Your Bio

Not really a personal bio but rather a word about my motivation in preparing these galleries. This website is not about my photography but about my surroundings. Actually its more of an attempt to share the sights of the area in which I live (Prince of Wales Island Alaska).
I am not a professional photographer. All photos are snapshots,hand held using available light. Nothing is set up. Given the oppurtunity of viewing the entire sequence of photos one should come away with an overview of my surroundings. I tend to assume a naturalist view in placing emphisis upon flora and fauna.
Prince of Wales island is the third largest island in the United States, roughly the size of Delaware. Only the island of Hawaii and Kodiak are larger. It is a part of the Alexander Archipelago . POW Island is situated at the southernmost portion of southeastern Alaska panhandle. A temperaterate rain forest inside the Tongass National Forest & is heavily forested with Sitka spruce, hemlock,, and cedar. We received eleven feet of rain in 1997. Our waterways also team with life: humpback and orca whales,seals, sea lions and porpoise often cavort here.
It is said that there are more deer on this island than humans. Personally I think that to be a huge understatement. It might be nearer a 10X ratio. There are also an abundance of other animals including black bear, mink, marten, wolf and beaver.
To better understand the location think of it as being Northwestern Northwestern Washington state. Though untrue it is a better description than just saying it`s in Alaska because most people have an interpretation that all of Alaska is Arctic. Nothing is farther from the truth. I am located nearer Seattle than to Anchorage. The weather system here is that of the Pacific Northwest which is to say the dominant pattern is an onshore flow of moist marine air coming from the South Pacific. This greatly influences climate. As a result both winter and summer are mild as compared to anyplace else I have been in the northern states inland of coastal areas.
In this year (2008) my photos have been used by Alaska Geographic "Native Cultures of Alaska, Thorne Bay Business Association, Prince of Wales Island Chamber of Commerce Island Guide & Ketchikan Travelers Bureau Visitors Guide as well as my own personal publication "Prince of Wales Island Popular Photos" coffee table book.
For information and communication email robertspencer@aptalaska.net

Featured Galleries

Coffee Table Book 2009 : This gallery is at present a work in progress. I intend initially to assemble a collection of approximately two hundred of my best and most recent photos. A selection process will reduce the number to exactly one hundred twenty photos. At that time they will be combined with Scripture to comprise an upcoming coffee table that will be hard cover and eight by ten inch in dimension. Thanks for looking & take care. Bob

Coffee Table Book 2009

This gallery is at present a work in progress. I intend initially to a ...

Updated: Jun 24, 2009 2:13pm PST

Coffee Table Book 2008 : This gallery is an assembly of photos that comprise a coffee table book recently released for distribution. The collection is made up primarily of my earliest efforts to show life here on Prince of Wales Island Alaska. Nature and wildlife are accented and supplimented with scenics and landscapes. take the slideshow. See the preview at this link to the publishers bookstore.If you wish to purchase a copy please contact me or go directly to the publishers book store: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/407745 robertspencer@aptalaska.net

Coffee Table Book 2008

This gallery is an assembly of photos that comprise a coffee table boo ...

Updated: Apr 03, 2009 10:40am PST

Favorites Of 2008 :

Favorites Of 2008

Updated: Mar 23, 2009 3:58pm PST

Winter Swans of Thorne River ( Now a Coffee Table Book ) : This gallery is the beginning of my next coffee table book soon to be available to the public. There are a small number of nonmigratory trumpeter swans that each year elect to remain here to winter over rather than make the long migration south. We refere to them as residents. This winter has been somewhat cooler ( cold!) than usual and as a result the rivers and streams are ice bound to a greater extent . That means limited open water available to the swans in which to feed. Such a condition allows me greater access to them and somewhat more predictability in assuming their daily location. I have tried to include as much photographic variety as possible. Thanks for looking. Take care. Bob

Winter Swans of Thorne River ( Now a Coffee Table Book )

This gallery is the beginning of my next coffee table book soon to be ...

Updated: Mar 17, 2009 8:39am PST

Galleries

Fall 2008 :

Fall 2008

Updated: Dec 25, 2008 12:08pm PDT

Spring 2008 :

Spring 2008

Updated: Jun 03, 2008 10:09am PDT

Summer 2008 : My summer gallery is to feature the months of June, July and August. Summer is delightfully mild on Prince of Wales Island as you can see.

Summer 2008

My summer gallery is to feature the months of June, July and August. ...

