To fully appreciate the scale of Alaska, it is probably best to see it from the air. This is the Matanuska Glacier, a 25-mile-long, 4-mile-wide river of ice in the Chugach Mountains northeast of Anchorage. This image was shot on a doors-off helicopter flight on my recent trip to Alaska.
Even on a relatively warm September day, it is very cold and very windy while traveling in the helicopter. Multiple layers are essential. One learns quickly to keep one’s body parts inside the airstream of the aircraft. A secure strap is essential to not lose your camera if you extend it more than a few inches out from the body of the aircraft. A very fast shutter speed is necessary to freeze the constant motion, so it can be challenging to capture compelling images. But I enjoyed the challenge and the thrill of witnessing such magnificent scenes from the air.
