Lisa Dearing Photography

Virginia Herd Wild Horses

2011-04-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

Heres a couple of new wild horse photos from the Virginia Herd. These were two bachelors having a "day at the spa" Once they were done with rolling in mud they did a little play sparring but kept it fun. You can see new wild horse images posted on a my website which now has a "new work" portfolio just for wild horses. http://www.lisadearingphotography.com/#a=0&at=0&mi=2&pt=1&pi=10000&s=0&p=4

Dusty Dance Places in International Equine Ideal Photography Contest

2011-04-13T12:03:00.000-07:00

"Dusty Dance" won honorable mention in the Artistic Category in the 2011 Equine Ideal Photography Contest sponsored by the Equine Photographers Network. It was shot in Scottsdale, Arizona and the image was taken in a local arena of a quarter horse and rider practicing reining and cutting.

Backpack and Photos of Evolution Basin the High Sierra

2009-10-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Evolution Basin is located between Yosemite and Sequoia national Parks high in the upper watershed of the San Joaquin river. This area exemplifies some of the best the Sierra’s has to offer, large ecologically intact meadow systems, a multitude of granite peaks, cascading waterfalls, and emerald and cobalt high alpine lakes. Located 17 miles from the nearest trail head (whether accessed from the east or west) it is not an easy place to get too, and requires either a lot of time, and or assistance from horse packers to access.

Since for this trip I wanted to spend some time really getting the feel for this place, we decided to go for the quick entry with horse packer assistance. This enabled us to cover 14 miles the first day, carrying only light daypacks with my camera gear and lunch. The next morning we carried our loaded packs up the last 4 miles to Evolution Lake for a 3.5 day stay at this amazing place. There was a plethora of shooting angles and subjects within just few minutes of our tent, and even 3.5 days was not enough time.

One grey, misty, and rainy evening ,which we assumed would be a wash for photographs, we witnessed an amazing phenomena. As we finished dinner and rose to clean our dishes we saw that behind us the fog had lit up a bright orange. The sun had dropped down below the clouds out over the central valley and was turning our misty raining weather into a “St. Elmo’s fire”. This “fire” then projected the light and color out over the water surfaces and wet rocks. I ran to get my camera out of the tent, although frankly I assumed this was going to be very fleeting phenomena, and I would be to late to capture it. But it had just gotten started. I was able to take shots from 3 different perspectives as the “fire’s’ light changed the color in the fog and mist from orange to pinks and purples.

I will definitely be back to this amazing place, as it is one of the most beautiful gems of the Sierra. Lakes, waterfalls, craggy granite peaks, are some of the many features the basin has to offer. It is definitely worth the 22 mile hike to get to Evolution lake. Next time however, I will bring a better blister kit.

Arabian Horses Photo Shoot at Om El Arab International

2009-08-07T08:58:00.000-07:00

This past spring I spent time in Southern California at one of the most amazing Arabian farms photographing some of finest horses in the world. Om El Arab International is set in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barbara. Om El Arab literally translates to mean “Mother of all Arabians” in Arabic. Their breeding program is acclaimed as a world leader in producing International champions. The horses are simply stunning and represent the absolute best of the Arabian breed. Here are some photographs from my visit to see some of the most beautiful horses in the entire world.

Lisa Dearing Photography: At the Foot of Denali-Alaska's Biggest Mountain

2009-03-17T09:17:00.000-07:00

Lisa Dearing Photography: At the Foot of Denali-Alaska's Biggest Mountain
www.lisadearingphotography.com

At the Foot of Denali-Alaska's Biggest Mountain

2009-03-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

I spent two weeks last September camping at the foot of Mount McKinley at Wonder Lake photographing the mountain and the beautiful fall colors of the tundra in Denali National Park. The park in late August and early September is ablaze with autumn color and wildlife is gorging themselves on the abundant berries, and edible plants. Wonder Lake campground is an 8 hour journey on a park bus and lies at mile 85 which is almost the end of the dirt road that runs the length of the park. There are no cars allowed in the park besides the buses which run each hour and will drop hikers off anywhere you want, as long as there is no wildlife within ¼ mile of visibility. This is for safety as well as preserving the space for the animals. Along the way, we saw a wolf pack sunning on a hilltop, several moose in one of the many ponds, grizzly bear foraging, fox, caribou, and beaver. You can get off anywhere and hike in the park and get picked back up later by a returning bus. You can camp and backpack almost anywhere too, as long as you get a permit in advance.

For a two week camping trip, we packed in all our food, tents, camping equipment, and photo gear into a couple of large duffels and backpacks and boarded the camper bus that would drop us off 85 miles into the park at Wonder Lake campground.. Once you get to the Wonder Lake campground there are no facilities other than tent sites and a couple of flush toilets and a sink with running water. Every tent site however, has a gorgeous view of Denali (Mount McKinley). Most people who travel to the park spend all day riding a “day bus” and never even see the huge mountain of Mt. McKinley (Denali) which is frequently shrouded by clouds, fog, and bad weather. I decided to improve my chances for photography by camping at the foot of the mountain as far into the park as I could get (Wonder Lake Campground), and spending two full weeks there with hopes of getting some good shots and great views.