Updated: Sep 01, 2008 6:31pm PDT

Winter 2008 :

Winter 2008

Updated: Jan 29, 2009 10:40am PDT

Favorites Of 2008 :

Favorites Of 2008

Updated: Mar 23, 2009 3:58pm PDT

Coffee Table Book 2008 : This gallery is an assembly of photos that comprise a coffee table book recently released for distribution. The collection is made up primarily of my earliest efforts to show life here on Prince of Wales Island Alaska. Nature and wildlife are accented and supplimented with scenics and landscapes. take the slideshow. See the preview at this link to the publishers bookstore.If you wish to purchase a copy please contact me or go directly to the publishers book store: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/407745 robertspencer@aptalaska.net

Coffee Table Book 2008

This gallery is an assembly of photos that comprise a coffee table boo ...

Updated: Apr 03, 2009 10:40am PDT

Best of 2007 : As the gallery name suggest these have been selected to represent my best efforts of the previous year. I have attempted to post these photos in an order that will promote a variety to the viewer. Chronological sequence is not used in an effort to show various aspects of life here without the boredom of posting too many similar photos of the same season in close proximity to each other. I suggest viewing via the slideshow option at the top of the page and sitting 6-8 feet from the monitor.

Best of 2007

As the gallery name suggest these have been selected to represent my b ...

Updated: Jan 07, 2009 12:16pm PDT

Loon Lake : Welcome to Loon Lake (AKA Boy Scout Lake). This gallery is the result of two weeks work ( second & third week of July 2008). You will see lots of green with splotches of wildflowers and wildlife. Enjoy.

Loon Lake

Welcome to Loon Lake (AKA Boy Scout Lake). This gallery is the result ...

Updated: Jan 26, 2009 6:50pm PDT

Kasaan :

Kasaan

Updated: Jun 08, 2008 2:23pm PDT

Spring 2007 :

Spring 2007

Updated: Jul 13, 2007 11:28pm PDT

Summer 2007 :

Summer 2007

Updated: Feb 01, 2008 3:59pm PDT

Fall 2007 :

Fall 2007

Updated: Oct 16, 2007 5:31pm PDT

WINTER 2007 : This gallery is compiled with photos produced from both the Fuji S-2 Pro and the Nikon D1-X. All lenses used are Tokina AT-X series. The collection is entirely JPEG captures.

WINTER 2007

This gallery is compiled with photos produced from both the Fuji S-2 P ...

Updated: Feb 06, 2008 11:00pm PDT

Boats :

Boats

Updated: Oct 09, 2008 5:12pm PDT

Fifth Season :

Fifth Season

Updated: Apr 12, 2008 11:29am PDT

My Favorites For 2006 :

My Favorites For 2006

Updated: Apr 28, 2009 12:30pm PDT

Nautical :

Nautical

Updated: Aug 19, 2008 8:44pm PDT

Fall 2006 :

Fall 2006

Updated: Dec 31, 2006 6:05pm PDT

Wildflowers :

Wildflowers

Updated: Jun 21, 2009 4:35pm PDT

Fuji Gallery # 2 Spring 2006 : More from the Fuji S-2 in spring of 2006.

Fuji Gallery # 2 Spring 2006

More from the Fuji S-2 in spring of 2006.

Updated: Jun 18, 2006 7:20pm PDT

Float Planes :

Float Planes

Updated: Jun 09, 2008 1:29pm PDT

Fuji Gallery Winter 2006 : I am now using the FujiFilm S-2 Pro as of March first 06 and have opened this gallery to seperate this from previous works. I intend to continue using Fuji digital SLRs. Hope you like the sights here.

Fuji Gallery Winter 2006

I am now using the FujiFilm S-2 Pro as of March first 06 and have open ...

Updated: Oct 29, 2006 9:52pm PDT

Sea Birds Journey : This gallery has been created to document restoration progress on my boat Sea Bird. The photos are roughly presented in chronological sequence so that improvements are to be seen as the slideshow progresses. Hopefully this will be a long standing gallery showing much improvement to the boat as time passes. The intended use of Sea Bird is that it shall become my mobile photo studio. In the area in which I live roads are much less common than in most locations. Travel for the most part is done either by air or on the water. The entire length of SE Alaska is approx 250 miles North to South with countless thousands of miles of shoreline to be explored. Marine mamals are there available to be photographed. That group will include several varieties of whales, various seals plus otter, deer and black bear that frequent the beaches in search of foods. Check back from time to time for updates. Eventually remote seascapes will become a part of my galleries as I begin to venture into secluded coves and bays of the area. Take care and enjoy.

Sea Birds Journey

This gallery has been created to document restoration progress on my b ...

