black and white

Suvi and her Lynx transformation mask.

Alaska, Arts, Film, Photography, Portraits

As part of my art minor I’m taking a Native Arts of Alaska class. It’s emphasis is in wood carving, and masks are a very popular form of Native art. A friend of mine and Finnish exchange student made a Lynx transformation mask out of Birch. I had to do a shoot, a transformation shoot if you will, with Suvi and her mask. You will likely instantly understand why I wanted to, but her long, red dreads offered the perfect gateway between mask and creator.

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Pre- and mid-yawn cat diptych

Alaska, Black & White, Film, Photography, Portraits

The title pretty much says it all. I was just shooting a few frames of my cat Carlos sitting in the sun when he opened wide for a yawn. The two frames were mere seconds apart. I feel it’s hard taking pictures of pets that are not simply snapshots. One way to change the aesthetic could be trying different gear, editing or processing techniques. Much of my aesthetic comes from shooting film. Another way is to turn it into a study with multiple images. In this case a study of a cat yawning. Of course I couldn’t have anticipated his sudden inhale, but also would’t have caught it had I not just taken the preceding picture. It could be argued only one picture is needed, but I think the combination of the two paints a more complete picture, allowing the viewer to get an idea of the cats appearance.

Spring, snow melt and cattle

Abstract, Alaska, Black & White, Film, Photography, Portraits

Record temperatures in Fairbanks means snow’s melting, fast. I’ve been photographing the farmer who is raising Black Angus cows some more. Here water drips off a fence highlighted by sun with a cow in the background. 100 speed film means not a lot of grain, but on 35MM it still comes standard, shallow depth of field just because I can.

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Found: Love at the bottom of a martini glass

Abstract, Alaska, Arts, Black & White, Film, Photography

Went out for drinks after my show last Friday. I noticed a neat reflection being projected onto our table at Lavelle’s Bistro. It’s very rewarding after such a hectic week in a very crowded and noisy restaurant to notice the elegance of still life. In the low light shallow depth of field and grain come standard on the 35MM 400 ISO film.

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Raindrops and Spirits. One of the spirits.

Alaska, architecture, Arts, Black & White, Film, Landscapes, Photography, Portraits, Travel

It’s only four days until my first solo show, I’m excited and busy, but feel it should come together nicely. There are already things I wish I had done differently, but it’s not in my nature to worry, so I’m chalking it up to lack of experience.

As I said previously, my show is to deal heavily with the role of people within place. Even when people take a a large portion of subject matter they are meant to complement the surroundings. Such is the case with today’s image “David in Kennicott,” A large, strong figure in a commanding environment. Also worth noting is location, most of the images are paired, some in multiple ways. This is at the same location as my title piece “Rain Apparition,” Kennicott in the Wrangell St. Elias National Park. With pairings the viewer is allowed to view locations with many more meanings; the ability to step back, taking in the scene, then moving in closer for detail.

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David in Kennicott

Black Angus in Alaska and Canon G1X vs. Lumix GF1.

Alaska, Black & White, Photography, Portraits

Last semester I started following a local farmer who raises Black Angus cattle here in Fairbanks. The following is Stacy Hansen of Midstate Meats, cleaning one of the cattle just after it is drained of blood.

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I’m debating a new small digital camera, and so far the two contenders are a Canon G1X or a Lumix GF1. The G1x is $799, the Lumix is discontinued, new units can still be found, but for a price.

The G1X is a sealed point-and-shoot with full manual controls and manual focus through live view. The lens has a 4x zoom, and operable aperture from 2.8-5.6. The biggest advantage of the  G1X is the large, almost APS-C sized sensor, allowing noise-free pictures at ever higher ISO. The sealed body also means you will never get dust on the sensor.

The Lumix uses a slightly smaller Micro Four-Thirds sensor which will mean more noise (the digital equivalent of grain) at a higher ISO. On the flip side it has an interchangeable lens with an aperture opening to 1.7 allowing more light in. Both cameras cater to the higher end user, with near-digital SLR capabilities. When it comes down to it I find myself debating what I want in a lens.

A first, first Friday. “Raindrops and Spirits.”

Alaska, Arts, Black & White, Film, Landscapes, Photography, Travel

After a few years of persuasion from local photographers, April 6, 2012 I will be holding my first solo show at Frank’s Menswear, downtown Fairbanks, on 2nd Ave. The show, titled “Raindrops and Spirits” will be around 15, 8×10 in. silver-gelatin darkroom prints, taken at various locations around Alaska including Fairbanks, Homer and Kennicott. It’s very exciting to know my work will hang on the walls of a business for a month, and hopefully it will lead many more shows at many venues, as well as a few print sales.

People play an important role in the theme of my show, the absence of people equally important as the inclusion. The title is derived from the following image, which features a blur in the lower left-hand corner. People often ask me what caused it, and I reply with “A raindrop on the lens.” But having a vivid imagination I often like to think it’s something more, in this case the apparition of a forgotten worker from the mine, wandering the grounds he calls home.

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Rain Apparition

Valdez Harbor and Trans-Alaska Pipeline Storage Tanks

Alaska, Black & White, Film, Landscapes, Photography, Travel

While doing some back editing I realized I have a fair amount of work from a few trips to Valdez last summer. Valdez is the northern-most ice free harbor in the U.S. and is home to the terminus of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.

Seen here from across the bay, on a rare sunny day in Valdez, are the storage tanks for the oil that continues to flow through the pipeline 35 years after it was first pumped. According to valdezalaska.org there are 18 crude-oil tanks, each capable of holding 510,000 barrels of crude, for a total of 9.18 million barrels. While not nearly at peak production the pipeline still proves to be a vital portion of Alaska’s economy. Watch where you’re boating, if you enter the restricted area around the storage tanks you can be fined up to $32,500 and lose your boat.

This next image is simply Valdez harbor with mountains in the background.

Drosselmeyer and his clock.

Alaska, Arts, Black & White, Film, Photography, Portraits

Drosselmeyer is the magical character who gives Clara the nutcracker doll which allows her to visit the Land of the Sweets in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Jim Baird currently inherits the role of Drosselmeyer in North Star Ballet’s production. Here he is on set, next to the clock which he uses to magically enter and leave scenes.

JIm Beard as Drosselmeyer, Dec. 2010.