This strategy paid off, as we were rewarded with 11 out of 14 days of great mountain views and good weather. We frequently saw the mountain at sunset and sunrise which was spectacular with color. Anyone traveling in Alaska knows how bad the weather can be there and the summer of 2008 was one of the worst. Which is why it was even more amazing to get hot sunny days to hike and photograph in September. I recommend highly spending no less than 10 days in Denali National Park if you really want a chance to see the wildlife, beautiful landscapes, and oh yes, Denali (the great one) herself. The Wonder Lake campground is a great place to base out of as you can carry a lot of gear on the bus to do an extended trip. You can base camp there and day hike or even backpack from there to various destinations. My friends brought me in a mountain bike when they arrived several days after I did, which made it possible to reach photography destinations much faster than walking. A bike is highly recommended and can be put on the buses if not full. Early September is the best time because the weather is the best, the tundra is spectacular with autumn color, and the wildlife is very active before winter. The park closes around mid September. To see more Denali and Alaska photos go to www.lisadearingphotography.com. Alaska portfolio.

Alaska collection licensed through photoshelter at: http://pa.photoshelter.com/c/lisadearing and alamy images in the UK at: http://www.alamy.com/stock-photography-search-results.asp?adv=1&dtfr=&dtTo=&qt=lisa+dearing+alaska&creative=&lic=6&lic=1&hc=&selectdate=1&txtdtfr=&txtdtto=&size=0xFF&ot=1&ot=2&ot=4&ot=8&imgt=1&imgt=2&archive=1&chckarchive=1 This image is also offer through acclaim images USA at: http://www.acclaimimages.com.

America's Vanishing Wild Horses

2009-03-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

Wild Horses

“He who would venture nothing, must not get on a horse”
Spanish Proverb

After a very long courtship of perhaps six thousand years, mankind finally got smart enough to realize that greater benefit would accrue from riding horses than from eating them. So, sometime between four and six thousand years ago, the horse was brought into domestication everywhere that they then occurred in the world.

There is another important factor too: the first moment mankind bestrode the horse marked the beginning of modern warfare. The man on horseback became a conqueror who could raid his unmounted neighbor with impunity. Understandably, he was slow to trade or gift away this animal that was to him the very embodiment of power and speed. For all these reasons, it was not herds of domesticated horses that spread over the expanse of the Old world, but the ideas and techniques that made their domestication possible. The Spanish first brought horses to the Americas helping shape the history and destiny of the New World. The horse not only enabled our westward expansion, provided transportation, freedom to roam, commerce and mobility, but shaped how we view ourselves as nation.

“The Spanish Mustang helped shape the USA as we know it. Descended of the horse of the Conquistadors, Indian buffalo hunters and war ponys, cavalry mounts and Pony Express Ponys to The wild horse of the West, The Horse has a rich and illustrious history that forms an important part of our American Heritage.”

Frank T Hopkins, endurance rider and Inspiration for the Motion Picture Hidalgo, Based on The True Story of Hopkins Life

The rest is history, as the saying goes. Without the horse, our country woud not be what is today. Wild horses roamed the western landscape for many years since the pioneer days and many wild horses are descendents of the Spanish mustangs and other horse breeds brought over by the Spanish and later generations that settled the western US. Today, many wild horses still roam in shrinking areas of rangeland in the American West. Prior to 1971, wild horses suffered roundups for slaughter, shootings, and unspeakable cruelties until a group of horse lovers got together and persuaded Congress to act. Protection through legislation followed and the horses once again freely roamed the range lands of Nevada, Utah, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, and Colorado.

“In 1971, an unprecedented public outcry moved Congress to unanimously pass the Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act, granting federal protection to America's wild horses and burros as “living symbols of the historic and pioneer spirit of the west that contribute to the diversity of life forms within the Nation and enrich the lives of the American people.” The American Wild Horse Preservation Society

The herds were once again thriving. Until recently, that is. Fast Forward to 2000, coincidentally the election of GW Bush and some brand new thinking on the management policies regarding the lands of the western US. Today, An aggressive wild horse removal campaign is currently under way by the U.S. government, at the cost of millions of tax-dollars. The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) removal policy is contrary to the spirit of the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horse and Burro Act which effected the will of the American people; its intent was to preserve wild horses and burros as part of our national heritage.

Over the past 30 years, under pressure from special interest groups and in blatant disregard of the public’s wishes, the BLM has systematically favored subsidized livestock grazing on public lands to the detriment of wild horse populations. The Burns Amendment, slipped into the 2005 federal budget without so much as a hearing or opportunity for public review, was the last nail in the coffin of federal wild horse protection, opening the door to the slaughter of thousands of these living symbols of our Nation’s spirit. A few months later, while in the process of rounding up another 10,000 horses supposedly due to poor range conditions, BLM eased public land grazing restrictions for private cattle.
The AWHPC (American Wild Horse Protection Coalition) is calling for a Congressional inquiry into the government’s wild horse management policies, and coordinating a grassroots campaign in support of:

• the review of scientific findings that contradict BLM's claims of wild horse overpopulation and negative impact on the range;
• a moratorium on round-ups until actual numbers of wild horses and burros on public lands have been independently assessed; and
• implementation of in-the-wild management, which would save millions of tax-dollars.

For a few politicians to continue dismissing this issue as "emotional,"
simply because the American public deeply cares, is a slap in the face of democratic principles. Special interest groups do not hold a monopoly over sound public policy. The American public has enough common sense to see that scientific data, ethics and fiscal responsibility all fall squarely on the side of America's wild horses.

