Mele Kalikimaka and Happy New year

A few months ago Mollie and I were presented with a unique situation. With my contract ending and her fancy tech job ending, we found ourselves with an opportunity to…travel (as if we don’t get to do that enough right). It took a bit of planning but we put the proverbial ball in motion. I wrapped up my job in Oak Harbor Washington, threw our car in storage, and headed for our first stop in Hawaii. We spent Christmas with my in-laws an my nephews on big island. Lucky we lived on the big island a few years ago so from a photographic perspective I had a few things I wanted to capture but I really could focus on just relaxing and enjoying holiday. After a few days there we hopped on down to the South Pacific to the Cook Islands, a series of islands little known to Americans but very popular with Aussies and Kiwis. 

We are staying on Rarotonga. I write this on New Years Eve. We get to celebrate our wedding anniversary here in paradise. I’m going to try and keep up with the blog on our travels as Mollie and I discussed how we never keep track of our travels .

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The ALCAN, Still one of the last great adventures? 

For travelers who crave wide-open roads, rugged scenery, and the thrill of spotting wild animals in their natural habitat, few road trips compare to the legendary ALCAN Highway. Officially known as the Alaska Highway, this iconic route winds through some of North America’s most breathtaking wilderness. Whether you’re planning your first epic drive or returning for a second adventure, here’s everything you need to know to make the most of your journey. For years I heard about

Where the ALCAN Highway Begins and Ends

The ALCAN Highway begins in Dawson Creek, British Columbia, a small town that proudly marks Mile 0 with a famous signpost that’s become a must-stop photo op. From there, the highway stretches 1,390 miles (2,237 km) northwest through Yukon Territory and ends in Delta Junction, Alaska, about 98 miles southeast of Fairbanks.

Originally built during World War II to connect the Lower 48 to Alaska for military purposes, the highway is now fully paved and maintained year-round, though travelers should always prepare for changing weather and road conditions.

The best advice I can give is to buy the Milepost (yes the book), it breaks down the ALCAN mile by mile (almost literally) and is spot on, it evens gives advice on where to see wildlife:https://themilepost.com/

Don't expect a lot of cell signal on your trip. We used a StarLink Mini and it worked very well: https://www.starlink.com/us?srsltid=AfmBOooXYWbo-hUkwQhxrFUiwndd1DlLd38I3O81Hzm2NjaHUiNi_P-g

Alternate Routes to Explore

While the ALCAN is the main artery, there are a few alternate routes that add variety, scenic detours, or new experiences:

-The Cassiar Highway (BC-37):  Starting near Kitwanga, British Columbia, this quieter route rejoins the ALCAN near Watson Lake, Yukon. It offers spectacular mountain scenery and fewer travelers—ideal for those who prefer a more off-the-beaten-path drive. There are fewer services on this route however it is well traveled.

-The Top of the World Highway: If you want a truly unique experience, consider detouring north at Tok, Alaska, and heading toward Dawson City, Yukon, via this high-ridge road. Open seasonally, it offers jaw-dropping panoramic views and a taste of the Klondike Gold Rush history.

-The Klondike Highway: Linking Skagway, Alaska, to Dawson City, Yukon, this route is a great addition for travelers who want to pair road tripping with a coastal ferry journey or explore historic towns.

Wildlife You Might See Along the Way

One of the greatest thrills of the ALCAN Highway is the abundant wildlife you can encounter right from your vehicle. Keep your camera ready and drive cautiously—you never know what might be around the next bend. Common sightings include:

-Bears: Both black bears and grizzlies are often spotted along the roadside, especially in spring and early summer. We didn't see Grizzlies on our trip however on one road outside of Fort Nelson we saw over 12 black bears on one road. 

-Moose and Caribou: These massive animals can appear suddenly, particularly near wetlands and forested stretches. 

-Wood Bison: Large herds roam freely in parts of northern British Columbia and the Yukon—one of the highway’s most memorable sights.

-Dall sheep, foxes, and eagles: From mountain slopes to river valleys, the diversity of wildlife is staggering. Bring some binoculars and scope the mountainsides.

