wander | Todd Slawson Photos

Wander Photobook

With Covid-19 limiting travel and pushing most of my photography trips from 2020 to 2021 and then to 2022, my traveling has been limited but one place I was able to go was to Katmai National Park in southwestern Alaska. I stayed aboard a vessel in various bays and traveled by skiff to the tidal flats during low tide when the coastal brown bears (really just grizzly bears) came down to the stream to feed on the pink and silver salmon that were making their way upstream to spawn. They were not interested in me as they crossed over the sand bar that I was set up on and were within 10 to 20 feet of me but rather interested in catching and devouring as many salmon as they could to fatten up for the long Alaskan winter.

Many of the bears were sows with their cubs which is always fun to see. There were first year cubs that had grown in size through the summer months plus second- and third-year cubs. Momma bear does not kick out her cubs until the third year. By that time the cub is as big as mom, and it is tough to tell which one is which but once they lay down to nap you can tell that the cub is the one that cuddles up closely to mom.

We were lucky to see a set of three cubs with their mom daily. The lighter cinnamon colored cub of the set we named Trouble as he was always picking a fight with his siblings. These cubs made for great pictures and entertainment.

The big male (boars) bears were always solitary and only mom was with the cubs. If we saw two bears together, we knew it was a mom with a cub versus an adult male and female or even two males or two females. Momma bear would protect her cubs from an approaching boar which could kill her cubs because they are not his. However, most all the bears got along fine and were focused on catching salmon versus causing a fight – except Trouble of course.

As mentioned, you will see that my bear photos will be most prevalent in this year’s book but also many photographs of previous trips that I did not have room for in last year’s Journey book will be presented including my Antarctica photos. Some photographs presented are not what anyone would consider award winners but instead tell a story that I find interesting and am happy to share. I think the best photographs tell a story.

I will now guide you through each page of Wander.

Cover:

The solitaire boar stands with his freshly caught salmon in his jaws in the stream with the mountain range in the background with snow still present in mid-September. This photo taken in Kukak Bay in SW Alaska in the Katmai National Park. It sets the theme for this year’s Wander photobook.

Shaggy the Bear:

Shaggy was a very good looking reddish colored boar that always seemed to be hanging around. This photo is a headshot of him from about 40 yards looking right at us. I could not resist. I love the detail of this photo of Shaggy and the red under his mouth from feeding on the salmon.

Palouse Valley:
This photo was taken from my plane, a 2020 Cirrus Vision Jet, which I flew to Alaska from my home in Denver. I planned my fuel stops at pretty places and my first fuel stop was in Pullman, Washington – a small town in Eastern Washington State that also happens to be the home of the Washington State Cougars. Pullman is in the Palouse Valley known for its rolling hills and agriculture lands. Many photographers gather in this area in June to photograph the young, green wheat as it covers the landscape. I have attached a stock photograph from the internet to show an example. It was now late August and the wheat had been harvested but the contours of the cut wheat fields as they meandered thru the hills made for great pictures. The airport line guys refueling my plane told me that it was too bad that I was missing the pretty time of the year. I begged to differ. Refueled and on my way to Alaska I could not help but circle around the area and take a few photos. I had many but this is my favorite one. For those of you that are interested, the other stops I made during my Alaska voyage were in Bellingham, Ketchikan, Juneau, Homer, Kodiak, Anchorage, Sitka, Yakima and finally back to Denver.

Wandering Penguins:

These two Gentoo penguins appear to be holding hands as they walk off together in Antarctica.

Gentoo Penguin on Rocky Hill:

The Gentoo penguins nest in colonies and sometimes on the rocky outcrops. Their nests are made of stones. This penguin’s belly is dirty from laying on the ground and its nest but he will eventually take a swim to clean himself up. Gentoo penguins are easy to recognize because they look like they are wearing earmuffs.

Gentoo Penguins Jumping:

Penguins are great swimmers and love to jump. It took lots of patience to take this photo as I had no idea where they would surface so I just had to press my shutter in burst mode and hope they would jump there.

