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Katmai, Alaska
12/08/2015
In 2015, I embarked on an unforgettable photography expedition to Alaska with YY Chin, Art Ryan, and Christa—an adventure organized by Natural Habitat that tested both endurance and spirit. Reaching the meeting point on Kodiak Island took over 25 hours of flight time (not counting transits), a baffling zigzag route via mainland USA before circling back north. After we arrived at Kodiak and a one night stay over at a local hotel, we took a seaplane who flew us to our boat docking off Katmai, which was fun and thrilling. It felt like chasing the wild before even reaching it.
Our home for the week was a repurposed crab boat called Ursus, cozy to say the least. Eight travelers, a hardworking crew, and cabin quarters tighter than my camera gear. I bunked with a 6 foot 5 inch tall Danish fellow in a cramped room, a far cry from the plush lodges of my first African safari. Yet, that discomfort was quickly forgotten as the magic of Alaska unfolded.
Each day, we ventured out on zodiacs twice—either floating silently on the water or landing ashore to trek amongst wild brown bears. July and August brought the salmon run, and with it, hungry bears emerging from hibernation, feeding with primal elegance. Long summer daylight gifted us golden shooting hours well past 10:30 p.m., illuminating bears, rugged coastlines and windswept grasses in cinematic hues.
There were two memorable scenes during the trip which stood out for me. The first was the bears fighting over the right to feed on a whale carcass floating off the shore. The second was a mother bear defending her cub against a much larger male bear before another male came to the rescue. The ensuing fight was epic and caught on video by our guide,
Brad Joseph Armed with an upgraded camera and lens, I was better equipped to capture the pulse of the wilderness. Still the files are not sufficient for large prints. The sights and the huge brown bears with the vast landscapes and clear waters is as surreal as one can get to nature. That week in Alaska is another step into my creative journey, where adventure met grace in the wild north.
