Little signs of spring

Springtime!
Canon 1Ds Mark III, 100mm macro, 50mm extension tubes, 1/13 sec @ f11, ISO 400

Alaskan's are anxiously awaiting the real immersion of summer, and it is very near in Fairbanks. Birds are abundant and their morning songs resonate in the boreal forest. This weekend, while walking through the forest I noticed this insect, some sort of lady bug (anybody know the species?). I thought it was an appropriate indicator of the season. I took it laying on the ground using a bean bag with a 100mm macro lens and 50mm of extension tubes.

AlaskaPhotoGraphics Newsletter

Finally, after nearly two years, we got back in the groove with an E-Newsletter, which will be sent out more frequently than our previous record! You can view it in its full format on our website-it looks a little prettier. If you would like to receive this Newsletter in the future, you can Register on the site and check the little box that says notify.

Greetings from Fairbanks, Alaska

Winter has lost its grip here in the north, and soon new color and new life will burst forth on the surrounding hillsides. It’s been a long, long time since our last newsletter update, and since then, lots of changes have taken place on our website. In addition to that, abundant travel plans are scheduled for the upcoming nightless summer months in Alaska, so expect to see more new images.

Video Website Tutorials

We now have more than 20,000 searchable images on our website, and are always seeking ways to make them more easily accessible. We made a few on-line Video Tutorials that discuss the site's basic features with hopes towards helping visitors maximize the functional use of the website. This includes the various methods of searching as well as a discussion of the display options and Lightbox Utilities, which include the ability to save, email, print, and download a lightbox.

Image Stacks

When viewing a page of search results, similar thumbnails have been grouped into a "stack" to allow more image variation on the monitor screen. This is indicated by the little yellow arrows under the thumbnail. You can toggle through the stack by clicking on the yellow arrows.

Watermark Free Comps

If you are a photo researcher or designer, we offer the ability to download 1200 pixel watermark free comps directly from the website. Even better is the functionality to download an entire lightbox of watermark free images to your desktop in one click using the Lightbox Utilities. To get this privilege, you need to register (very simple process) and send us an email requesting the feature be associated with your account.

Alaska Children's Book

"Alaska" by Shelly Gill and Patrick J. Endres. Blending poetry and humor, Alaskan author and adventurer Shelley Gill takes readers on a seasonal tour of the 49th state. Veteran photographer Patrick J. Endres captures Alaska’s enduring spirit in his crisp images. Hardcover: $19.00 includes shipping, autographed by the photographer.

How to Photograph the Northern Lights

This popular article is specifically written to address photographing the aurora borealis with a digital camera. It discusses:

• Where and when to view the aurora
  
• How to dress and deal with cold weather
  
• What kind of camera and gear you need
  
• File formats, exposure and histograms

Website Additions

• Lots of new photo content
  
• New server and optimized code delivers faster performance
  
• Previews increased to 700px
  
• Large, 300 pixel thumbnail option
  
• Expanded sidebar categories
  
• Visual search
  
• Map & Region search
  
• Greeting cards
  
• 2009 Fairbanks & Interior Alaska Calendar (available in June)
  
• Children's book on Alaska
  
• Photography Blog

Featured Prints

Wading through thousands of photos can be overwhelming. To help out, we have listed a few galleries of popular photos in our featured prints section, the help streamline the browsing experience.

2009 Fairbanks & Interior Alaska Calendar

The 2009 Wall calendar will be available in June, in its fifth season. See previews on-line.

On-line Slide Shows

We added a few new slide shows from some Beyond Alaska travel destinations: You can view them from our Slide Shows page.

• Wildlife of the world
  
• World Travels
  
• Africa Portraits

Thank You

Thanks for your past patronage and interest in our Alaska imagery. Stop by and visit again at www.AlaskaPhotoGraphics.com.

Don Sheldon Mountain House details

The mountain hut flanked by Mount Dickey.

The Mountain House:
Few are the people that have not seen pictures or heard of the Don Sheldon Mountain House. Situated in the splendor of the Alaska Mountain range, perched on a rock outcrop in the middle of glacier at 6,000 ft, it commands superlative stretching views in every direction. Ever since I first saw a picture of it, I said to myself, I have to go there! The Hut was built by the legendary bush pilot Don Sheldon. For an intriguing read of his amazing flight adventures try Wager with the Wind from amazon.

One normally needs to reserve this place well in advance, but due to a cancellation I was fortunate to get a three night stay with just a few weeks notice. The Alaska Mountaineering School, based in Talkeetna now manages the hut and they have the current information. In 2008 it rented for $132 a night. For those interested in the details and logistics, I'll share some of that here, as I was very curious of what take, and what to expect.

