Mark Kelley: Photographing Glacier Bay.

Alaska. A place where superlatives seem small and inadequate compared to the grandeur of the scenery. We've all experienced that moment--whether it was on top of a mountain, mushing with our dogs or simply driving home from work-when our vocabularies failed miserably as we stared, slack jawed, at yet another wonder of the Last Frontier. Yet, for each of us, there are different sights and sounds that keep us anchored to the largest state in the union.

For some, it's the loneliness and productivity of the North Slope. For others, it's the majesty of Denali or the abundance of Alaska's waters. But for photographer Mark Kelley, it's the beauty of Southeast Alaska For decades, Kelley's work has appeared on the covers of countless national publications including The New York Times, Outside Magazine, USA Today and in his self-published line of calendars and note cards. Most recently, the photographer teamed with writer Sherry Simpson and became partners with Juneau's Native corporation, Goldbelt Inc., to create his sixth and most ambitious book, "Glacier Bay National Park: Alaska."

"Very few people have been drawn to Glacier Bay--psychologically, emotionally and environmentally--the way Mark has. He's been drawn to the place for years," said Joe Beedle, past president and former CEO of Goldbelt Inc., who approved the corporation's unprecedented six-figure investment into the publication of Kelley's book. "It is the first publication that Mark and Goldbelt joined forces for, but it's not really ground-breaking when you consider that the book is an excellent tool for communication and sales. First, to attract people to Glacier Bay and then to celebrate the visit to the park."

And since Goldbelt runs the park concession for Glacier Bay, the corporation has an invested interest in promoting the area. "The national park is the landlord and we're the tenant, so to speak. We have the pleasure and the responsibility to take care of and protect the national park as tenants," Beedle said.

As tenants, Goldbelt operates the Glacier Bay Lodge including the gift shop and restaurant, fuel sales at Bartlett Cove, the two ships that travel Glacier Bay daily--the Spirit of Adventure and the Crystal Fjords--and four small cruise ships. "The message of Mark's book is to preserve, protect and keep Glacier Bay. Personally, I'm very proud of this book," said Beedle.

Although Kelley and Beedle worked together before when the photographer was hired to shoot promotional shots of the Native corporation's newly opened Mount Roberts Tram in 1996, Kelley was initially a little concerned about going into partnership with Goldbelt. "The whole point of the book is to emphasize the wilderness of Glacier Bay. I was fearful that although we agreed that I would have total editorial control that there could be some problems," said Kelley, from his studio in Juneau. "But, they were great business partners. I'm really pleased with the book and having it out there helps them market Glacier Bay. There's no other picture book available on the park."

Kelley spent 11 weeks, over two summers, kayaking in Glacier Bay to shoot the photographic content of his book He then enlisted the help of writer Sherry Simpson who wrote the essays that serve as companion pieces to Kelley's work. 'This book has been Mark's dream for at least a decade," said Simpson, a writing instructor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the winner of the 1998 Chinook Literary Prize for her book "The Way Winter Comes." "Glacier Bay is one of those places that is a distillation of everything about Alaska and Mark's photographs are really quite stunning."

Originally from New York, Kelley graduated from the University of Alaska Fairbanks with a degree in journalism and northern studies. He then worked as the staff photographer at The Juneau Empire for 14 years along with running his own company, Mark Kelley Photography. "I thought Juneau would be a stepping stone to Anchorage or Seattle but I got here and I never wanted to leave."

Kelley, who has created six books, left the daily paper in 1993 to devote his time exclusively to his photography business. Currently, he produces two calendars a year and a full line of note cards that display his work. Last year, he printed and sold more than 13,000 calendars. "Glacier Bay National Park: Alaska" was released in February with an initial printing of 10,000 books.

The 128-page, coffee table-style book--which is available at all Goldbelt tour attractions, local bookstores in Juneau and through the photographer--is selling better than the publishing partners expected. "We hosted a couple of book signings for Mark in Juneau and the books were barely out of the box before they were sold. People were buying three and four books at a time," said Mishelle Pennoyer, Goldbelt's retail manager. "Plus, the Glacier Bay Lodge requested more than what we had allocated for them originally. To me, that's a pretty good indication that this book is going to do really well."