Our Welcome Home!

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Photos, Travel 18 Comments

Alpenglow on Mt. Alice, Chugach National Forest, Seward, Alaska.

Alpenglow on Mt. Alice, Chugach National Forest, Seward, Alaska.

I took this photo out the front door just an hour or so after getting home on Sunday – what a great welcome home!  I have hundreds, if not thousands of somewhat similar images of this mountain, I will probably take thousands more – how can I resist?

During long trips and our summer in Alaska I’m getting enough new material to post to the blog 5 days a week.  This time of year I’m concentrating on office work, so I might not post as often over the next few months, maybe 3 times a week.  I know I have said that in the past and continued posting 5 days a week, but it takes the pressure off if I lower the expectations.  🙂

Correction:  Thanks to Aaron below, I now know this isn’t actually considered alpenglow.  This is alpenglow.

Alaska Magazine Cover!

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Denali, Photos, Travel 18 Comments

Cover of Alaska Magazine, November, 2009.

Cover of Alaska Magazine, November, 2009.

Having the cover of Alaska Magazine is pretty cool.  Check that, it is really cool!  We knew we had made this sale almost two months ago, and I was really looking forward to seeing the final result once we got back home – I think it turned out great!

This is a rock ptarmigan in Denali National Park.  Willow ptarmigan get all the love in Alaska – they are even our State Bird, so it is nice to see the rock ptarmigan get a little press.  🙂

After a few longs days of travel we are now safely back home – it is great to be back in Seward!  The below zero wind chill factor this morning reminded me we were no longer in Palm Springs.  But then again, so did the lack of stop lights, traffic, the fresh air, amazing scenery…

Travels, Prints and Photo Tours

Ron NiebruggePhotos, Travel 9 Comments

Full Moon over Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Full Moon over Joshua Tree National Park, California.

How is that for an all inclusive post title?  We are wrapping up our travels and looking forward to getting back to Alaska.  This will be the last post until Monday, at which time I will be back in the home office.  This has been a great trip, gee, Colorado seems like an eternity ago!  I prefer multiple, short trips, but it has become so expensive and difficult to fly to and from Alaska these days, that I think two long trips a year will continue to be our strategy.  We will travel again in February / March.

Our first order of business will be to process the back-log of print orders – we appreciate everyone’s patience.  We hope to have them done and shipped by Thursday.  This trip, we tried to keep up with print orders while on the road, but it just didn’t work out.  If the orders for the week all came in on one day, it would be easy.  But, we usually get one order a day, so trying to coordinate with our printer, and anticipate where we would be so they could send them to us, ended up being too much.  We will have to work on a different solution.

After we get caught up on prints, we are going to begin advertising our photo tours for next summer.  I’m am really excited to share the details for these tours because I think they are  fairly unique, and are going to be a lot of fun.  In short, they will be multi-day, boat based tours limited to 3 or 4 guests.  I have a couple of options, both aboard great boats with incredibly knowledgeable captains – one will be in Kenai Fjords National Park, the other is based in Prince William Sound – two of my favorite places.  I could go on and on, but I’ll wait.  I will say this, if you haven’t spent the night in front of a dramatic tidewater glacier, then you are in for a treat!  Engines off, the only sounds are that of the calving glacier, along with the soothing sounds of water lapping against the hull, or maybe the blow of a passing whale – Hoping to have the details here late next week.

In addition, I will also be offering a small group (limited to 4) coastal bear viewing tour – brown bears up close are definitely a peak experience that every photographer (and person) should experience at least once.  More soon!

More climbing

Ron NiebruggeCalifornia, Photos, Travel Leave a Comment

Thomas Vetsch stops near the top of a route in Joshua Tree.

Thomas Vetsch stops near the top of a route in Joshua Tree.

I had to do one more climbing post because I hadn’t included a photo of Thomas, and didn’t want to leave him out.  Thomas was the least experienced of the three guys I hung out with, but every bit as motivated and passionate.  Actually, this was the first time Thomas had lead up a route or placed protection, it was cool to have photographed this milestone in his progression as a climber.  The pride he took in his accomplishment was evident when I saw him looking back at the wall after the climb was done – it was cool to see the satisfaction in his expression.

Rock Climbing, Joshua Tree National Park

Ron NiebruggeCalifornia, Photos, Travel 14 Comments

Matt Van Biene getting ready to climb, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Matt Van Biene getting ready to climb, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

It was  treat to be able to photograph this quite, contemplative moment as Matt prepared his gear and his mind.  Matt was a great guy and excellent climber – I really enjoyed watching and photographing all three of these guys.

Matt Van Biene working his way up a wall.

Matt Van Biene climbing in Joshua Tree.

Matt has an interesting blog where he shares his climbing experiences – be sure to check it out:  Matt Van Biene’s blog – This Journey.

Matt tossing a rope off the top.

Matt tossing a rope off the top.

Matt suggested this shot – great suggestion, kind of a classic climbing image of the rope being tossed over the edge.

Climbing in Joshua Tree

Ron NiebruggeCalifornia, Photos, Travel 15 Comments

Ernest Sierras climbing in Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Ernest Sierras at sunset climbing in Joshua Tree National Park, California.

It was amazing watching Ernest work his way up an almost vertical wall with the help from just a tiny little crack in the rock.  I had a great time working with Ernest and two other great climbers in Joshua Tree on Friday – more to come.

Joshua Tree at Sunset

Ron NiebruggeCalifornia, Photos, Travel 9 Comments

Jushua Tree at sunset, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Joshua Tree at sunset, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

I think the unique, graphical shapes of these trees just cries out to be used as a silhouette.  Having a colorful sky was a bonus!

Coyote, Joshua Tree National Park

Ron NiebruggeCalifornia, Photos, Travel 7 Comments

Coyote, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

Coyote, Joshua Tree National Park, California.

It was a treat watching this coyote as he passed by my location on a nice evening earlier this week.  Being outdoors in a place like Joshua Tree is always a treat, but having the opportunity to observe wildlife in it’s natural environment, substantially enhances the experience.

Right after the coyote pasted by this spot, a chipmunk ran out from under the rock you see above the coyote’s head – I suppose the chipmunk didn’t enjoying the coyote’s presence as much as I did.