A Beaver in Kukak Bay, Alaska:

Not a mammal beaver but rather a yellow De Havilland Beaver on floats. Most all residents of Alaska have a pilot license and a float plane is the preferred mode of transportation in the summer. We used this plane to transport us from Kodiak to the Dream Weaver ship in Kukak Bay. We would reside on the Dream Weaver for the next week photographing Coastal Brown bears (grizzlies). I liked the yellow color of this airplane in this remote bay. Notice the windblown clouds in this photo.

Lazy Lion:

Some days I feel just like this, especially after a big Thanksgiving meal. I wonder if he knows what day it is.

Baby Giraffe:

He looks like a large, stuffed animal. I photographed this youngster in Saba Sands Park in South Africa.

Banyon Temple Faces:

This ancient temple is in the Siem Reap area of Cambodia which is where the famous Angkor Wat Temple is as well. Bayon Temple was built around the year 1200 in the middle of the ancient city of Angkor Thom, which is the symbolic center of the Khmer empire. The Bayon Temple is unique for the hundreds of faces that were built into this temple. Originally named Jayagiri (“Victory Mountain”) it was renamed to Banyon Temple for the banyon trees in the area and then the name morphed to Bayon Temple as the workers who restored the temple mispronounced “banyon” as “bayon” and the name stuck.

Angkor Wat:

This is just north of Siem Reap, Cambodia and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is the world’s largest religious monument built in the early 12th century. The temple was reclaimed by the forest and rediscovered in 1840 by the French explorer Henri Mouhat. The strangler fig tree had overrun the sacred site and many parts of the temple still have them present and this is a photo of one of those areas. I love it as it reminds me of the Temple of Doom.

Cuddling Bears:

These two pages are of cub bears snuggling up to mom after gorging themselves on the spawning salmon in low tide streams feeding Geographic Harbor of Katmai National Park in Alaska. It was cool to photograph them chasing the salmon through the rivers, but the cuddling moments were definitely the cutest.

Moving Alaskan Glacier:

As I was flying my plane from Anchorage to Sitka, I flew over many glaciers along the coast. This one was one of the most unique. It is tough to tell that this is ice as it looks like something psychedelic with its weird patterns. The dark lines through the glacier are called moraine lines and they used to be straight. However, parts of the glacier have moved more than others creating the cool patterns.

Baby Humpback Whale Tail:

This photo of a baby humpback whale tail was taken in Sitka, AK harbor. Mom’s tail had just submerged, or I would have had two tails in the photo. The white marks on the baby’s tail are teeth marks made from attacking orcas which prey on the baby whales. Notice that parts of its tail are missing.

Great Gray Owl:

This large great gray owl was presenting himself in Yellowstone National Park. Luckily, he was perched beside the tree trunk on a limb. If he was in front of the trunk, he would be very difficult to see as his camouflage is good. I love these beautiful owls.

Pel’s Fishing Owl:

This photo might be the rarest photo I have ever taken, and the “birders” might think it deserves to be on the cover which it probably does. Those who travel the world to photograph or even just catch a glimpse of the rarest birds in the world list the Pel’s Fishing Owl as the “Holy Grail.” I stumbled upon this Holy Grail in Zambia next to a river. We could hear a loud, unique owl hoot at dusk and the guides were going crazy trying to find it which they eventually did and shined a spotlight high into the tree so I could photograph it. Here are the words of one “birder” I found on the internet, “They lurk ever present in our subconscious as sacred items on an unobtainable, yet highly desirable, list. We pour over photographs, read with envy the eyewitness accounts of the ‘lucky ones’ and fabricate secret plans to abandon our loved ones and embark on expensive trips to track them down. For many birders, the Pel’s Fishing Owl roots in a lofty position on just such a list. One of the highly desirable birds in the world, the Pel’s Fishing Owl is a true phantom.” I found and photographed it and I was not even looking for one. I did not even know what it was. No wonder the guides were so excited. I now truly appreciate my luck.

Napping Bear Family:

Its nap time for momma bear and her three cubs. These Coastal Brown bears (grizzlies) were also in Katmai National Park in Geographic Harbor, Alaska. Too many salmon make you sleepy. “Trouble” is on the left. He was just recharging his batteries to cause more mayhem once naptime was over.

