The arctic night shift

A photographer’s schedule in June, in the arctic, is a complete function of weather and daylight. The blue cloudless skies become a curse, at least until about midnight when the warm wash of light drips across the landscape, and even then, some sort of cloud action helps grab some color in the sky. I unfortunately had too much clear weather during my trip to the National Petroleum Reserve Alaska last June, if one can squeak out such a complaint. My schedule was inverted from my normal early morning routine, and I found myself often going to bed about the time I usually wake up. Below are a few shots taken from Archimedes ridge, a great expansive platform that gives views for miles around, and easy ground for covering miles on foot.

1:21 AM. Bull caribou antlers on Archimedes ridge, Utukok uplands, National Petroleum Reserve Alaska. Canon 5D Mark II, 16-35 f/2.8L (24mm), 1/6 sec @ f18, ISO 100.

1:54 AM. Archimedes ridge, Long shadows, Utukok uplands, National Petroleum Reserve Alaska. Canon 5D Mark II, 16-35 f/2.8L (35mm), 1/200 sec @ f2.8, ISO 200.

2:46 AM. Archimedes ridge, Utukok uplands, National Petroleum Reserve Alaska. Canon 5D Mark II, 24-105 f/4L IS (24mm), 1/40 sec @ f5.6, ISO 200.