Post Number 100!

Abstract, Alaska, Black & White, Landscapes, Portraits, Travel, Uncategorized

Above: Heidi in the Hood, a selectively-saturated portrait.

It sounds and feels like a lot – this is my 100th post. Thanks to everyone who visits! I have spent a lot of time running Far North Light and loved every minute. It’s great to have so many people show an interest in seeing things through my lens for a little while.

To commemorate 100 posts I have made major formatting changes. Most notable is the blogs appearance, it now includes a homepage with a slideshow, and will in the future include more galleries and portfolios. Please check out my updated about page as well.

I decided there would be no better way to mark 100 posts then to revisit some of the most popular. Note: as this is the second incarnation of Far North Light some of the images were not previously on the blog, but needed to be revisited regardless.

Do you have a favorite photo that I didn’t include in the best-of? Let me know and I’ll make a follow-up post.

Strange Day was the first 4×5 large-format negative I ever took, and one of my first images ever accepted into a juried art show. The following image is a scanned silver-gelatin fibre print. If I knew how I achieved such black clouds, I would tell you.

Strange Day

Stange Day was taken at Creamers Field, which was a diary farm and is now a migratory wildfowl refuge, and one of my favorite places to photograph. It’s excellent for everything from landscapes to portraits. The next is a wind drift closeup from Creamers, also 4×5.

Wind Drift

I don’t often go in search of wildlife, but when given the opportunity do photograph it.

Migrating Canada geese.

One of my favorite posts is from Halloween 2012.

Ravens play on a windy Halloween day.

No compilation post about photography would be complete without some of my photojournalism. From Oct. 17, 2012

Research Vessel Sikuliaq gets its first taste of the water, Marinette, Wis.

And from my coverage of presidential candidate Ron Paul’s visit to Fairbanks.

Ron Paul speaks in Fairbanks, March 4, 2011.

As I’m sure is obvious this is but a small collection of the posts and stories I’ve shared. Many of my personal favorites I put into the homepage slide show. I hope you enjoyed, and stay tuned for many more images!

Cluny Museum: Lines and patterns.

Photography, Travel, Uncategorized

Above: Cascading light and rough masonry from Cluny Museum architecture create lines and patterns. I like how the busts on the left and lady on the right direct the eye toward the smaller lady nearly dwarfed by rock.

Located in Paris, France, Musee de Cluny occupies two gorgeous buildings, the 1st century Gallo-Roman baths of Lutece and the 15th century townhouse of the abbots of Cluny.

The highlight for me was the amazing architecture of the building, one ceiling in particular.

The the many triangles with inlaid s-patterns are perfectly suited to the Weekly Photo Challenge: “From lines to patterns.” The following photo uses a simple tactic. Setting the camera flat on its back, to get as much of the roof as possible.

A ceiling in the Cluny Museum in black a white. July 8, 2013.

A ceiling in the Cluny Museum in black and white. July 8, 2013.

The ancient busts have long seen wear and tear.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Focus, on the Notre Dame Cathedral and roses.

architecture, Travel, Uncategorized, Weekly Photo Post

Focus – a powerful concept that applies to so much more then photography. Naturally, when thinking of focus I think equally of the opposite, unfocused. The difference is apparent as black and white. Sharp or fuzzy. Crisp or cloudy. Clear or muddy. Focus is a powerful tool to draw the eye and attract attention. Focus is necessary in all aspects of life – from reading and writing to work and sports.

In photography focus is fairly straightforward. Often my first question when editing a photo: What is in focus? Little is more disheartening then finding a lovely composed and well-timed shot, then realizing the subject matter is out-of-focus. Worse, nothing in focus.

The following two photos are Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in the background and roses in the foreground. The different focal point and shallow depth-of-field provides a dramatic difference in the images feelings.

With the roses in focus the image feels soft, almost delicate.

Roses and Notre Dame Cathedral. July 8th, 2013.

Roses and Notre Dame Cathedral 1. July 8, 2013.

The following photo, with Notre Dame in focus (perhaps almost in focus,) feels more grandeur.

Roses and Notre Dame Cathedral 2. July 8, 2013.

These are two images from six weeks I just spent traveling throughout Europe. I will continue to post images of my travels, many with history about the subjects. So please stay tuned!

Evening Bike: Plane, Rail and Road.

Alaska, Photography, Street, Uncategorized

Fairbanks is fortunate to receive the late-night light that blankets high-latitude lands. There rarely seems to be a shortage of it, and it makes many activities available all times of day. May 15 the sun had set just before midnight, while I was out riding my bike. The afterglow provided some fun photo effects.

My favorite was illuminated railroad tracks and a descending plane above. Shot at 11:57 p.m.

A Boeing 737 approaches Fairbanks International Airport. May 15, 11:57 p.m.

A few things attracted me to the next shot, the soft sliver of a moon contrasted the flattened and fragmented patterns of the car carrier and building.

Car transport parked with crescent moon above. May 16, 12:02 a.m.

Day Bike in Denali Nat’l Park

Alaska, Landscapes, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized

Saturday, May 25, a group of friends and I did an out-and-back from Savage River, 12 miles into the park. Completely clear skies allowed the sun and cool air to compliment each other nicely. We split into two groups part-way through, and mine made it a few miles past the mostly frozen Teklanika River. The frozen river is a reminder that weather near the tallest peak in North America is very dynamic.

