The Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica

Last month we traveled down to the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica to shoot two beautiful ecolodges for Cayuga: www.cayugaonline.com. Containing 2.5% of the entire biodiversity of the planet, yet taking up a mere 0.00000085% of the earth's total surface area, the Osa Peninsula is home to over half of all of the plant and animal species in Costa Rica. Over 700 species of trees, 117 species of reptiles and amphibians, 365 species of birds and over 120 species of mammals, it's easy to see why National Geographic called the Osa Peninsula one of the most biologically intense places on earth. Oh yea, the beaches are pretty nice too! Lapa Rios: http://www.laparios.com / Arenas Del Mar: www.arenasdelmar.com

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Epic Prince William Sound Salmon Season

This summer I photographed the 2013 commercial salmon fishery in Prince William Sound, Alaska for the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute that partners with the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry, which promotes Alaska Seafood in the U.S. and abroad. The pink salmon forecast was right around 38 million fish, however after it was all said and done, the fishing fleet delivered a record of more than 85 million pink salmon, the largest ever harvested. Prince William Sound is a stunningly beautiful place surrounded by a dramatic coastline of mountains, glaciers and waterfalls. The main communities of PWS are Cordova, Valdez and Whittier.

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The Hills are Alive!

It's springtime in Boise, Idaho and thousands of sheep have descended onto the foothills above town. The shepherds of these animals are mostly Peruvian and use large Great Pyrenees guard dogs to protect the flocks from coyotes and wolves, as well as Border Collies to work the sheep up and down the steep valleys of this region.

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Bison in Yellowstone National Park

The Yellowstone Park Bison Herd is the largest public herd of American Bison in the United States. Their population has increased from less than 50 in 1902 to somewhere around 3000 in 2010. Fall is a dramatically beautiful time to watch these animals move about the park as the yellowing leaves of fall greet the coming snows of a long and cold winter.




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Twin Lakes, Sawtooth Mountains, Idaho.

At just below 9000' in elevation, Twin Lakes are located high in the Sawtooth Mountains of central Idaho. These two lakes which are separated by a thin isthmus of land are surrounded by a veritable cathedral of rocky spires, cliffs and talus fields. The lakes are accessed from a trailhead out of Pettit Lake. The trail from Pettit climbs about 1800' for roughly 6.5 miles through meadows, creeks, boulder fields and switchbacks that allow the adventurer spectacular views of the Sawtooth and Whitecloud Mountains.

A New Harvest

The Magic Valley in South Central Idaho was once famous for crops that grew from the ground. Now GE has invested nearly half a billion dollars in harvesting a new type of crop, wind. Just off the Oregon Trail near Hagerman, 122 windmills are being constructed on 11 wind farms and at their peak will generate enough energy to power almost 40,000 homes.

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The Camas Prairie

At an elevation of around 5000 feet, the Camas Prairie located in south central Idaho, puts on a colorful show in late May and early June as Camas Lilies carpet the land in a sea of blue and purple. The Nez Pierce Indians once harvested the Camas root for medicinal purposes and for a key ingredient in making bread. The Camas Prairie is also an important wetland zone for migratory birds.

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