Bahamas Sea Turtle:

I tried for an hour to get this sea turtle to cooperate and finally he did with the boat behind him. We were just off Harbor Island in the Bahamas. What a beautiful spot.

Sunken Plane:

This is a drone photo from above a famous plane wreck in the Bahamas very close to Staniel Cay. It was a drug running plane full of drugs that was trying to find the nearby airport at night which had no lights. It finally ran out of fuel and crashed in the water. It was running drugs for Pablo Escobar, the famed Colombian drug kingpin. Now it makes a great snorkeling site.

Four Penguins Walking:

These four Gentoo penguins are walking on the black sand beaches in Whaler’s Bay in the South Shetland Islands. Whaler’s Bay is an abandoned whale processing site that thankfully was abandoned with the discovery of Kerosene.

Fishing Cub:

More cub photos from Geographic Harbor. This one-year-old cub had caught a silver salmon.

Sitting Cub:

This cub might have been mimicking how I was sitting to take his photograph. Also from Geographic Harbor, Alaska.

Seycelles:

The Seychelles are in the heart of the Indian Ocean a couple hours by flight east of Kenya. The Seychelles is a series of islands known for its unusual rock formations along its beaches. This formation is on the island of La Digue. The torrential seasonal rains here have helped carve these huge granite formations. The Seychelles are also known for giant tortoises and the coco-de-mar nut that only grows there.

Red Tailed Hawk:

I live in a high-rise condo in downtown Denver, Colorado and a red-tailed hawk frequently flies around the building so I photograph him. I am able to take many closeups of him and am sharing some.

Children in Amazement watching Black Bear Cubs:

These two photographs need to be talked about together. Sometimes turning the camera around from the subject reveals a great photo. In this case a family had stopped on the road to watch a black bear and her two small cubs. The excitement of the two children caught my eye and this photo is still one of my favorites even though it is not of wildlife or a beautiful landscape. It was taken in Yellowstone National Park in May 2021 and it captures the experience we all what our children to have as they see wildlife in a natural setting. Black bears are excellent tree climbers; learned at a very young age. Mom sends her two cubs up this 60-foot-tall tree to keep them safe while she grazes in peace. Otherwise who knows where those little rascals will run off to. Notice that the one bear higher in the tree is climbing it with ease but the lower bear is just hanging on for dear life. Black bear cubs are the cutest.

“Trouble” Causing Trouble:

Our favorite cub, “Trouble” was back at it again picking on his siblings. Geographic Harbor, Alaska.

Fishing Bear:

This Coastal Brown bear has caught a mostly decayed and possibly already dead silver salmon. When the salmon move from the salt water of the sea to the fresh water of the streams, the start to decay. Some never make it to their spawning location to spawn. Others make it, then die and float back down stream. The dead salmon are easy to catch but sure do not taste very good. The inexperienced cubs are only able to catch the dead ones while mom always catches the fast live ones. Once the cub sees momma with a tasty salmon, it goes over to her and starts begging for a bite.

Artic Fox:

This little white furball was found in the Yukon Territories in Canada in November 2017. Foxes are curious creatures and at times are not shy at all. I have had several come up to me on photo trips in the wilderness. He is sure pretty in his winter coat. I was thrilled to get a photo of this cute guy out in the open.

Cross Fox:

I had never seen one before. I never knew there are so many types of foxes and then there are variants of those types. The cross fox is a not-so-rare variant of the red fox. This scrawny guy was in Katmai National Park in SE Alaska scrounging around for food at low tide on the sand bars. He was very curious who we were and followed us around for a while. It is named a cross fox as his fur coloration forms a cross pattern along his back and shoulders.

Three cubs sitting:

Three one year old cubs sitting out the fishing for a while. Geographic Harbor, Alaska

Machu Picchu:

This is Machu Picchu in Peru. It is an UNESCO World Heritage site nestled in the Andes mountains. It was built by the Inca Empire around 1450 but abandoned in 1532 due to the Spanish invasion and resulting Spanish Inquisition. It was reclaimed by the forests and rediscovered in the early 1900s. It is truly an amazing site.

Peruvian Procession:

While walking thru Lima, Peru I stumbled upon what appeared to be a religious procession so of course I stepped in front and took a photograph. The large drums and wind flutes are very unique.

