Photo Blog - Niebrugge Images

I have this vision of a wide angle close up of a bear in the middle of a rain forest stream.  To capture this image, I have been setting my camera up in a pretty spot that has been frequented by bears, and then hooking up a Pocket Wizard, so that I can fire the camera remotely and safely hundreds of feet away.  It has almost worked a few times.

Yesterday I thought I had the perfect spot, great setting, and recent bears.  I set everything up, went back to my car to get the transmitter, and wouldn’t you know it, here come the bears!  Unfortunately, I hadn’t turned on the receiver on yet!  I stood back and waited, it was about 10 minutes before I could return to my camera, and this is how I found it!  Just think of the close up shot I could have had just before the bear knocked my camera over!

The camera landed on a rock, and seemed fairly dry and was in perfect working order.  The Pocket Wizard (the blue thing you see under water) wasn’t so lucky - it stopped working.  I really didn’t want to spend $180 dollars for a new one, so I completely disassembled it and dried it thoroughly, and today it started working again!

I have been using an older backup camera, but I would still hate to lose the thing.  I think I need some kind of metal box to protect the camera in the future.  These stories are probably cutting my camera gear resale values in half. 

I went back to my secret little bear spot today with hopes of showing the bears in more of their beautiful rain forest environment.  I tried using a remote wide angle for some up close images - tomorrow I will show you what happened to that effort.

Brown Bear, Chugach National Forest, Alaska. 

I was very fortunate to find this brown bear sow with a cub today.  It is surprising, and a bit concerning when you see how quickly such a large animal can nearly disappear in the thick vegetation.

McDowell Mountain Regional Park, near Phoenix, Arizona.

We had enough coverage of this little gem to warrant its own section on our website here:  McDowell Mountain Regional Park Photos.  I don’t think too many people have heard of this regional park, I bet most people living in Phoenix haven’t visited it, but they should!  This place has a lot of diversity - it is surprising to find such a place so close to a city like Phoenix.  And, it has some killer mountain biking trails!

Exit Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park, Alaska.

A friend and I found this ice cave last weekend.  The really cool thing about this cave; there appeared to be an opening in the roof near the back of the cave.  This opening allowed some light to illuminate the back of the cave, and that helped to back lite the ice making it really glow.  It is an amazing sight.

Exit Glacier is really melting and changing fast, I wouldn’t be surprised if this cave is already gone.  It is a real treat to live so close to such a marvel of nature - I really hope it doesn’t melt entirely!

Humpback whale along the Kenai Fjords National Park coastline, Alaska.  This is another photo from last Thursday.

Neon green colored algae on the Kenai Fjords National Park coast, Alaska.

I’m sure this beautiful algae can be found in other places, but I have only seen it in a small part of one little cove along the Kenai Fjords coastline.  I don’t what causes it, or why it only seems to grow in this little area, but it sure looks cool! 

I first saw this spot four years ago, but it was in the middle of a bright sunny day.  I have always wanted to return on an overcast day, because the defused overcast light really has a way of bring out color in just about any subject.  Yesterday I got that chance as I joined Calvin Hall as he took his new boat on it’s maiden ocean voyage.  We had a blast - we spent most of the time watching what we estimated to be at least 6 humpbacks as they fed in a pretty little cove - and for most the day, we were the only boat there!

Dwarf Dogwood and ferns, Chugach National Forest, Alaska.

I love the look of plants when they first emerge in spring.  Not only do they have wonderful, rich greens, but their leaves are still in perfect condition.  Soon, the effects of wind, rain and insects will take their toll.

I shouldn’t be talking about new plant life in the second week of July, but after a snowy winter, and a very cool spring and summer - well everything is running late this year.  We have only had a couple of days this year where the daytime high exceeded 60, and some days in June that didn’t break 50.  I’m sure the plants don’t realize its summer! 

Chocolate Lily near Seward, Alaska.

I photographed this chocolate lily in the same field as the sparrows in the last two posts. 

I framed this wildflower through a tiny opening in the surrounding vegetation, while using my 600 and a 2x converter.  I like to use this 1200mm super telephoto setup for wildflowers because it allows me to put everything in front of and behind the wildflower completely out of focus, creating what I think is kind of a neat effect.

Like everything else around here, these guys are blooming really late this year.  It was nice to find some that were just opening and still pointing upwards - usually they hang down.

Savannah Sparrow on a lupine near Seward, Alaska.

This sparrow had a mouth full of some sort of insect.  After posing nicely in one of the most colorful patches of lupine, it flew back to the woods - to a nest I assume.

Savannah Sparrow on a lupine near Seward, Alaska.

Even though I have photographed this spot a lot over the years, I can’t help returning to this wonderful little field of wildflowers near my home, especially on a perfect morning like it was today! 

Seward Boat Harbor, Alaska.

This was from earlier in the week - at 4:30 in the morning!

These fireworks at the end of an Arizona Diamondback’s game in Phoenix this spring is about the closest thing I have to a 4th of July photo! 

Font’s Point, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California.

We have been working our way through the adjusting, key-wording and finally adding our photos from our last trip to our website.  We just updated our section of Anza-Borrego photos from our time spent there this spring.

We now have a lot of coverage of this beautiful desert, too bad few people outside of Southern California have heard of the place.  Heck, I come across people in So Cal who haven’t heard of it - but then again, the relatively low visitors numbers is one of the things I like about the place.

A white colored black bear near Skagway, Alaska.  These white colored bears are also known as Kermode, Spirit or Ghost Bears.

Certainly one of my highlights last summer was spotting and photographing this rare bear.  You may have remembered me writing about it here:  Spirit Bear.   The local residents were so excited to have such a rare bear around, that they lobbied and convinced the State Board of Game to pass a law protecting the taking of a white black bear. (more…)

Last night at about 10:00, just two short days after offering my deal, I got the call I had been waiting for - Wolverine!  Not only that the excited caller said, but there were three of them, and they were in my front yard! (more…)

An engine from the Alaska Railroad in Seward, Alaska.

Everyday I drive by the train parked next to this beautiful field of lupine, I tell myself I need a photo of that scene before the lupine blooms out.  Well today I finally made the time to capture a photograph.

A little black bear in Seward, Alaska.

I have to thank my buddy Doug, owner of one of the nicest bed and breakfasts in town, Bay Vista Bed and Breakfast for calling me and tipping me off about this cute little guy.

I really appreciate phone calls like this. (more…)

Killer whale outside of Seward, Alaska.

I liked how the only sun light to been seen anywhere around just happened to be illuminating this giant whale. 

Another look at the beautiful Kenai coast outside of Seward, Alaska.

You can see why this area is a challenging, but amazing place to kayak.  Not only do you often have rough seas, but getting to shore can be pretty tough in many areas.  But what a place to explore up close!