How to get there:
First of all, the hut is accessed from Talkeetna, Alaska via plane on skis. The flight is about $400 round trip per person, and you can take 125 pounds of gear each. That sounds like a lot, but photographers carry a lot of extra weight, which, when coupled with skis, snowshoes, cold weather gear, tripods, etc., adds up quickly--especially when you throw in the wood for the stove. Due to weather more volatile than the current stock market, one needs to bring enough supplies to get weathered in for an extra three to five additional days. One entry in the mountain house log stated: "We were supposed to be picked up six days ago, need I say more?" The hut is a short hike from the landing spot on the Ruth Glacier, and depending on conditions, you may or may not want snow shoes or skis to haul your gear. A plastic sled is a bonus. Speaking of landing strips...for our departure, we had to stamp down an approaching and departing runway in 16 inches of fresh snow. For this task, some skis and snowshoes were invaluable, as was frequent breaks for chocolate and water. Discuss your pilots needs for a runway before you leave.

What to Take:

• Bring wood for the stove, (which is usually for sale in small bundles at the gas station near the spur road entrance to Talkeetna), no longer than 16 inches. It is a small but comfortable hut, and heats up quickly. Managing the stove temp is critical and easier to do with chopped wood as opposed to round logs. There was a hatchet there.
• Cooking stove and fuel. Don’t bring propane canisters; the pilots won't let you fly them in. You don't need a fry pan since I accidentally left mine there-a rather nice one! There are plenty utensils for eating, and a few cups and bowls, along with large pots for melting snow for drinking water.
• The National Park Service requires a pack it in/pack it out policy, which includes human waste. Stop by the Park Headquarters in Talkeetna and they will issue you special containers for the transportation of human waste, with full explanation save a demonstration.
• If you plan to ski, you will want a pair of skins, some rope and enough skill to feel comfortable traveling on crevasse potential glacial terrain. Don't forget your sunglasses, ski goggles, and sun screen.
• SAT phones
• I rented a SAT phone, $20 for the first day, $10 for each additional day, which is cheap. I’d recommend it.

About the Hut:
The six sided building has four lengthy benches with pads, which sleep four people very comfortably and plenty of storage above and below the benches. The 5th side is the counter and cooking area and the 6th side is the door. You are surrounded by windows, which render impressive views. The wood stove is in the center. If you have a larger group, tents may be set up nearby the hut or down on the glacier.

Photography:
I was really hoping for some clear skies and an opportunity for aurora borealis photography, but the clouds did not part for that wish. Two hours after we landed, a blizzard began, which lasted for a day and a half, dumping about 16 inches of fresh snow. It was white on white, and blowing about 30-40 mph at times. I took lots of white on white pictures, blowing snow, and a few moments of good light opened up on our departure day. I'll be returning for sure, with a better idea of what to expect, and a longer stay. Check out some photos of the journey below

Packing a lot of gear in the Talkeetna Air Taxi bush plane.

Just landed on the glacier on skis, a few hours before the blizzard started.

Hauling gear to the Mountain hut.

The brown box on the rock, that is the outhouse.

A morning trip to the outhouse in white-out conditions.

White on white, and the hut.

Mountaineers weathering out the storm.

Cabin fever?

Hugh Rose telemarking in the blizzard.

The spacious, hexagonal, mountain hut.

The things photographers do when bored during a white out.

Looks worse than a game of scrabble.

Morning light and lightening skies.

A rest from making the runway in 16 inches of snow.

Mark Lead climbing a 200 foot wall by the mountain hut.

Wow, there was some light after all.

Wilderness magic

Youth, the color white, and welcomed skies.

Mount Dickey.

A little blue sky.

Our plane arrives.

We depart the Ruth Amphitheater, into the Ruth Gorge. Wow! you have to be there.

The Don Sheldon Mountain House

Don Sheldon Mountain House, Alaska Range
Canon 1Ds Mark III, 24-105mm f4L, Panorama stitch of three photos

Don Sheldon Mountain House, Alaska Range
Canon 1Ds Mark III, 24-105mm f4L, 13 sec. @ f/6.3, ISO 800

I just returned from a little photo adventure at the Don Sheldon Mountain House in the Alaska Range. Accesses to this location is by bush plane on skis only and the weather can range from glorious to terrible, in a very short time span. We arrived just two hours prior to a snowstorm of whiteout conditions that dumped about 16 inches of fresh snow across the glaciated landscape. I'll be posting additional comments on the journey soon. Here is a little history on the mountain hut as described by the Talkeetna, Alaska based Alaska Mountaineering School

Don Sheldon constructed the Mountain House in 1966 on a five-acre rock and ice outcrop located at the 6,000 foot level in the middle of the Don Sheldon Amphitheater of the Ruth Gorge, perhaps the most scenic and spectacular spot in Denali National Park & Preserve. A master glacier pilot who was revered by climbers he flew into the Range, Don Sheldon tied lumber to the wing struts of his Cessna 180 and Super Cub and made numerous flights into the Gorge before he had enough materials to build the hut. Intended as a modest shelter for mountaineers, skiers, photographers, and wilderness seekers.

