After a long, full day of photographing ornately sculpted beached icebergs, the luminous blue serac towers of a glacier, a wide assortment of birds, the towering peaks of the Fairweather Range, lushly forested green islands, epic waterfalls, and too many whales to count, the M/V David B finally pulled into South Sandy Cove in Glacier Bay and dropped anchor for the evening around 6 pm.

“Should we take the skiff out?”, Captain Jeffrey Smith asks me.

This is typical of Jeffrey. And this is why leading photography workshops on the David B is supremely satisfying. Jeffrey and Christine are always up for more adventure, ready for new discoveries, and passionate about what they see as their mission in life: inspiring folks to connect in a deep and genuine way to the amazing natural beauty and wonder of Alaska.

As a photographer (and a photography instructor), for me, this is a dream come true. The folks who join us on one of our Adventures Northwest Photography Workshops experience these world-class destinations in a way that always exceeds expectations, yields amazing once-in-a-lifetime photography opportunities, and touches them in a deep and potentially life-changing way (many describe it as the best trip of their life).To fully experience this powerful place (and capture memorable images that reflect its grandeur), an approach like Jeffrey and Christine’s is perfect. Cruise ships offer little more than a glimpse of this northern Eden, diluted to near-meaninglessness by on-board “activities” and their focus on commerce. Even most of the smaller vessels tend to dole out a prescribed and schedule-driven experience, operated with a focus on ticking off a standardized list of “attractions.”

The David B is a different situation completely. Jeffrey and Christine have spent their last 18 summers running trips in Alaska because they can’t get enough. They genuinely love this place, and it makes them very, very happy when their guests fall in love too. They are driven by a deep and abiding appreciation for authentic experience and profound connection.So, “definitely”, I tell Jeffrey and a few minutes later we’re tracing the shoreline of South Sandy Cove in the David B’s excellent skiff. The light is golden, and the surface of the water is like glass, mirroring the surrounding peaks. Whales pass by and a curious sea lion sidles up to the skiff to have a look at us.

Dinner can wait.
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John D’Onofrio is a photographer and multimedia artist who serves as publisher and editor of Adventures Northwest Magazine. He has co-led photography workshops (with Alan Sanders) on the M/V David B since 2017.