“You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” – Walter Hagen
There are times when I have visited a place, and I see something unexpected. Whenever I go to a new place I try to avoid looking at too many pictures of it. I want to be able to be surprised by what I see when I get there. I usually do a little bit of research seeing what the area is famous for, but after that I usually just go in blind. I am sure if I did my homework about a place I might be able to see more, but it is more fun to be surprised.
You might be thinking by looking at some these photos that I was walking around the jungles of South America. I was actually in Alaska. I captured these photos and many more when we visited Icy Strait Point. When we planned the trip, I didn’t realize I would be visiting a rainforest. Alaska is home to the largest temperate rainforest in the world, the Tongass National Forest. This vast rainforest stretches along the coast of Southeast and Southcentral Alaska. It receives significant rainfall and boasts a unique, mild climate compared to other parts of the state. On average, the area gets around 200 inches of rain per year. Compare that to where I live in Charlotte, North Carolina, which gets 42 inches of rain a year. This area is home to the Sitka spruce trees that can grow over 200 feet tall. The rainforest supports a wide array of wildlife. These include brown bears, wolves, salmon, and bald eagles.
Through Griffin's Lens 