Arctic

Beauty and the Beast in Greenland - Los Angeles Fine Art Photographer

Greenland, the worldโ€™s largest island, is featured by an ice sheet so massive that it covers more than four-fifth of the countryโ€™s total land area. Actually, Ice-land may have been a more fitting name for this island. :-)

On a land of the desolate scenery and Arctic deserts, I swear I started seeing people.

Iceberg-Beauty-and-the-Beast-Greenland-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography-(1).jpg

Iceberg-Beauty-and-the-Beast-Greenland-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography-(1).jpg

Granted, I have been known to suffer from crossed eyes and saw landscape in a human body (see my bodyscape work and a human landscape here as well). Being in a land of natural extremities would only exacerbate the condition, wouldnโ€™t it?

Anyway, this time, I was seeing human bodies in landscape. In fact, make it two - itโ€™s a beauty and her almighty beast in the shade.

Iceberg-Beauty-and-the-Beast-Greenland-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography-(2).jpg

Iceberg-Beauty-and-the-Beast-Greenland-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography-(2).jpg

Do you see what I see?

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The Era after Social Distancing - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

On June 15, 2021, California reopened. Just like that, a floodgate is all of sudden lifted. And I find myself remaining here, trying to rehearse what I used to be so good at doing back when there was no pandemic, mandatory masks or social-distancing yet.

Iโ€™m about living life to the fullest and taking things to the farthest. While some are
debating whether itโ€™s time to shake hands, Iโ€™m ready to hug and, this time around, hug with a tight squeeze. I was once defined by someone as a โ€œhugging personโ€ and I canโ€™t allow myself to fail on that image. :p

(Polar)-Bear-Hug-Alaska-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

(Polar)-Bear-Hug-Alaska-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Wait, what if Iโ€™m met with an equally passionate person? Normally, I donโ€™t worry. But hey, itโ€™s been over a year and we are all rustic on controlling the extent of passion being exhibited.

Over-Zealous-(Polar)-Bear-Hug-Alaska-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Over-Zealous-(Polar)-Bear-Hug-Alaska-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Hmmm, I can somehow picture it not ending pretty. Best to take baby steps in the beginning. After all, wrestling in mud is not the point of getting together, at least not yet.

(Polar)-Bear-Hug-Going-South-Alaska-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

(Polar)-Bear-Hug-Going-South-Alaska-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photography.jpg

Whatโ€™s in your mind when the โ€œfloodgateโ€ is open?

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A Ptarmigan and I - Los Angeles Travel Photographer

Meeting a winter Ptarmigan was on my wish list. But itโ€™s not an easy wish to fulfill.

One, their white plumage again the vast white expanse of the Arctic terra makes it difficult to spot them. Two, they are skittish, which may have given them the name โ€œsnow chickenโ€ in the US.

Searching-for-Polar-Bear-Mom-and-Cub-Kaska-Coast-Canada-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photgraphy.jpg

Searching-for-Polar-Bear-Mom-and-Cub-Kaska-Coast-Canada-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photgraphy.jpg

It was another two-hour trip on the komatiq early morning. The polar bear mom had been pushing her way cautiously towards the Hudson Bay, protecting the vulnerable cub from the wild gray wolves. The previous afternoon, we got a glimpse of the mom-and-cub duo where they had hunched down for the day.

The tracks of them in the morning led us to the edge of the Hudson Bay, where the water was frozen on the surface. We searched up and down and there was no polar bear in sight. We were happy that they made it safely into the water. From there, they launched their seal-hunting journey on sea ice. At the same time, I was sad to have missed the opportunity to see them off.

But, staying focused was never supposed to be my specialty (see
my life (horror) stories to get a hint :-)). Soon, a flock of ptarmigans appeared in front of us. While the white birds couldnโ€™t run fast enough behind the willow trees for cover, I couldnโ€™t believe my eyes when one was instead running towards us. In fact, it felt like she was running towards me.

Ptarmigan-Kaska-Coast-Canada-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photgraphy.jpg

Ptarmigan-Kaska-Coast-Canada-Copyright-Jean-Huang-Photgraphy.jpg

The beautiful bird stopped in front of our komatiq. The time froze.

It felt like thereโ€™s only she and I in this world. She stayed there, changing poses as I pressed my shutter, as if sheโ€™s my model of the day. Face the sunโ€ฆ Great. Step forward pleaseโ€ฆ Awesome. Now, look at meโ€ฆ Bingo!

Once Iโ€™ve got my fill for wildlife photography, she turned around and went to join her group.

I donโ€™t know since when my lucky streak started with wildlife. Maybe a little dog on the street of La Manzanilla in Mexico that ran into my arms was a hint? Maybe it started when a little girl that Iโ€™d never met before gave me a hug in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles many years ago? I donโ€™t know. I always think animals and children are the most intuitive. To be allowed in their space is a great honor.

Do you want to hear/read/see more of my stories with the animals/wildlife I meet on my travels? Some are really WILD. :D

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