My apologies to those folks that have already seen this, however it has been requested that I repost this information and leave it static at the top of the journal for awhile.

Without further delay.

Calendars

2009 Alaskan Explorer Calendars are now available. I am offering two types of twelve month calendars. “The Alaskan Explorer” includes Alaska scenery and wildlife throughout the season. While “Bears of Alaska” offers a twelve month view of brown and black bears throughout many of their habitats in Alaska including Anan Creek in Wrangell to McNeil River Sanctuary on the Kamishak Peninsula. For an overview of the images found in The Alaskan Explorer a summary can be found here. The Bears of Alaska photo summary can be found here. Both links will open to the images in a new browser window.

Cost for these calendars are $15.00 each plus $4.60 shipping which includes flat rate priority mail. I will mail them free of charge to those in Alaska that purchase them. I will ship overseas however please contact me for a quote.

Note Cards

Blank 5×7 photo note cards are available on an individual basis or in a grouping of 3 or 5. These quality cards are printed on heavy card stock and look just beautiful. I have over 25 different images available and they can be custom ordered to include any of the images in my gallery. The tri-photo cards are available to include wildlife subjects such as fox, bears, and eagles.

These note cards are $3.50 each, 3 for $10.00 or 5 for $12.00

Individual Calendar

These single image 8×10 photo calendars are a great alternative for those that may not have enough space for the classic full image calendars. Especially benefial for office workspaces. Available in a variety of images and can be custom ordered with any of the images in my gallery.

These individual calendars are $7.00 a piece. A mounted version on black foam core is available for $9.00

How to Order

I accept orders via paypal. Please contact me directly or leave a message here and state your interest and I can either send you an invoice or give you the e-mail address to send funds to. Given my schedule these days it’s unfortunate but I cannot hand deliver in Alaska. Online payment and mail is preferred. All items are in stock and ready to ship. I do ship within 24 hours of payment. Wholesale pricing is also available.

Thank you for your interest!

They say time flies when you’re having fun, and while I do admit that time has been flying - it hasn’t been so fun for me lately. As some unexpected health issues have come up from a result of blood tests that are forcing me to deal with them. Now if I can only get a response from the local gyms regarding membership I would be a happy camper.

As a result of this I haven’t been out for photo ops at all lately. But just thought I would mention that 2009 calendars are available still for $15.00. There is a combination Alaska calendar and one solely focused on bears. I also have a single page calendar available for $7.00. Of course blank photo note cards are available for $3.50 each / 3 for $10 / 5 for $12. I of course hope to get around of taking photos of these but again I haven’t been able to catch up with this thing called life.

For those of you that have reserved calendars you have been sent invoices. Please do me a favor and pay them so I don’t have to chase you down. That would be GREATLY appreciated.

Back to this thing called life.

A short time ago, a friend handed me the following credo. It read:

This is the artist’s dream:
To receive the inspiration to create,
To share that creation with others,
And to be totally supported in the process.

I asked him to explain further. “It all begins with inspiration,” he said, “an inspiration that calls us to create. Once the inspiration is received, then we can bring that vision into the world as a song, painting, book, invention, new business–or any other tangible form.

Then I began to think. While I’ve always considered myself creative through use of word, prose or even thoughts; where did I gather this inspiration from?

Was it the outdoors? The myriad of colors blanketing the luscious landscape that acts as Mother Nature’s canvas? The tawny oranges and yellows of the fall foliage. Or even the white serenity of a fresh blanket of snow. Granted, this earth is my bounty and I am a child of it. Her will to create has always inspired me. But was this truly the only thing I gathered inspiration from?

Or was it from those around me? A singular visage walking silently through this life. Yet I’ve always drawn my inspiration for things from the strength of those around me. Whether it be through a kind word, a warming smile or a heartfelt embrace. Words flow like silk when I am happy and at peace with situations in my life. It gives me perseverance and courage. Dignity to continue to walk forth and thrive. An interpersonal bloom taking place; like the first blossoms of spring.

But yet I also draw inspiration during tough challenges in my life. So that could not be it either. What was my source of inspiration? The more I thought about it, the more perplexed I became. Was I able to pinpoint it to one certain thing?

