Alaska

Ever since I was a little child, it was my dream to work with whales. Growing up and then living in Hungary, a landlocked country, that proved to be quite a challenge. My lucky break came a few years after getting my Masters degree in Geography and GIS. Understanding the diversity of organizations that need maps, I started sending emails to NGOs who worked with marine mammals, offering my services for free. It took years and dozens, if not hundreds of emails, but in 2015 I finally got my chance to work on site and in the field with Alaska Whale Foundation. I've spent two summers and field seasons in Southeast Alaska, working on boats, taking ID photos, handling hydrophones, catching drones, and making lots of maps about humpback whale distribution, feeding habits and many other topics.

I had the chance and the luck to be able to live in many amazing places during my volunteering trips. The Southern coast of Portugal, the rainforests of Borneo, a tiny Caribbean island, Arctic Norway... and they all had one thing in common. They couldn't compare to Southeast Alaska. The wild, rugged mountain ranges, thousands of rocky islands, the coastal rainforest and muskeg, the unimaginable diversity and abundance of wildlife make this place easily the best I've ever lived in, and the one I still hope to be able to visit again.

The list of reasons is endless. Whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, herring, salmon, trout, bears, eagles, hummingbirds, squirrels, salmonberries, blueberries, a million other types of berries, glaciers, waterfalls, hot springs, totem poles, fresh air, friendly locals... I don't know, how many characters am I allowed in this field? Did I mention whales?

In this gallery you'll find a few of my favourite shots from my summers in Alaska. Mostly whales. <3
- Robert