Impact Images Studio

Impact Images Studio Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Impact Images Studio, Woodland, WA.

Life's success goes to those who can set a goal and have a willingness to take action; to takes steps in a direction; then make course corrections along the way to get to the final objective.

11/01/2024

Two point update: First today status; second a break during the 2022 adventure.

1. This week Valerie completed a 7-hour back surgery and is now home pushing the boundaries of recovery quite well. Well wishes and prayers welcome and many thanks for those already offered.

2. Drama on the 2022 adventure: Next release of images (2022 trip) will be back into the US. During the adventure I a writing and releasing images you are following was our chase through Canada to get back for Valerie to recover from Covid. It was a mad dash (9/9-10/22)and recovery (9/10-13/22) with no images recorded. We will pick up on hwy 2 across WA, ID, & MT to SLC where a still recovering but not contagious Valerie flies (9/16/22) back to ATL and I continue back to WY to finish the adventure. You will have to buy the book for the details.

Next release in the morning from Grand Coulee Dam, WA.

First Peoples’ Autumn Yukon TerritoryYukon River, Whitehorse, YT. A Red Maple ...
10/31/2024

First Peoples’ Autumn Yukon Territory
Yukon River, Whitehorse, YT.

A Red Maple fights for its share of the autumn sun among the golden Quaking Aspens, signifying the celebration of the fall gatherings. The Yukon Territory is home to fourteen different indigenous nations of First Peoples, who each have unique traditions and connections to the land. Fall is a time of picking, storing, and preserving food for the upcoming winter. It is also a time of celebration and storytelling. Each nation's oral traditions and history are celebrated and maintained through these gatherings around autumn’s winter preparation activities. These fall traditions reinforce ties to the land that is the ancestral territory and a shared respect and gratitude for nature's provisions.

Canon 5DsR
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L +1.4 ext
, 1/100 sec., ISO 400, f/10
220908-2
8 September 2022

Above it All AlaskaTanana...
10/30/2024

Above it All Alaska
Tanana River, near Tok, AK

Whether in the clouds or at the top of the tallest tree, the bald eagle surveys its territory with a keen eye and aristocratic pose. Nothing escapes its observation. Raindrops glistened on its feathers like diamonds on velvet. Its piercing gaze commands attention. Its regal presence imbues the surroundings with dignity. The eagle has a majestic six-foot wingspan, which allows it to soar with grace and dignity above its terrain. Its presence, elevated above the surroundings, embodies and symbolizes resilience, adaptability, and strength.

Canon 5DsR
Sigma 150-600 DG
1/160 sec., ISO 800, f/6.3
220908-1
8 September 2022

Cold FusionAlaskaHolgate Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, AKA chunk of frozen glacier the size of a locomoti...
10/30/2024

Cold Fusion
Alaska
Holgate Glacier, Kenai Fjords National Park, Seward, AK

A chunk of frozen glacier the size of a locomotive and hundreds of years in the making calves into the Holgate Fjord in a thunderous crash of energy. Holgate Glacier stretches 12 miles long and 1.5 miles wide, covering an area of approximately 18 square miles. Glaciers' blue color arises from the compression of snow and ice. The dense ice absorbs longer wavelengths of light while scattering shorter blue wavelengths, giving the glacier its captivating blue appearance. Like most Alaskan glaciers, Holgate Glacier faces rapid decay due to climate change. Since 1980, it has retreated by approximately 2 miles. Once grounded on the seafloor, its terminus now floats, calving icebergs into Holgate Fjord.

Canon 5DsR,
Canon EF 70-200L/F2.8 +1.4 ext
@280 mm, 1/1000 sec., ISO 640, f/7.1
220907-1
7 September 2022

North Star ExpressAlaskaMoose Pass, AKThe Alaska Railroad operates 656 miles of rail sightseeing through scenic central ...
10/28/2024

North Star Express
Alaska
Moose Pass, AK

The Alaska Railroad operates 656 miles of rail sightseeing through scenic central Alaska. Any route chosen offers unparalleled beauty. The train operates its Coastal Classic route between Anchorage and Seward, which National Geographic has called one of the Top Ten Train Rides in North America. It also servess the Denali Star route between Anchorage and Fairbanks, with stops at Talkeetna and Denali National Park. During the winter, it serves the Aurora Winter on weekends between Anchorage and Fairbanks. Regardless of which train one chooses, there are sprawling vistas over the bogs and tundra where the moose forage, tunnels through immense mountains where the dahl sheep climbed to be only white dots on the mountainside, and trestles over rivers and streams where the salmon and bears fight for survival. The Alaska Railroad is an iconic train ride and offers Alaska’s incredible wilderness from the comfort of the observation car.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L
1/160 sec., ISO 100, f/16
220906-1
6 September 2022

