Can I use that picture? No. Well… I’m going to. Street photography and copyright infringement.

Film, Photography, Portraits, Street, Travel

An issue every photographer struggles with, sharing their work with the world while protecting intellectual property, has a new high-profile case.

Humans of New York, the blog of street photographer Brandon Stanton, is a hugely popular blog featuring posed and candid images of the many unique citizens in America’s most populous city. According to The Guardian, clothing company DKNY offered Stanton $15,000 to use 300 of his photos. Feeling $50 per photo was inadequate compensation from a wealthy company Stanton requested more, which DKNY denied.

A fan of Stanton later brought to his attention that DKNY had in fact used many of his images in a window advertisement in Bangkok. Taking a very admirable path, Stanton asked DKNY donate $100,000 to his local YMCA, in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. In what was a simultaneous act-of-kindness and backhanded swipe, DKNY donated $25,000 in Stanton’s name.

So how do photographers, and artists as a whole, attempting to establish their name protect it at the same time? There’s no fool-proof way. Watermarks, finding websites that don’t allow downloading of images and small file sizes are all techniques.

Personally, I size my images small enough they wouldn’t make a decent print and hope people will at least ask if they want to use it. I have found out this isn’t an adequate approach.

The topic will only continue to brew confusion and controversy, as popular image-sharing software Instagram has recently been sued over inadequate protection of users photos.

Today I will share some of my street photography from Seattle.

I didn’t have much reaction time when I saw how the orange of the man’s shirt and child’s stroller complemented the orange accents on the posters.

Here I was simply interested in the smooth curvature of the drinking fountain and the bike-lane indicator in the street when a pedestrian came to quench his thirst. Again I had to quickly step back to get a more inclusive image before he continued on his way.

I dig his tall, white socks with black shoes.

Alaska Live: Tony Furtado and Peter Mulvey, Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas.

Alaska, Black & White, Music, Photography, Portraits

As part of my journalism degree I’m required to complete a professional-media internship. To fulfill this requirement I have been interning for a program called Alaska Live, part of Alaskan Public Radio, KUAC 89.9.

Alaska Live is a live-music radio program, featuring Alaskan-based musicians, as-well-as visiting artists. It is good experience learning some of the inner workings of broadcast radio, and an excellent opportunity to hear some amazing music. Although my internship is not photography based, it’s hard to resist fulfilling my photographing fetish. Two of my duties include editing audio and posting podcasts online.

Here are some images of the visiting artists.

Tony Furtado, left, and Peter Mulvey perform together Jan. 31, 2013 for Alaska Live with Lori Nuefeld.

Scottish fiddler Alasdair Fraser and cellist Natalie Haas on Alaska Live.

New years eve: Alaska Satellite Facility tracking aperture and fireworks.

Alaska, Landscapes, Photography

A satellite-receiving dish is seen as fireworks celebrate the end of 2012 and the start of 2013 on the ski trails at University of Alaska Fairbanks. Known also as a tracking aperture, the 11-meter dish is part of the Alaska Satellite Facility (ASF) of the Geophysical Institute’s Satellite Tracking Ground Station (STGS). The 11-meter X- and S-Band system, along with a smaller 10-meter dish, are just one appendage of a world-wide Near Earth Network, run by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The high latitude of ASF’s ground station allows for 11 connections per day with polar-orbiting spacecraft, ASF then downlinks, processes and distributes data.

I tried to correct the color of the tracking aperture, which had a yellow caste due to artificial lighting, while maintaining true hues of the fireworks. To accomplish this I set my white balance on the dish, lightened the shadows and slightly saturated the image. What made the biggest difference was a slight curve, increasing the highlights and decreasing the shadows, of the red and green spectrums. The end result, I feel is very close to what would have been seen.

My ISO was 125 and tripod shooting was essential, and exposure times were 10 to 15 seconds.

Tractor and barn illuminated by norther lights

Alaska, Landscapes, Photography

For one reason or another, the northern lights are something I don’t photograph enough. Being a heavy film shooter until recent probably played a factor, digital cameras are more cooperative in cold weather. Cold, lack of tripod, poor location and early-morning hours have all played a role in deciding as well.

As the wind whistled and the lights danced overhead a few weeks ago, I said, “no excuses.” Less then a mile to get to my house I had a revelation: the hay field about half-a-mile up the road. Seems silly I had never though of it before. Not wanting to miss a second, I decided to forgo finding my tripod and zipped to the field. I used the two-second self timer and the roof of my car. Directly off Farmers Loop Rd. subsequent cars driving by helped illuminate the farm equipment and barn. Foreground helps any picture, especially northern lights.

The image is actually two pictures placed next to each other. Photomerge, which creates panoramas, wouldn’t blend the images. The color is off and the horizon isn’t perfect, but I like it.

Worth noting, the Big Dipper is noticeable, just up and to the left of the barn.

The Nutcracker Ballet, it’s that time of the year.

Alaska, Arts, Photography, Portraits

It may not be December yet, but the holiday spirit will descend on Herring Auditorium this weekend as The North Star Ballet performs The Nutcracker. This is the 26th year the ballet has been staged in Fairbanks. Set to the classic score by Tchaikovsky, it follows the tale of a young girl named Clara, who saves the Nutcracker from the sword of the evil Mouse King. The Nutcracker then transforms into a prince, and Clara is whisked away to the land of sweets, to be entertained by dancers representing tea, coffee, Danish marzipans and of course, the Sugar Plum Fairy and her cavalier.

