Northern Lights
Big Dipper over a valley in Hatcher Pass
This was a cold winter night in Hatcher Pass, Alaska. This was shot shortly after the big 3-day snowstorm that crippled most of Anchorage area.
One of many shots I took tonight. The conditions were terrible. Wind gust of over 55 miles per hour, which created white-out conditions. Because you couldn't see more than a few feet infront of your veficle you could run into car stopping snow drifts all along the Glenn Higjhway. Luckily I avooided getting stuck. I counted 11 vehicles that were not so fourtunate. Many of them abandoned in lanes of traffic. There were also sub-zero temperatures. My vehicles temperature reading said that it was -9F. With windchill it was more like -20F. Even with all the obstacles I still managed to make it just past Chickaloon to Long Lake. I only managed to capture the tail-end of what looked to be an amazing aurora show, but it was still pretty incredible!
River Fog and auroras
The city lights of Anchorage are glowing brightly behind a patch of cattails. While the auroras dance overhead. I focused my camera on the cattails and the long shadows created by the moon off to my left. Intentionally putting the background slightly out of focus.
Potter Marsh, Anchorage 10/21-22/2022
Aurora storm 2
The full moon sits atop a spruce tree. Even though a full moon can make it hard to see the northern lights, in this case the intensity of the solar storm made it possible to be seen during a full moon.
So far this year the weather has not been very aurora friendly for Southcentral Alaska. The cloudy weather makes it very hard to see what NOAA aurora forecast say is up there in the sky.
A big green band of solar activity stretches across the sky. It makes the oncoming vehicle's light miniscule in comparison. This was taken along the Glenn Highway during one of the worst windy winter storms in in Southcentral Alaskan history.
The aurora was really putting on a show. Shot the night of 11-28-2022, near Knik River
Mountain Topper
When the aurora has to compete with a nearly full moon, the aurora usually suffers by way of color fade. Even though this was a very strong aurora it could not match the moon's intensity. I call this Moon Fade.
I had to get down into the marsh for this shot. Luckily I have waterproof boots.
6 am on my street.10/21-22/2022
Aurora storm 2
Just another sky full of auroras
Following old animal tracks on our hunt for northern lights. In our hunt we captured a shooting star.
Alaskan Nights
While the weather was crazy, with the almost tornado force winds. The snowdrifts that were created by the highwinds were a work of art. I only wish I had been able to capture more before my face and hands became too cold.
Snowdrifts and trees
Fill the skly
Surprise auroras last night/this morning at 3ish am. I grabbed my winter gear and dashed out the door at around 2:45am. It took me about 10 minutes to get to this spot, but just as I did the lights begin to become more active. With the almost full moon shining bright, the auroras really had to try hard to be seen. I think they did okay. Added bonus in the foreground was finding this windswept patterns in the snow to compliment the background
Potter Marsh looking towards Anchorage
Potter Marsh looking towards Anchorage. 10/21-22/2022
This was the view of the sky on my street this morning just after 6am. I was just getting home from an Aurora tour. As you can tell the guest on my tour had a really good show. 10/21-22/2022
Soomeone burning a little steel wool underr the northern lights
The full moon is great at lighting the landscape. I especially like the way that it creates interesting shadows and light on the snow. Its not so great when you are trying to see the auroras.My son looking back at the way we hiked.
My son Marley seeing the northern lights for the first time.
When you're night hiking in Alaska you sometimes don't need a headlamp. Beautiful display of aurora boeralis over the mountains of Hatcher Pass, Alaska
The only car that I saw the whole time Besides myself this person was willing to bravve the elements.
From the banks
A beautiful flowing aurora to match the flowing creek. It was a very cold night. Temperatures averaged -8 F. Seeing the auroras took our minds off of the cold
This was taken bak when we had warmer tiimes here in Alaska. I really liked how the still puddle perfectly reflected the sky above. This shot was taken along the Glenn Highway near Matanuska Glacier on the night of October 4, 2022
Looking up. 10/21-22/2022. Seward highway near Potter Marsh, Anchorage
This was the view of the sky on my street this morning just after 6am. I was just getting home from an Aurora tour. As you can tell the guest on my tour had a really good show.
I thought I'd do something a little different on this image. Instead of spending a ton of time processing the image, I wanted to do something more natural. I literally spent more time fighting the urge to make more adjustment than adjusting. I only made 3 adjustments on this image, nothing else. I darkened the exposure. I raised the shadows up on the mountains and gravel bar. I leveled the picture. That's it. Nothing else. What do you think Should I have done more?
Even with the full moon we got to see a pretty impressive northern lights show. Night of 4/14/2022. Near Tolsona, Alaska
rainbow of colors
Middle of the creek
Just before the clouds moved the auroras gave us one last burst over the mountains. The ring slowly moved across the sky, from left to right. I wanted the center part of the ring to be above the mountain, but this was the best I could get.
Northern lights with a little assist to help the street lights out.
Potter Marsh, Anchorage 10/21-22/2022
Aurora storm 1
Using the glass like water, I can make one aurora show into two aurora shows. I prefer shooting the northern lights when there is a little cloud cover. It feel that they add another layer of depth. Shot along the Knik River, Butte, Alaska. 08/29/2022
Single stream of aurora intersecting with the moon. 4/14/2022. Tolsona, Alaska