Always observe animals from a safe distance and follow local guidelines to keep both you and the wildlife safe.

Planning Your ALCAN Adventure

Most travelers take 7 to 10 days to drive the ALCAN Highway, allowing time for sightseeing, hiking, and relaxing at scenic campgrounds or lodges. Services like gas, food, and lodging are available regularly along the route, but it’s wise to keep your tank topped off and carry basic supplies—especially in more remote stretches. We did our trip in 10 days and honestly we could've done this in a month there was so much to do and see. We tried to average about 3 hours of driving a day so that way we didn't spend it all in the car. I have heard of people driving it in four days. 

Don't forget the ALCAN doesn't end a the border of the USA and Canada like I originally thought. It still ends quite a distance away from the border, so plan accordingly. 

Summer (June–August) is the most popular time to go, offering long daylight hours and the best road conditions. Shoulder seasons (May and September) bring fewer crowds and excellent wildlife viewing, though weather can be more unpredictable.

The Canadian portion is a little frustrating because they don't really allow Boondocking like we do in the USA (on the appropriate land of course). But the Provincial parks are frequent and affordable (about 17$ CAN) Bring cash though, you're in the middle of nowhere a lot of the trip.

Again, buy the Milepost, it was worth it's weight in gold at the very least (are we still using that saying?). 

Wildlife and views: 

No surprise here but I was very fixated on what animals I would see. Here are some of my favorite photos from the trip: 

Mallard Duck

Spruce Grouse

Elk, Canada

Late season Milkyway

Beautiful sunset in the Yukon

The famous signpost forest, Watson Lake

Woodland Caribou near Summit Lake, Canada

So, is the ALCAN one of the last great adventures? Yes and no. The highway is actually pretty well taken care of, there were a few sections where frost heaves were evident or were windy as F**** (looking at you Destruction bay). And of course we didn't drive this in the winter, expect the usual, snow/ice, changing conditions. But the road is not nearly as rough as I imagined it to be. I can't wait to drive this again as there's so much more to see. 

How did I start planning my trip? Well, my wife is very focused and a badass. So that's the start. But if you look at Google Maps and look at the roads along the way, you can easily plan each stop. There were more services than I expected but don't expect a five star dinner every town. I still topped off my car every few hours. We like to camp so we always had a camping stove and additional food, that helped with snacks along the way. 

DxO PhotoLab 8: Why Its DeepPRIME XD2s Denoise Is a Game-Changer for High-ISO RAWs, Don't be afraid to switch from Lightroom!

 DxO PhotoLab 8 Review: The Best Noise-Reduction I’ve Used for Real-World RAWs

Here's the Down-Low

If you shoot wildlife at dusk (isn't that when most of us are shooting?), handheld street at ISO 12,800, or indoor events where flash kills the mood, noise is your constant companion. I shoot with a 45 MP Canon R5, so at high iso I really start seeing noise. Cue-DxO PhotoLab 8. It doesn’t just reduce that noise—it rebuilds detail you thought was gone. After testing it on high-ISO files from shots shot at high as 25,600 iso, I’m convinced PhotoLab 8’s denoise engine is the standout reason to try (or switch to) DxO. Another piece of software from DXO that I've used for years is DXO PureRaw which doubles as an incredible de-noise machine. 

What’s New in PhotoLab 8

PhotoLab 8 isn’t a “.5” update. DxO added a new generation of its AI denoising along with genuinely useful editing and masking upgrades. It features

-DeepPRIME XD2s: The latest evolution of DxO’s denoise + demosaic engine for cleaner files and crisper micro-detail at very high ISOs.

-Live denoising previews: A large loupe you can drag over the image to see denoise (and other edits) at 100% before exporting.

-Hue Range Masks for precise local color edits, plus a revamped Tone Curve with on-image controls and a Luma channel so you can change brightness without shifting saturation.

Those quality-of-life tweaks matter, but the headline is still noise reduction. DxO literally markets 8 around its “unbelievable noise reduction and detail extraction,” and this time the pitch holds up. I rarely worry about what iso I shoot at anymore, I know I have DxO on my side.

