General Comment
I go to the Kola Penninsula ( / Col'sky / Kolsky or how ever you want to write it) to do research and there is an abundance of Cloud Berries there, as they are a very important part of my diet because there is not much else to eat that is readily available in that part of the world.
— Hewie, July 27, 2006

As a chelsea football fan I wanted to see where Abramovich,the Govenor was in charge of. Well now that I have............ the pictures are just great. The Chukotka people are great, and some day I will go there for a visit.
— John Kelly, July 27, 2005

Thanks Chrystal and Maria
Sorry to be so late in answering your questions. Chrystal -- the company I travelled with, Society Expeditions, has since folded. the only company I know of that cruises the Bering Sea is Cruise West, but I don't they think they cover as much of Kamchatka as we covered on our cruise. You might work the web to try to find an operator who can get you where you want to go.

Maria, it is not that cold in Eastern Siberia in the summer. Temperatures were in the 40s and 50s (Fahrenheit). As for the food there, I never tasted it. All our meals were served on our ship, which was essentially western style food.
— Phil Douglis, July 21, 2005

Amazing photos! I stumbled across them while doing research on the Chukchi for an anthropology class. Your pictures and comments fueled my desire to visit Siberia. Just flying over this vast area is amazing (I'm a former East German - speaking fluent Russian - living in Tokyo now, and flying back and forth over Siberia once a year). You truly managed to capture the moment. One question: How cold is it in summer, and how was the food?
— Maria, July 20, 2005

Hello,

your photos are really well done, you should publish a photo-book!

Samuel Mikan
— Samuel Mikan, April 5, 2005

Great pictures and interested in a trip
Hello,

I have been searching for boats that go from Alaska to Eastern Russia but have been unsuccessful this far. Your pictures have whet my appetite even more, and your story has given me hope that I can find a boat to visit Chukotka. If you have any tips on future trips or boats to Russia, please let me know. I would be greatful for anything that might point me in the right direction. Thank you! Gorgeous photos!

Chrystal
— Chrystal, November 10, 2004

Your pictues are mostly people focused. Great work.
— John Tee, September 15, 2004

Hi Phil: I saved your web link about the Bering Sea trip. I was the woman traveling with her two small children (Caroline and Elizabeth) and husband. Thanks for bringing back fond memories of the trip even though the heartache for our lost of Barbara and Galen continues. I'll send you a link to our new photo website as soon as it's up and running. We've taken the girls on many adventures since the Bering Sea, including Antarctica, Galapagos, and New Zealand, to name a few. Best wishes, Catherine Way
— Catherine Way, August 10, 2004

What can I add to all the comments on your marvelous photos?!! My special favorites were the sunset and sunrise ones, with gulls, and the woman holding her little boy! thanks so much!!
— ellie robb, April 13, 2004

Gifts for village kids
Bringing gifts is very kind -- kids are kids, they love to play with outdoor things such as soccer balls, etc. Art materials are also appreciated -- crayons, etc.

Phil
— Phil Douglis, December 8, 2003

Wonderful pictures, thank you for sharing! Brought back some memories from my trip to Chukotka in 2001.
— Asida, October 15, 2003

THANK YOU!
i was cruising around finding stuff on my ancient culture, and i found these pics...they are really kool and im glad i can see how my ancient ancestors lived. thank you very much for showing me these. i like the dancers!;) -JJ
— LaDy LiaNN, September 28, 2003

Hi from India.
Phillip, just came back from a 15 day trip to Jammu & Kashmir, India. Have uploaded some pics and would like you to have a look. http://www.worldisround.com/articles/19780/index.html Also, some inputs on how to better these would be highly appreciated. We just had a automatic camera. You, definitely are profesional with better cameras. I am saving for a good camera.... do suggest.... i just wish you were at these places and could show the world how beautiful India is ......
— G-4 !!!, July 29, 2003

Son fotos excepcionales.
— Ignacio Lee, July 22, 2003

Foggy days in Kamchatka
Hi, Katja. I did not intend to sound ungrateful for the fog bound days we found awaiting us on Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula last summer. It was, indeed, part and parcel of Kamchatka's very soul. I had never exerienced anything quite like it, and it made for some nice shots, too. Unfortunately, however, when the fog became too heavy, our Zodiacs could not operate safely and several of our planned landings had to be cancelled. Glad you enjoyed the pictures, Katja. This summer we visit the other end of Russia's vast lands -- Moscow and St. Petersburg. Hope to post pictures in August.
— Phil Douglis, June 18, 2003

Don't know why did you groused about the fog, I think it's only adds more beauty and reallity to the pictures. It was very interesting not only to watch the photos, it also was intersting to learn more about Russia. Thanks for the journey.
— Katja, June 17, 2003

Mrs
The photographs are real great.I had the privilage of visiting this area just after Sept.11 01 for 4 days when our artic cruise could not get us back toAlaska. Your photographs brought it all back to me.I am a video taker so have only a short video about the area. Thank you Ruth Clapman
— Ruth Clapman, April 4, 2003