Sloth:

I had plenty of time to photograph this sloth in Costa Rica. He was not going anywhere quickly.

Coconut Face:

It is said a photographer takes a photo of something others walk by. That was the case here. This coconut was just off the beaten path along a beach in Costa Rica. To me it looked like it had a face. I still think it does and makes me laugh.

Purple Flower:

I took this photo in California of this Portuguese Squill flower. It is extremely unique and so pretty.

Korean Fir Cones:

The blue pinecones of this Korean Fir are so unusual. I found this tree in the botanic gardens of Ft. Bragg, California.

Lake Powell, Utah:

I took this aerial photograph from my plane as I flew low and slow over the wonders of Utah in October 2020. This is the San Juan River as it flows west to meet up with the Colorado river to form Lake Powell which is one of the prettiest manmade lakes in the country if not the prettiest. It is just upstream from the Grand Canyon in southern Utah. Lake Powell has many canyons to explore which is why it is a favorite for those that love to rent a houseboat for a week and go exploring.

Green Sand Heart:

There are only four green sand beaches in the world and one of them is on the southern tip of the big island of Hawaii. The green sand is created by a common mineral in the lava of the big island called Olivine, which stays deposited on this beach because it is heavier than the other components of the lava and does not wash away. I stumbled across this section of the beach where someone had made a heart. I thought it was an interesting story and happy to add a green sand beach to my list of pink, black, purple, and of course white sand beaches visited.

Four Panoramic Photo Page:

Top Left: Remote Cabin
- Taken in Alaska, this photo is typical of the remote living some people love in Alaska. No roads into this place. This photo was taken from a plane.
Bottom Left: Black Angus with Red Barn:
- This was taken just north of Eureka, Kansas in the Kansas Flint Hills. The Black Angus cow has her tail up twitching up in the air as her calf is lying beside her. She is not too happy that I have stopped to photograph her.
Top Right: Iceberg
- This iceberg in Antarctica is uniquely shaped. Icebergs roll and the part in the water melts the ice and makes the iceberg top heavy. This process continues until it is fully melted. This one has definitely rolled. You can tell that because the iceberg above the water is smooth.
Bottom Right: Grand Prismatic:
- The Grand Prismatic Hot Spring in Yellowstone National Park is just north of Old Faithful. I took this photo from the air in my plane as I circled over it. It is pretty from the ground and spectacular from the air as you can see. It is dark indigo blue in its center, then vibrant green towards the edges and banded by a bright yellow circle. The 160 degree water runs off making it look like a fireball. It has to be one of the most unique things on this planet. On colder days, the steam from its hot water hides its brilliance from the air but on this day it was hot and the steam was minimal so I caught it perfectly.

Ha Long Bay:

Ha Long Bay in northern Vietnam is an UNESCO World Heritage site and one the world’s seven wonders of nature. It is one of the most beautiful places on earth in my opinion. There are thousands of limestone karsts coming out of the emerald waters. It is a must-see place.

Elk Rutting Season:

September is the rutting season for elk. I took this photo near Estes Park in Colorado.

Lodgepole Pines with White Socks:

These bleached out lodgepole pine tree trunks make a beautiful picture. They are located in the geothermal activity area just north of Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park. The hot ground in this geothermal area has killed the once healthy trees and mineralization has caused the base of their trunks to look like they are wearing white socks.

Lone Sunflower:

This is one of my favorite photos. It was taken near Newtown, ND as a storm sat on the horizon. The lone sunflower has a white butterfly circling it. The green field is canola.

Boy watching Solar Eclipse:

The boy watching the total eclipse of the sun and the eclipse itself need to be discussed together. This is another of example of turning the camera around from the subject to see what else is going on. I watched the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse in Casper, Wyoming. I had never seen a total eclipse of the sun before, and I hope to see more. It was so amazing to see it become so dark and then the street lights come on. They warn you not to look directly at the sun unless you have good protection for your eyes. This child took protection to a new level. Not only did he have adequate eye protection built into a paper plate, but he also was wearing a helmet. I guess just in case he fell backwards while watching the event. It was too cute. He must have left his elbow and knee pads at home.