I still remember the first time I ever created my first drawing. Struggling through the foundations of the pencil, my hand strongly grasping it as I continued to push that lead down to touch the paper. Granted I’m sure it didn’t look anything like the beautiful spirited stallion of a horse I saw racing through my mind, but I was so proud of my accomplishment. Proof to myself that I could actually do something I set my mind to.

I also remember walking across the stage at graduation. Accomplishing such a spectrum of achievements only few can dream of. While no canvas existed before me to create, its shapes started taking definition from the day I set forth. Through achievements and lessons learned and experience. The creation that became my life.

So as I stood there in that darkened shadow, my knees drawn up to my chest and the wrinkle of concentration emanating from my brow, it finally hit me. My single inspiration could be pinpointed. From the colors all or around me or the feelings within. My inspiration came from one and only place. Much to my surprise and fascination, I learned it came from…me!

—

*Note - While many of us that create in some way shape or form are often asked to write an artists bio when we show, I tend to go a bit in a different direction. Much like I hope my photography is a bit different. And thus would be my artists credo I submitted for my first show which opens next week.

I tell you - the camera gods are mocking me on a couple of different fronts tonight. Namely:

• I rented a Canon 24-70 f/2.8 L lens with the intention of testing it out tonight for the sunset and city lights shot I have in my mind. I look outside of course and say WHAT SUN? It suddenly disappeared and went packing. So now I have to wait to try out this lens like i want.
  
• One of the photographers from the photo group I belong to happens to be selling what I consider to be my dream lens (a 500 mm) for wildlife photography. Unfortunately given I just spent a pretty penny on some new furniture and now investing money on getting this business started it has pushed it out of my reach. By the time I could get it in November it will of no doubt sold.

I must be paying for some bad karma to the camera gods. Either that or I need to make a sudden windfall in calendar and note card sales. Ah the joys of a photographer. We always lust after new lens and equipment.

And in other “new news” for me. I did a test run on getting some of my images printed out large format for a show I have coming up at th end of October. Printed and framed these images are 26″ x 36″. I really didn’t know how they would do that large. But needless to say I’m very pleased.

Definitely a good beginning in the world of art works.

Like most places around the country the ebony of night brings with it a step into another world. A time when most people truly come alive and begin their ventures outdoors - whether it be celebrating the night life of the city or even perhaps attending a theatre performance. There is an electricity that sparks us when we journey into that witching hour.

Those hours around dusk are one of my favorites as well but of course for different reasons. Because those moments bring with it an increase in wildlife activity. It is no secret that moose are more active around dusk and dawn as are many other Alaska mammals. With the darkness those animals you don’t normally see become active as well. The red fox emerge from their den for hunting or porcupine begin to wander the local woods.

As the hours flowed into dusk last night I found myself back up at the Glenn Alps overlook in an attempt to capture a view of the city lights. Of course I wasn’t able to capture the image i wanted because my wide angle lens chose that night to be tempermental. So after a few hours I decided to call it a day and head home.

No sooner had I pulled into the back parking lot of where I live and took some things over to the garbage can when I began to hear some chirps emitted into the air. Chirps that brought back memories of my time at McNeil River. You see I was all too familiar with the animal they were coming from. So I took a few steps forward and looked into the darkness. I found some amber colored eyes staring back at me.

It appears we have a red fox family living in the woods bordering the Campbell Creek where I live. As I allowed my eyes to become used to the darkness I watched her bound off through the trees as if in search for prey.

To me it was a good omen and a reminder of on of my favorite times this year. I hope she will come visiting again.

Cook Inlet Sunset
Anchorage, Alaska

After living here over 30 years - low and behold I found out Anchorage actually has a place called Strawberry Hill. Didn’t find any strawberries. Nor did I find any bull moose when I went up to Powerline Pass. But I did find a gorgeous sunset.

Going through a rather rough patch as of late. Hoping things normalize in my life and soon.

My apologies to those of you that had a calendar ready to ship this week. Unfortunately my bulk order arrived mangled and water damaged thanks to UPS. As a result I am going to have to have them reprinted and reshipped. This delays everything by a week unfortunately.