Hi, Daze':

I have five images from Provideniya in this portfolio. We were there for a half-day. You were there for five years, so you know much more about this town than I. During our very brief visit to this Siberian city, we toured the downtown area, which was largely deserted and in a state of disrepair. We enjoyed a cultural performance in the city's auditorium, visited a museum, and departed. I did talk to a few people while I was there -- they told me that life in Provideniya is difficult, but they were making do as best they could.
— Phil Douglis, March 9, 2003

Provideniya
Hi, Where are the pictures of Provideniya? I lived and worked there for 5 years. I married their Chief of Surgery - brought him home to the states. We left in 97.
— Daze' Lisenkoff, February 28, 2003

Conquering shutter lag
Thanks, Martin, for your comment on the gull shot. I presume the picture you are referring to is "Gull over Kamchatka". I explain how I was able to overcome shutter lag in this particular situation in the picture's caption. Take heart, Martin. All is not lost. You, too, can stop action with your digicam if you depress the shutter button halfway down so that the camera can set the focus and exposure, and then press it the rest of the way down to take the picture. You may have to "track" a moving subject for an instant or so, but if you practice and if you shoot enough moving subjects, you'll get better at it. Good luck.
— Phil Douglis, February 19, 2003

Heavens above! What an astonishing set of photographs - the gull shot has to be one of the best I've seen. My attempts at taking 'action' shots on my digicam have been truly appaling, so I am in awe of that particular shot - not to mention the rest in the catalogue. Kamchatka may have to go on my 'must-travel' list!
— Martin Ryan, February 19, 2003

Thanks
Thanks, Katie, for your comment. All the more so because it comes to me from the maker of "The Emerald Triangle", one of the finest images on this site.
— Phil Douglis, February 13, 2003

Beautiful Work!
— katie, February 12, 2003

Thanks, Edmund
I'm glad you felt so strongly about my Russian photographs, Edmund. As I make my pictures, I look for subjects that best offer a sense of "place". It's obvious that you strongly identified with Kamchatka. As for Slovakia, it's on my list of places to visit someday. Come April, I'll be "almost" there as I visit Eastern Europe for the first time with a trip to Vienna, Prague, and Budapest. Thanks again, Edmund, for your nice comment.
— Phil Douglis, January 25, 2003

Beautiful Photos
I cannot believe how beautiful your photos are. Just by going through each and every one of the pictures, from the start in NOME through the islands to PROVIDENIYA, I felt like I was actually there. I'm originally from Slovakia living in Ontario, Canada. I enjoy travelling myself and your pictures from the villages made me feel like I was in one of my villages back home in Slovakia. Peronally I would like to Thank You for such wonderful photos. I recommend you visit the Slovakian High Tatras mountains and rest of the country for your next trip. Thank You.
— Edmund Patrman, January 24, 2003

Your photos may help sell a boatload of Canon G2's!
— joeb, December 27, 2002

Excellent
Your photos are beautiful; I enjoyed them (and the comments) very much. I've wondered for some time now what Kamchatka (and that part of the world in general) looks like. It is, indeed, a place shrouded in mystery; nobody talks about it; nobody has seen it. Your pictures opened a small window to that world (at least for me), so I must thank you for that! Keep up the great work! Ciao. Radu.
— Radu Gruian, December 27, 2002

By Joe!!
Philip, everyone seems to have written so much that one feels at loss of words. Your photographs are just wow ... that too all of them.By your advice, i would for one,surely incorporate your tips when i travel next. Hope, i learn something from it. Till then, the appreciation is truly all yours. Cheers !!!
— G-4 !!!, December 24, 2002

Incredible pictures
I was stunned by the beauty of your photographs of a faraway place I never dreamt of going to (until now). They are an inspiration for other travel photographers. monique.jansen@chello.be
— monique jansen, December 23, 2002

More photos coming soon
Thanks again, Mano, for your kind words. It is a joy for me to share these images with you and the many others who have visited my pages here. I will continue to add new stories as I travel the world. Look for my impressions of Kenya, Zanzibar, Madagascar, South Africa, Namibia, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina coming in January, 2003.
— Phil Douglis, November 16, 2002

Thank you
Thanks Philip for your speedy response and your generosity in sharing your techniques with us. Your albums are the best I have come across on the net and I have already bookmarked and visited these sites almost everyday now. You should publish your Russia photos into a book. The deeply moving commentary and the unbelievably beautiful images make the whole thing a spiritual experience. I can't wait to see the photos from your future trips.
— Mano, November 16, 2002