 Why DxO’s Denoise Looks So Clean

Most editors denoise *after* demosaicing (the step that turns the color filter array on your sensor into full-color pixels). DxO’s DeepPRIME family denoises *during* demosaicing using a neural network trained on billions of samples, which helps retain fine texture while scrubbing chroma noise and wormy artifacts.

DxO says the newest model can deliver the equivalent of up to three extra stops of usable ISO compared to conventional pipelines—exactly what you feel when a 12,800 ISO file suddenly behaves like 1600–3200.

That “inside the RAW pipeline” approach is also why DeepPRIME works on RAW files, not JPEG/TIFF; it’s tied to demosaicing. If you try it on a non-RAW, the options are disabled.

DeepPRIME 3 vs. DeepPRIME XD vs. DeepPRIME XD2s (I know the names are kinda nuts)

PhotoLab 8 gives you three AI denoise modes:

1) PRIME– The fastest of the trio; great default when you don’t need surgical cleanup.

2) DeepPRIME 3 – “Extra detail,” stronger noise removal and texture recovery with a modest hit to export time.

3) DeepPRIME XD/XD2s– The latest and most aggressive model for extreme ISO, underexposed shadows, and heavy crops. Pair it with the live preview magnifier to check edges and skin before you commit.

*Note for Fujifilm shooters: XD2s isn’t available for X-Trans RAWs; PhotoLab falls back to DeepPRIME/XD for those sensors.

Here's a sample: 

Above: Here is the edited photo I envisioned while taking this shot. 

Above: here is a screen shot of the RAW file/uncropped or edited.

Above: Here's an extreme crop of the raw file. This was shot at shutter 1/2,000" f/5 and ISO: 25,600! What the heck was I thinking? (It was evening and getting darker and puffins are f******* fast that's what). 

With the DeepPRIME XD/XD2s and some slight adjustments to contrast and teasing out some highlights of the bird the extreme crop looks like the photo below:

Holy cow that's impressive. 

Here's another example of my favorite shot from that day.

Here's the RAW sample, honestly it looks pretty clean right out of the camera. 

Here is the de-noised and slightly edited photo. It looks very clean. This was shot at 1/5,000 to freeze the feathers. Similar to the other photo it was shot at 256000 iso.

 Where PhotoLab 8 Shines

-High-ISO wildlife and action: Backlit fur, feather detail, and distant subjects hold together better, so you can crop without the “waxy” look.

-Low-light events and concerts: XD2s cleans blotchy color noise in shadows while preserving stage textures and metallic highlights.

-Older or smaller sensors: You’ll feel the “extra stops” the most when dynamic range and pixel pitch aren’t as forgiving.

 How It Compares to Adobe’s AI Denoise

Lightroom’s AI Denoise has improved, but many tests still give DxO an edge in fine-detail retention and color integrity—especially on difficult files. If you live in the Adobe ecosystem, you can preprocess tough RAWs in PhotoLab (or PureRAW) and continue editing in Lightroom/Photoshop with a denoised DNG. I used to use Lightroom for years, and yes I can't deny Adobe has a great set of products. I was nervous to get rid of Adobe once and for all, but with DxO photolab I left and haven't turned back. My photos can go head to head with those edited in the Adobe ecosystem.

Bottom Line

If you care about squeezing every last bit of quality out of high-ISO RAWs, DxO PhotoLab 8 is the most compelling denoiser you can buy right now—and the rest of the editor has matured too.

For adventure, wildlife, and travel photographers, the practical benefit is simple: more keeper files in bad light. You’ll shoot at higher ISOs without fear, recover shadow detail that used to look mushy, and spend less time wrestling with color noise. That’s not just cleaner pixels; it’s more photos you’re proud to share.

Other Tips for shooting in low light...

A game changer I learned a while back was to "expose to the right." It's hard with puffins because they're black and white which are the complete opposites when it comes to exposing. I took a few test shots and made sure the highlights weren't clipped and unrecoverable. Sometimes it doesn't take much, even just overexposing by 2/3 of a stop will help when editing a high iso photo. The other tip is more obvious and that's to open up your aperture. 

