Few places offer better unrestricted accessibility to the tundra than Sweden. During June, which is the best time to visit, the sun barely sets so photographers have basically round the clock photo opportunities. What makes Sweden unique for nature photographers is Allemansrätten, translated as the Right of Public Access, everyman’s right or more commonly as the Freedom to Roam law. This law enables one to park and just walk off into the wild without any special permits needed.

Abruptly removed from Gondwanaland about 160 million years ago and left to its own devices in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar, shaped somewhat like a folded omelet, started developing a natural history all on its own. As with many of the other exotic islands, Madagascar developed its own unique species of animals and birds. Over 80% of the wildlife is unique to the island with much of it amazingly different to anything else on Earth. Some 60% of the mammals, 50% of the birds and 90% of the frogs are endemic. Of the mammals, there are no indigenous cats, dogs, antelope or ungulate species. The reptiles, too, are unique in that there are no poisonous snakes, no agamas and no monitors.

It was still dark outside when we walked into the lobby of the Snow Lodge for a cup of coffee before breakfast. A few people were milling around discussing what the weather might be for the day. Weather is always the topic of discussion in the morning in Yellowstone National Park because it's so unpredictable, and everyone has an agenda as to what his or her activity is for the day. As my friend, Joe, and I were sipping coffee I heard the woman behind the desk say something about 31 below zero. Thirty-one below?

Another Planet Right Here on Earth - Bisti Wilderness

As we hiked through this desolate area called the Bisti Badlands, the feeling of isolation was overwhelming; I sensed that almost nothing could survive here. A wandering lizard ran in front of us as we walked, then a stray raven flew over us croaking into the echo of emptiness looking for a morsel of food. In this inhospitable land where we walked, hardly a critter can subsist. Otherworldly is the best description I can provide for this unique habitat right here on our own planet earth. It’s a remote area of eroded badlands, which creates a moon-like landscape. This is an area where any science fiction filmmaker would choose to make a movie without the cost of building an intricate set. We were hiking in the Bisti Wilderness, aka the Bisti Badlands. The word bisti is a Navajo word meaning badlands, and they probably named this area because it was an awful place for grazing livestock. It covers around 4000 acres in New Mexico and, as a protected area, is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.