From family portraits to the wilds of Alaska, I photograph the moments that remind us how deeply we belong to this world.
Week 15: Two Clear Days in Denali
After days of rain, Denali opened up—revealing expansive landscapes, wildlife encounters, and a final morning at Wonder Lake that brought our time at Camp Denali to a close.
Week 14 - When Denali Reveals Herself
After days of rain, Denali finally appeared before dawn, and the clear skies lasted long enough for us to fully explore and photograph the park.
Week 13 — Wildlife on Denali’s Terms
Our first full day inside Denali began in the rain. From distant grizzlies to a fox that appeared when we least expected it, the day became a lesson in patience, distance, and learning to experience wildlife on Denali’s terms.
Week 12 - At Denali’s Edge
Week 12 of Seen in My Lens: Alaska follows our transition into Denali — from twilight wildlife encounters at the park’s edge to a weather-dependent flight into Camp Denali, where patience and presence begin to shape everything that follows.
Week 11 - Going to Denali
Before Denali reveals itself, the road north begins to teach — about patience, attention, and learning to see what’s already in front of you.
Week 10 — Returning North: This Time, Together
After my first journey to Alaska, I didn’t return home thinking about going back. I returned changed. Only later did it become clear that the experience wasn’t finished — it was quietly making room for what would come next.
Week 9: Lessons from Alaska — Lake Clark National Park
Some experiences don’t translate easily into words. What came home with me were images, videos, and the quiet proof of being there.
Week 8 - Leaving the Wild, Carrying It With You
Leaving Alaska didn’t feel like an ending. It felt like stepping away from something that was still very much alive.
Week 7 - What Comes Home with You
Leaving Alaska didn’t feel heavy. It felt peaceful — and filled with the quiet excitement of knowing there were still discoveries waiting, frame by frame, back home.
Week 6 - Listening to the Body
As the journey in Alaska unfolded, exhaustion brought clarity. A moment of awareness on the trail led to rest, reflection, and the quiet realization that this experience wasn’t ending.
Week 5 - When the Wild Comes Close
“The cabin shook in the night, the eagles flew in perfect rhythm, and suddenly the wild felt closer than ever.”
Week 4 – Rain, Tides, and a Muddy Surprise
A rainy morning turned Alaska into watercolor — soft mist, grazing bears, shifting tides, and one muddy moment I’ll never forget.
Week 3 – First Flight, First Bear
Day One at Silver Salmon Creek started with a quiet bush plane flight, new faces who quickly felt familiar, and my first real step into photographing Alaska’s coastal brown bears.
Week 2: Why Alaska?
When an unexpected opportunity opened on a photography tour to Alaska, Danielle Buoncristiani followed her long-held dream north. In Week 2 of Seen in My Lens: Alaska, she shares how a client-turned-friend, helped nudge her toward photographing brown bears—and how it all connects back to the sense of belonging she’s always found in family portraits.
Week 1 - A New Journey Begins
Join photographer Danielle Buoncristiani as she launches Seen in My Lens: Alaska, a twenty-week journey documenting two real adventures through Lake Clark, Denali, and Kenai Fjords National Parks. Through vivid photography, field notes, and reflections, Danielle shares Alaska’s untamed beauty and the deeper lessons found in its wild places.
New to Seen in My Lens: Alaska?
This twenty-week series follows two journeys north — from the brown bears of Lake Clark to the light over Denali.
If you’re just joining, start where the story begins.