Thanks for stopping by! 

Brooks Falls: Katmai National Parks's Gem

Don’t Go to Brooks Falls Without Reading This First!

    Planning a trip to Brooks Falls in Alaska’s Katmai National Park? This iconic bear-viewing spot is on many travelers’ bucket lists—and for good reason. Every summer, brown bears gather here to feast on salmon leaping up the falls. But before you book, there are a few things you should know to make your trip unforgettable.
This guide covers -how to get to Brooks Falls, the best time to visit, what gear to bring, bear photography tips, safety advice, and insider recommendations from my own experience as a bear photographer and adventurer.

Here's what this blog will cover:

• Initial thoughts on Brooks Falls
• Where is Brooks Falls?
• Best time to visit
• How to get there
• Permits and Accommodations
• What to pack for your trip

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 1. My Initial Thoughts on Brooks Falls

When I first booked Brooks Falls, I’ll admit—I was hesitant. (Okay, maybe I'm a little spoiled.) After visiting remote corners of Katmai like Halo Bay—where I’ve seen wolves stalking grizzly cubs, massive boars battling for dominance, and entire bear families fishing—I wasn’t sure a “touristy” spot like Brooks Falls could compare.

Crowds aren’t really my thing (hence why I love Alaska), and Brooks Falls can see 200+ visitors per day in peak season. Most floatplanes only carry 6–11 passengers, so that’s a lot of flights coming in. Plus, I’d heard the rangers are strict (for good reason—bear safety is no joke).
But, I’d always wanted my own shot of the iconic bear catching salmon mid-air photo. And I’m glad I went—because Brooks Falls surprised me in the best way. Let's dive in.

2. Where Is Brooks Falls?

Brooks Falls is in Katmai National Park, a 4-million-acre wilderness on the Alaska Peninsula. Established in 1918 to protect the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes after a volcanic eruption, Katmai is now world-famous for its brown bear population and thriving salmon runs. Check it out here: Katmai National Park
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 3. Best Time to Visit Brooks Falls

The peak bear-viewing season depends on salmon runs and can change year to year:
-Late June – Mid-July: Highest bear activity as salmon begin their upstream migration and bears will be mating.
September: Another great viewing window as bears fatten up before hibernation. 
Shoulder Months: Fewer crowds in early June and late August, but bear sightings can be less predictable.
If you’re after the classic “bear at the falls” photo, aim for early to mid-July. We went in mid-July and did not get this photo, so remember it's wildlife, wildlife is unpredictable.
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 4. How to Get to Brooks Falls

 Option A: Fastest Route
        -Anchorage → King Salmon (commercial flight)
        -Floatplane → Brooks Camp (~\$450 round trip via Katmai Air)
* Ideal for travelers short on time—book well in advance.

 Option B: Most Flexible & Weather-Resistant
        -Anchorage or Homer → King Salmon
        -Shuttle to lake Naknek via boat launch
        -Katmai Water Taxi (~45 min; $400–$550)
* Less weather-dependent than floatplanes.

Option C: Private Charter
* Charter from Anchorage, Homer, or Kodiak directly to Brooks Camp via floatplane
* Perfect for groups or those with flexible schedules and budgets

Our view going across Katmai on the way to Brooks Falls.

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 5. Permit & Accommodation Tips

-Camping at Brooks Camp: Reserve early via Rec.gov—spaces sell out quickly, like day of open quickly. Camping gives you multiple opportunities to see bears at different times of day.

-There's a lodge at Brook with a restaurant and what looks like great accommodations: https://www.nps.gov/places/brooks-lodge.htm

-River Permit: Required to walk the river corridor. Only worth it if you have a guide, waders, and bear safety experience. River Permit

-Gear & Food Cache: Brooks Camp has a storage area for food and equipment—very handy for waders, boots, and gear you don’t want to carry on trails.
* Food Rules*: You can only eat in designated fenced areas. No food in backpacks while hiking, no eating on trails.

-Before embarking on your adventure you'll have to attend "bear school" that teaches you appropriate behavior around these bears. The ranger center opens at 8 am. I'd recommend doing that first and then hitting the falls before too many planes make it to the lake. Bear school

Weather permitting your float plane will land in Naknek lake and places you near the ranger center. 

