#264 • Johnny Johnson "In the Land of Giants", "First Light" & "Courage" Photographs

Part of The Johnny Johnson Estate Auction (timed auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

Starting at $5.00

Status: Available

Bidding closes Nov 3, 2026 7:27 PM AKST

Category: Art

Three signed and numbered photographs by Alaska wildlife photographer Johnny Johnson (1947-2025). The first work, "In the Land of Giants", is dated circa 2007 and numbered 65/950. Johnson described the scene: "Few sights are more memorable than a face-to-face encounter with a monster grizzly. Standing over eight feet tall, my 600mm lens only magnified the bear's power and my own sense of vulnerability and awe. Weighing in excess of a thousand pounds, these huge males keep to themselves and are rarely seen. Since I was downwind, the bear couldn't catch my scent and stood, nostrils flaring. I spoke to him in a calm tone. "Hey, big bear. Hey, big bear...... Hey, big bear". I kept talking as he dropped to all fours and slowly ambled away." The second work, "First Light", is dated circa 1995 and numbered 790/950. Johnson described the scene: "The first rays of morning light illuminate a bull caribou and the North face of Mt. McKinley, Denali National Park-Alaska. Up before dawn, I awaited sunrise at my favorite location above Wonder Lake near Ansel Adams Point. For over twenty years I have photographed Mt. McKinley. This mountain hardly ever disappoints me." The third work, "Courage", is dated circa 1997 and numbered 156/950. Johnson described the scene: "The strength and tenacity of the Eskimo sled-dog is legendary. These dogs played a crucial role in helping early man inhabit the arctic. They were high valued not only as pack animals but for their hunting ability and their courage. The polar bear in this photo encountered that legendary bravery the day it tried to steal food from a dog yard near a remote arctic village. The stand off between the polar bear and sled-dog happened quickly and ended without injury. The bear was unwilling to risk a wound and left the area." All three are signed, dated, and numbered in gold leaf ink and printed on Fuji Crystal Archive Supergloss paper. The photographs are shrink-wrapped on board. The largest measures approximately 24.5" x 20.5".