A night of wolves

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Photos, Travel 4 Comments

Here is one of those cases where my memory and the actual experience far exceed the quality of the image.

I captured this photo in last light as I pulled into this small protected cove so that I could anchor up and sleep on my small rental boat for the evening.  This is looking out the cove in the direction the sun had set maybe an hour earlier, behind me is the shore about 50 yards away.  As I began dropping anchor, I could hear a pack of wolves begin to howl just a short distance away, possibly on shore near my boat.  This would begin a chorus of howls that would come and go for the next few hours – it was such a cool experience!  Despite light from a near full moon, as hard as I looked, I never could make out any shapes or movements, but I knew they were there.

I pulled out the next morning before first light thanks to the bright moon, so I never did see the elusive animals, but commercial fisherman back in Petersburg later confirmed that the cove I was in is home to a very active wolf pack.

I hope to anchor up in this cove next summer during my Southeast Alaska yacht based whale and landscape photo tour.  Next time I think I will allow a few more hours to try to see and photograph this pack of wolves along the beautiful rainforest coastline.

Costa Rica!

Ron NiebruggeCosta Rica, Photos, Travel 3 Comments

Since I’m doing lots of office work right now, and not getting too much in the way of new images, I thought I would share yet another one from 2004.  Looking back, I would say it was a pretty good year!

I love Costa Rica, especially the Tabacon Hot Springs pictured here.  Warm, lush green rain forest and tons of wildlife!  This image was the cover of a Fodor’s travel guide for the country.

Bryce National Park

Ron NiebruggePhotos, Travel, Utah 3 Comments

Sticking with the Winter in the Southwest theme – this was another one from the same trip as the Grand Canyon Post from yesterday.

We arrived at Bryce just ahead of a winter storm that brought almost a foot of fresh snow to the region.  The snow closed the roads behind us, leaving us “trapped” in this wonderful park.  We were the only ones in the campground when the roads were closed behind us.  Fortunately we had a 4 wheel drive and could still get around on the un-plowed roads giving us the entire National Park completely to ourselves – what a treat!

Grand Canyon

Ron NiebruggeArizona, Photos, Travel 11 Comments

I thought this was a fitting photo as we have been working on plans for an extended trip to the Grand Canyon this upcoming May, and possibly another one next September / October.  Although, it sounds like getting back country permits can be a bit tough for the popular areas during those popular months, so we really won’t know much until January at the earliest.  One of these years I think it would be fun to stay at the Phantom Ranch, but I haven’t had any luck there, and read recently that a cabin at the Ranch is one of the hardest reservations to obtain in the United States.  I think I’ll just keep trying every month, and if we get lucky one of these days then we are on it!

This was from our last visit to the Grand Canyon during an extended Winter trip through the Southwest back in 2004 – I can’t believe it was 8 years ago, wow how time flies!

The one thing that stands out from this morning was the camping in single digit temperatures – it was cold!  Seemed strange that at the time Arizona was colder in February then it was back home in Alaska.

Anza-Borrego Photo Workshop 2013

Ron NiebruggeAnza-Borrego, California, Photos, Travel 3 Comments

Well I had planned for sometime to write about and promote my Anza-Borrego Desert State Park photography workshop coming up in March, 2013.  I’m glad to see everyone else is paying attention to our photo workshops because it filled before I could even promote it!  So this week we added a second workshop and it has already started to fill.  I only having permitting for these two workshops, so when the second one fills, that will be it.

As many of you know, we usually spend a month in Anza-Borrego each winter – a place I have been visiting since I was a child.  For the last few years I have been offering this popular weekend workshop.  When I say workshop, I mean it will be heavy on teaching and discussing photography – everything from light to composition.  I won’t be taking photos myself, this frees me up to look through viewfinders, give individual attention and even hold reflectors or carry gear!

Most people haven’t heard of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Anza-Borrego is a vast, beautiful state park located in the Sonoran Desert South of Palm Springs and West of San Diego.  For a better feel, here are many more photos of Anza-Borrego.