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6. What to Pack for Brooks Falls
* Long telephoto lens (200–400mm or more)

* Lightweight monopod or tripod especially if you're taking video

* Polarizing filter (CPL) for glare reduction, a neutral density filter for the falls

* Waterproof boots and  waders (mostly for river permit holders)

* Rain jacket and layers (weather changes fast and it gets HOT in the sun there)

* Dry bag for camera gear and rain covers for lenses/cameras or a backpack to carry your items

* Bug spray & sunscreen

* Binoculars for spotting bears from afar

*Sturdy hiking books as most of the trails are gravel/ dirt and are uneven in many places.

A photo of the food and gear caches. The Restrooms are pit toilets on the other side of the building.

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 7. Photography Tips for Brooks Falls

* Stay 50 yards away and try and maintain that distance from bears*: Park rules require this distance from bears to keep you safe and avoid changing their behavior.
*Lenses: I used a Canon 200–400mm f/4 with 1.4× teleconverter (560mm). A 200–800mm or 600mm with a TC would also work very well for this trip.
* Falls Shots: A 70–200mm is great for wider views with a bear in frame and the waterfall scene, longer lenses for detail shots like fish in mouths, claws, etc.
* Filters*: A CPL filter helps with glare, especially in midday light, it can also naturally boost contrast in your images. For the falls shot where you want to blend the water, a 1 stop or even 1/2 stop ND filter is probably enough especially on a cloudy day. I was able to get some blur in the water even in bright sunlight. 
* Tripod/Monopod*: Optional, but useful for heavy lenses. I handheld my lens all day and was fine.
* Weather Readiness*: Conditions can flip between rain, clouds, and bright sun in minutes. Make sure your gear is protected.

Sample photos from my trip: 

A view from the falls platform into the river. I had harsh light so I decided to shoot silhouettes 

More salmon jumping action, I actually had to snap a few frames here to get the grouping and look I wanted.

This bear sat in the river patiently waiting for the right fish. The river was teeming with salmon. 

I grabbed this frame walking back to our float plane. This bear walked the beach, swam out into the lake and ate a dead salmon.

This was taken on the river, this young boar was a ready fisher on the river. 

I was across the river when this big boar #801 made his way into the stream and started looking for fish.

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 8. Safety Tips for Brooks Falls
* Never approach a bear—let them pass if they’re on the trail.
* Follow ranger instructions at all times.
* Keep a safe distance (50 yards from bears).
* Store all food in designated areas.
* Move slowly and avoid running—bears can run faster than you think.

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9. What I’d Do Differently

* I'd try Camping at Brooks Camp to maximize bear-viewing time.
* Maybe next time I'd bring a 2× teleconverter for even more reach.
* Shoot more video of bear behavior.
* I'd use a monopod for long sessions with heavy glass or a monopod with holster so it can stay on my body
* I'd 100% Keep the river permit—it’s where we saw the most action, but we are also very comfortable hiking in, through, and around bears and bear habitat (at least in Alaska). 
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10. My Final Take

Our flight from Kodiak was unforgettable—flying past rugged mountain peaks, glittering glaciers, and landing on a glassy lake.
Brooks Camp was busier than my usual bear-watching spots, but there was still plenty of bear activity and behavior to photograph, I didn't feel like I was in a crowd of people.
Would I go again? Absolutely. Halo Bay will always be my favorite for remoteness, but Brooks Falls is worth every penny—and should be on every Alaska traveler’s list during bear season at least once. You can always contact 
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 11. Brooks Falls FAQ

Q: How many bears will I see?

A: In peak season, you might see a dozen or more at once. Numbers vary by salmon run and time of day. Walking the river I saw at least 8 bears along one small stretch of river. We saw at least two bears on the trails and two bears right near the ranger station. 

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Q: Can kids visit Brooks Falls?

A: Yes, but supervision and following safety rules are critical, youngsters should not leave more than a few feet from adults.

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Q: Do you need a guide?

