Author: Heidi Pinkerton

Rhythm of the Night

Photographed September 27, 2017

Bear Island Lake • Babbitt, Minnesota

The title should describe something that surpasses the boundaries and limitations of the human body. The discussion began while chatting with a woman who has a deaf sibling. Although I believe I have “heard” the northern lights in some sort of pulse form, it is more of a rhythmic sensation I feel while out photographing light shows that take over the entire sky. My niece who is now ten, is non-verbal. I often wonder how she would express herself while viewing the northern lights.

 

Ely Lights

This image has been in the making for a number of years. It’s surprising how difficult it is to not only get a good display of northern lights with a great landscape, but with a foreground and the northern lights that tells a story. It wasn’t until Tom and moved to northern Minnesota that we even tried to photograph this amazing phenomenon. There is an airport light that swings through my go-to spot in Babbitt, often sending me half an hour north just to get that out of my frame. It seems to be Ely where the magic actually happens. Sometimes I’m on the east end toward the end of the road, and other times I’m on the west side by some of the more populated lakes. It’s rare that I’m in the town proper, since there are so many street lights that would wash out the scene. But for years, I’ve strived to put Ely in the scene with the northern lights. At the end of August that happened. Right place, right time, and a nice display of lights.

Who Speaks for Wolf

This year I was chosen for the annual “Who Speaks for Wolf” award by the International Wolf Center. It is given to someone who has made exceptional contributions to wolf education, by teaching people how the wolf lives and by placing the wolf in the broader context of humankind’s relationship to nature.

This is a quite an honor to be included in a group of past recipients I have long admired for their dedication. The presentation took place in the Arctic Wolf Exhibition, and Judy Hunter made some great images for me to treasure! 

Following the presentation, I was interviewed by IWC staff member, David Kline who put together this press release:

For all she knew, Heidi Pinkerton’s role was a simple one at the International Wolf Center in Ely on a recent Friday. She’d been asked to come by the Center to take some updated photographs of the non-profit’s board of directors at their meeting. What Pinkerton didn’t know was that the board had a big surprise up its sleeve. As the group was preparing to leave an exhibit area at the interpretive center, board member Nancy Gibson spoke up. She started reading from some notes and Pinkerton’s name kept coming up. It was at that point Pinkerton realized she was in for a big shock. She was being presented with the organization’s Who Speaks for Wolf award for her tireless work over the years.

“Heidi’s passion for wolves, wild places and education was a perfect fit for the Center,” executive director Rob Schultz said. “She enthusiastically shares her wildlife experiences through social media, popular photography classes and her travels. You can often find Heidi in front of the wolf window patiently answering the visitors’ myriad questions about the wolves, while her eyes are focused on her camera capturing their behavior. She readily promotes all aspects of the Center with her photos, classes, promotions and presentations.” Pinkerton was taken by surprise when presented with the award. “I’ve been watching people get it over the years,” she said. “When Nancy started giving her speech, I was really surprised. How they did it was kind of sneaky.”
With a beautiful collection of Pinkerton’s images serving as the backdrop, Gibson spoke about why Pinkerton was chosen as the 2017 recipient.
“That was the neatest part,” Pinkerton said. “I was recognized for not only my love of the wolves, but for how I can help educate people through my photography. I think that when you educate people about wildlife, they’ll have a greater respect for it. “They’ll want to live in this natural world with them. That goes for all wildlife, but especially the apex predators. They’re so misunderstood.”

In May, Pinkerton’s photos of last year’s pups (Axel and Grayson) were installed in the interpretive center’s seasonal gallery. Those images will be up in the gallery until April 2018. Pinkerton played a key role in documenting the arrival of Axel and Grayson at the Center, as well as their first year in Ely.
“She was the steady hand, photographing and recording important behavioral patterns of the 2016 arctic wolves, which enhanced the Center’s presentations about their development,” Schultz said. “With her eager smile, Heidi volunteers her time, donates her art and has enhanced the Center store and walls with her gifted photography. We are so grateful that she was lured by the wildlands of Ely.”
Pinkerton grew up in southeastern Wisconsin and moved to Babbitt in 2009 with her husband, Tom. They had been living in Woodbury, but wanted to get closer to nature.

