Jon Berndt Photography

Jon Berndt Photography Jon Berndt is a landscape and nature photographer living in the greater Denver/Boulder area. See his work at The Walnut Gallery in Longmont, Colorado.

Master Photographer, Professional Photographers of America (PPA)
Member, American Society of Photographers (ASP)

Jon is a landscape and nature photographer living close to Denver, Colorado.

During our stay at Brooks Lodge last month, Michelle, her daughter Chiara, and I made the trip out to the Valley of Ten ...
08/17/2026

During our stay at Brooks Lodge last month, Michelle, her daughter Chiara, and I made the trip out to the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes - and it’s hard to put into words just how otherworldly that landscape feels. I captured a time-lapse video at the Robert Griggs Visitor Center, watching cloud shadows pass over the canyons. Even standing there in calm weather, you can imagine the violence that shaped everything in front of you.

The region was devastated in 1912 by the Novarupta eruption - the largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century and one of the most powerful in recorded history. Over about 60 hours, Novarupta expelled more than three cubic miles of ash and pumice, burying the surrounding region under deposits hundreds of feet thick. For years afterward, the valley steamed from thousands of fumaroles, giving rise to the name “Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes.”

What captivated me even more was reading Robert Griggs’ account of the first scientific expedition into the valley in 1915–16, published in the January 1917 issue of National Geographic. Griggs and his team pushed into a landscape no one had ever seen - a vast, smoking wasteland of ash canyons, boiling vents, and freshly carved gorges. His descriptions of navigating unstable ash slopes, crossing newly formed chasms, and witnessing the eruption's raw aftermath are absolutely riveting. It’s one thing to stand there today, with the valley quiet and the fumaroles long gone; it’s another to imagine what it looked like when Griggs' expedition first walked into it, still alive with heat and steam.

Being there in person - watching the clouds roll across the same terrain Griggs described - was one of the most memorable moments of our time in Katmai. The valley is stark, immense, and humbling. A reminder of how quickly the Earth can remake itself - and revegetate itself - and how small we are in the face of that kind of power.

I'll be sharing more photographs and videos later.

Here's another photograph of a spring cub playing with an older sibling or, rather, seeing what happens when you tease y...
08/14/2026

Here's another photograph of a spring cub playing with an older sibling or, rather, seeing what happens when you tease your older sibling just a bit too long!

This photograph was made during our hike along the river. That hike was largely uneventful (more on that soon), but we did have a dicey encounter with I believe these two cubs and their mother later in the day.

Michelle and I had been hiking along an open trail through the forest when we came upon them ambling toward us as they rounded a corner, having been hidden from view by a rise in the trail. We were probably about 40 yards away.

The older cub was playfully harassing Momma Bear. We quickly decided as instructed by the rangers to move into the forest and let them pass.

About that time, the older cub noticed us and apparently decided that we might be better play companions than Momma Bear. The cub started bounding toward us, which had the effect of accelerating our move into the woods - while trying not to look like prey fleeing.

On the one hand, the cub was adorable. On the other hand, the cub wasn't small, and a lot of scenarios suddenly flooded into my mind about how this could play out with Momma Bear and the other cub continuing to amble toward us on the trail.

We managed to stumble into the woods about 10 or 15 feet before the cub reached us and started following us into the forest, seemingly playfully. At that point I turned, started clapping my hands, and urged the bear to turn around. After a few seconds, it did - and they continued on their way, Momma Bear never breaking stride.

Later, we talked to the ranger about what had happened, and he told us we had done all the right things.

In hindsight, I wondered if it might have been better to get into the forest a little more quickly. The adult bears were clearly not interested in us, but the younger bear, in this case, didn't seem to have gotten the memo that people are not supposed to be of interest.

Born around February, this spring cub is about five months old and will remain with its mother for nearly three years, l...
08/13/2026

Born around February, this spring cub is about five months old and will remain with its mother for nearly three years, learning the skills needed to survive near Alaska’s wild rivers and forests — including how to shake off a stubborn stalk of grass from your muzzle. In Katmai, roughly half of all cubs make it through their first year, a fact underscored by reports we saw just days after leaving the area describing incidents involving spring cubs. Peaceful moments like this feel especially precious.

08/11/2026

1 Stories. Latest story added on 11 August 2026. See insider moments and handpicked daily stories you won't find anywhere else.

