Alaska with Dr. Andrew Peacock
Ted's Master Dr. Andrew Peacock presents highlights from his latest trip through Alaska, as a photography instructor for Lindblad Expeditions
I've just returned from three weeks working as a photo instructor for Lindblad Expeditions aboard the National Geographic Quest in southeast Alaska.
In my first visual presentation to our 100 or so guests, I steered away from technical and instructional photo jargon and instead discussed the need to focus on three important elements of photography that will most influence the ability to create visual impact in a photo.
They are: Light, Composition and Moment.
I am chasing and looking for special and interesting light at all times when I have a camera in my hand... and even when I don't!
Through the viewfinder, I am scanning the edges of my frame to exclude extraneous information and trying to simplify my composition while using camera controls and making lens adjustments to creatively influence where a viewers attention will turn to in the photo.
Finally, and especially in the natural world, it pays to be patient, and wait...and look for... that particular moment when light, action or movement, and circumstance combine to make for a more interesting image.
Southeast Alaska is a stunning part of the world, a remote and ecologically important area with varied landscape and wildlife photographic opportunities.
It is home to the Tongass rainforest, the 'crown jewel' of the U.S. Forest Service, which stretches across 17 million acres of land and is the largest National Forest in the US. The coastal mountains are home to actively calving tidewater glaciers and provide a stunning backdrop to the mostly placid waterways of the Inside Passage.
It was a bit early in the summer for much brown bear activity as the salmon were not heading upriver to spawn just yet but we enjoyed a few close range, but safe, encounters nonetheless.
Sea otters, Steller sea lions, Bald eagles, Killer whales and a huge variety of seabirds were also the focus of our attention as we all attempted to bring back our own unique photographic interpretation of what was a fantastic ship-based expedition to a beautiful corner of the globe. I hope you enjoy this selection of images from my experience.
If you'd like to see more of Andrew's work, check out his galleries and website in the links below!
Website - www.footloosefotography.com
Facebook - @footloosefotography
Instagram - @footloosefotography
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