Dante’s InfernoAlaskaHidden Lake, AKThe Arora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is a natural phenomenon that ...
10/26/2024

Dante’s Inferno
Alaska
Hidden Lake, AK

The Arora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, is a natural phenomenon that appears in high northern latitudes when magnetic storms are triggered by sun surface activity. Prediction of the northern lights typically has a two-day window from when sun activity appears to when the Arctic sky becomes nature's light show. Summertime is a poor time to observe the light in the north because of the constant source of light present from the long days. The shoulder seasons of spring and fall offer the most personal comfort in terms of nighttime air temperatures. Of course, the winter months provide the most excellent window for observation, but at the price of personal comfort of very low night air temperatures. Typically, the aurora should be viewed far from city lights; the farther north, the better. Latitudes at or above the Arctic Circle are best. On the Kenai Peninsula at Hidden Lake, the September night offered a spectacular view of the aurora with a 3 AM light show. This view would have covered the entire sky above one’s head had they been 100 miles north of Fairbanks. A full night sky event on the Arctic Circle is an electrifying experience.


Canon 5DsR
Canon 16-36mm f/2.8L @ 18 mm
8sec., ISO 2000, f/2.8
220905-2
5 September 2022

DesperadoAlaskaHomer, AKAlaska is home to a staggering number of bald eagles, estimated to be between 30,000 and 50,000 ...
10/25/2024

Desperado
Alaska
Homer, AK

Alaska is home to a staggering number of bald eagles, estimated to be between 30,000 and 50,000 birds. These majestic birds thrive in Alaska due to the abundance of food, relatively sparse human population, and plenty of natural habitat. In the lower 48 states in 1963, there were only 417 known nesting pairs. Thankfully, the ban on DDT pesticides in 1972 marked a turning point in the conservation efforts for bald eagles. The species has since made a remarkable recovery, with an estimated 316,700 individual bald eagles, including 71,400 nesting pairs, in the lower 48 states. This incredible comeback is a testament to the power of conservation laws and the importance of protecting our nation's iconic wildlife.


Canon 5DsR
Sigma 150-600mm f/5.6 +1.4 Ext
1/250 sec., ISO 100, f/11
220905-1
5 September 2022

Alaska BushAlaskaSkilak Lake, Kenai Peninsula, AKAlaska is a vast, untamed wilderness worthy of its state motto, “Last F...
10/24/2024

Alaska Bush
Alaska
Skilak Lake, Kenai Peninsula, AK

Alaska is a vast, untamed wilderness worthy of its state motto, “Last Frontier.” Hiking from the trailhead to Skilak Lake is an exercise of all the wilderness skills one possesses. The trail dissects a virgin forest where the moose, bears, and wolves are at home and king of the forest. You realize you are an interloper and are no longer at the top of the food chain. The air is filled with the earthy scents of damp soil and decaying leaves. Swarms of mosquitos the size of small hummingbirds sense a free meal. The alder and willow thickets tug at your clothes. The swampy mud sucks at every step wanting to hold you captive and swallow you into the never to found column of missing persons. A pause on a rock shouts at the reality of your intrusion. The sounds tell a story of how many unseen creatures wander in search of their next meal. You hear the cry of an eagle overhead. The crash of timber in the distance signals a moose pushing away at the underbrush. The trail at your feet is littered with signs of wolves, bears, and moose, using it as a significant passage to and from the lake. Further down the trail, the trees part at a bog, revealing a breathtaking vista with glaciers in the distance, the braided delta of the Skilak River entering the lake, and two brown bears foraging on the lake's opposite shore. The mountains and sky are places that you can reach out and touch. The Bush is like no other, alone, vulnerable, and yet on top of the world in a place few will ever have the chance to see.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF50mm f/1.2L
1/200 sec., ISO 200, f/11
220904-2
4 September 2022

Badass Brown Bear AlaskaHidden Creek, Copper Landing, AKFinding a bear in Alaska is no easy task. Alaska is 665,000 squ...
10/23/2024

