Beginning

Photos, notes and news from the Chugach Mountains

There’s been an ongoing debate in my head for a year now about whether or not to start a newsletter about my photographic journey. Questions about what would I say, what would I show, will it help me sell prints, do I have the discipline, etc., float through my head as easily and often as leaves down a river. I guess the biggest question, or biggest hesitation perhaps, is will people find me and my photography interesting? I tend not to ask questions I don’t want to hear the answer too, but nonetheless, I’m going to ask this one. So here we go.

Introduction

I’m Sean, a born and raised Alaskan. I retired from the military a few years ago and after several jobs that didn’t stick, I have decided to spend my time doing what I love most, hiking and photography. The Chugach Mountains (pronounced choo-gach) is where I can be found most often, and unless otherwise noted, that’s where my photos are from.

I usually hike alone but I often bring the dog, Koda, my dubious companion of questionable character, value and motive that often disappears and reappears at all the wrong moments.

Vision

I envision this newsletter being a place to share my work, tell trail stories, discuss issues about hiking/photography, some behind the scenes stuff, and other relevant things. I will also share new prints for sale, specials, and other business stuff.

I’m going to write bi-weekly. I may write more often in the future, but for now, I think this is a reasonable goal.

Recent Edits

When you see new photos from me, they are on average, 3-4 months old. I have several reasons for this lag time, which I will write about in an upcoming newsletter soon. But for now, here are some recent edits from the past week or so.

A female Semipalmated Plover returning to her nest after telling me off. If you look close, you can see two of her brown and black eggs below her.

I occasionally find wildlife at the trailhead.

I barely had time to break away from another composition and get turned around in enough time to catch this duck swimming through the clouds reflection. It could have been a loon I suppose. Getting smarter about birds is something I’m working on.

A female spruce grouse keeping a close eye on me.

Some lady bugs I found in the bushes.

A moose I met late one night while hiking back to camp. I like early morning or late evening hikes - fewer humans, more animals.

A red columbine along the trail.

And we’ll call that good for my first newsletter.

Thank you for being here,

Sean Mitchell