Ryan Bonneau Photo Blog

I’m very excited to have the new cover of Backpacker magazine on stands now!

Hiking through Antelope canyon is a wonderland of color and light.  Every few steps you are treated to new variations of light bouncing off the striated sandstone walls.  I really like this photo because the lizard adds a unique and subtle element to the image.  Luckily this guy stayed perfectly still for the 5 second exposure.

While I was in Arizona when the pup was sleeping I made it out for few times and managed to get some shots.  The puppy is now doing really well and sleeping on my lap as I write this.  I had never been to Antelope Canyon before mainly because of the amount of people there but being limited in time and thinking the crowds would be thin in the winter I went for it.  It really is an amazing place.  I have hiked some great slot canyons in Utah and Arizona in the past but this really is the grandaddy of them all.  I only saw one other person and had a great little hike.

My backpacking trip to Arizona turned out a little different then I planned.  While driving to the Vermilion Cliffs I took a back road turnoff to walk my dog and came within a foot of running over this sweet thing.  It was lying in the rut of the dirt road crying.  Abandoned and all alone this pup broke my heart and I brought it to the Page vet.  I’m trying to nurse it now and if she pulls through she will need a good home if anyone is looking for the sweetest pup ever!

Drawing inspiration from Darwin Wigget’s blog I put together my top images from 2009.  It was an amazing year, highlighted by my summer long solo sea kayaking trip around the Prince William Sound.  I was surprised when I took a look at the 10 images I picked and noticed they are mostly landscape and nature images.  I usually prefer adventure shots but I guess this year was a little different.  I’m starting to put together some trips for the spring and summer and hope to have an even more adventurous year than 2009!

Fog lifting off the red rocks of Sedona Arizona

Sunset over Little Molas lake, Colorado

Saguaro’s at sunset near Tucson, Arizona

Glowing Ice Bergs in Columbia bay-Prince William Sound, Alaska

Chum Salmon spawning-Prince William Sound, Alaska

Mule Canyon ruins, Utah

Hiker on top of East Sheep Mountain, Colorado

Sunset over Usery mountains, Arizona

Humpback Whale feeding in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Seals resting on rocks-Prince William Sound, Alaska

I made it down to Canyon de Chelly and have been exploring this little gem all day.  Some of the ruins in the Canyon are crazy like the photo above of the White House.  I will be posting some more photos from here in the next few days.

I found this Sea Lion haul out on the south side of Glacier island and got to paddle around with hundreds of them.  They would swim under my kayak, inches away checking me out.  They let out thundering roars when there up on the rocks and it was an amazing experience hanging out with them.

Here is another photo from my recent Arizona road trip.  This is from Saguaro National Park just outside of Tucson.  The desert down there was a different level then what I’m used to and I had a blast shooting photos in an area that was new to me.