Dall Sheep in Rainbow

NANPA 2013 Top 100, Alaska Magazine published June 2015

Spirits dampened after three days of heavy rains and zero sightings of the elusive Dall Sheep. Finally, the rains stopped and the skies opened to a multi-colored arc. The natural phenomenon was picturesque, truly an amazing sight to behold.

Suddenly, the Dall Sheep made its entrance at the top of Denali National Park’s Polychrome Pass. I sprinted 800 feet along the edge of the slippery cliff to catch the rainbow in the background of the shot. I kneeled down at the cliff’s edge and pointed the camera towards the magnificent creature. Between us was a 100-foot gap with a 3,000-foot vertical drop. I peered through the viewfinder to prepare the shot; and was amazed by the seven colors before me with the Dall Sheep at the end of the rainbow. I clicked the shutter, capturing my pot of gold.

Dall Sheep, Denali National Park, Alaska, 2012

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 500mm F/4, f/5.6, 1/1250s, ISO 800, handheld