A: Not for the main platforms, but guides are recommended for river access or photography-focused trips, especially if you're new to bear viewing and walking streams.

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Q: Are tripods allowed on the platform at the falls. 

A: No, but they can be used as a monopod, there is also a railing if you need to stabilize your camera

Atlantic Puffins in Iceland: Photography lesson

 

Photography Chronicles-Atlantic Puffins: Iceland                    

TL;DR

1. Where we went for puffins (no boat rides necessary!)

2. Camera techniques and settings

3. Strategies for bad weather or unanticipated circumstances

Section 1: Puffin Locations and Logistics

   Puffins were high on my list of animals to photograph during our trip to Iceland in late May. At that time of year, they're busy searching for or digging burrows—but it’s too early to catch them feeding chicks, so don’t expect photos of them with fish or squid in their beaks. That said, it’s a great window to catch them mating or gathering nesting material.

You can try mornings, but late afternoons and evenings were far better at both spots we visited. Puffins return from the ocean to roost for the night, and the sweet spot seemed to be anytime after 4 p.m.

While puffins aren't exclusive to Iceland, it offers some of the most accessible locations to capture incredible behavior and landscapes—no boat ride required. Here are three popular no-boat-needed spots:

1. Látrabjarg sea cliffs

2. Cliff viewpoint on the Tjörnes peninsula

3. The puffin marina in Borgarfjarðarhöfn

We skipped Látrabjarg due to time constraints (and frankly, awful weather that day). Our main goal was to see the country and drive the Ring Road, which we did in a camper van. I was secretly—and not so secretly—excited to see the puffins. I’d photographed tufted and horned puffins in Alaska before, but never the irresistibly charismatic Atlantic puffins.

Here’s a breakdown of the two locations we did visit:

1) Cliff View Point on the Tjörnes peninsula

    This was very much a stand at the edge of a cliff adventure. I don't really like heights but for puffins, I'm willing to budge.  The map below is where you park and where we walked. It's along road 85 on the peninsula about 25 minutes from Husavik. 

                                

It was cool seeing interactions of the Northern Fulmars and the Puffins. As well as puffins standing on cliff edges.

Above: A curious Atlantic Puffin checking me out.

A Northern Fulmar inspecting the cliffs below it.

"Permission to buzz the tower." 

The cliffs offered some really interesting behavior as seen here and in some of their 'true' habitat along cliff faces.  

"The Puffin Marina"

    This was my favorite puffin colony of the trip. A boardwalk runs right through the middle of the burrows, letting you walk among the puffins without disrupting their behavior. It’s located in a small marina in Borgarfjarðarhöfn (go ahead, try saying that five times fast).

It’s a bit off the Ring Road, but 100% worth the detour. The town is small but charming (and like most of Iceland, has amazing food). You’ll need to drive over a serious mountain pass—I wouldn’t want to attempt it in winter—but once you're there, the parking lot is easy to find. From there, it’s a short walk down a staircase to the colony.

The boardwalk has some restricted viewing spots, but there are still plenty of angles for behavior shots. Sadly, we didn’t get any sunny days, but the grey skies actually offered a lot of flexibility.

Located via google maps satellite view. It's a bit out of the way from the Ring Road, but it's well worth the stop. It's a small but nice town (really great food, much like the rest of Iceland). You have to go up over a very foreboding mountain, I would not want to drive that road in the winter! The parking lot is easy to find and is only a short walk down some stairs to the colony.

A shot of puffins landing and leaving the colony. (@70mm)

Above: a puffin coming information a landing, note the water droplet off the foot. (shot at 200 mm)

Above: taking a break from napping, the shape of the puffin is beautiful.

Above: Someone was very mad at having another puffin in its space! (@200mm)

The puffins here were surprisingly tolerant of humans, mostly keeping an eye on each other rather than us. The boardwalk limits your angles a bit, and I definitely caught myself taking the same shot a thousand times, but it’s still a phenomenal spot.

You can also visit this area at your own pace—no tour required.

When to go: Puffins are typically present from May to August, peaking in June and July. In early season (like our late May trip), they’re still nest-building. The best action happened after 6 p.m. and lasted until dark.

