MARK REED

I always wanted to fly. But I never imagined it could be possible until about 20 years ago, when with some luck and a certain amount of determination I became a pilot. After that, it seemed like a good idea to build an airplane.

In 2007 I flew my "homebuilt" experimental aircraft for the first time, a Glasair Sportsman 2+2 modified for flying in the unconventional places we like to explore. During the years I spent on the project my wife Chris took flight lessons and became a pilot in her own right. We've been flying to Alaska from Seattle every summer for a decade now, exploring wherever the weather allows, field-testing new designs for my kite manufacturing company, and taking photographs I hope will inspire others to fly and seek out the wild places beyond the end of the road.

Our daughter was born in 2010, and though that changed a lot of things it didn’t change our love for adventure. It required some extra gear like diapers and binkies in the early days. But we brought her along to camp with us under the wing.

As a pilot and photographer the natural patterns of the earth have always fascinated me. The colors, textures, and mathematical proportion in Alaska's vast landscapes are revealed intensely from the air, and from our magic flying machine I have a special place from which to share a perspective few people get to experience. These images are from my collection celebrating ten years of flying adventures in Alaska. I hope you enjoy the views.