The North Star Ballet follows a traditional Balanchine choreography, and is a spectacular show if you’ve never seen it, or go every year. Performances this year feature returning guest dancers from Ballet West, Deanna Karlheim and Hannes Van Wassenhove as the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Cavalier.

The Nutcracker will be performed tonight, Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. tomorrow Dec. 1 at 2 and 8 p.m. and Sunday Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. Again I encourage everyone to support their local art scene and show them how much you appreciate their hard work.

Happy holidays!

Guests look on during the first-act party scene as Ian Zeisel dances the role of soldier doll.

Clara’s attention is beckoned to the guard house moments before the Nutcracker turns into a prince.

Wendy Langton and Ian Zeisel as the Snow Fairy and her Cavalier pose and snow drifts down around the dancers.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Geometry. Bridge over Tanana River.

Alaska, architecture, Landscapes, Photography, Weekly Photo Post

I wanted the image I picked for the photo challenge this week to be geometrical at it’s core, not just elements of geometry. Rectangles, triangles, trapezoids and two half-circles dominate the composition. Critically: Even with a slight crop the image holds a lot of dead space and is mostly made dramatic by the fuchsia, late-August sunset.

Here’s a link to a blog titled mustbewonderlust, with pair of striking photos from Australia of the Sydney Harbor Bridge and Opera House.

Happy Monday and a safe week to everyone.

Please click on the image to view full size.

Bridge spanning Tanana River, looking north From Nenana, Alaska. Aug. 21, 2011.

A Halloween murder… of ravens.

Alaska, Black & White, Landscapes, Photography, Wildlife

The wind whipped all Halloween. Soaring and swooping ravens took advantage of the strong drafts to have some fun. A flock of ravens is also called a murder, fitting for this last day of October.

Ravens have long held a place in lore. Tricksters and shape shifters are among the most common Alaska fables. Raven Steals The light is a popular North-West Native American story where the earth begins bathed in total darkness. Accounts vary, but the plot often involves the character of Raven pretending to be the grandson of an old man who holds all the light. Raven then steals it and shines it over earth and water.

“And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted – nevermore!” – Edgar Allen Poe

Here a murder of ravens flies above UAF. © Robin Wood

Ravens and tree. Oct. 31, 2012.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Foreign. National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week

Alaska, Photography, Portraits

Winter has arrived. Sparkly-white snow dominates the landscape, already scarce daylight will continue to diminish and temperatures hitting negative numbers will likely drop another 50 degrees. Though these are conditions I have enjoyed my entire life thanks to stable housing and adequate clothing, not all do. My weekly photo challenge of “foreign” will focus on the life of those who do not.

Every year UAF takes part in National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Week. Volunteers stand outside all day, even camping in tents if UAF deems it’s not too cold, to raise awareness for the homeless in Alaska. I’m used to cold weather, but these people are brave.

Alaska has scary homeless statistics. According to University Alaska Anchorage Justice Center Alaska ranks 10th nationally for estimates of homeless people based off total population, one-quarter of one percent, and it’s rising quickly. When including those people who stay in shelters, with friends or in temporary housing the number is estimated at 4,500.

These pictures do not illustrate actual homeless people, just those trying to raise awareness. Perhaps I will use this occasion to find some truly homeless people in Fairbanks and document their trails and tribulations.

Volunteers warm their hands around a barrel fire, November 16, 2011.

Volunteers during National Hunger and Homeless Awareness Month at University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Uniquely Alaskan towing expedition.

Alaska, Landscapes, Photography

I don’t like to be overly critical of people I don’t know. Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes. But multiple encounters with a failed towing operation has led me to conclude these people were largely unprepared, and should have more thoroughly thought out their chosen expedition.

En route to school last week I happened upon an interesting scene. An older-model Chevy dump truck was towing a trailer of some sort down Farmers Loop, a mostly two-lane road connecting east and west Fairbanks. According to the trooper the dump-truck’s engine blew. There are multiple violations I can determine: lack of appropriate flagging, reflectors, license plates or safety triangles. Though they did have bright-orange milk crates.

An Alaska State Trooper arrives on the scene of a dead vehicle to direct traffic.

Directing traffic on Farmers Loop Rd. in west Fairbanks.

I left right as a tow truck arrived on the scene, expecting never to see the uniquely Alaskan towing operating again. Wrong. Returning home late that night I found the truck and trailer sitting on the side of the road, having moved only a few-hundred yards.

Yellow streetlights and the moon illuminate a broken-down vehicle in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Finally, a full day after first encountering the operation, the truck was gone. Thinking never to see it again I was pleasantly surprised when five miles away I came upon a very slow-moving truck with hazard lights flashing. In front was the dump-truck and trailer combination, being pulled incredibly slowly by a John Deere loader.

Towing broken-down vehicles along Farmers Loop.

It’s anyone’s guess why this was being relocated in the first place. Maybe it’s a habitable trailer and someone needs it to live in. From a photography standpoint, any one of the situations – troopers directing traffic, night time or towing – would have made an interesting picture. But all three together tell a more complete story and provide a lovely sense of time passing.

Weekly Photo Challenge: Silhouette

Abstract, Alaska, Black & White, Landscapes, Photography, Travel, Weekly Photo Post

Probably a little too much detail to be a true silhouette. But the dark outline of the boat emphasized against the cloudy background offers the same effect. I really like the boat far in the background. Image taken in Prince William Sound, outside Valdez, 2011.