Section 2: Photography/video

Equipment: 

-Canon 200-400 F/4

-Canon R5

-Canon 28-70 II EF f/2.8

-Canon 16-35 III EF f/2.8

-Small rig fiberglass tripod with geekoto video tripod head

-Feelworld External Monitor

Gear I Wished I Had brought:

• 70–200mm

• Macro lens or extension tube

• Tension arms for tripod stability

Recommended Settings:

For flight shots, for sharpness in the wings, I used a minimum shutter speed of 1/2000 sec. With no clear skies, I had to push ISO up to 25,600 in the evenings for some things. The grey skies gave soft, even lighting—but you miss the dynamic contrast of directional light, I discuss this more below.

Photo review

Telephoto

Shutter: 1/1250" f-stop: 7.1 ISO 2,000. @ 200 mm We were at the cliffs near Husavik for this shot. The puffins were checking us out to make sure we weren't a threat. I like the inclusion of the grass in this photo, it gives it a sense of depth. 

Shutter: 1/5000" f-stop: f/5  ISO: 25,600 Focal length: 200 mm. My older camera (Canon Mark III) could not have taken this photo. After studying my images (always do an in field image review) I knew I needed higher shutter speeds. I did an auto-ISO  with about -1/3 exposure compensation if I recall correctly. this is my favorite photo from the trip due to the landing puffin, the two puffins in good Frame on the right, and the puffin easily visible in the background with no clipped wings in frame. I will say DXO Photolab 8 has really won my heart. Their de-noise capability is even better than Lightroom I'd say. I chose this angle of the hill because the reflection of the light was low and allowed for a naturally black/dark background ( I did not artificially blacken the background like you'd see a lot of people do). Auto exposure modes help with situations like these.

A 'wide angle shot' at 70mm. This was tough lighting here, I had to underexpose for the sky and raise shadows in post. Not my favorite way of doing it, but I wanted a more balanced image. 

Above-Shutter: 1/2000th f/2.8 ISO 800. Due to the boardwalk being close to the burrows you could easily get nice portrait shots of the puffins. 

Above- Shutter: 1/2500" f/8 ISO 10,000 @371 mm- Don't forget to take behavior shots! You'll get a ton of puffins just sitting and looking about, but try and look for behavior. The puffin on the right was very mad at this particular individual. Later on that evening he even pushed him off the cliff edge. Breeding time is a tough one! 

Section 3: Tips for Crummy Conditions

We’ve all been there: You dream of a spot, imagine golden hour light, silhouettes, stunning cross-lighting… and you arrive to flat grey skies, rain, or both. So what now?

Tip 1: Roll with it.

Sure, it’s a bummer not getting those epic golden shots. But once you accept the conditions, you can lean into creativity. Grey skies are nature’s softbox—shoot from any angle without worrying about harsh shadows.

Tip 2: Survey the scene. “Shoot around the world.”

This is key no matter the weather. It’s tempting to snap a thousand photos of the first puffin you see, but trust me—walk around. Try different angles. Look for high-key or low-key opportunities. Observe their behavior. What’s their “tell” before they flap their wings? Learning your subject is half the battle in capturing a compelling shot.

Tip 3: Shoot to your conditions.

Rain adds mood and drama. Don’t use too fast a shutter or you’ll freeze raindrops in a way that flattens the emotion. Let them blur a little for effect. For perched birds, water droplets can look amazing on feathers.

Example:
This raven was searching for fish in the rain. Mist and moisture added atmosphere to the story. Don’t fight the weather—use it.

Shooting to condition also means using your situation to your advantage. So maybe the conditions are grey, but less light means you can play with slower shutter speeds. 

This was shot at 1/30th of a second shutter speed @ 400 mm. There were a lot of failed shots, but the slower speed shows the movement of their wings when the puffins would stretch and warm up. I'd like to get this shot when the puffin is face on to me, but alas, I was not able to capture that angle. Unless you have a filter to darken the scene, low light scenarios are great for this type of shot.

Feel free to reach out with questions. Thanks for reading!