Historically the priority has been livestock, and in 2006 cattle and sheep consumed 20 times as much forage on BLM land as wild horses and burros. But in the past 30 years the tone of the culture has been changing. Ranchers in many parts of the West have been losing their dominant place, and the loudest voice is now coming from oil companies. With intensifying pressure to make the United States more energy independent, the BLM has leased 44 million acres of land for oil and gas, nearly five million of that in areas set aside for wild horses. It's an indelible use of the land: Even when capped, the wells don't go away.

"The BLM oversees some 30,000 wild horses, which are confined to 29 million acres of disconnected BLM herd management areas (HMAs). Under the 1971 act the BLM must keep the herds at what it decides are appropriate management levels (AMLs). Some horse advocates believe the AMLs are arbitrarily low, threatening the genetic viability of the herds; ranchers say they're unrealistically high, threatening vital grazing. Jay Kirkpatrick of Zoo Montana agreed that wild horses "can exceed carrying capacity in places and cause problems not only for livestock and wildlife but for themselves. But," he said, "the key to understanding why wild horses are the scapegoat for poor land management and worse politics is that, unlike huntable wildlife and livestock, they have no economic value." National Geographic Magazine, February, 2009

Limited by the carrying capacity of the land and tugged between the demands of ranchers, miners, and hunters on the one hand and the indignation of wild horse advocacy groups on the other, the BLM has settled on keeping 30,000 horses in permanent captivity (about as many as exist in the wild) at an average daily cost of more than two dollars each. This arrangement soaks up funds and provides, at best, a stopgap solution to the animals' tendencies toward prolific breeding. Every year thousands more horses are rounded up, and every year thousands more end up in long-term holding. Last year the agency said it might have to euthanize horses to reduce costs (which prompted Madeleine Pickens, T. Boone Pickens's wife, to offer to adopt many, if not all, of the BLM's captive mustangs). "Everyone could see this coming," said Chris Heyde of the Animal Welfare Institute in Washington, D.C. "Every year they pull more and more horses off the range to keep the ranchers happy. Meantime the scenario for the horses is just awful."

Kirkpatrick said contraception offers a humane alternative to rounding up the animals, but that the BLM is resistant. He said the agency is spending too little studying fertility control and too much on helicopter roundups. When he suggested to a BLM official that the agency inject the mares with the wildlife contraceptive vaccine porcine zona pellucida (PZP), he recalled being told, "That's not how we do it out here. We do it with horses and ropes." According to Tom Gorey, the BLM spokesman, PZP has been administered on an experimental basis to about 1,800 mares since 2004. "The effects on population growth are being monitored," he said. Horses will likely be around as long as there are humans to attach themselves to a saddle. What is less sure is whether there will always be enough wild to allow mustangs to run in secure, functional, genetically viable herds. National Geographic Magazine February, 2009,

In 2008, I visited one of the several large BLM holding pens for Wild Horses. The herd families are separated with stallions in one huge holding pen and mares and foals in other pens. The stallions were kicked and bloodied as being taken out of their natural families, their instincts are to fight. Mares and foals stood in blazing hot sun with little or no shade looking miserable. Most of these horses will not be adopted. The question remains, how long can the American public stand for public agencies using politics and poor land management to continue keeping wild horses in inhumane holding pens and continuing to run up the bill to taxpayers with helicopter roundups and forced captivity? Many wild horse groups advocate for better birth control methods and land use policies which would keep the wild horse populations from over reaching in certain range areas. There are several major animal welfare groups with enough funding to take many wild horses off the BLM’ hands but government bureaucracy is still the biggest obstacle. The answer is not for the American taxpayer to be saddled with the expense and poor treatment of the wild horses, whatever the politics of the day may be. Politics and opinion aside, my personal belief is whether there is economic value or not, wild horses should be running and roaming on open range where they were meant to be, not used as a scapegoat for poor land management practices. Let em’ run free.

Big Sur in Winter

2009-02-03T15:33:00.000-08:00

The mild weather in California has disappointed many skiers, including myself but the weather on the coast has been amazing with colorful sunsets and mild spring like temperatures. Julia Pfeiffer beach is a favorite place of mine and I traveled there recently to try to capture one of the stunning sunsets that frequently happen along the big sur coast with the right weather patterns. The first day was a wash out with almost no color in the sky, but the second evening was amazing with a very beautiful sunset that hung on the horizon with alpenglow for quite sometime. Here is one of the newer Big Sur photos from my last trip.

Photos from Colonial Mexico

2009-02-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

Guanajauto Mexico is a wonderful and truly amazing old Spanish colonial city in central Mexico with twisty alley ways, old missions and churches, and street vendors. For a photographer, its a treasure trove of color, light, and design at every turn of the narrow streets. Forget San Miguel de Allende with the high end tourist attitude. If you want authentic colonial Mexico, with almost no American tourists or rich ex pats sipping coffee at the new Starbucks (yikes!) as in San Miguel, go to Guanajuato. Its slightly hard to get to being just about two hours north of Mexico in the sierra nevada mountains. Bus or taxi from Leon is the best way to travel there and once you there, all you have to do is just wander in any direction for a sensory treat. The trip was fantastic in every way. I've included some new photos.

Above the Blue

2009-01-22T18:00:00.000-08:00

Looking down at the deep blue water with clouds gathering ominously on the horizon, I watch my dog sink up to her belly in fresh powder. Cutting a new trail through the two feet of fresh snow that fell overnight up to the summit is hard work but the payoff is definitely going to be worth it. Gliding effortlessly through untracked, fresh show is every backcountry skiers dream and the descent should be a good one. I see no one else on the mountain other than my companions which is pretty unusual. The backcountry seems to be getting more crowded these days with skiers looking for more fresh and untracked snow and a younger more aggressive snowboard crowd seeking new adrenaline thrills.

