The black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) is a frequent sight in Arctic and Sub-Arctic regions. A member of the gull family, this individual was photographed from the deck of a small ship in the Svalbard Archipelago. These birds would often follow behind the ship waiting for small marine life to be stirred up in the ship’s wake. I decided to process this image as a black and white with a subtle sepia toning. I particularly like the arc of water […]
Snow Bunting leaving nest, Svalbard. The snow bunting leaving its nest tucked away in a rock crevice. Some people maintain that birds should never be photographed at a nest. This is well meaning as some species are sensitive to any approach and may abandon a nest. This species was understood to be tolerant and this bird was unconcerned by our approach and presence as it went about its activities. The bird was fast moving and unpredictable. […]
Svalbard, 2023. Moody skies can really make a photograph. Other than the black and white conversion, this image is almost straight out of camera. ~KD
Facing the light. Wildflowers, Svalbard. 2023. The Arctic is not the place for large showy flowers. The climate demands they are small, in some species the blooms are no larger than a match head. This species, curse me but I can’t recall the name, has blooms about the size of a fingernail. Real fingernails that is, not those glue on plastic numbers that some women, and most drag queens, wear!
As might been noticed from the updated homepage gallery, I recently completed a trip to Svalbard in the Arctic circle, my second trip to the archipelago, the first trip being back in 2013. Landing in the only town of real size there, Longyearbyen, it appeared that there’s been considerable development in the intervening decade. Unlike my previous visit, this visit was to be mostly ship based exploration of the northern parts of the islands with the emphasis on […]