Needless to say what “Brown can do for me” right now is they can go suck it.

I’m a wee bit perturbed.

After many years of being what I would label the “armchair photographer” and simply using photography as my excuse to get out and see Alaska I have found my interests changing as of late.  My love of photography is intensifying and growing to a new level.  Of course my biggest challenge remains overcoming my lack of self confidence in constantly questioning, “Am I good enough?” 

Not only have I begun to seriously work on building a second business of this, I have also had an interest sparked in attempting to get shown here locally.  Vis a vie by participating in the art circuit known as First Friday.  Perhaps the biggest challenge is not having any local gallery contacts and really not knowing where to start.

The interest however is still there.  Where there is a will there is a way - right?

When traveling to Alaska many search for a unique opportunity that will provide memories that last a life time. Whether it’s the dog sled ride up at Godwin Glacier out of Seward or even something as simple as a wildlife cruise and tour — Alaska is full of these types of opportunities. Perhaps one particular that many don’t give thought to is the Denali Road Lottery held every September. The road lottery consists of a 4 day period where 400 vehicles per day are allowed to drive their vehicles on the park road into Denali Natioanl Park. Considered the “end of the season” the road lottery offers some amazing views into Alaska at a time when fall colors can be at their peak and wildlife is in prime shape.

I have been one of the lucky participants of the road lottery for the last 3 years running. For the cost of a $10.00 ticket I toss my name into the hat each July in hopes of finding my name appear on that list of winners once they are announced in August. It’s a opportunity that even as an Alaskan has allowed me some very memorable experiences.

The 2008 Denali Road Lottery was held on Friday September 12th through Monday September 15th. Through a series of luck and chance I was able to attend 3 of the 4 days of this event. My own winning ticket was for that Monday. But with a system that allows each pass to be transferred in the event the original winner was not able to use their pass, I found myself lucking out and receiving an additional two passes this year.

I left Anchorage bright and early on that Friday morning. Of course as has been the case for the majority of this summer the weather was less than desirable. Driving rain made for some miserable driving conditions in some points, especially when I was encountering continuous road spray from the semi trucks I was sharing the road with. However once I passed Broad Pass and began to pull closer to Denali the skies opened up and the sun began to show itself. After driving into the park to check the colors and then moving on to check into my hotel I encountered my first obstacle of that weekend.

Unfortunately the reservation system for the hotel I was staying at had a glitch that had allowed me to obtain reservations well past their season ending. Quite simply I was scheduled to stay through Tuesday of the following week but they closed for the season on Monday. As a result I was left without hotel accommodations for that Monday night. Now normally this wouldn’t be an issue. But during road lottery weekend it is typical for every hotel in the area to be booked well in advance. Saturday night found me on the phone for hours on end and luckily I was finally able to find a room at one of the local Aramark hotels.

Saturday morning arrived and I met my friend C at the Wilderness Access Center to begin our drive into the park. The taiga forest that encompasses the first 20-30 miles of the park were well past peak colors. But once we passed Stony Hill overlook the colors begin to change. Early on our wildlife sightings were few and far between. It was only after Stony Hill that we saw a pack of caribou lingering off in the distance. We pulled over for awhile and hiked down to an area that would offer us some great opportunities to photograph them. Throughout the day we were lucky to encounter caribou, Dahl sheep and a few grizzly bears that were foraging the hillside eating berries. However those “up close and personal” encounters with animals that I have been lucky to have in the past were very few and far between.

Sunday brought the same sort of experiences. We were definitely lucky when it came to weather. Early weather reports predicted rain for the area. But narily a raindrop was seen that weekend. Each day I drove into the park to pretty much encounter the same wildlife. After my wonderful experiences this summer on other trips that allowed such up close and personal experiences with bears, I instead found myself beginning to focus on taking photos of the park’s landscapes. After all, Mt. McKinley was out in her glory for each of the days we were there. Definitely a rare event.

If you are traveling to Alaska and want to experience an event outside of the norm, give lady luck a chance and throw your name into the hat. Who knows, you may just be one of those lucky few to experience Denali at her best!