 

Fun Times: Dry suit certification, Hoodsport Washington

     

What the heck is a drysuit anyway, why get certified?

    For cold water diving (anything below 65F), things can get cold very fast when you're diving. SCUBA diving is a more or less slow swimming, relaxed activity, so typically you're not moving around a whole lot so that you can conserve air and not spook the critters. When I lived in Alaska I was wearing a thick wetsuit and holy cow did I get col! There were many nights after doing a night swim where I couldn't feel my fingers or toes (and this was with gloves, boots, and a 7mm wetsuit). I knew a long time ago, especially after wanting to live in Washington State at some point, that I'd have to get dry suit certified to get the most out of my cold water diving, I was tired of freezing my butt off and I wanted to see some new cool stuff. 

    As the name implies, drysuits keep you (for the most part) DRY. When you're in the water and your body is wet, heat leaves your body at least 25x faster than if you were to stay dry. Naturally and logically, keeping dry keeps you warm, especially when you can choose what undergarments you can wear. My ultimate goal was to convince my wife we need drysuits. After diving with the cuttlefish in Australia, the amazing octopus and critters of Sydney, and exploring the rich and diverse underwater life of Alaska, we both knew drysuit diving was our next step (she is the budget committee after all). 

I have met a lot of divers who aren't certified, and that's totally fine, we wanted the option to rent drysuits down the road and I really believe in being as competent as diver as possible, so I was leaning towards taking the class. I am most certainly glad I did. We got certified through NAUI, whose curriculum I'm a big fan of. I can confidently say I can dive competently after this course and will be able to do so in a few months. 

Who we dove with.

 I had some anxiety about the class leading up to it as I've heard so many stories over the years about people suddenly getting caught upside down and floating away, or drysuits flooding with unfavorable consequences. This was all settled by our instructor- Lee, at YSS Dive in Hoodsport, Washington. After chatting via instagram with Mark (@PNW.diver) a well known local diver in the area, he recommended a few dive shops and YSS in Hoodsport worked for us. They even created a class on the weekend for us to fit our schedule!

The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable walking Mollie and I through our undergarments, drysuit types, and how to appropriately fit our cuffs and neck seals. They took a lot of the mystery out of dry-suit diving and made us feel super comfortable. Plus, if you take the class and buy through them you get a STEEP discount on some of their drysuits. 

My favorite part about drysuit diving was that both Mollie and I really did stay warm! The water was 50 degrees. Your face and head still get wet, but the addition of a hood helps. My wife proclaimed she never wants to cold dive again without a drysuit (big win for me, music to my ears). We have a lot of cold water adventures planned in the future. Prior to this we would've been very chilly (leafy sea dragons, Australian Giant Cuttlefish, crab aggregation in Australia, diving Canada -the list goes on and on). We will likely buy our own drysuits down the road since we'd like to travel but for now we will rent as we go and this certification will help! 

A successful class in the books! Eventhough our time in Washington is almost done, I feel very competent with drysuit diving and would have no problem diving again in a few months. We did two dives going over drysuit specific skills. Admittedly there's a bit more setup involved with drysuit diving, but the comfort level in cold water is 100% worth it! I can't get too excited though I'll be back in my wetsuit when in Alaska. 

Where we stayed. 

I have two big recommendations if you're staying in Hoodsport I really like:

1) The Glen Resort (Glen Ayr Resort)

2) Sunrise Resort and Motel

The Glen Ayr Resort was the first hotel we stayed, and if you call and let them know you're diving with or doing a course with YSS they will offer you a 10% discount on your stay. They have some facilities for scuba gear and storage. They also have a hot tub, the hotel is clean and pleasant to stay in and we'd absolutely stay again if given the chance! 

The Sunrise Resort and Motel was a little more expensive but you get A LOT for what you pay for. We happened to get upgraded to their cottage they have on property and it was really impressive, and you can't beat the view! They're also building more facilities for changing rooms and SCUBA gear. What's excellent about both locations is you can dive right out their front door! Here are images from the Sunrise Motel and their cottage. I don't have pictures of their smaller rooms, but they're equally as nice. 

Thanks for stopping by!