Hello Everyone! 2015 was a great, great year. Traveling took me from the North Slope of Alaska to the southern coast of Texas. Professionally I am headed back to the “real world” after completing my thesis in December, and will enjoying a married life by mid-summer! The images below are some of my Top Shots from 2015. If there was a blog post associated with the image I included it in the caption. I hope you enjoy.

If you have enjoyed the blog this year please take the time to pass it on to a friend who would enjoy it too, and encourage them to sign up for the emails. Thanks all!

Aurora Borealis

The Aurora Borealis has become an addiction of mine, and these two particular some of my favorites from the season.

Sun-kissed Aurora, Fairbanks, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/the-sun-kissed-aurora/)

Aurora and a moonset, Fairbanks, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/the-negative-40f-aurora-club/)

Dog Sledding

Dog sledding in Alaska has been a tremendous treat, and there couldn’t be a better mentor than my friend Jeff Deeter at Black Spruce Dog Sledding.

George, taking a break on the trail. Fairbanks, Alaska

"Picket" at the Crowberry Public Use Cabin, White Mountains, Alaska — “Picket” at the Crowberry Public Use Cabin, White Mountains, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/by-a-team-of-seven-into-heaven/)

Landscapes

These array of landscape shots capture the beauty and phenomena of Alaska and beyond.

Alaska Range in the pre-dawn. Donnelly Creek, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/highlights-of-an-alaskan-bird-a-thon/)

Inside Mendenhall Glacier, Juneau, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/into-the-mouth-of-an-ice-beast/)

Star-trails in a winter wonderland, Fairbanks, Alaska

Windy day and a half moon at Polychrome Pass, Denali National Park, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/a-portrait-of-the-great-one/)

Mount Denali Panorama, Denali National Park, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/a-portrait-of-the-great-one/)

Matanuska Glacier, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/matanuska-glacier-peril/)

Summer Solstice on the North Slope, Galbraith Lake, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/solstice-solitude-soliloquy/)

Thunderstorm at the Lake, Minnesota (https://ianajohnson.com/thunderstorm-at-the-lake/)

Wildlife

From the bottom of tide pools to the tops of mountains, it has been a great year to shoot wildlife!

Breaching Humpback Whale, Seward, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/a-whale-of-tale/)

Anemone in a tide-pool. Homer, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/on-the-beaches-of-homer/)

American Golden Plover, North Slope, Alaska

Northern Hawk Owl, Dalton Highway, Alaska

Willow Ptarmigan, Denali Highway, Alaska

Woodfrog, Fairbanks, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/a-wood-frog-blog/)

Green Wing Teal — Green-wing Teal, Porcupine River, Alaska (https://ianajohnson.com/go-when-the-river-says-go/)

Flowers

Fireweed are iconic to Alaska, and I love how a single stalk seems to stand out above the others here.

Standing out. — A broad field of fireweed where one seems to stand out over the rest.

Single Lily — A single white lily in Minnesota.

Miscellaneous

Dew of Summer — The world reflected over and over in the heavy dew of summer. (https://ianajohnson.com/on-that-misty-minnesota-morn/)

Top Video

It’s incredible that one 36th of the year is already gone as I type this. Weren’t we just clinking champagne glasses as the ball dropped in New York just last night? As 2015 begins, I wanted to take the time to thank all who support this blog and my writing. I would not just write to myself; your comments and input are much appreciated!

I am incredibly thankful for my time here in Alaska. My travels have taken me to hundreds of miles south to enjoy the coastal ranges in Anchorage and Seward. In the opposite direction, I have beaten the punishing gravel of the haul road to cross the Brooks Range onto the Northslope three times. Within the Alaskan wilderness I have hunted big game, fished its rivers, and enjoyed bears, fox, and wolves, along with a plethora of bird species. During the dark skies of winter I have been graced by the dancing Northern Lights and cloaked in inky darkness. I have found there is always something to do in Alaska, and I feel that in the last 365 days I have had the adventures worthy of two year. It has indeed been a good year!

Below is a small gallery of the hundreds of photos that have been taken in Alaska during 2014 and featured in the blog. I have opted out of any captions, but if you would like to know more about an image, leave a comment. Thanks again everyone, and here’s to 2015!

January