I have learned to appreciate the quiet pleasure in backcountry skiing of the “rhythmic shuffle”. Although my skis feel heavy as I climb the last 100 yards to the summit of Tallac, the sweeping 360 degree panoramic view provides the motivation for the final push to the top. Most people first try backcountry skiing because of the lure of fresh untracked powder. But since every hour of climbing usually results in approximately 10 minutes of downhill, one soon learns that if you don’t enjoy the climb, you will never be an avid backcountry skier.

Learning to like the climb requires more of an appreciation of the “zen” of climbing, than being particularly fit. Although the fitness, if not present before, will of course soon build as a by-product of the activity. The zen comes from the repetitious movement of body and breath required to transport one up the hill. The most efficient technique for climbing involves mastering the rhythmic shuffle, using a slight tilting falling forward motion of the body to slide the foot forward with no lifting, while at the same time swinging the arm forward to plant the pole, then repeat, repeat, repeat, gently swinging arms, legs and body, over and over again. The effect soon become hypnotic and time often seems to pass quickly and unnoticeably in a kind of warp. As one climbs higher and higher, pausing occasionally to take in the landscape that unfolds beneath you, it is hard to tell whether the sense of euphoria is from the ever expanding view, or the endorphins, and of course it does not matter, it is only important to be in that moment.

Backcountry skiing at Lake Tahoe has the added bonus of just that, Lake Tahoe. Most of the tours at Tahoe, Tallac, Jakes, Trimmer, Waterhouse, Flagpole, Rubicon, Ellis and more offer spectacular views of the Lake. Whether it’s a clear still day with the blue of the sky mirrored in the water, or a stormy day with squalls and whitecaps, the sight of that magnificent body of water surrounded by snow covered peaks is always breathtaking. After reaching the top, usually with a stunning view of alpine landscape with Tahoe framed in a portion of the panorama, one gets a chance to savor the effects of the past hours of exercise, the current moment of being at the summit, and the soon to be pure joy of being the star of your own picture show, as you pick out your line.

Because of course the untracked powder is not a trivial part of the joy of the backcountry experience. On a good powder day there is very little lingering at the top, and a good backcountry skier prides themselves on how fast they can layer up, skin off, and buckle down in preparation for the descent. The good powder days in Tahoe are often sporadic and fleeting, but when they are here the tours of Tahoe offer some of the best descents in the west. With 1,500 to 3,000 continuous vertical feet of climb and descent on steep slopes which can end within minutes of the car it’s easy to become spoiled. As you lay down that fresh track in pristine powder far from the ski resort crowds, you are once again reminded that it really is quality that matters not quantity.

You know you are a true backcountry skier, when you find yourself often out on the not so perfect snow days. A little breakable crust, heavy mashed potatoes, or powder, the many and variable snow conditions of the Sierras are all still just fine. Reaching the final summit is always a joy. I begin my descent from the top of Tallac’s corkscrew and feel the euphoria of gliding effortlessly through the light, deep snow. It hits my face and freezes my lips. I can’t stop. It’s too much fun. I stop finally to rest and wait for my dog to catch up. She seems to be floating too and it almost looks like she’s laughing. She stops when she catches up to me panting and covered in white frost. Descending towards the trailhead, the big blue lake disappears as we enter the trees. A good day for dogs as well as humans.

Grand Canyon Reflections

2009-01-22T17:51:00.000-08:00

We rigged our rafts and floated down ¼ mile to our first nights camp on a warm and crisp November afternoon. Our trip would officially launch the next morning and everyone was excited and relieved to have finally finished rigging the hundreds of pounds of gear and food for an 18 day trip. A November rafting trip down the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River has both benefits and challenges compared to river trips earlier in the year. The challenges are cooler temperatures, low water, and short days. But the up side is cooler temperatures, greater solitude, and a unique serene quality to the ever-present beauty and grandeur of the Grand Canyon.

River trips are one of best ways to photograph in remote areas. Rafts allow you to take far more gear than you could ever hope to carry on your back, and the upside is that you also get to invite your friends to join you. Getting a private permit on some rivers, such as the Colorado can be challenging with lottery systems to regulate the number of boaters. Launching in the shoulder seasons of late fall and winter can be a great alternative as permits are somewhat easier to obtain and offer a completely different experience than running the river in prime season.

Although it did occasionally get warm enough for an hour or so of bikinis in the middle of the day, most of the time our attire consisted of capilene, fleece, and water proof paddling gear during the day, and down jackets and fuzzy hats in the mornings and evenings. But the cool fall weather also meant unlike the summer when escaping the hot temperatures and sun would be a primary preoccupation, the few hours of direct sunlight we would encounter each day were always a sensory delight, and hiking the side canyons was always comfortable.

Low water did not mean we weren’t getting wet, the 100+ rapids we navigated still provided plenty of splash, and some very technical lines in the major rapids that got our heart rates up. It also meant lots and lots of flat water. With the short days, constant pulling or pushing on the oars was necessary to keep moving downstream to complete the 270 river miles we were traveling during our 18 day trip. Every evening when we got to camp began with a flurry of activity, unpacking boats, setting up camp, and getting dinner at least started during the hour we had before complete darkness. Our time after dinner was spent talking story and making music around the campfire. We soon found out that most of us know a lot of songs, but usually no more then one stanza. But that did not deter us from creating many musically diverse medleys. Average bed time was around 7:30, and of course that meant up it was easy to get up at the crack of dawn. Most of us would be awake before daylight, waiting for just enough light to get up and start “coffee time”.

