Research in NWT

[msommers]

As many know here I'm a Geologist and typically I'm working in a rig setting. Previous to that and now post, I assisted researchers in the field in the Rockies, Mackenzies and this year was in the arctic plains, based out of Colville Lake. See here (https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Colville+Lake,+NT+X0E/@67.8374956,-117.8032684,5z/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x516fb3fc33086e33:0xe8b57407890d12f!6m1!1e1)

Working in the plains sucks for a few reasons: the amount of bugs is staggering, not very much rock to look at, not photogenic, and this area is in the horrible weather vortex being influenced by the Arctic Coast, Great Bear Lake and various mountain ranges to the west.

Nevertheless, it was an area that needed to be updated and great opportunity for me to get back in research-mode for Grad school. Instead of hauling around a lot of photo gear (because I'd honestly be hauling around rocks in my backpack instead, no joke :rofl: ) and many photo opportunities would have to be shot through helicopter window glass (ie: horrendous), I opted to borrow my Mom's much smaller and compact Panasonic DMC-FZ200 point-and-shoot. This little thing surprised the hell out of me, especially on the long end and ability to focus on moving objects as you will see.

The first few photos are when we were based out Norman Wells for a few days working around the Smith-Arm of Great Bear Lake.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5724/20618093683_0492f610f4_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpX7VR)20150716-P1030561 (https://flic.kr/p/xpX7VR) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/698/21212969606_1385477dcb_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yjw1Ph)20150716-P1030563 (https://flic.kr/p/yjw1Ph) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5751/21247192351_fcf22c47ed_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ynxq3B)20150716-P1030569 (https://flic.kr/p/ynxq3B) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/653/21228755242_c9c84bc02e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ykUVkq)20150716-P1030577 (https://flic.kr/p/ykUVkq) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5638/20616519024_9dc4bb3f47_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpP3Qy)20150716-P1030585 (https://flic.kr/p/xpP3Qy) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5651/20616515164_6700385957_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpP2G1)20150716-P1030591 (https://flic.kr/p/xpP2G1) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5826/21051275298_b42be1b7ee_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5ehJo)20150716-P1030594 (https://flic.kr/p/y5ehJo) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5749/21247168261_64a482bc72_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ynxhTg)20150717-P1030603 (https://flic.kr/p/ynxhTg) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

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Here we're still in Norman Wells but a preview of the plains to come. Yep, it's fucking flat!

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/581/20618059333_27a8bf624f_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpWWHB)20150717-P1030612 (https://flic.kr/p/xpWWHB) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

[msommers]

The second set of photos here is going to-from Colville and during the time we spent there.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5742/21247155231_e3e81fe977_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ynxe1B)20150718-P1030635 (https://flic.kr/p/ynxe1B) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/772/21051253958_c4f628355a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5ebos)20150718-P1030650 (https://flic.kr/p/y5ebos) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5656/21051065210_1bb741c309_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5ddhb)20150718-P1030657 (https://flic.kr/p/y5ddhb) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/728/20618029613_33a3a16e72_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpWMTc)20150719-P1030678 (https://flic.kr/p/xpWMTc) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

The winter road, in summer...

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/658/21247129291_effab4cf6a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ynx6in)20150719-P1030690 (https://flic.kr/p/ynx6in) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/747/21212899276_25447d5641_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yjvDUG)20150719-P1030694 (https://flic.kr/p/yjvDUG) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5828/21051038250_1280e2d05b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5d5gm)20150719-P1030704 (https://flic.kr/p/y5d5gm) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/577/21239131705_1acb85b1ed_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ymQ6TX)20150723-P1030721 (https://flic.kr/p/ymQ6TX) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5682/21051215708_33811a6bb2_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5dZ1Y)20150723-P1030725 (https://flic.kr/p/y5dZ1Y) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

