SYLVIA PATTON - 2019 - 2021 - CALENDAR EXTRAS

FRAM FJORD - ELLESMERE ISLAND One of the wonderful things about doing a Lindblad - Nat. Geo Expedition is that you get taken to extraordinary places. You are in the middle of a stunning physical environment with virtually no one else around. Heaven. However, as a photographer, it can be frustrating. Here you are in a tantalizingly  photogenic location: the water is calm, with gorgeous reflections, and, if you could just wait a bit, maybe an hour, maybe two or three, or even come back at sunset, you have a chance at glorious light.  But you are on a schedule, you are lucky to even be here, and it's not raining! How dare you wish for more! But you do, or rather I did. This fjord was full of icebergs and reflections of jagged brown mountains, - and it was in shadow. No waiting around though. We had to head back into Baffin Bay, turn North,  and see how far we could go. We were trying for 80° North, and we had to get a move on! Ellesmere Island is at the top left ...

     Sometimes less is more; sometimes the greatness of space is felt because there is so little in it. On this afternoon we were out on the zodiacs in the middle of a wide open sea. Small bergs would appear and disappear in the fog, as the clouds played with the sun.       Below are a couple of the other images that competed for center stage from the same area. Fulmars, our forever, feathered, following friends.     A few hours earlier, we had come across a lone seal floating in the middle of nowhere, quite content. S/he deserved a portrait.     And then, a bit later,  off to the right were muskoxen! Unfortunately, that's as close as I got. While you can't see their smirks, you can see their home. Their portraits are for another time. You can google them to see what they look like :-)) Muskoxen, at home on the range. And, now for something different: Spoiler alert! I am planning a trip to Pat...