The National Park service allows only one private launch per day and no commercial trips during this time of year, which meant many days of complete solitude on our 18 day trip. No contact with the outside world, and interacting only with our temporary “family” of 13 good friends. Supporting each other through numerous camp chores, challenging whitewater, long days of rowing, as well as sharing our stories, talents, and good humor; our group developed a camaraderie that only comes from such an intense shared experience.

A fall trip also provides very soft light. The reflected indirect sunlight on the water created delightful mirrored images of the light and color spotlighting on the canyon walls. These reflections created a unique serenity that is harder to experience during the “on” season. In between the relatively short adrenaline pumping excitement of the rapids, many more hours were spent on our rafts listening to the rhythmic splash of the oars, quietly mesmerized by the ever-changing beauty of the Colorado River flowing through a palette of the constantly changing colors. The mornings and evenings were often particularly spectacular as dull brown walls would fade or explode into collages of yellow, orange, red, and violet. When the take out day finally arrived, I had burned up all my memory cards for my Nikon D2x, having shot hundreds of frames of water on rock, heart pounding rapids, and the soft fall light reflected on canyon walls.

Spending 18 days with a group of 13 good friends in such a magical and beautiful place is a profound and often life changing, or at least life affirming experience. You cannot help but go back to your regular life with a changed perspective and a little sadness. But thankfully the photographs and memories can stay with you and bring you a little bit back to the camaraderie, beauty, and the serenity of the canyon.

Alaska's McNeil River Grizzly Bear Sanctuary

2009-01-22T17:43:00.000-08:00

The Bears of McNeil River

It’s dawn on the McNeil River and a chilly wind is blowing the tall grasses along the river corridor. There is light mist in the air and fog begins to swirl its way along the strand of beach that sits below our camp. Far in the distance, I can see a lone wolf trotting along the shore in the early morning low tide of nearby Kamishak Bay. From the vantage point of our base camp on a bluff overlooking the river, I can also see a half dozen Brown Bear fishing for salmon. It’s a typical Alaskan day as dark storm clouds gather on the horizon and the wind begins to whip up whitecaps in the bay. A few raindrops are falling. The wolf pauses on the beach, probably looking for fish scraps left by the many bear who come to the river to gorge on salmon, and quickly disappears into the alder leaving only his tracks.

I head to the cook cabin for our safety talk. Polly Hessing, a staff wildlife biologist at the McNeil River Brown Bear Sanctuary is leading our group of four up the river to view and photograph brown bears. It’s the first day of our 5 day trip, and everyone is excited and a little nervous. She gives us a few tips on bear safety. Always move slowly, stay in a group, and avoid making quick movements. Never directly approach a bear, especially a sow with cubs, and remain where you are if a bear is approaching close. Bears at McNeil are habituated to humans and have learned to accept humans into their personal space without reacting. By respecting individual distance, bears who are comfortable will come quite close. The bears that are uncomfortable, will just keep their distance. Individual distance, Polly says, is the amount of space around an animal that, if violated, will cause that animal to fight or flee. I notice she is packing a 12 gauge loaded with slugs (just for emergency) and I feel a little better about being 15 feet from one of the largest and most powerful animals on the planet. I gather up my cameras and raingear and jam everything into a daypack. We begin to walk in a small group, close together, across the slippery mud of the river corridor at low tide. The fog is lifting a little. I pull my hip boots up to avoid a dunking in the cold water as we link arms for more stability in the flowing tidewaters. Even at low tide, the water in places is almost up to the tops of our boots and runs very swift. We make it across the mudflats and continue up to the river corridor, pausing briefly to observe a juvenile bald eagle perched on a piece of driftwood eating a salmon.

The McNeil Brown Bear Sanctuary lies just east of Katmai National Park on the Alaskan Peninsula and is about an hour by floatplane from Homer. No roads come through here and it feels truly wild and remote. The Sanctuary uses a lottery permit system for visitors to come and see bears, established by Alaska Fish and Game in the early 1980’s. Each year, several thousand people apply for a viewing permit in hopes of seeing lots of Brown Bear up close and personal. At McNeil, you can be very close to dozens of Brown Bear who come to the river to fish in one of the richest Salmon runs in Alaska. Prior to the lottery system, the bear population at McNeil had come under pressure from far too many human intrusions and had begun to seriously decline. The lottery system, by limiting the number of visitors at one time and requiring a staff biologist to lead the groups, has helped the numbers of brown bear increase steadily and has increased safety for both humans and bears. There has never been a single instance of a bear attack since the permit system was begun. And now there are definitely bears, almost everywhere. Bears were on rocks, in the river, on the trails, in alder thickets, and on the bluffs. While bears are everywhere else in the sanctuary, they are strongly discouraged from coming into base camp by a variety of subtle methods, one of which is never ever letting a bear have human food or garbage. Occasionally, one does wander through camp, as a few gigantic paw prints gave testimony to. It made sleeping in a tent truly a challenge, always keeping one eye open and ready to yell “Hey Bear” while blasting an obnoxious air horn. Some fears of bears in camp were hard to overcome. Going to the outhouse, situated at the end of a twisting, winding trail through an alder thicket was like being cast in the bad horror movie, The Blair Witch Project. It was something to be avoided if at all possible, especially at night.