Savage River, as far as the public is allowed to drive.

Visitors can bus, bike or simply hike into the park.

Snow and melt water were both prevalent, and crews were on hand to try and keep them heading the right directions.

Road work crew.

This includes keeping culverts clear of ice, which can be a tricky operation.

Deeper then expected.

We started at 11, and biked roughly 50 miles before returning just before 6 p.m. A fantastic time to bike, but difficult time to photograph. But this trip was about having a good time with friends, and we managed to meet up right before the final uphill, before relaxing and snacking at the top.

Left to right: Charlie, Louise, Denali, Nick, Robin and David.

Budding pussy willows with Denali in the background.

Budding willows with Denali in the background.

Seattle’s Discovery Park

Landscapes, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized

At 534 acres, Discovery Park, is the largest city park in Seattle. It’s home to a lighthouse, dramatic views from the top of Magnolia Bluff, a water-treatment facility and Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center.

The trails, beaches, cultural attractions and wide-array of scenery make Discovery Park a popular place for recreation.

Wedding portrait session at Discovery Park in Seattle, March 29, 2013.

Fellow photographers at Discovery Park’s Lighthouse.

A sailboat passes behind a house where shrubs overgrow the front door.

The view from Magnolia Bluff shows pedestrians walking the beach, with the lighthouse barely visible.

Weekly Photo Post: Color at Washington Park Arboretum.

Macro, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Weekly Photo Post

It’s been a long time since I participated in Weekly Photo Post, and what a perfect theme since my return from Washington and Oregon. While Fairbanks has been receiving a mid-April snowstorm, resulting in lots of white, the Washington Park Arboretum had very-vibrant warm, spring hues.

My botanical identification skills are sub-par, and the only plant species I recognize are tulips, which were actually in someone’s front yard. The first three images are of pink flowers. Pink is a subset of red, a warm hue which is known for psychological responses of passion, love, and happines. But also blood and anger and danger. The pink petals with green leafs are also complementary colors.

The final image is a pretty purple, a cool color, which in western culture is asosciated with royalty, luxury and occassionally magic.

Fine Art Friday: World Water Day

Photography, Uncategorized

It’s another inaugural themed post, “Fine Art Friday.” Today I’m combining it with World Water Day. Since 1993 World Water Day has advocated for the sustainable management of freshwater resources and brought attention to the importance of freshwater.

World Water Day was brought to my attention by fellow blogger FrizzText, who linked to a lovely collection of water-related photos assembled by boston.com. It even includes an night shot from the 2012 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race of a racer collecting snow to melt.

Musher Bill Pinkham collects hot water during his stop in Takotna, Alaska, during the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on March 7, 2012. (Marc Lester/Anchorage Daily News/Associated Press)

My World Water Day image is of unwanted water. It’s springtime, and more then a few structures at UAF have leaky roofs. At the Fine Arts Complex – hence the relation to Fine Art Friday – the rhythmic drip-drop of water leaching into the building did a good job distracting from class.

Ripples radiate on a window sill in UAF’s Fine Art Complex during a warm March afternoon. March 8, 2013.

Sporting Thursday: Snowshoe Hair tracks and a Geocache.

Alaska, Landscapes, Photography, Travel, Uncategorized, Wildlife

Cross-country skiing, either skate or classic, is a great way to exercise and get outside during the long Alaskan winters. Sticking to a groomed trail or breaking your own through the woods both provide ample opportunities for fun sights.

A trip on March 13, traversing trails just north of Fairbanks from my house to a friend’s, had a few hidden surprises.

While stopped to discuss which direction to go I spotted some snowshoe hair tracks off the trail. My shadow provides a little perspective while some unidentified tracks disappear off frame.

Snowshoe hair tracks and shadow.

From there we followed what appeared to be a well-tracked snowmachine trail. While continuing to appear well traveled, it quickly delved into a walking only trail, then abruptly stopped in a clearing. Again, while debating our next move, I glanced around, noticing a cache in snow.

After a brief inspection it was discovered to be a geocache. Geocaching is a global game where people upload the longitude and latitude of a cache online for others to find. Inside was a variety of objects: a pipe cutter, crayons, paint, playing cards, a Pez dispenser and a mosquito net to name a few. The rules simply state if you take something you must leave something.

Glad our lives didn’t depend on the contents.

We fell under the “found by accident” category.

The ski was close to 10 miles, and that worked up an appetite. So to finish off “Sporting Thursday” is a picture of a fellow winter adventurer captured while waiting for pizza.

A winter biker casts a long shadow outside Corner Campus Mall, March 13, 2013.

Foliage on Mt. Index, Washington State.

Uncategorized

I had been pondering what my next post should cover earlier today, the decision became easy when I read a comment I received from Where’s My Backpack?, a travel-themed blog, inviting me to her weekly travel theme of foliage.

Foliage seems to be one of those unique subjects, truly different everywhere you look. Which is amazing because there is a lot of foliage, but no two ever look exactly the same. Photographs frequently benefit from different perspectives, high or low angles, though I find photographs of foliage do more then normal. My thinking is because of the incredible depth and layers that can be achieved.

Today’s images hail from Mt. Index, in the Cascade Range, Washington State. The first image is a fun silhouette pattern of the curved branch in the foreground.