Outdoors photographer Chris Miller makes stunning images of Alaska

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Donovan Bell slashes a turn on the backside of Douglas Island with Stephens Passage and Seymour Canal in the background, in Juneau, Alaska.

Outdoors photographer Chris Miller started making images at age 16 with a camera he bought at a state surplus auction. His first photographs were of the rainforest at the edge of his neighborhood in Juneau, Alaska.

For almost 20 years now, Miller, 34, has continued his exploration of Alaska's outdoors through a lens -- be it aboard a commercial fishing boat, backcountry skiing, or trudging through the woods.

"As grand as Alaska is in its natural beauty, it is equally matched in sheer size and I am constantly amazed at how different each corner of the state is -- making me all-the-more eager to explore new parts of the state to document the unique landscape, wildlife, and people of the region," says Miller.

With the stunning landscapes and wildlife across Alaska, it's hard to stand out as a photographer. Miller's background is photojournalism, having worked for Anchorage Press and other publications, and he considers himself a documentary photographer, who also shoots for corporate clients.

"I am constantly searching for combinations of places, people, and wildlife that I have not seen documented before -- or if it has, to photograph it in a new way," Miller says. He strives to frame his work in a narrative context. "A photograph with context has far more meaning and empowers a viewer to explore the image and hopefully the subject at the root of the photograph."

As he reaches to create unique images, Miller's technique evolves. While shooting commercial fishing, he will try different photographic methods and tools -- including wetsuits, ropes, harnesses, underwater casings -- to capture an image in a new and exciting way, all the while maintaining the importance of the narrative.

"By telling the story of Alaskan fishermen I am helping to perpetuate the need to preserve the resource and not creating a document of the bounty that once was, like so many other over-harvested or extinct fisheries around the globe." Working as a gillnetter part of the summer, Miller has a deep background in fishing.

A bit of a perfectionist, Miller appreciates the processing efforts of one of the classic landscape photographers, Ansel Adams, who would tirelessly spend days in the darkroom to perfect an image.

"When processing an image I strive to match the scene as I saw it and enhance all of the natural elements of the image to build contrast through color, dodging and burning, tones, and saturation or de-saturation of color -- without, hopefully, losing the true essence of the scene I originally envisioned when I pressed the shutter," says Miller.

Miller photographs are vibrant explosions of color, light, and texture. It's a reflection of the intensity of Alaska's outdoors that Miller knows and loves so much. To see more, check his website or Instagram account.