About 100 yards away from where we stop on our hike is a bear with an injured leg. He is resting on the beach and because of his injuries we don’t approach too close so we don’t cause any stress in the animal. He gives us a nervous glance, but plops his head back down in the sand and continues his nap. As I pull out my camera, a large sow and cub amble by about 35 yards away. They also show no interest in us. She wanders down the gravel bar and stops to fish farther down the river.

Eventually, our group ascends the alder covered bluff and follows a trail that parallels the river. The trail skirts through several alder thickets. Each time, Polly yells, “hello bears!” It sort of like knocking on their front door, she explains. We want to let them know we are here. We hike through the alder and make our way to McNeil Falls. At first, there are no bears to be seen, but soon a young sub adult about three or four years old splashes across the falls chasing after a salmon. He begins a fishing technique of sticking his head underwater, “snorkeling”, as one biologist put it, and then pouncing after a specific fish. The bear catches a huge chum salmon and devours it about 15 feet from us completely unconcerned about a group of humans with cameras. It was amazing to see such a large, intelligent, and powerful animal going about his business so close to us. According to Larry Aumiller, the former head biologist at McNeil, most of the information people get about bears is not very accurate. “Bears are not out to kill humans. They are not even particularly aggressive. Generally, a bear will move away from a human or another bear to avoid interaction. A dangerous bear is one that is experiencing stress. Stress can be caused by intrusion into its personal space or from other bears. However, a bear can learn to accept another bear, or a human into its personal space without reacting.”

Many sanctuary bears display a remarkable tolerance towards humans who are nearby. Years ago, most bears at the sanctuary were wary of humans. Cubs learn to be tolerant or ignore humans through their mothers. Since the early years at McNeil, human behavior is now “very predictable.” Patterns of predictable behavior are established by moving slowly together in small groups, staying in the same places, doing the same things. Predictable patterns that allow the bears who feel comfortable to come closer. Those that are not keep their distance, but over time more and more bears have become tolerant.

If a bear comes close, chances are that it feels unstressed and it’s a safe situation. The bear makes the decision. That’s why humans are not allowed to approach a bear.
McNeil is about the only place in the world where bears can come so close to people with so little risk to either. Although the staff biologists all carry a weapon, negative bear human interactions are very rare in the sanctuary. The McNeil experience seems to wipe away all illogical fears about bears. This is not to say that encountering a bear in the wild outside the sanctuary does not have its risks, but the actual chances of being attacked by a bear is quite low. Usually, people who are attacked are just in the wrong place. Surprising a bear feeding on a carcass, or coming too close to a mother and cub, all have lead to unfortunate human bear encounters. If given the opportunity however, most bears will do the right thing and avoid humans.

Alaska has an estimated 30,000-40,000 brown bears and supports 99 percent of the total species left in the US, and 75 percent left in North America. Brown Bears are the same species as Grizzlies but live along the coasts and are larger due to a richer diet. Males can top 1000 -1500 lbs. and females up to 800. Prior to the early 1800’s over 100,000 Brown Bears once roamed the western US. Grizzlies were feared and considered a threat to livestock. People with guns, poison, traps, as well as habitat encroachment quickly wiped out the Brown Bear over most of its range. The few remaining in the lower 48 are in Yellowstone and pockets of Glacier National Park. McNeil is truly an amazing place to see so many Brown Bear thriving so well. As more bear venture closer, I become more relaxed. To be 15 feet from a huge 1000 lb. bear tearing into a Salmon is an incredible experience.

On the second day, Spike, the bear with the injured leg decided to fish very close to a gravel beach where our group was sitting. A handsome blonde male named Charlie began ambling up the beach towards Spike. I held my breath. I hoped Charlie was not going to challenge Spike and kick him out of his fishing hole. It can get quite ugly in grizzly-land sometimes, as larger males frequently assert their dominance over smaller and younger bears for territory. As he walked up, the two bears seemed to recognize each other. They began a game of play fighting in the water with gentle nips and paw cuffs. Charlie clearly took it easy on Spike, letting him dominate the water wrestling match. Larry says in general it’s not a good idea to anthropomorphize animals by associating them with human characteristics, but the McNeil bears are a little different. Names are something that humans can quickly grasp. A bear named 1623A is not as easily identified as “Rena” or “Charlie”. The bears are also named in order to keep track of them as individuals. The naming helps identify and remember individual bears and aides in research.

The two bears, Spike and Charlie, seemed to enjoy each others company as the following day the two playfully tussled along the grasses of the riverbank. Spike would strike a soft blow and Charlie would fall over belly up with legs in the air. We laughed at the way Charlie would let Spike pretend to knock him to the ground, rolling over, then popping up for another round. It was hilarious. The two bears would play, then waddle off in search of an afternoon snack of fresh salmon and a nap. Later that day, as we headed back to camp, we saw Charlie sleeping high on bluff overlooking the river looking very content. The McNeil experience seems to contradict the view that a close bear is a dangerous bear. On our last day, Rena, a chocolate colored female caught a huge chum Salmon and devoured it right in front us while an entire family of a mother and three cubs strolled by. Behind us, Charlie made a day bed 10 feet from where our group was sitting. He napped carelessly for over an hour, yawning as he got up, walked past us and began fishing in the river as we sat dumbfounded. There were bears everywhere. As Charlie was finishing up his second salmon, another mother with two young cubs wandered by, slowly ambling up the river on the other side of the bank. They seemed uninterested in humans with cameras in funny looking raingear. Tolerant mothers it seems, have tolerant cubs, leading to the growing population of habituated bears at McNeil.

