Marc Ankenbauer's 10+ year quest to jump in every named lake in Glacier and Waterton National Parks for charity.
168 lakes. Only 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
ZERO LAKES LEFT!!!
-- Marc jumped into Fisher Cap Lake on Sunday September 8th, 2013 to complete his goal! --
Read about Marc and how this project started...

Cutbank Bear Grass – Olympus OMD EM5

Bear Grass 1

On the eastern front of Glacier National Park is a remote valley known for Grizzly bears, flowers and the mountain that splits the continent.

Cutbank is a beautiful, mostly flat creek valley draining the first trickles of the Atlantic Ocean.  From deep in the Cutbank valley is Triple Divide Peak which you can pour water on top of and it runs to the Pacific, the Atlantic and Hudson Bay.  The exact spot in which the continent gives way in all directions towards the ocean.

Bear Grass 2

What I found as I walked in this amazing place was Bear Grass.

Bear grass is a beautiful white bulb on top of a hollow but stiff stalk.  They only bloom every 5 or 7 years approximately.

So sometimes the summer really doesn’t have much bear grass.

Bear Grass 3

Other Summers its AMAZING!!

This seems like one of those summers.

Bear Grass 4

The Olympus OMD EM5 and a light weight Slik tripod allowed me to get the best pictures of bear grass I have ever taken in my life!!

Bear Grass 5

Currently I only have the 12-50 kit lens, but the Macro function on this thing is ridiculous!

 

Bear Grass 6

I can’t believe I’m getting shots like these.

 

Bear Grass 12

I’m very happy with the cameras ability to focus on exactly what you want to pop with detail.

Bear Grass 9

I was also able to get this great blur shot of the creek.

Bear Grass 13

 

The dramatic effect has allowed for a dream like, stylized photo.  I’m completely enamored by this art setting.

Bear Grass 8

But with a camera this good, you need to be capturing reality in its finest moments

Bear Grass 10

Have any of you photographers out there experienced any times when nature offered you some unexpected great shots? If so, tell me about it in the comments below…

To Life,

Marc

I got a new camera! Olympus OMD EM5

OMD EM5 pic 1

In attempts to document the Waterton Glacier Lake Jumping Project I have purchased the Olympus OMD EM5.

It is the most high tech Micro Four Thirds camera that Olympus makes.  It might very well be the lightest, most powerful and versatile camera ever made.  Or at least from my perspective.
 
OMD EM5 pic 7

I needed a camera that has

  • Multiple quality but compact interchangeable lenses,
  • A large sensor,
  • HD video
  • Super durable exterior and hopefully weather resistant
  • Small enough to take on a multiple day off trail mountaineering adventure.
  • I wanted the quality of a good DSLR but the size of a large point and shoot.

Enter the Olympus OMD EM5.

Until now to photograph extreme outdoor adventure either meant being bound to a sub par point and shoot camera or being burdened by the size and weight of a good DSLR.
 
OMD EM5 pic 5

When I tried to transition over to a DSLR, I realized that it would both hold me back with its unwieldy size and rob me of the opportunity to access it quickly and keep moving.

To be opportunistic when hiking, I like to keep my camera in a case that I strap to the shoulder strap of my backpack.  This allows me to take the camera out, capture the shot I want and not lose time.  Photographs or not, I’m often in a race with daylight.  I can’t afford to stop, remove my pack, get my DSLR out, etc…

This new super camera had to be powerful and it had to be small!!
OMD EM5 pic 2I got my new EM5 two days ago and I LOVE IT!  It’s amazing!  I believe it’s the exact camera that I was looking for.  Luckily I was looking now and not a few years ago.  Welcome to 2012.
So, the photos that you will be seeing in the blog/stories will be taken with the OMD EM5 if the post happens from this point on…June 3rd, 2012.

I have the luxury to test out one of the most technologically advanced cameras in history in one of the most amazing places on earth.
 
OMD EM5 pic 3Many photography bloggers are super excited about the technological powerhouse aspects of the EM5.  Most of these people would also celebrate the small stature of the camera, but they will still be using it in a studio or whatever setting they normally photograph.
OMD EM5 pic 6


I trust most EM5 users can’t truly take advantage of the small size of the camera as much as I can.  I will drag it up one mountain, down another and through the woods to Grandma’s house.  I am going to put it through its paces with stills and video.  Let’s find out what they baby can produce.


So keep stopping by here at www.glacierexplorer.com to see what this brand new tech marvel can do in wild Montana!
 
 OMD EM5 pic 4
 
                                                                                                         Wolf Tracks and Burts Bees