Inspiration

13 Photos That Will Make You Want to Escape to Alaska Right Now

It's easy to forget the mind-bending variety of scenery the U.S. contains. Case in point: South Central Alaska from Kachemak and Tutka Bays down to Katmai National Park, about as epic and inspiring as any stretch on Earth. Need proof? Pro photographer Austin Mann went there this week with a challenge for himself: he had to leave his laptop behind and only edit on the just-announced iPad Pro 10.5”, to which Apple gave him early access. Was it up to the task? We think these breathtaking late-Spring shots speak for themselves.
Tutka Lake Alaska
Photo by Austin Mann
  • Tutka Lake Alaska
    Photo by Austin Mann

    Tutka Lake, Alaska, 10 p.m.

    Mann, who has worked in Alaska before, was surprised and impressed with the new iPad Pro. "Everything seems snappier in the editing," he says, "especially the heavy duty image processing." His shooting kit includes everything from high-end DSLRs to an iPhone, and he uses the full range. But he'd never gone all-in on an iPad for his editing. "My favorite part of working with the iPad as a pro photographer is literally holding your work while editing. It’s more intimate than working on a laptop."

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Bald eagle, fishing over the Tutka Bay

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Humpback whale, Tutka Bay

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    False Hellebore, Grace Ridge Trail over Tutka Bay

    "Most plants in Alaska can be foraged," Mann says. "This poisonous false hellebore is one of the few you have to avoid."

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Coastal Brown Bear in Katmai National Park

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    View from the Grace Ridge Trail over Tutka Bay

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    The Homer spit, Kenai Peninsula

    Location of the Homer Boat Harbor, the biggest harbor of small boats in the U.S.

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Paddle boarding in Tutka Bay

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Grace Ridge, from above

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Gull at rest, evening, Tutka Bay

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Kayaking in the Tutka Bay, from above

    "Kayaking in the Tutka Bay often reveals more than just stunning views," says Mann—though there are certainly those. "You're likely to encounter sea otters, eagles, whales, and more I can't name."

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Tracking bears in Katmai National Park

  • Photo by Austin Mann

    Flyover of Tutka Bay