On the final day of our visit, we began packing up our wet gear in the cook cabin as the fog descended lower along the beach. Rain began to fall in sheets hammering the tin roof in a hypnotic rhythm. The floatplane scheduled to pick us up had radioed earlier that the fog was lifting in Homer and the pilot would be attempting the run to McNeil if the weather held. As I walked out to the bluff that overlooks the river for one last time, I hoped that the bears would be getting full after a summer of feasting on Salmon and heading for their dens soon. Safe in their dens, the bears would sleep through the cold Alaskan winter. Cubs would be born, and some would make it and others would not. The wind and rain, howling only moments ago had stopped suddenly. Looking out from the vantage point I saw only one bear far in the distance. It was late August and the chill of fall was already pressing in. The bears had begun to leave the river. I wondered if the bear in the distance was Charlie or perhaps another bear. I hoped Charlie was heading for his den, safe at least for the winter, and perhaps with a little luck, he would return again for another season at McNeil River.

Icy Bay Wilderness Kayak Trip

2009-01-22T17:34:00.000-08:00

There is a point on every trip to an exotic destination when the reality of the adventure that is about to begin finally arrives. After all the planning, packing, commercial airline flights, and taxis, the last leg of an Alaska bush trip has always got to be that defining moment. With our gear stacked to the roof of a four seater bush plane with engines roaring and knees up to the chin, we pass over a piedmont glacier the size of Rhode Island. This is what lies between our destination at Icy Bay and the closest civilization. The surface of the glacier looks like nothing I have ever seen before, surely belonging to that of another planet, with textures and patterns totally unfamiliar to my experience.

Our group is small consisting of 4 women. We are the quietly adventurous. Not in search of adrenaline thrills (at least not on this trip), but carefully chosen companions that can take care of themselves in the remote Alaska bush. Everyone must be capable of managing themselves and their gear in potentially multiple days of rain, torrential winds, and surf. The only protection for bears consists of an avoidance strategy and an air horn that fits in the palm of our hand.

It is hard to believe that one can be completely absorbed and entertained for nine days by the sights and sounds of Ice. In an era when our culture seems to be abdicating its opportunity to experience life through material addictions and reality TV shows, the constant display presented in Icy bay is one that must make all humans aware of what it is like to really have all your senses satisfyingly titillated. Under a stunning backdrop of one of the most impressive peaks in the world, Mt Saint Elias, the bay is surrounded by an incredible mass of tidewater and hanging glaciers. From this seemingly endless source of ancient water the glaciers produced a constant supply of ice in an endless variety of size and shapes. Every morning was a delight to see what fantastic displays of sculptures had been deposited on our beach the night before. The artful lines and textures were limitless. The ice deposited on the beaches each night seemed to be an endless blessing of creativity of the mythical Norse goddess of ice, The long Alaska days were both a blessing and a curse as on more then one occasion my day of shooting extended from 4:00 am until 11 pm. Many days the fiords of the bay we navigated were also filled with floating bergs ranging from two story massifs of hard cold blue ice to flocks of delicate translucent birdlike forms..

This visual magnificence is accompanied by a virtual symphony of ice in motion. The heartbeat is provided by the nearly constant calving of the glaciers producing thunderous and echoing roars and booms. The bergs accompany this beat with cracking, crashing and splashing as the bergs continually recreate themselves into smaller pieces. And finally layered on top is a delicate rice crispy crackle and drip as the bergs melt and expand. These sounds lulled us to sleep every night and greeted us every morning. making us infinitely aware of the life of nature surrounding us.

The terrain in Icy bay not covered in ice is obviously newly formed, consisting of largely unvegetated and erosive unconsolidated silt and sands. This creates a rather uncharacteristic badlands type terrain of steep slopes and ravines. This also creates a large quantity of expansive beaches frequently supporting a virtually garden of fireweed lupine, and other wildflowers and grasses. On these pristine beaches it often seemed even footprints were too much to leave behind from our visit, and we could only take comfort that probably the typical Alaska weather would soon erase our impact.

In a lifetime spend paddling a variety of watercrafts, usually the fastest boats are uncomfortable, and comfortable boats are the slowest. A 1970s Klepper folding kayak has the unique distinction of being not only one of the slowest boats I have ever paddled but one of the most excruciatingly uncomfortable. The top of the boat hit my armpits, and there are no structural components in the boat for either foot or back rests. I was finally able to figure out how to use the gear I was carrying to build a somewhat adequate support structure under and around my body. Nonetheless we covered approximately 45 miles throughout our trip, and all the deficiencies in the boat were ultimately forgiven for being our magic carpet in this paradise. We interspersed our paddling with long day hikes to relive our cramped flexors and backs and with the beautiful whether we were blessed with woke each day with renewed energy regardless of the activities the day before. When the bush plane arrived to carry us away from this magic paradise of ice, it seemed time had almost stopped for 9 days. Few visitors ever see the rawness and beauty of such a remote place and I count myself lucky to be one of the few.