Badass Brown Bear
Alaska
Hidden Creek, Copper Landing, AK

Finding a bear in Alaska is no easy task. Alaska is 665,000 square miles with only 17,651 road miles. Finding one of the 30,000 Alaskan brown bears (including grizzlies) is only likely if you visit a site where they congregate. Go to where they eat (rivers with salmon). Very few of Alaska’s roads are near the sources of food for the bears. Consequently, finding a brown bear must be deliberate. By contrast, our second largest state, Texas, is roughly ½ the size of Alaska and with 654,000 miles of roads. If you want to see one of the 150,000 Texas Longhorn steers, go to where they eat (pasture lands). Finding a Texas Longhorn in Teas is challenging, even with a superior road structure. The key to finding any animal is to “follow the food source,” your chances of finding your prize are significantly increased.
Canon 5DsR
Sigma 150-600mm f 5.6 +1.4 Ext
1/160 sec., ISO 400, f/9
220904-1
4 September 2022

The Road Less TraveledAlaskaChugach State Park, AKRobert Frost wrote the poem The Road Not Taken in 1917, wherein lies t...
10/23/2024

The Road Less Traveled
Alaska
Chugach State Park, AK

Robert Frost wrote the poem The Road Not Taken in 1917, wherein lies the essence of exploring. As two roads diverge in the woods, taking the one less traveled, rugged and unforgiving, makes the journey a memorable adventure rather than just arriving at a destination.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF50mm f/1.2L
1/125 sec., ISO 100, f/7.1
220903-1
3 September 2022

Denali Highway WildernessAlaskaBrushkana Creek, Denali Highway, AKDenali Highway is a true wilderness road and is undoub...
10/22/2024

Denali Highway Wilderness
Alaska
Brushkana Creek, Denali Highway, AK

Denali Highway is a true wilderness road and is undoubtedly one of the most spectacular drives. Much of the route crosses the tundra above the timberline with vistas (on a clear day) of mountains, glaciers, rivers, and creeks to fill any wilderness adventure. Brushkana Creek is one of the many creeks that drain the mountain and tundra snow melts. The “highway” is a 135-mile gravel road that dissects the Central Alaska Mountains Range connecting Cantwell with Paxson. It was built in 1957. Before the Parks Highway was constructed in the 1970s, Denali Highway was the sole access to Denali National Park. The Denali Highway has no services and has a similar feel to the Dalton Highway to the North Slope without the trucks hauling supplies. Rental car companies do not allow travel on the Denali or the Dalton Highways, and recuse by auto clubs is very expensive, if at all. Today, only well-equipped wilderness adventurers travel the Dalton or Denali Highways.

Canon 5DsR
EF50mm f/1.2L
30 sec., ISO 100, f/5.6
220901-1
1 September 2022

Alaskan Bull AlaskaDenali National Park, AKMoose are considered a symbol of life in Alaska and m...
10/21/2024

Alaskan Bull Alaska
Denali National Park, AK

Moose are considered a symbol of life in Alaska and more dangerous than bears. When perturbed or challenged, especially in the rutting season, the moose will turn and charge. They have been known to challenge a full-size RV for the right of the road. The Alaska moose is the largest of the moose species and can weigh as much as 1600 pounds. The moose is an herbivore and, in autumn, can be found eating its preferred food, the willows' twigs.

Canon 5DsR
Sigma 150-600 +1.4 ext @ 660mm
1/500 sec., ISO 3200, f/9
220831-1
31 August 2022

The Sounds of SilenceAlaskaSukakpak Mountain, Dalton Highway, AKNinety miles above the Arctic Circle, autumn comes early...
10/20/2024

The Sounds of Silence
Alaska
Sukakpak Mountain, Dalton Highway, AK

Ninety miles above the Arctic Circle, autumn comes early. The early morning arctic air is icy and crisp, signaling that winter is approaching. The air carries a cold fragrance of isolation and aloneness. The sounds of nature are generally quiet, but as dawn breaks over Sukakpak Mountain, the wilderness becomes even more tranquil and still. One can only imagine how the approaching snow will further deaden the sounds. The tundra displays its orange, pink, and red colors, painting vibrant details onto a landscape signally that all will soon be frozen for nine months. Autumn’s transient beauty reminds us not to waste time and to cherish life's fleeting moments.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF50mm/ f1.2L
1/60 sec., ISO 200, f/11
220828-1
28 August 2022

Prehistoric RelicsAlaskaNorth Slope, Dalton Highway, AKAdult Musk Ox weighs between 400 and 900 pounds and is the last p...
10/19/2024