Recent trip to the Brooks Range

Aurora borealis over the Brooks range, arctic Alaska. April 2008

Northern lights over mount Dillon, Brooks range, Alaska. April 2008

I recently returned from the Brooks range where I ventured yet again for some photography of the northern lights. Amidst some very snowy weather, I was fortunate to eek out proper timing that delivered some clear skies. The aurora was not outstanding, but acceptable, and the fresh white snow across the landscape was indeed beautiful. Willow ptarmigan, the white, grouse-like birds, were abundant feeding among the willows. In a few days, I'll be in the heart of the Alaska mountain range seeking the same. Photos will be posted upon my return sometime next week.

Willow ptarmigan in winter plumage

Explore Alaska Lecture Series

On Thursday, April 17th, @ 7:00pm, I'll be giving a presentation on Nature Photography in the Digital Age as part of the "Explore Alaska Lecture Series", sponsored by the Fairbanks branch of the Alaska Public Lands Information Center, located on the corner of 3rd and Cushman Street. I'll be addressing some basic issues including:

• Why digital is superior to film
• Image Capture - What you need
• What is a histogram - That funny graph and what it means
• Organizing all those photos - Digital Asset Management
• Editing and Grading - Making the images look good

Aurora borealis in the White Mountains, Fairbanks

I have long looked for a scene that embodied the mystery of the aurora in conjunction with the simplicity of wilderness living. This cabin, under a sky of wheeling and whirling color, needs little commentary. I accessed this location with a friend, and we both drove snow machines.

While offloading my machine from the trailer, it failed to start. My friend and I removed the exhaust system and began troubleshooting the dilemma in the cold, and an hour later we were fortunately able to start it up. We scurried down the trail, reaching the cabin just before dark.

A little bit of light in the western sky contributes the light blue color in this image. There was no computer color saturation performed on this photo, but colors revealed on film are often different than what the eye actually sees.

Temperatures dipped to minus 18 degrees F that night. This happens to be the first frame I took. While I like many of the other frames, this one, with the lightness of the sky and the purple lights, is my favorite.

Mackey's lead dog Zoro

Musher Lance Mackey's lead dog Zoro was injured during the final 20 miles of the All Alaska Sweepstakes race in March of 2008. Zoro, who led Mackey to two Iditarod finishes, was in the sled resting from a sore shoulder when a snow machine rammed into the back of the sled just outside Nome. Lance continued the race and crossed the finish line in Nome with Zoro in the sled, but no attention was drawn to the accident. Lance attended to the fans that awaited his 2:00am arrival. Zoro, was flown to Seattle on the following day and evaluated by veterinarians. He is fortunate to expect a good recovery but will be retired from mushing. You can view a video about Zoro here

Lance Mackey, greeted by his wife and mom, crosses the finish line in Nome with injured dog Zoro in his sled bag.

Sepia portraits

During the recent All Alaska Sweepstakes dog mushing race in Nome, Alaska, I took a few portraits that seemed good candidates for a sepia conversion. Not all images work for this color pallete, but I like the sense of time and history invoked by these few. Both Photoshop and Lightroom come with standard conversion parameters for Sepia, but they can be manually performed and tweaked in a variety of ways.

Annie Kirk, in Candle, Alaska, from the village of Buckland, Alaska.

5th place finisher Ed Iten rests on his ski pole at the finish line of the Sweepstakes in Nome, Alaska.

Musher Jim Lanier arrives in Nome, finishing the Sweepstakes in 6th place.

Sharpening for printed output

When printing from a digital source, sharpening is required for the most pleasing output. The technique we use may be familiar to anyone who uses Photoshop, but the degree to which we sharpen is often surprising. What you see on the screen is not what you see in printed media.

This is the original file, sized down and sharpened for screen viewing

Here is a 100% crop, unsharpened

Sharpened using Photoshop smart sharpen, 132%, radius 2.0 pixels

The crop sharpened for print output looks oversharpened. It almost looks cut out, with a sort of halo around the edges, when viewed at 100% as shown here. However, all of these artifacts disappear when printed. Part of the reason is most current monitors show around 100 pixels per inch, or ppi. This is like viewing under a 3X magnifying glass compared to printed output.