Marjorie Glacier dwarfs a cruise ship.
I had two major concerns before moving to Glacier Bay this summer:
- Will living in a rain forest make me go crazy and cause me to commit some sort of “rain rage” crime?
- Will there be enough places to take photos?
The jury is still out on number 1.
With only about 10 miles of paved road on the secluded “island” that I now call home, and only a smattering of trails, there aren’t many places to explore. Gustavus, the nearest town, has 400 people but you’d never know it by passing through.
This is downtown Gustavus:
“Downtown” Gustavus, Alaska.
That is all there is. It is really freaking small!
Note: that is not a real bear
Luckily, I have yet to be bored with photos. As you can see in the photo gallery below, there is a wide variety of things to photograph. From towering glaciers to Hitchcockian swarms of seagulls to defunct boats, this is a diverse and photogenic place.
Glacier Bay and Gustavus in Black and White
Click any photo to enlarge
Planet Bell 
I love these reminders of my time up north. Atlin- pop 400, but there was a bit more to ‘downtown’ than Gustavus, and it wasn’t an island so the trails were endless. OMG I’d completely forgotten about cow parsnip! Your photos are wonderful, but the first seagull pic – now that’s a beauty! I’d love to see some of them in colour eg columbine, and lupines at sunset. Have *not* forgotten about lupines and fireweed. In Sweden at the moment and both are also seen here in profusion.
Alison
Alison,
I’m glad these photos bring back memories. I like the seagulls too – I had risk getting pooped on to move in for that shot. The wildflowers of the north are stunning – one of my favorite parts of summer.
Okay, I will post these in color too. Thanks for commenting.
It looks like a beautiful place to spend a while but, I wouldn’t want to live there. The b/w images (especially the boat and truck) really bring home a feeling of desolation. It is easy to imagine that no one is there or has been there for a long time.
Those photos due create that feeling, but this is a vibrant town despite the size. I’ll post some pics of the 4th of July. Literally everyone came out for it! With the flow of tourists in and out, it is a busy town.
It looks like a wonderful place to get away from crowds.
Yes, it can be. I think I showed the more lonely side of the place. I need to post some photos to show the more vibrant community.
Astounding photos Jeff. I’m not sure how I would do with the isolation but your photos leave me enthralled with the beauty of Alaska.
Thank you Sue. I suppose it takes a certain kind of person to deal with the isolation. All the locals, are how do we say it…a little quirky. All the seasonal workers I work are busy with our jobs and we are a tight knit group so we are doing okay. But, yes, it will be nice to be in a town again.
What is your job description besides being the greatest photographer I know? The black and whites are stark…puffins?
Jo,
You are too nice, but thank you for the compliments. We have to go out on the boat to see puffins – I’ll put one in a future post for you. Thanks for commenting.
I can’t imagine running out of things to photograph with so much beauty surrounding you. I am not certain I could deal with the isolation of living in Alaska, perhaps for a period of time!
I think my fear of running out of things to photograph was because there aren’t many places to go. However, the few photogenic spots are varied and constantly changing. One week a field is full of lupine, the next week fireweed.
I’m (partly) very jealous of you. I would be thrilled to be at GB – for about one month. Not sure I could do longer than that. I should have done it in my 20’s, when it would have been heaven for me. I’m glad you are enjoying it!
Missed this post last week since I was in blog incognito. Wonderful B&W’s…always a winner with me. Color is cool too, but B&W is so…authentic.
Thank you. I like B&W because as you say, it is authentic even though it is altered. You don’t have to worry about over saturated photos or things appearing surreal. You get down to the essence of the scene, the shapes and shadows. How is Bali?