The Story Behind the Image...
"Nature's Fireworks"
Following nearly 15 months of postponed travel due to the worldwide pandemic, I returned to Iceland in May 2021 to witness the eruption of the the Geldingadalir Volcano. Despite all the news coverage prior to my departure, nothing could quite prepare me for the sight that unfolded when I crested the final ridge and stared down into the volcano. We were so close that the hillside was littered with golfball-sized volcanic tephra, and I was able to shoot full-frame video with my phone—without zooming in! By the time I arrived, magma was concentrated along a single vent which cycled between a calm simmer and a gigantic fire geyser that shot lava more than 1,000’ into the air. The sound was like ocean waves crashing ashore that crescendo’ed to the roar of a jet engine. And the heat? Even on the hillside you could feel the warmth, but within a few feet of the cooling lava edge you only could tolerate a few seconds. Instead of the roar of the erupting cinder cone, however, this part of the volcano sounded like broken glass as it crept forward ever so slowly. It was truly the most amazing thing I have ever witnessed!
"The Legend"
I had the opportunity to take a helicopter flight to some of Iceland’s most mesmerizing ice caves with a local guide. Einar Rúnar Sigurðsson, whose ancestors were early settlers of Iceland, has been guiding tourists across glaciers, through ice caves, and up mountains for more than 25 years. His great grandfather was the first to climb Iceland’s highest peak, and Einar himself holds the World Record with more than 300 ascents to the top. A group of 4 photographers, including myself, joined Einar on a 5-hour journey exploring the beauty of ice. We went spelunking through dark tunnels of ice barely large enough to squeeze through, and gazed in awe at the spacious caverns of scalloped blue walls and ceilings. The ice itself was filled with volcanic ash, sediment, rocks of all sizes, and abstract pockets of air. It was more than I could have imagined, and it was a privilege to explore these caves with a local legend. I took many photos that day, but the one of Einar was my favorite!
"Unsung Heroes"
I have been taking photos for the National Interagency Fire Center since 2003, and one common theme at most incidents is the lack of initial acceptance as a photographer on the fireline. It usually takes a few days to earn their respect, cooperation, and trust. My time on the Thompson Ridge Fire on the Valles Caldera, however, was drastically different and will always be my favorite assignment. I joined the night-shift operations and was partnered with a squad boss on the Granite Mountain Hotshots. He accepted me immediately, went out of his way to get cooperation from his crew for photos, looked out for my safety, and shared his knowledge of fire. The other crew members I met were funny, dedicated, passionate, and hardworking—and they all had each other’s backs. I will never forget the day I learned of their tragic deaths on the Yarnell Hill Fire, and my experiences with them at the Valles Caldera will always be a part of me. This image of a Forest Service Engine Crew member is one of my favorite taken that night.
"Graceful Swimmer"
When I traveled up to Svalbard, one of my main objectives was to see a Polar Bear in its natural habitat. What I failed to realize was that many encounters are actually more through binoculars than up close and personal. Thanks to the keen eyes of the polar guides, we saw 5 bears in a single day as we made our way through the pack ice above 80°N. Most of the bears we watched from a distance, but we caught the curiosity of one bear that decided to come take a look at our ship. Likely drawn to the smell of lunch from the back of the ship, he hung around for about an hour, climbing onto small icebergs and swimming around our ship – twice!! It was a privilege to see one so close, and I was amazed by how effortlessly he paddled through the water. It’s no wonder they are classified as marine mammals, as he seemed more comfortable in the water than on land.
"Stranger Danger"
One of the first things I noticed during my trip to Antarctica was the sense of privilege to witness such a remote and mysterious world. At times the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful; other times the wind and seas unforgivably brutal. But mostly it felt as if you were in your own wildlife documentary, where curious penguins approached with limited caution, fur seals aggressively protected their territory, and the largest birds on earth glided gently on the air currents trailing the boat. A highlight of the trip was two zodiac excursions to the Danger Islands, a group of islands in the Weddell Sea that are usually inaccessible due to sea ice and high surf surrounding them. They are so rarely visited, in fact, that more people summit Mt. Everest in a week than have ever seen their shores. But those lucky enough to visit these islands are treated to 1.5 million breeding Adélie penguins speckling the hillsides. One of our guides said it best when he apologetically grabbed for his own camera, admitting this was a “National Geographic Moment.” This photo was taken off the coast of the Danger Islands as we returned to our ship.
"Lights over Cape Merry"
I traveled to Churchill in search of polar bears AND northern lights, but we were informed upon arrival that it wasn’t likely we'd see the Aurora Borealis this time of year due to typical cloud cover. At the same time, one of the passengers mentioned a Class M1 solar flare that occurred a few days earlier would cause a dramatic display…if only we could see it! The morning started out dreary and the clouds persisted all day, but as we drove back to town after a day on the tundra, the clouds began to part. It was not too long before darkness arrived and a green arc of light stretched north to south directly overhead. The show was spectacular and lasted all night…you could see every color of the rainbow, from blue, cyan, and green to yellow, magenta, and red. The aurora pulsed, swirled, and danced in curtains of light from every direction. Even the locals were outside enjoying the show, which says something in and of itself! Not content with a single viewing, we took a taxi outside of town to Cape Merry. It wasn’t until a few days later we realized how dangerous that decision could have been, as we weren’t allowed out of the vehicle until the area had first been checked for polar bears by guards with guns!
