Capturing Alaska

with Wayde Carroll

 

 

 

"Dancing Earth"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   Last Thursday I was hired to photograph a shareholders picnic for the Calista Native Corporation. I love photographing any native event and was glad to get the gig. I figured it was a typical "grip and grin" event shoot where I just try and show people having a good time, try not to get people blinking, stuffing their face with food etc. Lots of flash.

   Well I did all that but my employer failed to tell me that there was an American Indian dance group from the lower 48 there to perform that evening. When I heard about it I though "cool". When I saw "Dancing Earth" perform, I thought "WAY COOL!"

   This group bills themselves as an "Indigenous Contemporary Dance Collective". They hail from Arizona and surrounding states. Their performance was a beautiful mix of classic ballet, native american dance, and story telling through mime. They went through the various life cycles, joys, and trials of Native American living in the days before the USA was established. It was thoroughly mesmerizing. 

   It was fairly dark for photography so I shot everything at 800 to 1600 ISO at F2.8 at around 1/125". I didn't want to use flash and ruin the mood of the lighting.

   I'm now a big fan and hope to see more of "Dancing Earth" in the future!

 

 

Capturing Alaska

with Wayde Carroll

 

 

I love Alaska!

 

 

 

Grizzly Bear, Kenai Peninsula

 

 

Coulson's Kenai River Lodge, Cooper Landing

 

 

Kenai River, Cooper Landing

 

 

Coulson's Kenai River Lodge, Cooper Landing

 

 

Kenai River fishing, Cooper Landing

 

 

Coulson's Kenai River Lodge, Cooper Landing

 

 

Local flora, Cooper Landing

 

 

Coulson's Kenai River Lodge, Cooper Landing

 

 

Chugach Mountains from Cooper Landing

 

 

Bald Eagle, Cooper Landing

 

 

 

 

   I just love living in Alaska!

   You may be wondering what in the world the above photos have in common. I'll explain!

 

 Last week I was hired to photograph the above lodge for advertising purposes. The lodge is on the Kenai River in Cooper Landing which is on the Kenai Peninsula, a short two hours south of Anchorage. I'm always looking for any excuse to get down to that area so I was thrilled when I got the call.

   The drive itself is world-class in scenic beauty so I savor every mile. You never know what you might see and every time is different.

   The lodge photography entailed parts of two days so I ended up staying there for two nights. It was pretty incredible to be able to have one of the custom homes to myself. It was great because, with the late sunset in summer, I was able to work into the wee hours of the morning and never leave my lodging, or bother the owners who were in the identical lodge home next door.

   Part of the project was to include some local scenery for their brochures etc. and that is why there are lodge images as well as local flora and fauna. I fell so lucky to be able to work in a place that thrills me to the core every time I open my eyes.

   So I spend two days in this beautiful setting, working. Very, very nice. On the drive home on the last morning I kept my camera bag within reach "just in case".

   I may have been on the road for twenty five minutes before the beautiful Grizzly, shown above, makes an appearance along the side of the highway. I grabbed my camera pretty quickly, expecting the bear to disappear fairly soon. Much to my pleasure it stayed out for a good fifteen minutes! Most of the time there was pavement or gravel underfoot but there were a couple of moments where the bear was in the tall grass with a beautiful background. That's when I got this shot.

  I drove the rest of the way home marveling at what had just occurred, the scenery around me, the wonderful life photography has allowed me. A week later I'm still smiling because of that drive.

 

   I love Alaska.