She visited the Center several times over the years and took a real liking to one of the wolves there, Maya. Tragically, Maya died in 2011. Pinkerton read the sad news on Facebook and decided that night to have some time to herself. She had heard that the forecast looked good for the Northern Lights to make an appearance, so she went to Moose Lake and walked onto the surface of the frozen lake under a canopy of dancing multi-colored lights in the sky.
In the distance, Pinkerton heard a lone wolf howling, something that stopped her in her tracks.
The scene and the sounds left a lasting mark on Pinkerton.

She taught herself that night how to photograph the Northern Lights and ended up making several outstanding images during the show. One of them she titled “Howling from the Heavens.” That print was donated to the Center in memory of Maya and from there, her involvement in the center quickly grew.
Nowadays, her photos are everywhere in the interpretive center. She has the temporary exhibit space to display her photos of Axel and Grayson. In addition, several of her Northern Lights images are on display. Her photos are up on signs in the Center and have been used in the Center’s quarterly magazine for members, International Wolf.

She has wholeheartedly embraced the Center’s mission, which is to advance the survival of wolf populations by teaching about wolves, their relationship to wild lands and the human role in their future. “I believe that everybody should work on educating themselves with the facts,” she said. “These animals are here and they’re hopefully not going away. I really believe they create a balance in our ecosystem.”

They DO Exist!

An anniversary camping trip to the Gunflint Trail in June had Tom and I photographing moose calf twins with their mom on multiple days.

With the moose population on the decline in our area, we were thrilled with each sighting. Even finding tracks on the muddy backroads had our hearts skip a beat with anticipation of coming across the majestic creatures.

Arctic Wolf Exhibition

From the ground up, you too can witness how the arctic wolves learned to become part of the exhibit pack at the International Wolf Center.

This collection of images from days of rough & tumble through their first winter gives the viewer a detailed look at what goes on behind the scenes, as well as what’s happening before your eyes on the other side of the glass.

       

IWC curator, Lori Schmidt provides detailed information in the educational panels. Also not to be missed, is the newsfeed from day the pups arrived in Ely. On display until April of 2018.

The Northern Lights Experience

When word gets out that the sky might dance, folks flock to their nearest location. On this night, I went here on purpose to try to capture the scene. Not only did we all get to see the colors light up the sky, we may have all participated in the oooos and aaahhhs vocalized as the beams of light appeared to reach for the stars!

Burntside Lake • Ely, Minnesota

Photographed March 27, 2017

 

Spring in the Boreal Forest

When out after dark on a regular basis, the chances that you’ve heard the call of a Northern Saw-Whet Owl are pretty good. I’ve listened to these elusive owls for years. Of course I didn’t always know what that beep-beep-beep sound was, coming from the woods, but with time and a bit of reading, I learned. It wasn’t until this spring, when I went out with a friend, that I had an opportunity to see one of the smallest owls we have in North America with my own eyes.

Winter Pups

As the snow continues to fall in northern Minnesota, I carry out my quest to photograph the ambassador wolf pups, Grayson (left) and Axel at the International Wolf Center as often as possible. Now that the pups are well established in the exhibition pack with the other male wolves, the majority of the images are made through the glass. A couple tweaks in Camera Raw while processing and I find the shots to not be half bad.

I am working with curator, Lori Schmidt and site manager, Krista Harrington to create a brand new Arctic Wolf Exhibition. Educational panels will include the pups arrival from Canada, along with Dr. Dave Mech’s pictures of arctics in the wild!

This image will be printed 24×36 inches on a canvas frame.

Grizzly Approach

This fall upon arriving in Yellowstone, we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this handsome fellow coming out of the trees. Watching his massive body move toward the road was a sight to behold. Staying inside the vehicle, I grabbed a can of bear spray and set it on the dash. Holding the camera with a 300mm lens, I cracked open the window just far enough to poke the lens through as he lumbered in our direction. Josie – the – dog looked though her closed back window out at this ominous creature coming toward her. She didn’t make a peep, and as far as I could tell, she stood still until he passed by. I will forever be grateful for being able to experience wildlife roaming wild lands.