Squaw Valley Art Wine and Music Show Huge Success

2008-08-14T12:15:00.000-07:00

Every summer, the third week of July in the Village, Squaw Valley kicks off an incredible weekend of fine art, wine tasting, and great music. I have participated every year for the last four years, and this was the best show ever produced by Squaw. The music was a fantastic blend of Latin Jazz and fusion by Ivan Nejira trio, some of the best latin jazz musicians I have ever heard. Wine tasting was from some of finest vinyards California has to offer with lots of diversity. This year, there were over 40 artists including myself, showing jewelry, sculpture, photography,, glass and fine art. The venue is about as upscale as it can get and it would difficult to find a more spectacular setting. This year, I chose to show new work consisting of museum prints of the Sierra, called "Sierra High and Wild" and also photographs of Wild Horses, taken in Nevada and California. It was most successful show yet as I sold out of many editions of the Wild Horse series fine art photographs. It was very rewarding to be a part of such wonderful event and to be able to share my work, especially on the plight of wild horses with the public. Over 500 people visited my booth and I am grateful for each and every person that stopped by to talk. Part of the proceeds form the Wild Horse series will go to Return to Freedom WIld Horse Sanctuary in Lompoc, a non profit organization that provides homes for rescued wild horses. The interest and enthusiasm of the public on Wild Horses is much appreciated and plans are in the works for a book on the Wild Horses, due out in 2009. Stay tuned or visit my website at www.lisadearingphotography.com for news updates.

Backpack in Ansel Adams Wilderness

2008-08-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite summer trips to take photographs is backpacking into the Sierra to one the beautiful and remote lakes. In early July I did a a 16.5 mile round trip hike to the stunning Lake Ediza in the Ansel Adams wilderness outside Mammoth. Carrying about a 40 lb pack including photo gear I was able to hike about 1500 feet of elevation gain in 7.5 miles in just over 5.5 hours. Ediza is one of the most beautiful lakes is the Sierra with drop dead views of both Mount Ritter and Mount Banner. After arriving, hot and tired, I made camp and realized I was the only one camping at the lake due to a fresh mosquito hatch that was hungry for any flesh they could find, namely my dog and myself. We braved the evening and with almost no breeze and had to retreat early into the tent after dinner to escape the ferocious attacks. As we zipped up the tent, many mosquitos were swatted before we could settle down for the night. At dawn, despite the bugs, the reflections of Mount Ritter and Banner, and the Minaret range of the Sierra was spectacular. The lack of wind, although helping the bug population to swarm made for smooth reflection shots on Lake Ediza.
Truely, one of the best lakes in the Sierra, Ediza sits at about 10,000 feet right under the highest peaks of the Minarets. After shooting until almost 9am, I decided to hike back to the trailhead, cutting my trip short to escape the biting bugs. I had taken over 100 reflection shots that morning despite the bites. I will plan on visiting Ediza again but next time perhaps, after the big bug hatch. I have tentative plans for another backpack this fall to a lake above Ediza. When I finally made it back to the trailhead, I had pleanty of blisters to show from hiking almost 17 miles in less than 24 hours. Was it worth it? Yeah, it was.

Wild Horses Photo Shoot at Return to Freedom Sanctuary

2008-06-13T11:43:00.000-07:00

I just returned from an amazing week of photographing wild horses at the Return to Freedom Wild Horse Sanctuary near Lompoc, California. Return to Freedom is a non profit sanctuary dedicated to preserving the freedom, diversity, and habitat of America's Wild Horses. The 6 day workshop, hosted by equine photographers Tony Stromberg and Kimerlee Curyl, focused on the wild horse herds at return to Freedom that is home to over 200 rare and beautiful mustangs from all over the US. The goal of the past week was to foster understanding and education on wild horse behavior and promote conservation and advocacy for the wild horses, in addition to making some amazing images of the these magnificent animals.
Return to Freedom is unique in that the Mustangs are segregated to preserve their rare bloodlines but are allowed to roam free in their own pastures and live their lives in natural familes of herd communities.
In addition to photographing many different horses such as the Sulpher Springs herd, and the Wilbur Cruz Spanish Mission herd, some of which are descendants of the Spanish Mustangs whose genetic bloodlines trace back to the early Spanish explorers and missionaries, we were able to meet Spirit, a Kiger Mustang Stallion who was the inspiration for the Dreamworks animated film "Spirit, Stallion of the Cimmarron".

It was an amazing week that will not be forgotten. Thanks to Return to Freedom founder Neda de Mayo for creating this amazing sanctuary for wild horses and fostering programs to educate the public about this vanishing resource, America's Wild Horses. The majority of horses at the sanctuary have been rescued from public lands or abusive situations and during the week we met many horse ambassadors such as Spirit, Sutter, Freedom, and Isadora Cruz. These were all beautiful animals who make their home at the Santuary and now serve to educate the public.

Highlights of the week included wild horse walks, lectures on wild horse behavior, and meeting some the descendants of the Spanish Mustangs related to the horse in the major motion picture film "Hildalgo". The horse in the film was based on the true life story of Frank Hopkins, an accomplised horseman who dedicated his life to preserving and protecting wild horses. Frank was most famous for riding in and winning an amazing 3000 mile endurance race in Arabia on his mustang "Hidalgo", whom the movie was based after. He was a strong advocate for the mustang and descendants of this mustang breed can be seen at Return to Freedom. Currently, these horses are being removed by the BLM in Oklahoma and are there is a desperate need of funds for relocation and contination. Visit return to Freedom's website at www.returntofreedom.org for more information or to donate to this worthy cause. Thanks to everyone who shared in this past week at the Sanctuary especially Tony and Kimererlee for sharing their insights, techniques, and photographic knowledge with all who atttended.