Alaska has been my home for nearly 30 years, and its epic landscape continues to lure me, both personally, and professionally as a freelance stock and assignment photographer.
I grew up in a small town in southern Wisconsin, surrounded by the rolling hills of green farmland and hardwood forests. Adolescent curiosities and dreams of the future turned my vision north, and at age eighteen I ventured to Alaska—that seemingly mythical realm of adventure and land of extremes. I am not unlike many northern sojourners, lured to Alaska for reasons of intrigue and fascination, and compelled to remain by its giant space and rugged wilderness. Adventure is the seed of discovery, and Alaska is a place fertile and rich with opportunities for both.
Alaska’s natural world serves as a gateway into ubiquitous photographic material, from which I have sampled abundantly, but it is the layers and depth of its landscapes that now lure me most. While style is often found in the rear view mirror, I know that my long-time fascination with color and light, two fundamental aspects of painting and photography, weave their way into what may be descriptive of my work. I’m constantly intrigued by the influence of one upon the other.
My professional career is best summarized by nearly 30,000 images that span the last 17 years. These images are marketed through my business stock photography website www.alaskaphotographics.com and they represent isolated moments in a fluid journey across Alaska’s vibrant landscape. Some are the result of serendipity, some of extensive planning and scouting, but all tell a small part of larger story. The process of their creation has been a voiceless, but not silent teacher, and I as the student am perpetually exhorted that the gift of seeing requires more than the eyes that see.
I’ll be sharing some visual goods and comments about my ventures here so stop back often and let this be your virtual Alaska.
Thanks for visiting,
AlaskaPhotoGraphics
2923 Moose Mountain Road
Fairbanks, Alaska 99709
907.750.4065
Business office hours: 8am to 5pm Alaska Time (4 hours behind NY)
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I love the painting-like feel of this. Both threatening and hopeful.
-Dave
Dave, welcome back. How was your weather and course in the arctic? Did I miss out on a good one?
Like many arctic trips it was a gloriously mixed bag. This one a bit more heavily weighted toward the bad weather. It rained a lot early in the trip which brought the river WAY up (we are talking flood stage) and silted in the usually blue Noatak with silver, silt-laden water. The second part of the trip was equally mixed, lots of wind, a bit of rain, one spectacular day and a couple of lovely evenings. You missed a couple of awesome moments, but also a lot of gray. I’ve been posting some images to Facebook and my blog if you want to see some of the results.
-D
Gorgeous as usual Patrick.
Really honest to tell the digital manegment. Sometimes, saturation is not necessary.
Regards,
David F.
Nice as always Patrick. Just wondering if this was a scene you “happened upon” while driving the back road or hiking, or was it something you “awoke to” where you were camping (wherever that might have been)?
Mark, Somewhat serendipitous, as much of the landscape shots are in the ephemeral morning light under mixed clouds. I paused while driving to capture this one-the light play did not last long.