Welcome! I have recently upgraded my website with many new images including landscapes, wildlife, birds, infrared images, B&W, sports, and people. Also included are links to my PhotoFile magazines documenting travels and photo adventures. Photographers may be interested in Dear John, a question & answer column that I write periodically for the Alaska Society of Outdoor and Nature Photographers (www.ASONP.org) in their newsletter, the Viewfinder. Finally, I have thousands of images that are available to purchase as fine art prints or to license for editorial and/or commercial uses.
This gallery provides a variety of images made in Denali National Park which is a 4-5 hour drive north of Anchorage, Alaska. Mt. McKinley, the dominate peak in the Park and the highest in North America, has been officially named “Denali”, but most locals have been using this name for years.
The natural world has always been a source of fascination, admiration, and joy for me. So it is no surprise that much of my photographic work has focused on the mountains, oceans, rivers, trees, rocks, sky, plants, and animals that exist here on Earth. Alaska is rich for photographers with its incredible large and small landscapes, its wildlife, and its vast wilderness.
For more information about Denali, the mountain, and Denali National Park, click here to see my PhotoFile magazine on Denali.
View of Denali and Wonder Lake on a frosty fall morning.
Wonder Lake campground in late August with view of Denali’s north face.
Ground squirrel, seen throughout the park.
Frost covered leaves of Bearberry.
The Park shuttle bus and a grizzly bear stop to look at each other.
A young wolf turns to look at me as he passes by on the park road.
Early morning infrared capture of Denali and Wonder Lake.
Large, full curl Dall sheep ram on Primrose Ridge.
A young red fox on the park road studies me.
A day hiker enjoys the views of the north side of Denali (Mt. McKinley).
Fog envelopes the park road on Polychrome Pass in Denali National Park.
Sunset provides alpine glow on Denali’s north peak and Wickersham Wall as seen from Wonder Lake.
Denali National Park road and rainbow with fall colors.
Beaver in a pond near the park road, Denali National Park.
Mt. Brooks, as seen from the Wonder Lake campground.
Denali as seen from the Wonder Lake campground.
The Alaska Range as seen from Polychrome Pass in Denali National Park.
Aurora over Wonder Lake in early September.
A group of young women wait on the Park road for the shuttle bus after completing a multi-day backpack trip in the back country.
Birds are one of my favorite subjects to photograph. They are challenging to photograph, especially the little ones who seem to be constantly moving. The more I learn about birds, the more I am fascinated with them and the more respect I have for their abilities. Consider, for example, the Bar-tailed Godwit, which breeds in western Alaska and flies 11 - 12,000 KM back to its wintering grounds in New Zealand without stopping or eating during the nine day trip. An amazing feat of endurance and navigation! Or consider ravens and crows, both of which are very smart and can use simple tools to help them obtain food.
Willow Ptarmigan, Alaska’s state bird in summer plumage.
Bald Eagle in Cordova, Alaska prepares to fly.
Bald Eagle on nest with chick, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.
Bald Eagle, Lake Clark National Park, Alaska.
Black Oystercatcher, Cook Inlet, Alaska. The male and female are identical in plumage but it is generally thought the eye pupil of the females appear to contain an extra black fleck.
Silhouette of Sandhill Cranes landing at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.
A huge flock of Snow Geese blast off from a field at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico.
Male Rufus Hummingbird perches on a shrub in Cordova, Alaska.
A Common Redpoll rests on the snow in a spruce tree in Anchorage, Alaska. See more information and photographs of Redpolls here.
A male Western Tanager perches on a shrub near the visitor’s center at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon.
A Red-winged Blackbird perches on a leafless piece of brush in mid-winter a the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, New Mexico.
Boreal Chickadee visiting a feeder during a winter in Anchorage, Alaska.
A Western Sandpiper feeds at Hartney Bay during the 2018 Shorebird Festival in Cordova, Alaska.
A flock of flying Western Sandpipers are silhouetted against a sunset reflected on Hartney Bay near Cordova, Alaska.