This is a fully-ripe Cloud Berry (Bake Apple). Tasted amazing!
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/736/21228675882_9af88838ef_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ykUvK9)20150723-P1030726 (https://flic.kr/p/ykUvK9) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/709/21239122005_37b7ce8cec_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ymQ41H)20150724-P1030744 (https://flic.kr/p/ymQ41H) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5807/21051018910_7821e52767_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5cYvU)20150724-P1030748 (https://flic.kr/p/y5cYvU) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/776/21212869436_b348b7b060_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yjvv3d)20150724-P1030759 (https://flic.kr/p/yjvv3d) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/612/21052267039_714df69807_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5jnxn)20150725-P1030767 (https://flic.kr/p/y5jnxn) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5761/21051002150_d4963546b8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5cTwW)20150726-P1030773 (https://flic.kr/p/y5cTwW) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/767/21052252649_41858ea5fc_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5jigg)20150726-P1030787 (https://flic.kr/p/y5jigg) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

[msommers]

The town of Colville Lake.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/753/21247071531_7de89a987c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ynwN8v)20150726-P1030815 (https://flic.kr/p/ynwN8v) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/599/21239086705_a4a4ae5b0d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ymPSw6)20150726-P1030818 (https://flic.kr/p/ymPSw6) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

A group of canoeists on day 34 of their trip. We were in the middle of fucking no-where, or so we both thought.
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5725/21050957830_b3560bec3d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5cEmN)20150730-P1030867 (https://flic.kr/p/y5cEmN) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/690/20617929363_2136816cce_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpWh5K)20150801-P1030886 (https://flic.kr/p/xpWh5K) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/657/21239049025_6b83554a7a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ymPFjr)20150801-P1030890 (https://flic.kr/p/ymPFjr) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

Immature Peregrine Falcon
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/678/21052196499_cb3defbce9_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5j1za)20150803-P1030921 (https://flic.kr/p/y5j1za) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

Mature and mad parent
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/572/21052195199_ff675b45fd_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5j1bK)20150803-P1030926 (https://flic.kr/p/y5j1bK) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5695/20617914873_d0a6aa3618_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpWcLV)20150803-P1030934 (https://flic.kr/p/xpWcLV) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

These are strong winds, not a long exposure...
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/715/20617897543_012e70f9f2_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpW7C8)20150805-P1030971 (https://flic.kr/p/xpW7C8) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5776/21051101498_9bf18d6a65_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/y5dp4Q)20150805-P1030983 (https://flic.kr/p/y5dp4Q) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

1:00 AM
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/585/21238996575_6e4a000b93_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ymPpJ8)20150806-P1040011 (https://flic.kr/p/ymPpJ8) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/574/21246953511_686732c98e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ynwc3F)20150808-P1040073 (https://flic.kr/p/ynwc3F) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

Pipe-organ coral
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5623/20616273774_c6005b0e5d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xpMMW7)20150808-P1040103 (https://flic.kr/p/xpMMW7) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5695/21212706536_95e860b13c_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yjuEBA)20150809-P1040115 (https://flic.kr/p/yjuEBA) by msommers00 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/54199117@N03/), on Flickr

Thanks for looking!

[samo147]

great shots..

proves that photos have a lot to do with the photographer and not just the equipment

[KRyn]

Awesome pictures, thanks for sharing.

[taemo]

some sweet shots matt!
proof that you don't need to spend massive amount of $ to take good pictures.

[rage2]

Great pics! That sign in the picture of the winter road in summer looks so out of place lol.

[Maxx Mazda]

Spent a lot of time in the arctic when I was time building as a pilot. Some
Of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen! Awesome shots!

[nykz]

Thanks for sharing, doubt I'll ever get a chance to visit those areas.. beautiful :thumbsup:

[revelations]

Yep, miss my days as a flight navigator - (most days, no).

Some of these places are just to desolate its almost like the call of the void .... lol

[OU812]

reminds me of this guys shots.

http://shaunlunt.typepad.com/

Sad he died doing it.