Featured in Outdoor Photographer!

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Denali, Kenai Fjords, Lake Clark, Photos, Travel 32 Comments

Outdoor Photographer feature pages 1 and 2

Outdoor Photographer feature pages 1 and 2

Outdoor Photographer feature pages 3 and 4.

Outdoor Photographer feature pages 3 and 4.

Outdoor Photographer feature pages 5 and 6.

Outdoor Photographer feature pages 5 and 6.

This is some exciting news I have been really eager to share – I have been featured in the February 2011 issue of the  foremost magazine for outdoor photographers – Outdoor  Photographer!  I started subscribing to the magazine about 15 years ago when I decided to get back into photography and started shopping for a new auto-focus camera.  So to now be featured is really coming full circle!  It is a wonderful honor that I am very proud of.

The article isn’t just about me, but my recommendations on a visit to Alaska, and even a bit on the above / below water photos I have shared here on the photo blog.  If you don’t subscribe, you can read a version of the article here.  But better yet purchase a copy at a local book store!  Judging from the really nice congratulation comments I have been receiving via email, Facebook and Twitter, I would say it has been available in the Lower 48 for a week or two.  I haven’t received my copy yet in Alaska, nor have I been able to find it in any stores, but it should be arriving soon.

All of the credit for this article goes to Jeff Wignall.  He approached me with the idea and then did all the work, I am really grateful to Jeff for doing such a great job.  If you are not familiar with Jeff Wignall, he has to be the most prolific and successful photography writer of all time.  He has a huge number of book titles, and I believe at least one of his Kodak books on photography sold well over a million copies.  In addition to books, he has his own radio show, is a monthly contributor to Popular Photography and regularly featured in other magazines and blogs.  To learn more about Jeff, take a look at his website:  Jeff Wignall, also check out Jeff Wignall’s blog.  Thanks Jeff!

Winter Wonderland

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Photos, Travel 11 Comments

Christmas morning on the Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest, Alaska.

Kenai Peninsula, Chugach National Forest, Alaska.

Here is another photo from Christmas morning.  This was about 10 minutes earlier then the one I  posted here on Monday.  The trees you see near the top of the little hill are the same ones in the foreground in Monday’s winter photo.

Christmas Morning

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Photos, Travel 25 Comments

Snowy trees, Chugach National Forest, Alaska.

Snowy trees, Chugach National Forest, Alaska.

I headed out the door a couple of hours before sunrise on Christmas morning – at 8:00 a.m. to be accurate.  These winter hours are kind of nice.  I drove 23 miles down the Seward Highway before I even saw another car!  All the pull outs and trail heads were empty – it was like I had Alaska all to myself for a couple of hours.  This spot was about a mile and a half walk in snowshoes – I forget how slow the going is in powder snow, and almost didn’t get here in time for first light.  It was a beautiful morning.  The temperature was a little below zero, and even after 2 hours of hiking and photographing, the battery on my Canon 5D II still had a strong charge.  That was impressive – at those temps, I would have needed to change batteries at least once with my previous camera.

This was a single exposure with my 24-105 lens at 105.  I was at f/14 for 1/5 of a second with an ISO of 400.  I was in an area of deep shade, but the rising sun was just beginning to glow on the distant mountains giving them a cool pastel glow.

We have a winner – and don’t forget free shipping on prints!

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Photos, Travel 5 Comments

Snowy trees last week in the Chugach National Forest just a few mile from Seward, Alaska.

Snowy trees last week in the Chugach National Forest just a few mile from Seward, Alaska.

Thanks for all the great comments and support on the giving away stuff post!  I really appreciate it.

Between Facebook and the photo blog, we had 70 entries.  I put them in a numbered list, went to random.org and generated number 36, and that number belong to Dena – congratulations Dena, watch for an email from me, for once an email that says you won really isn’t a scam.

I thought I would take this time to remind everyone about our free shipping on print orders over $100 ends after tomorrow.  And, there is still time to receive them before Christmas.  You know you are selling a lot of prints when the folks at the post office have your package sizes memorized.  Well, and you know you live in a small town.  🙂

Winter Photography

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Photos, Travel 7 Comments

Winter mountains, Seward, Alaska.

Winter mountains, Seward, Alaska.

Since I haven’t had time to write anything lately for the photo blog, I thought I would mention a few blog posts I wrote back in 2006 that seem applicable for this season.  Back then this blog had very few followers, at least compared to today, so it is very possible that these will be new to you, and since they are are a few of my most linked to and commented on posts, they just may be worth checking out!

First is one on winter photography entitled Winter Photography, 8 Great Tips.  Here you will find some suggestions that you don’t always read about thanks to my many many winters in Alaska!

This is also a great time of year for northern light photography.  Although it has been another slow year for the northern lights (aurora borealis) as we are just beginning to climb out of the bottom of the solar cycle – I didn’t realize just how good we had it back in 2000 to 2004, I wish I had taken better advantage, but  there are still opportunities, especially if you can travel North or East of Fairbanks.

So the first stepping is finding out when and where the Northern Lights will appear, and this post should help:  Finding Northern Lights.

Then, here are tips for photographing the Northern Lights:  Photographing the Northern Lights.

Moon over Mountains

Ron NiebruggeAlaska, Chugach, Photos, Travel 9 Comments

Moon rising over the mountains of the Chugach National Forest, Seward, Alaska.

A near full Moon rising over the mountains of the Chugach National Forest, Seward, Alaska.

This was from Wednesday afternoon.  I have thousands of variations of this scene, but I just can’t help myself.  It is funny, but when you see these amazing mountains day after day, they lose a bit of there impressiveness – I begin to take them for granted just a little bit.  I must say, after spending 6 weeks in the desert, I’m now reminded of just how beautiful these jagged peaks with a fresh coating of snow really look – they are stunning!