When we hear a reference to “the north” an image of windswept tundra blanketed by snow and ice immediately rises to mind.  That, or maybe Santa Claus.  Even in the high arctic though, summer does arrive; the land takes on a very different look than that which we imagine and attracts seasonal animals that travel great distances to get there.

This past August I witnessed the brief northern summer for the first time with my own eyes and, of course, my camera.  Returning…