Here are a couple of spring cubs at Brooks Falls doing their best "lookout duty", discovering their world while standing...
08/10/2026

Here are a couple of spring cubs at Brooks Falls doing their best "lookout duty", discovering their world while standing on tiptoes behind mom’s massive back, trying to see what’s happening down the river. We’d just watched them feast on salmon in the rain. Moments like this were pure magic.

Day 7 (July 16). This morning on the river below the falls, we watched bear after bear stalking salmon. Some stood uprig...
08/06/2026

Day 7 (July 16). This morning on the river below the falls, we watched bear after bear stalking salmon. Some stood upright to get a better look; others stayed low and still, waiting for the perfect moment. Their ability to find and catch fish was impressive! I even caught myself wondering if they must have polarized vision!

Despite being so close - with our guide there and the bears paying almost no attention to us - I found myself far more fascinated than alarmed. I was relaxed, but still careful not to lose awareness.

Of course, bears don’t have polarized vision. Instead, they rely on careful positioning and sensitive motion detection. They keep their eyes close to the water, sometimes just inches above the surface, which cuts glare. With their knack for spotting tiny movements, shadows, ripples, and vibrations, they can read the river with accuracy. They don’t need a crystal‑clear view - just the right angle and a lifetime of learning.

I also have photos of them “submarining,” walking through the river with their heads underwater, watching the fish directly. And plenty of shots of them standing tall for a better vantage point. They are exceptional fishers!

Day 7 (July 16). We set out this morning with a guide and hiked from the lodge into the river, following the route on th...
08/06/2026

Day 7 (July 16). We set out this morning with a guide and hiked from the lodge into the river, following the route on the map. Even in the drizzle, it felt like stepping into another world.

Standing at water level with the bears — watching them fish, play, and simply be — was surreal. More than once I thought, I can’t believe we’re doing this. They paid almost no attention to us, which somehow made the experience even more incredible.

One of today’s photos shows a one‑year‑old bear roughhousing with his spring‑cub little brother. The older one was having a blast. The younger one… well, he looked like he’d finally pushed his luck a bit too far.

And just downriver, a Common Merganser mom performed her morning yoga routine while her little ones stayed close.

From Day 6 (July 15); when at Brooks Falls, everyone hopes to capture that iconic bear‑about‑to‑catch‑a‑salmon moment - ...
08/04/2026

From Day 6 (July 15); when at Brooks Falls, everyone hopes to capture that iconic bear‑about‑to‑catch‑a‑salmon moment - the kind Thomas Mangelsen immortalized in his 1988 photograph “Catch of the Day.” I had to try, of course, and digital “film” makes the attempts painless, even if my own results weren’t always (or ever) spectacular. But it was fun!

What I did come away with, using a couple of lenses and a lot of patience, were close-up moments that capture the intensity and focus these bears bring to the hunt. In black and white, their concentration seems to become even more striking.

We had barely gotten off the plane at Brooks Camp, gone through bear school, and dropped our gear in the cabin when we a...
08/03/2026

We had barely gotten off the plane at Brooks Camp, gone through bear school, and dropped our gear in the cabin when we already had several great opportunities to watch the local “celebrities.” What a treat it was to be able to observe these animals - with a very long lens, and standing alongside rangers and park volunteers.

You’re probably wondering what on Earth the first photo in this post is. Trust me - I wondered the same thing. I’m prett...
08/02/2026

You’re probably wondering what on Earth the first photo in this post is. Trust me - I wondered the same thing. I’m pretty sure it was an accidental exposure. It was the first exposure I made shortly after we arrived at Brooks Camp. But honestly, it perfectly represents every photo I’ve ever messed up: film not loaded right, wrong shutter speed, missed focus … if there was a way to screw it up, I’ve done it.

It also sums up the nightmares I had before this trip: visions of gear failures, travel disasters, and everything going sideways at the worst possible moment.

But then came the second exposure I made at Brooks Camp, exactly four seconds later. And that one captured one of the most meaningful wildlife moments I’ve had - and one of the most satisfying images I’ve ever made. The next few days only got better from there, filled with experiences I’ll never forget.

I’ve shared three photographs in this post. The first is that accidental image. The second is the three of us standing in the river on the second morning of the trip - an experience that still feels surreal - with Brooks Falls and grizzly bears in the background. And the third is one of the last images I made at Brooks Camp, a quiet reminder of how much we had seen and experienced in just a few days.

I’ll be sharing more of the moments in between the beginning (July 15) and the end (July 18) at Brooks Camp soon. Eventually I'll share the second image I made after arriving at Brooks Camp.

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