Friday Postcard: Hubbard Glacier
Today’s photo takes us to Alaska, where I photographed the Hubbard Glacier from the deck of a cruise ship in the summer of 2023. The layers of compressed blue ice make for interesting detail shots. I used a telephoto lens to get tight on the glacier, looking for patterns that could form an interesting composition.
When I’m on a cruise ship, I love to explore both what’s onboard and what’s around me. For this shot, our ship made a loop so that everyone got a good view of the glacier, regardless of where your cabin was located. If you ever take an Alaska cruise, I highly recommend getting a balcony stateroom so that you can photograph the landscape and seabirds right from your cabin!
Alaska is a vast state, with over 570,000 square miles of land area, more than double that of Texas. The lower Alaskan peninsula is nearly impossible to reach by road; only aircraft or boats can reach places like Juneau or Ketchikan easily. Regardless of what feelings you may have about cruising, it’s the easiest and most comfortable way to visit the Alaskan peninsula and see the majesty of places that are otherwise inaccessible to most people.
Cruising can be a great way to see the world, too. I’ve been able to turn several cruise tours into photography workshops. They’re outstanding. You unpack once, and get to visit lots of different locations. On this particular trip, we started in Anchorage, took the train to Denali, then returned to Whittier to board our ship. We had the most comfortable arrangements while we captured lots of photos both from the ship and in the various ports of call.
Alaska reminds us that our planet is fragile, too. I went back to some photos I took of the Mendenhall glacier near Juneau from 2018, and it was stunning to see just how far the glacier had retreated in only five years. But we also took delight seeing the humpback whales feeding in Juneau Bay, otters on ice floes in Glacier bay, and we even spotted a grizzly bear in Denali. Sometimes the experiences themselves are as good or better than the photos we make. In my opinion, the photos add to the overall experience because they help crystallize those memories in my mind forever.
Alaska 2026: Yukon and More
I’m putting the final touches on a return to Alaska in August 2026. This 13-night adventure will begin in Fairbanks, then take us to visit the town of Dawson in Canada’s Yukon territory. Then we’ll spend three nights in Denali, where we’ll have two full days to explore the vastness of this amazing national park. From there, it’s down to Whittier, where we’ll board a cruise ship and visit all the major towns along the Alaskan peninsula, including Glacier Bay, Skagway, Juneau and the inside passage. I’m working on arranging private excursions for our group whenever possible, including whale watching and a visit to Mendenhall glacier, plus the Yukon and White Pass train tour. Finally we’ll disembark in Vancouver, BC (which is another beautiful city to visit). If you’re interested in getting more information about this trip, message me! Details will be forthcoming once pricing is locked in.
Photo Details and Shooting Specs
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