Grizzly with Flower:

This three-year-old grizzly bear was photographed just north of Jackson, Wyoming. I captured him as he was chomping on a yellow flower.

Black Baldy:

A black baldy cow is a mix between a black angus and a Hereford. This cow was laying down in the Flint Hills of southeastern Kansas. I loved the tall grass this July day and the fact that you can see oil tanks in the distance. This is so Kansas. People think Kansas is flat. Go visit the Flint Hills and you will know the truth. The Flint Hills is the largest natural grass prairie in America. You are seeing it as the native Americans saw it. There might not be many trees but seeing the vast rolling prairies in all directions is so beautiful.

Red Hereford:

Not far from the Black Baldy, I came across this handsome lady. I loved her cowlick and the color of her face. I loved it so much I had a nationally renowned “cow” artist, Carolyne Hawley, paint her for me. In fact, I had her make a painting of all three of the cow photos I am presenting in this book. She did a wonderful job.

Bear Chasing Salmon:

The action shots abounded as the bears chased the elusive spawning salmon through the streams. The pink and silver salmon were trying to get upstream to spawn and the bears were just trying to eat them first so they could get as fat as possible before the long winter hibernation. I love the bear’s claws in this photo.

Basalt Columns in Geographic Harbor:

The entrance into Geographic Harbor in SW Alaska is lined on one side by a sheer cliff of basalt columns. I knew from that that this harbor might be remnants of a volcanic caldera and sure enough it was. Devil’s Tower in NE Wyoming is a collection of basalt columns that used to be the insides of a volcano also. The smooth water made for a beautiful reflection.

Cardinal:

I waited and waited for this cardinal in Wichita, Kansas to return and pose for me. He finally did. They are such pretty birds. We do not have them in Colorado.

Bald Eagle Cross:

I have waited a very long time to get a photo of a bald eagle fishing. This one is in Minnesota. He made an attempt to snag a fish, but he missed and immediately flew straight up and hovered while looking down. This was a very odd position to see a bald eagle in. He then dove and caught his fish and carried it away.

Bear on Beach:

I watched this fat Coastal Brown bear dig a hole in the sand and then lay in it. I guess he needed the room for his large tummy. Also taken in Geographic Harbor, Alaska.

Minnesota Fall Colors:

This is a drone shot in mid-October 2020 in central Minnesota. It was an epic year for colors with the red oaks, white oaks and birches all peaking at the same time.

Antarctica Mountain:

The mountains of Antarctica and their beauty were a surprise to me upon my arrival there. I have so many wonderful landscape photos from that trip. And yes, the penguins were awesome too.

Bull Moose:

Named Shoshone for the vicinity Native American tribe, this large bull moose was found just north of Jackson, Wyoming along a forested river bottom. The sun was setting, and the light was perfect.

Red Fox:

I took this photo in October 2021 while visiting Yellowstone National Park. He was in perfect light and chasing some little rodent as he hopped around and dug his nose into the grass trying to find what he was hearing. I have always wanted to get a good photo of a red fox and I finally got several. I watched him for a couple minutes and then he bounded back into the woods. I was so happy. One good photo makes a trip and it sure made my trip that day.

Penguin in Water:

This is a Gentoo penguin in Antarctica. They are smaller than you think. He does not even come up to my knee.

Two Penguins in a Crowd:

I love this group photo of these two Adelie penguins standing up in a large colony in Antarctica. You know they are Adelie penguins because of the blue circle around their eyes.

Adelie Penguins Jumping:

The Adelie penguins are great swimmers and the only one of the three penguin types that we saw jumping.

Sea Otter:

I finally got a good sea otter photo. This was in Geological Harbor in Alaska. They are the cutest animals.

Yellowstone Hot Springs:

The mineral water running out of the hot springs and down the slopes creates interesting patterns in Yellowstone National Park.

Northern Lights:

I took a trip to the Yukon Territories in northern Canada to take these photos. What the photos do not tell you is that this was 3 a.m. and minus 30 degrees. If you have never seen the northern lights, it is a must. They have different colors to them as seen in the first photo with white and pink colors. Mostly they are green and dance in the sky. During that trip we were photographing some northern lights and then I realized we were pointing our cameras to the south. You know you are way north when the northern lights are south of you.