Updated: Oct 07, 2008 2:07pm PDT

Eagles and Friends :

Eagles and Friends

Updated: Feb 25, 2009 5:39pm PDT

Eagles Nest Lake : Eagles Nest Lake is a high mountain lake about eighteen miles from my home. I consider it to be a photographers paradise. Few people visit this area. The wildlife is abundant. Each time I visit I find it to be different . I have opened this gallery because I intend to make a year long study of the area to record the changes as they occur from the snows of winter to the green lush summer season. Check back from time to time to see whats new.

Eagles Nest Lake

Eagles Nest Lake is a high mountain lake about eighteen miles from my ...

Updated: Oct 29, 2006 6:16pm PDT

My Alaskan Photos : This gallery is an attempt to share the sights of the area in which I live (Prince of Wales Island Alaska). I am not a professional photographer. All photos are snapshots,hand held using available light. Nothing is set up. Given the oppurtunity of viewing the entire sequence of photos one should come away with an overview of the surroundings that I live in. Hope you enjoy. If you have questions feel free to email me at thingman2000@yahoo.com

My Alaskan Photos

This gallery is an attempt to share the sights of the area in which I ...

Updated: Jan 30, 2006 12:43pm PDT

Alaskan Photos #2 : This gallery is an extension of the first.

Alaskan Photos #2

This gallery is an extension of the first.

Updated: Jan 29, 2006 10:15pm PDT

Photos Outside Alaska : The title says it all.

Photos Outside Alaska

The title says it all.

Updated: Feb 02, 2009 10:00am PDT

Knives and Guns : Once in awhile I like to photograph my collection of hunting rifles and knives. I have used this galery to host them. About half of the knives here I have made myself and have reworked the stocks on every rifle as well.

Knives and Guns

Once in awhile I like to photograph my collection of hunting rifles an ...

Updated: Dec 21, 2008 11:45am PDT

Stumps & Snags :

Stumps & Snags

Updated: Jul 11, 2008 8:31pm PDT

Roads Less Traveled :

Roads Less Traveled

Updated: Oct 02, 2007 9:46am PDT

Sedona/Superstition Mt Ghost Town :

Sedona/Superstition Mt Ghost Town

Updated: Feb 27, 2009 10:56pm PDT

Winter 2009 :

Winter 2009

Updated: Apr 03, 2009 12:16pm PDT

Coffee Table Book 2009 : This gallery is at present a work in progress. I intend initially to assemble a collection of approximately two hundred of my best and most recent photos. A selection process will reduce the number to exactly one hundred twenty photos. At that time they will be combined with Scripture to comprise an upcoming coffee table that will be hard cover and eight by ten inch in dimension. Thanks for looking & take care. Bob

Coffee Table Book 2009

This gallery is at present a work in progress. I intend initially to a ...

Updated: Jun 24, 2009 2:13pm PDT

BIrds of Prince of Wales Island : This gallery is at present a work in progress. Thanks for looking & take care. Bob

BIrds of Prince of Wales Island

This gallery is at present a work in progress. Thanks for looking & t ...

Updated: Jun 22, 2009 2:08pm PDT

Winter Swans of Thorne River ( Now a Coffee Table Book ) : This gallery is the beginning of my next coffee table book soon to be available to the public. There are a small number of nonmigratory trumpeter swans that each year elect to remain here to winter over rather than make the long migration south. We refere to them as residents. This winter has been somewhat cooler ( cold!) than usual and as a result the rivers and streams are ice bound to a greater extent . That means limited open water available to the swans in which to feed. Such a condition allows me greater access to them and somewhat more predictability in assuming their daily location. I have tried to include as much photographic variety as possible. Thanks for looking. Take care. Bob

Winter Swans of Thorne River ( Now a Coffee Table Book )

This gallery is the beginning of my next coffee table book soon to be ...

Updated: Mar 17, 2009 8:39am PDT

Coffee Table Book 2009 (new)

This gallery is at present a work in progress. I intend initially to a ...

Updated: Feb 03, 2009 12:39pm PDT

2006 Alaskan Scenery :

2006 Alaskan Scenery

Updated: Mar 13, 2009 4:08pm PDT

Work Boats & Float Planes: A Coffee Table Book :

Work Boats & Float Planes: A Coffee Table Book

Updated: Jun 21, 2009 7:54pm PDT

Rework :

Rework

Updated: Jun 30, 2009 5:11pm PDT

Blues :

Blues

Updated: Apr 24, 2009 3:40pm PDT

Southside Fabrication :

Southside Fabrication

Updated: Jun 08, 2009 9:35am PDT