Sandhill Cranes stand in a freezing pond while spending the winter at the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Anchorage.
A female Dark-eyed Junco holds several insects in its beak and prepares to fly back to a nest. Anchorage, Alaska.
Wilson’s Snipe photographed at Potter Marsh in Anchorage, Alaska.
A perched Loggerhead Shrike holds a lizard in its beak which was caught near the Anza Borrego State Park visitor’s center in southern California.
A Northern Shrike perches on a small branch while coughing up pellet in Denali National Park, Alaska.
Long-billed Curlew, California.
Marbled Godwit.
Tree Swallow, male, Anchorage.
White-winged Crossbill, female.
Sanderlings, in winter plumage, look for food on a beach in San Diego, California.
A huge flock of Snow Geese blast off a pond just before sunrise while wintering at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.
A Yellow-rumped Warbler perches in an alder bush at Potter Marsh in Anchorage, Alaska.
An Osprey looks for prey while hovering over Potter Marsh in Anchorage, Alaska.
Wildlife is never far away for those who live in Alaska. Even in Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city, moose and bears are commonly seen and encountered in town and sometimes on your back deck. While moose seem quite serene most of the time, in late winter they can be quite dangerous and cow moose are especially dangerous when defending their young. Locals and visitors should remember: “always run from a moose, but never run from a bear”.
Coastal brown bear “spring” cubs eating sedges at Kukak Bay, Katmai National Park and Preserve.
Brown Bear cubs playing on a beach at Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park, Alaska.
Coastal brown bear searches for fish in Brooks River, Katmai National Park, Alaska.
Several coastal brown bears feed on a dead fin whale that washed up on a beach in Katmai National Park, Alaska. When food is abundant, bears tend to be more tolerant of other bears.
A coastal brown bear sits on a rock waiting for migrating salmon at Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park, Alaska.
A coastal brown bear, with a freshly captured sockeye salmon, glances briefly at the photographer (me) before eating the fish.
A polar bear, plays with a rope on a barrier island in Kaktovik, Alaska while waiting for the ice to form in the ocean.
A female transient Orca breaches while involved in chasing prey in Lynn Canal, Southeast Alaska.
A female Orca whale “spy-hopping” while swimming with her calf in Lynn Canal in Southeast Alaska.
A bull moose with velvet antlers stands in tall grass next to a road in Anchorage, Alaska.
A female moose feeds while standing in Wonder Lake at Denali National Park, Alaska. The base of Denali is visible in the background.
A cow moose stands in a marsh at Kincaid Park in Anchorage, Alaska.
This young bull moose approached me while I was shoveling my driveway. He appeared aggressive with ears folded back, and hackles raised, so I retreated to a safer place.
Five Arctic Fox kits nervously watch visitors from behind rocks near their den on St. George Island, Alaska.
This black wolf was photographed in Denali National Park in 2007 when the chances of seeing a wolf were much better than they are today. Hunting and trapping adjacent to the park in recent years has severely reduced the chances of park visitors seeing wolves.
An African leopard rests in the shade in a national park in Tanzania.
A herd of zebras watch as several jackals cross in front of them in the Ngorongoro Crater, Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania.
A black rhino feeds on vegetation from a marsh in Ngrongoro Crater, Ngrongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania.
Six elephants of an apparent family cross a dry grassy plain in Tanzania.
Two zebras stand with heads resting on each others back.
Endangered Peninsular Big Horn Sheep stand on rocks in Anza-Borrego State Park, CA.
A western diamond-backed rattlesnake rests on the edge of a frog pond in Anza Borrego State Park, California.
Spider on a leaf carrying many baby spiders.
Nearly all of my photos of people are what I call environment portraits. These are usally photos of people participating in some form of activity, often in public areas. Occasionaly I will use models to make specific photographs that could be used by a stock agency for editorial or other commercial use. My trip to Havana gave me unique opportunities for approaching people on the street to make pictures. A record of that trip can be seen in my PhotoFile on Havana here. Finally, with the arrival of my grand kids, I have been happy getting much more practice photographing people in all kinds of situations.
