Just to the right of the mountain the sun was setting. There weren’t a lot of clouds to speak of but this one blew in from just past where we could see. I love how the edges of the backlight mountain glow against the snow.

Lone Islands

The left has more of a pastel minimalist feel and the right has so much in the water and the sky. These two have are very similar compositions and concepts of a lone island, but the contrasting shapes and colors make for a great pair. Maybe I’ll print them and hang them side by side.

If you look at the water from high up, you can sometimes see the wind as it streaks across the water and makes interesting shapes like this one.

Middle Bay

I haven’t spent much time around Middle Bay yet (I think that’s what it’s called anyway). I think there’s a lot of potential here, especially for more cinematic-styled photos. Maybe I’ll spend more time here this summer.

Some gorgeous fog rolled in over Women’s Bay that just hugged some of the taller peaks. I kept going back and forth about whether I should shoot a timelapse or focus on stills but I’m rather happy with what I came back with.

Zoomed in detail as the edge of the mountain fades into the fog. Probably my favorite one from this last month and might even make my calendar this year if I have time to do them.

Last Light

You can probably tell by now that I’m more of a sunset person than sunrise. Personally I just find it easier to stay up rather than wake up early. I enjoy the days I do get up early and am arguably more productive, but since I usually work in the mornings I’d hate to get up early and rush through a photoshoot because I need to be in the office.

Which do you prefer — sunrises or sunsets? Are you more of a morning or an evening person?

To Anchorage we go

Every April is Alaska Press Club. Most of the reporters around the state meet up and we all get to share what we’ve learned, hear from guests, and generally network with folks we don’t get to see very often. This was the first in-person conference since the pandemic and my first time attending ever.

Mountains in Kodiak as my supervisor and I took off.

An island in a frozen lake on the Kenai Peninsula. I’m not sure exactly where we were but I was looking out the window and thought this was shaped just like a massive raven. Also a strong contender for my favorite image this month.

A silly moose we found on the first evening after checking into our hotel. Apparently security had to escort them off the premises shortly after I left for dinner.

The view from my hotel room. It’s always incredible to look at the same scene in different conditions.

Adventures at White Sands

I really am a sucker for sand patterns, especially in areas with a mix of light and dark sand.

A classic shot of Three Sisters Mountain from the beach.

Deer!!

I grew up in an area that doesn’t have any deer, so it’s always a little special for me to see them. This was probably the closest I’ve ever been to deer before and they’re just so cute.

Last light, a few weeks later

The first one is my favorite out of this little set.

This is actually a multiple exposure, of 9 stacked images from the same scene. Some of the frames were in focus, some were varying degrees of out of focus. I don’t use photoshop but my camera will stack photos for me and this was my little experiment for the month. Let me know what you think — is it too abstract?

Finally Exploring Pasagshak

Since I arrived in Kodiak, everyone has been telling me about visiting the Pasagshak State Recreation Area. The first three out of this set were shot near Kalsin Bay on the drive down, but I totally get why everyone kept telling me to make the hour drive south.

Surfer’s Beach is miles long of beautiful sand and waves, there’s horses and cows everywhere, and I finally got a photo of a fox for the first time since I started taking pictures. It’s a huge area that I’m very excited to explore now that I know that the road is thawed and my little Camry can make it without getting stuck.

Next time I’ll have to visit on a weekend and maybe camp overnight so I can really get to enjoy the area.

April Showers

A couple of classic Alaska shots of a boat in front of mountains. Of course the month ended in rain, but if the old saying is true, maybe I’ll get to photograph wildflowers next month.

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