Carl Johnson

Carl Johnson is a nature photographer based in Anchorage, Alaska. He grew up in the Black Hills of South Dakota and honed his photography skills in the Navy and while working as a canoe guide in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of northern Minnesota. Carl has served as the artist-in-residence for Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Badlands National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. He was the “Environmental Issues” winner for the Windland Smith Rice International Awards in 2010 and earned two Honorable Mentions in the Wilderness Forever competition sponsored by Nature’s Best magazine in 2014. He has worked as a guest lecturer and instructor for Tony Robbins, Princess Cruise Lines, and several remote lodges in Alaska. Carl’s first book, Where Water is Gold, was published by Braided River in June 2016. It earned a Gold Medal in the category “West Coast – Best Regional Non-Fiction” in the 2017 Independent Publisher Book Awards and a Silver Medal in the category “Green Living and Sustainability” in the 2016 Nautilus Book Awards.

Carl Johnson formed Arctic Light Gallery & Excursions was launched in 2015. Founded on the 16th anniversary of Carl’s move to Alaska, Arctic Light seeks to celebrate a legacy of examining the dynamic quality of light in remote, wild locations. One of Carl’s early inspirations was California-based photographer, Galen Rowell, who named his business “Mountain Light.” Carl is also good friends with Nick Selway and C.J. Kale, owners of “Lava Light Galleries” in Hawaii. Recognizing the quality of their work and galleries, and paying homage to Rowell’s inspiration, Carl chose the name “Arctic Light” to continue the lineage and highlight the primary focus of his own work, the vast landscapes of the Arctic.

Carl was awarded the Daniel Housberg Wilderness Image Award for Excellence in Still Photography, Film, or Video (Alaska Conservation Foundation) in 2017.