I am an Alaska based photographer who specializes in conservation, wildlife and landscape photography. 

Publication credits prior to my lengthy sabbatical from photography (more on that in the - Blog) from 1991 to December 2009 - included: Alaska Geographic, Alaska, Backpacker, Shape and Popular Mechanics Magazines, the National Park Service (photos used in outside exhibits of the Denali Visitor Center) and others.

I was represented by Alaska Stock Images which was later purchased by Design Pics.

When I first considered creating another nature photography website, I was planning to primarily show newer material from when I started shooting digital in September of 2021.

Yet, there have been many changes in Denali not the least of them is that now, we can only travel 43 miles into the park to the East Fork River due to the Pretty Rocks Landslide - 

See: Pretty Rocks Landslide

The vast majority of my images are from the film era with many of these images taken beyond Pretty Rocks. Essentially, they are time capsules from the past when we could travel the full 92 miles of the park road. Hopefully, we will be able to do so again in the future.

While I do feel that current photographic work is important to the present, I also feel that I shouldn’t ignore my previous work. This is especially the case when these images may act as time capsules to Denali’s past.

Consequently, film images (especially wildlife from Denali) will have the “Film” designation and newer images will have the “Digital” designation in the captions.

In addition to my photography, I have worked in Denali National Park for the past 36 years and for the past 34.5, as a Transportation System and Wilderness Tour Guide.

Whether I am guiding a tour of up to 52 people or have people visit Denali Wolves (my educational/advocacy group page on FB), visit my YouTube channel or my photography website - the goals are the same: to inspire, to educate, to create understanding and to advocate for wildlife and wilderness.

Conservation of our natural world is fundamental to the long time survival of all species; including our own.

Quoting from Edward Abbey: “The idea of wilderness needs no defense. It only needs more defenders. Remaining silent about the destruction of nature is an endorsement of that destruction.”

Ed’s environmental writings were a huge influence on me as a teenager and still resonate to this day.

In 2023, I was asked to conduct a slide program for the Denali Citizens Council’s Annual Meeting on June 4, 2023. See: 2023 Denali Citizens Council Annual Meeting Announcement

This lead to my making high resolution scans of these film images in preparation for the program. It is these scans along with digital images that I am using to illustrate the website.

Additionally, I have been active for decades on a variety of environmental issues ranging from Arctic Refuge, Pebble Mine, abhorrent hunting/trapping practices in Alaska National Wildlife Refuges and Alaska National Preserves, to grizzly bears & wolves in both Alaska and the Lower 48, and more recently the State of Alaska’s Mulchatna Massacre of grizzly & black bears and wolves.

Editorial samples of my conservation writings can be found in Conservation Editorials & Comments section of the website.

Furthermore, my images help to illustrate a Facebook group site called Denali Wolves which I created several years ago and administer.

This site is devoted to the education and advocacy of wolves, other wildlife and wilderness and can be found here: Denali Wolves on Facebook

Denali Wolves currently has 720 members which include Denali visitors, the public, locals, NPS staff, professional photographers and writers, environmental groups/staff, wolf enthusiasts, Denali bus drivers, tourism industry members, etc.

All are welcome to check us out and participate.

The stills and videos on my website are meant to help inspire, educate and create understanding, tolerance, passion and support for all wildlife and wild landscapes.

Yet, there are the realities of various kinds of expenses in any photographic endeavor: a new MacBook Pro, editing software, Polar Pro ND filter, gas, truck maintenance, food, campground permits, website hosting, etc.

These are the realities of any photography project and the goal is to help minimize and perhaps recover these costs.

I have debated long and hard on how to allow for donations from supporters but keep things simple for myself and affordable for those who wish to support my efforts. I discovered a donation website, an “online tip jar” if you will in Buy Me a Coffee where for the price of a coffee, supporters can help support my conservation and photographic efforts.

So, if you enjoyed the images, videos or writings, please consider donating at the below Buy Me a Coffee button.

Lastly, whether it is turning people onto wildlife in person during the summer season in Denali as a Wilderness Tour Guide or doing so online, wildlife and wilderness has always been my passion. My hope is that this passion will come through my photography, videography, writing, advocacy and tours and will inspire you to your own discoveries and experiences.

Thank-you for visiting and I hope you find as much inspiration and enjoyment from the natural world as I have.

All the best.

Bill Watkins