Bear Cub on a Stump:

This is taken in Geographic Harbor, Alaska. It was fun watching the cubs get distracted, playing as cubs do. He looks like he knows he should not be up there. This is a one-year-old grizzly cub.

Bear Cub with a Stick:

This playful one year old grizzly cub was having fun playing with his newly found stick in a river. This was taken in Geographic Harbor, Alaska.

Hidden Harbor:

This early morning photo of calm waters and a distant ship was taken in Hidden Harbor, Alaska.

Rosetta Spoonbill:

The pink color of this amazing bird is so vibrant. I photographed him in St. Pete, Florida.

Albatross Chick:

This fuzzy baby Albatross was just off a golf course in Kauai, Hawaii.

Crossed up Bear:

The opportunity to get a photo like this comes and goes in a split second. He looks like he does not know which way to go. I love photos like this. Bears have so much personality as does this Coastal Brown bear in Geological Harbor, Alaska.

Boxing Bear:

To me he looks like he is boxing so I have called this photo the “boxing bear.” He is a one-year cub learning to fish also in Geological Harbor, Alaska. He had thought he was scooping up a yummy salmon but it had slipped away. Bad for him but good for me. The first-year cubs were not nearly as good fishermen as their mom was. Maybe that is why they stay with their mom for three years before she kicks them out.

Canada Reflection:

This is just a little lake outside of Canmore, Canada by Banff. Love the reflections in the fall.

Penguins Afloat on Iceberg:

Antarctica does not lack icebergs or penguins. It does not lack smooth, dark blue water either. It is not unusual to pass by an iceberg where a group of penguins are lounging for the day.

Colorado Aspens:

The last weekend in September is prime for the fall aspen colors in Colorado and the fall of 2021 put on a show. This is on the Ohio River Road just north of Gunnison, Colorado.

Seagulls on a Log:

While on a zodiac in coastal British Columbia photographing a momma grizzly and her three cubs, I looked behind me to see his photo. The water was glass and reflection was perfect. It made a good photo even though it is of seagulls. I mainly like the log and the circle it makes and the end with the reflection.

Bison with Calf:

I have traveled into Yellowstone National Park several times this year as it is my favorite national park. In May the babies were out playing. Here is a bison with her calf.

Denali National Park:

Denali is not an easy park to see via car. There is only one road in and it does not go very far at all. We visited Denali in September 2021 and the trees were starting to turn colors. I thought the windy road made a good photo and luckily the traffic was light. Probably could not take this photo in a non-Covid year.

Banff Reflection:

I was canoeing on Two Jacks Lake by Banff, Alberta, Canada when I shot this. The mountain is Mount Rundle. Banff National Park rivals New Zealand in my opinion.

Potash Mines in Utah:

Sometimes I go to Google Earth before I fly around an area to see what is interesting and beautiful to photograph. I saw this potash mine in NE Utah by Moab on Google Earth and could not believe its colors, so I flew over it to verify. The colors where outstanding in contrast to the reddish-brown surroundings.

Yosemite Firefall:

Some book versions might not have this photo in favor of a dedication to my mother who passed away in July 2021. If you do not have it in your book, I have included the photo below. For two weeks a year in February, the setting sun shines down the Yosemite Valley and lights up horsetail falls to make it look like a lava flow. Obviously, this is in Yosemite National Park.

Dedication to Mom:

Mom, Judy Slawson, was fun and loved the outdoors and maybe I picked up my sense of adventure from her. I have many great friends that flew into Wichita to support me and attend her service in July 2021. However, before the church service, we buried mom at 10 am with only the family in attendance. I lined up my out-of-town friends up with a tour of the zoo and especially of the Slawson Family Tiger Trek there which my mom donated to the Wichita Sedgwick County Zoo. She would visit her tigers often. During the tour one of the tigers flicked its tail and the water droplets formed a perfect heart as captured by my dear friend Sheila Klein from Minot, ND. The picture was taken at 10:08 am, the same time as we were laying my mom to rest. Mom’s tiger was saying goodbye to its friend. Truly an amazing photo. This picture of mom is from when she was Miss Jayhawker at the University of Kansas her freshman year. She was gorgeous inside and out.