Prehistoric Relics
Alaska
North Slope, Dalton Highway, AK

Adult Musk Ox weighs between 400 and 900 pounds and is the last prehistoric Arctic large mammal. Its name evolved from the strong odor emitted by males during the seasonal rut. When a herd is threatened by predators (including men hunting), they form a large circle back-to-back, making it easy for early pioneers and the local Inuit Peoples to take animals for food and fur. Fur is highly prized for its lightweight and warmth. Although native to lands above the Arctic Circle, the Alask herd was completely wiped out by 1860 due to overhunting and harsh weather conditions. In 1930, the US Congress authorized acquiring 34 musk oxs from Greenland ostensibly to domesticate and find commercial uses. These 34 were eventually transferred to Nunivak Island on the Bearing Sea. The Alaska herd prospered, and today, there are about 5300 animals. In 1986, small herds were separated from Nunivak and moved to various places on mainland Alaska. In 2020, the North Slope herd was estimated to be 911 animals.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF600mm/ f4L
1/125 sec., ISO 800, f/14
220827-3
27 August 2022

The Race of Life AlaskaNorth Slope, Dalton Highway, AK The Caribou symbolizes Inuit life and uni...
10/18/2024

The Race of Life Alaska
North Slope, Dalton Highway, AK

The Caribou symbolizes Inuit life and uniquely relates to indigenous Inuit peoples. As both the Inuit People and Caribou struggle for survival in the 21st Century, the Alaska herds of caribou have declined since the 1980s and have fallen from about 1,000,000 to about half. This loss of resources impacts the Inuit people directly. The caribou are central to the Inuit culture, providing a source of community, a primary food source, clothing for parkas, pants, and boots, and tools from their antlers and bones. The caribou is part of the cultural identity of the Inuit people. The simple act of a caribou hunt is essential in keeping a culture alive that has existed for thousands of years. The hunt is a community event that perpetuates the Inuit culture by bringing cultural celebrations, preserving the Inuit tradition by creating new stories, and the opportunity to share memories.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF600mm/ f4L
1/160 sec., ISO 200, f/13
220827-2
27 August 2022

Hiding in Plain SightAlaskaNorth Slope, Dalton Highway, AKThis mated pair of sandhill cranes were foraging the North Slo...
10/17/2024

Hiding in Plain Sight
Alaska
North Slope, Dalton Highway, AK

This mated pair of sandhill cranes were foraging the North Slope tundra, preparing for the migration south. The Platt River in Nebraska (2500 miles) is their likely destination. Over 80% of all sandhill cranes (estimated 500,000) migrate to Nebraska. Typically, the sandhill crane exhibits a gray feather throughout. Where there is iron-rich soil or other natural red dyes, the sandhill crane will dye its feathers each spring, presumably to provide camouflage from predators. This mated pair blends well with the colors of the fall tundra.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF600mm/ f4L +1.4
1/160 sec., ISO 200, f/13
220827-1
27 August 2022

Where Have All the Berries GoneAlaskaNorth Slope, Dalton Highway, AKThe Arctic tundra of Alaska's North Slope Is a vast ...
10/16/2024

Where Have All the Berries Gone
Alaska
North Slope, Dalton Highway, AK

The Arctic tundra of Alaska's North Slope Is a vast treeless expanse of rolling hills, crystal clear rivers, and icy lakes. Looking closer below the broad brush, one finds rocky outcroppings that support a very delicate life balance of plants that can survive for nine months under snow and ice, grow in a very short growing season, and create the beautiful colors of fall as it recedes back into its dormancy state. A patch of bearberry clings to a rocky outcropping in the well-drained rocky areas of the tundra. The plant produces a highly sought-after berry by the foraging bears, caribou, and musk ox; and if one can find it, make it into jam. For a unique North Slope treat, a handful of dark purple berries below the red leaves make it a fine complement to pancakes.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF70-200/ f2.8L +1.4
1/160 sec., ISO 800, f/16
220826-1
26 August 2022

Autumn Fades into WinterAlaskaAtigun Pass, Dalton Highway, AK As the Dalton highway reaches its apex at Atigun Pass (4,7...
10/15/2024

Autumn Fades into Winter
Alaska
Atigun Pass, Dalton Highway, AK

As the Dalton highway reaches its apex at Atigun Pass (4,739 ft.) the Brooks Range and the North Slope tundra wear its autumn coat of gold. A winter storm approaches, dusting the gold color from the leaves and plunging the tundra back into its nine-month sleep below the snow and ice. Life without the snow is short-lived on the North Slope. It may be the land of the midnight sun during the summer, but it is also the land of perpetual darkness over the winter. The high latitude and altitude keep “old man winter” longer than most of Alaska. The pass does not completely thaw until the end of May or the first of June; by the 1st of September, snow will be covering the ground again.

Canon 5DsR
Canon EF50 mm/ f1.2L
1/160 sec., ISO 000, f/8
220826-1
26 August 2022

Address

Woodland, WA
98674

Telephone

(360) 901-9560

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Impact Images Studio posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share