Birch Stand

Story

What could possibly be better than a birch tree in the snow? Why, all of them, of course! This incredible birch stand is in North Pole, Alaska, and what a forest it is.

To be clear, and this is important, it is not at “The North Pole,” but rather, just “North Pole.” The missing word “the” changes everything, but still, being located in North Pole is certainly fitting.

When I was creating this photograph, I went through quite the process. I was, quite intentionally, looking for exactly a stand of birch trees. I spent days doing so and went far and wide from Fairbanks to all the surrounding areas looking for the perfect composition. Eventually, I found this location and was delighted.

That gave rise to the next quandary, though. What, exactly, would the photograph be? At first, I concentrated on framing just a single tree but found that wanting in the end. Then I opened it up to a few, then a group, but that also failed to pass muster. Finally, I decided to do what I do best and “go wide.”

This large panorama tells the story of the birches and brings the entire scene to life. And maybe, just perhaps, because we’re at North Pole, potentially there’s a certain someone hiding behind one of the trees.