A six year-old running - the essence of joy, freedom, and innocence.
Cooking fresh salmon for visitors at a remote lodge in Alaska.
Grandson biking in Connecticut.
Anticipating parenthood, soon.
A beautiful new life.
University hockey team attends a volleyball game.
Bob on fishing vessel, Cordova, Alaska.
Workers completing roof of water tank, Dillingham, Alaska.
I have always admired athletes and the drama that often occurs in sporting events. Capturing the defining moment in any sporting performance takes skill, patience, and lots of practice. Having knowledge of the sport, or even having played the sport is very helpful in knowing what will likely happen next and in finding the best location to capture a defining image. It is always inspiring and exciting to produce images near the action.
Ski jumper competing at the National Juniors Championship Nordic Combined at the Carl Eid Hill Top Ski jump in Anchorage, Alaska on February 23, 2018.
A ball carrier makes a big run at a high school Flag Football game in Anchorage, Alaska between Dimond High and South High.
A musher makes his way down a street in Anchorage at the start of a 25-mile heat in the three day race. Combined times of the three days determines the winner of this sprint mushing race which is part of the Fur Rondy in Anchorage.
A musher in the sprint mushing race in Anchorage flies down the trail next to Chester Creek during of the 25-mile heat in the three day race. Intentional motion blur photo.
A competitor in the three-day sprint race steers his sled along the Chester Creek trail during a snow storm in Anchorage, Alaska. The race is an event in the annual Fur Rondy festival that takes place in late February.
Allie Ostrander runs in a relay race in the Anchorage, Alaska Dome during her senior year at Kenai High School. She now competes for Boise State University and is one of best womens’ distance runners in the U.S., especially in the steeple chase.
Julia Mackey and Leah Swiss celebrate after winning a point during a match with Western Oregon at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage, Alaska on November 21, 2015.
Joy of surfing in Southern California.
Aurora display over a home in Anchorage, Alaska, Sept. 11. 2018
There is long history of traditional black and white landscape and street photography that is appreciated by many collectors. In the past, well made silver prints were thought to last for generations, making them treasures of lasting value. Now, digital print longevity compares favorably with silver prints. One of my photography mentors said every image should be visualized as a black and white photo unless there are compelling reasons to make it color.
Black and white image of a red-necked grebe and its reflection while resting on water and encircled with small, quiet ripples. Willow Lake, Matsu Valley, Alaska.
A ground level black and white image of a swallowtail butterfly (Papilio canadensis) on dandelions in a yard in Anchorage, Alaska.
These images were created using a digital camera that has been modified to capture infrared (IR) light. There is normally a filter in front of the sensor in all digital cameras that blocks IR light since all sensors are sensitive to IR. This filter is removed and replaced with a filter that allows varying degrees (depending on the filter) of IR light to penetrate and reach the sensor. Slight adjustments (or bracketing) in exposure and focus are usually required when using an IR modified camera. IR penetrates atmospheric haze and produces dramatic foliage, clouds, and sky in landscapes. A variety of stunning B&W images and “false-color” images can be made with these cameras. IR can also be used in portraiture which will yield soft, blemish free skin. Modifying a digital camera can be done by several companies and the one I have used for my cameras is Life Pixel located in the Seattle area.
A grouping of images that I like but don’t quite fit anywhere else. A mix, of various images and subjects that will change over time. Check back often.
Multiple exposures were made and selectively composited in post processing to produce the finished image.
This image was not created in Photoshop nor was there any special processing done to create it. Some of the Olympus OMD micro 4/3 cameras have a function called Live Composite which allows this type of light painting to be done in-camera. Light sticks were attached to a kayak paddle while a person moved across the scene. Multiple images were made and composited in-camera to produce this final image. The base exposure was 2 seconds, f/8, ISO 64.
All photographs and other content are protected under U.S. copyright laws. All rights reserved. Copying any content is prohibited without written permission. ©2018 John R. DeLapp.