Glad you enjoyed them, Mano
I am delighted that you were moved by my photos, Mano. In answer to your question about the intensity of colors in my pictures, it is the result of four factors: first the color of the subject matter itself. When I shoot, I am always looking for colors that express the essence of the subject. Secondly, the G2 allows you to select the degree of color saturation. I usually set my camera to intensify color. Third -- filtration. I may use a Polarizing filter to enrich the depth of color in the sky when the sky is the key to the picture. And finally, when you edit your pictures in your computer, you can control color saturation and contrast with an editing program such as Photoshop. Good luck shooting at Angkor, Mano. (For a taste of Angkor, check this article: http://www.worldisround.com/articles/1865/index.html.)
— Phil Douglis, November 15, 2002

Superb!!!
Your photos shimmer like jewels. The colours are unbelievable. I am planning to go to the Angkor temples and am thinking of getting a canon g2. Do the colours come out this good or do I need to use any filters etc? The photo "Plants in a window, Yandrakinot" is so beautiful...I cannot stop looking at it. Thanks a milion and best regards.
— mano, November 15, 2002

Thank you, Janette
Your comment is greatly appreciated, Janette. As for knowing how to use a digital camera properly, the transition from film to pixels has been a fascinating adventure. However the camera itself plays a minor role in my pictures --as I tell my students, cameras don't make picture, photographers do. I try to express ideas with my pictures, Janette, by emphasizing only what I think is important and taking everything else out. And yes, I am always varying my images -- not only in content, but in form as well. I don't like to show the same things over and over again. I hope that my pictures -- and those to follow -- can inspire other travel photographers to take a similar approach. Thanks again.
— Phil Douglis, November 14, 2002

Indeed, all your albums are just wonderful. You are one of the very few persons who appears to know how to use a digital camera properly. Beside that I like the variety in your albums. Somehow it does show the difference between a professional photographer and the many amateurs like me.
— Janette, November 14, 2002

Details and gulls
I am impressed by your ability of depicting the places you've seen with many details of people and objects. Most of all I love the photos with the flying gull and the dawn at Ittigran island!
— Andrea Rasetti, October 21, 2002

Thank you, Olga
I was delighted to see your comments below on my photos. I am glad that my images were able to rekindle your memories of Chukotka. And thanks, too, for pointing out that some of the places we visited are located on the Chukotka peninsula -- I am changing my captions and text accordingly. I've also noted your helpful contribution to accuracy in the caption of my Cloudberry picture. My best wishes to you, Olga.
— Phil Douglis, October 3, 2002

Thank you Philip for sharing your works with us. Beautiful pictures, beautiful nature, beautiful people. I wish I could be there... I was born in Provideniya and left Chukotka in 80th. Unfortunately, my town looks not the same as I remember it. But mountains , sky , caviar and cloudberries (we call it moroshka) … so real. One small remark. Provideniya, Yandrakinot and Ittigran Island belong to Chukotka Peninsula. It will be more correct to call your trip Cruise to Kamchatka and Chukotka. Thanks again for you artistic photos! Olga
— Olga Rakovetz, October 3, 2002

Nice gallery. I don't know exactly how to describe it but your photos here have a sparing and uncluttered look to them. The short narrative that accompanies each photo is very informative and well written. That caviar looks real yummy and I can almost smell the fish in the photo next to it.
— Observer, September 15, 2002

<b>Perfection!!</b>
This is my third visit to your gallery....each time I pick new favorites. Impressed with the image composition and the juxtapositioning of the images in the gallery. The best presentation I have yet seen on the web. Also encouraged with the quality produced with the Canon G2. I recently purchased one....but boy do I have a lot to learn!
— Carol, September 9, 2002

So much to learn...
Your insightful photos of this obscure land and its people really humbled this viewer, both in photographic terms and as a fellow citizen. So many of these images grab the eye and the mind. I truly enjoyed the children dancing with the master watching and the dog on the half-track. One of my other favorites would be the rear-view shot of the 2 people chatting overlooking the inlet with the boat out to anchor.

All in all a very fine tribute to Galen Rowell and Frans. Thanks for sharing these visions with us. Looking forward to seeing more of your work. Tim
— Tim Potter, September 9, 2002

There is not much more I can say that these others haven't already said! Your photos and the people & sites in them are all just so beautiful. I'd have to say this is armchair travel at its best.
— James Bierman, September 7, 2002

Interesting pictures and comments
Thanks Philip, I have never seen people from Kamchatka before your splendid pics with traditional suits and food....very interesting comments.
— GUY POUJADE, August 29, 2002

Bravo Phil! The soft light on the mountains of Ittigran Island makes the image look almost like a painting. Almost makes me want to go back - until I remember the fog.
— Liz and Maurice, August 27, 2002

Great People Photographs
Looking at the dress of the people show how different they are from my city culture. Yet looking at their expression and interaction show how we are all exactly the same. I wonder what stories they could tell.
— Tom Stillman, August 27, 2002

Wow, great photos, "Gull over Kamchatka" is really classic, and the caviar looks really delicious. Thanks for sharing the great article. I really love it.
— Yu-Chia Chang, August 27, 2002

More great pictures. I haven't seen a cloudberry since visting Finland in summer 30 years ago. I guess they still taste as good as they did then.
— Steve Axford, August 27, 2002