Chasing Dogs. My Adventures as the Official Photographer of Alaska's Iditarod

Chasing Dogs – My Adventures as the Official Photographer of Alaska’s Iditarod Chasing Dogs offers a rare backstage tour of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race® at the invitation of Alaskan photographer Jeff Schultz. Since 1982, Schultz has served as Iditarod’s official photographer, traveling by plane, snowmachine, snowshoes, and on foot to capture the race as no one else has. Jeff’s images of the amazing dogs, adventurous people, and magnificent landscapes will stay with you long after you close the book. Over the course of his forty-plus-year photography career, Schultz has become as iconic as the race itself, having experienced the same harsh trail conditions and weather hazards as the race participants while artfully chronicling their journeys. In Chasing Dogs, (published in 2014 with 3 printings) Schultz’s stories and photos illuminate what it takes to prepare for and execute the Last Great Race on Earth®, from the race administrators and judges to the mushers, volunteers, villagers, thousands of fans… and the dogs that they all love. You’ll read about Jeff’s fortuitous meeting with the founder of the race, how that meeting changed Jeff’s life forever, and nearly cost him his life during one race. You’ll discover, too, that Chasing Dogs is a thousand miles of wonder without fear of frostbite.

Jeff Schultz is a professional photographer based in Palmer, Alaska photographing corporate and editorial assignments and stock images. His God-given talent of photography has resulted in his images being published worldwide. His stock and assignment clients have included: TIME magazine, Boy’s Life, National Geographic, FEDEX, Land's End and countless others. His stock images have appeared worldwide for advertising, editorial, corporate and retail products. Jeff has been the official photographer of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race since 1982. Jeff began photographing the Iditarod in 1981 when he was asked, by the founder of the race Joe Redington Sr., to volunteer to take pictures and help out the 7-year-old race. Jeff traveled as far as his meager $300 travel budget would allow him that year-- to McGrath 1/3 of the way to Nome. When the race was over Jeff donated his photos to race organizers, particularly to Dorothy G. Page (the mother of the Iditarod) to use in publications for the race. He was invited back the next year, this time as an official photographer. The Iditarod Trail Committee offered to pay his air transportation and food expenses along the trail in exchange for use of his photos to promote the race. Jeff agreed and each year since then Jeff has photographed the race as a volunteer under those same simple terms. In 2019, burned out from shooting just dog mushing photos, Jeff turned his attention to a new project for the Iditarod. Called “FACES OF IDITAROD”, Jeff photographed, interviewed an audio-recorded now thousands of portraits Iditarod Volunteer’s, mushers, checkpoint residents, as well as dogs. See this unique special project and hear their voices at www.facesiditarod.com. Since that time, Jeff has continued to be the official volunteer photographer for the Iditarod Committee. Jeff's Iditarod stock photos have been used world-wide by clients such as: Scott Forseman Textbooks, Weekly Reader, Iams Pet foods, Ralston Purina, AT&T Alascom, G.C.I, Alaska Magazine, PBS Nature Series, Husquavarna Chainsaws, Pet Products Plus, Fred Meyer, Bayer Corp. , Honeywell, ExxonMobil, Eagle Pack Pet Foods and many, many more. Jeff now has eight books out on the Iditarod---- Iditarod the Great Race to Nome, Iditarod Silver -- the 25th Anniversary Book, Iditarod Country, Dogs of the Iditarod and Iditarod -- The Great Race to Nome (updated and revised) and Iditarod Glory and his self-published book “Chasing Dogs—My Adventures as the Official Photographer of Alaska’s Iditarod” and “Icons of the Iditarod”. The Iditarod Sled Dog Race is the longest sled dog race in the world. 1,150 miles from Anchorage, Alaska to Nome over the historical Iditarod Trail. The first race to Nome was held in 1973. The trail begins at sea level in Anchorage and runs through the city streets for several hours. It then heads into the wilderness of forest, muskeg as well as frozen lakes and rivers as it climbs to its highest point, 3,400 foot Rainy Pass. From their, always heading Northwest, it travels down the Kuskokwim River, through native Indian villages and down the mighty Yukon river where it portages over to the Bering Sea Coast and the Eskimo culture native villages along the frozen sea ice of Norton Sound on to Nome. The Iditarod Trail became famous in the early 1900's when gold was discovered in the Ophir Mining District in Central, Alaska. It was further made famous in 1925 when mushers relayed life-saving diphtheria serum 600 miles over the Iditarod in sub-zero temperatures to the town of Nome. The Iditarod tradition continues today with man and animal placed against nature. Jeff lives in Palmer, Alaska with his wife Joan and has two children Ben and Hannah.