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By Ron Day, March 10, 2010 8:31 am

 Date: March 10, 2010

Official Sunrise @: 7:30           Photograph Taken @: 7:29

Temperature: 7°          Wind: None

Camera Used: Canon G9          Photographer: Ron Day

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Basically, it’s just another snowy day here in Wasilla, Alaska. We have almost a foot of new snow on the ground now, most of it appearing within the last two days. I’d more or less put the snow blower away for the year, thinking spring was surely around the corner. But yesterday I dug it out again and gassed it up, spending a couple of hours clearing the driveway then forging a path around the house, making it easier for me to take sunrise pictures.

There wasn’t a real sunrise this morning, though, just more snow falling from gray clouds, so I just took a picture of our deck, which was the most interesting subject I could see.

Pretty sad, huh?

The forecast calls for more snow throughout today but with clearing skies for the rest of the week. That’s a good thing.

I think I need spring.

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               REALLY? It’s March and it’s 1 degree out!!!! I swear last week it was 40 BUT now it’s1.      Oh, Alaska is full of wonders and surprises!!!!!

~Facebook comment -March 10, 2010~

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Continued photo coverage of the 2010 Iditarod re-start

I am continuing my photo coverage of the 2010 Iditarod re-start, held last Sunday, March 7,  in Willow, Alaska. This series of photos will continue through Thursday, March 11, with approximately 25 new pictures each day.

Rather than focus my attention on the race itself I thought it would be interesting to document the pre-race activities, preparations at a mushers home and kennels, and in the staging area during the hours before the actual start. I felt like this was something many fans of the Iditarod have never seen up close and I felt like I should share these images with my readers. I am very grateful to Dee Dee Jonrowe for giving me the opportunity to do this.

Again, if you find any photos where I have not identified someone, or have identified the incorrectly, please e-mail me @ rondayvous2000@yahoo.com with the correct information and I will update it immediately.

The official web site of the Iditarod has an informative web page which lists all of the mushers in the 2010 race, along with their biography’s and photograph’s. It is interesting reading and will enlighten you, not only about the people themselves, but also about the history of the Iditarod.

 You can find the web page here:

2010 Iditarod Musher Listing   

As I published this morning’s post, Hans Gatt and Cim Smyth were the only two mushers to have reached the Ophir checkpoint. They are currently leading the race.

You can track your favorite racer and check current race standings here. 

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Dee Dee prepares her team for Iditirod 38

As Dee Dee’s starting time drew nearer and nearer you could feel the excitement growing, in the people as well as the dogs. Handlers were busily preparing each dog for the race, fitting booties and harnesses to them and trying to keep them somewhat calm. The noise was nearly overwhelming as dogs barked, yipped and howled. Not just Dee Dee’s dogs either, there were dozens of dogs from nearby teams acting the same way, all of them wanting to begin the race, unable to contain their excited enthusiasm.

Mushers were shouting out instructions to handlers, who in turn were shouting to other members of the team. Nearby, over a PA system, announcers were introducing racers, those who had drawn earlier starting numbers, and counting down the time before each of them left the starting gate to the cheers of  the crowd.

The team next to Dee Dee’s pulled suddenly away, the sled dogs barking as their feet scratched in the snow. A small crowd had gathered, cheering loudly for them. It should have been quieter then, after the neighoring team had left, but it wasn’t. Seeing their neighbors leaving before them made Dee Dee’s dog team bark even louder. They felt they were being left behind…and they didn’t like that.

Dee Dee made one last trip up and down the long line of dogs hitched to her sled, stopping to visit with each handler and volunteer, thanking them, giving them a hug, or a kiss on the cheek. It was an emotional time, in spite of the noise.

A race official came over, telling Dee Dee to enter the staging area. She and husband Mike mounted the sled, released the brakes and signaled for the handlers to move the dogs forward.

Dee Dee’s twenty-eighth race to Nome was set to begin.  

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Paul Gebhart and his team enter the staging area. A few minutes more and he will be on his way to Nome. This is Paul’s 13th. Iditirod. His best finish was 2nd. in 2007. He currently holds 14th. position in the 2010 race.

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Tamara Rose discusses her Iditarod strategy as she awaits her starting time. This will be her first Iditarod race. Currently she holds the 64th. position.

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Dee Dee Jonrowe contemplates things still yet to be done before she enters the starting gate at Iditarod 38.

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As she makes her way down the line of dogs, handing out energy treats, Dee Dee takes a moment to talk to one of her handlers.

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Every dog on her team is her friend, she makes it a point to give encouragement to each of them. Look closely and you will see love and adoration in the eyes of a dog.

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Her starting time drawing nearer Dee Dee walks down the row of dogs with a bag of bright pink booties in her arms,  handing out a set to each member of her dog team.

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One of her dogs shares a smile with Dee Dee as it gets it’s booties.

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In wonderfully bright sunshine, Justin begins fitting booties to dog paws.

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Confident, ready to race the Iditarod, this pretty girl seems to know what lays in store.

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Mike and Dee Dee help the handlers put booties the dog team.

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A handler and one of her dogs share an affectionate kiss before the journey begins.

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Then Dee Dee stops by to give a kiss of her own.

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Pink harnesses are next, after the booties. The dogs know the routine but are becoming impatient. They want to race.

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Pretty dogs, harnesses and booties in place, anxiously await their turn to be hooked to the sled.

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Cindi Martin smiles as she reassures one of Dee Dee’s sled dogs.

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With all of the needed gear in place, this dog, ready to race, licks it’s lips as it finishes one energy bar and prepares to eat another which lies near it’s front feet. 

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Besides Dee Dee’s team, there are dozens of other dogs nearby, all of them excited by the sudden activity. They know they are going to race and can’t contain themselves any longer. Their barking and howling is so loud that handlers can no longer talk to each other. They use hand signals instead. Here Dr. James Martin, left, and Dee Dee’s mother Peg Stout, right, smile for the camera as they keep their distance from the noisy dog team.

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On the other side of the truck, in the shadows, handlers are still attaching harnesses.

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Sometimes the comfort of a few strokes is enough to settle an excited dog, at least temporarily.

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As the dog are prepared for the race, Dee Dee begins re-checking her own gear once again.

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Nearby dog teams prepare to enter the staging area. Excitement is growing as the dogs and handlers hear an announcer on the nearby PA system counting down the time as other mushers and teams begin their race to Nome.

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Almost ready, Dee Dee’s dog team, harnessed to her sled, are moved to the right to avoid other teams who are entering the staging area before them. From here, at the back of the sled, it’s an amazingly far distance to the lead dog.

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While Dee Dee stands by, one of her handlers gives his dog a kiss.

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And gets a kiss in return as well.

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By now Dee Dee is as anxious as her dogs are. She want to begin the race, knowing that once she is on the trail everything will become suddenly quiet again, and peaceful, with only the breathing of her dogs and the sound of sled runners against the snow to break the silence. I think she was looking forward to that.

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By Ron Day, March 9, 2010 8:00 am

Date: March 9, 2010

Official Sunrise @: 7:34          Photograph Taken @: 7:16

Temperature: 18°          Wind: None

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Nikon D200

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Winter Weather Advisory In Effect

Urgent – Winter Weather Message
National Weather Service Anchorage AK
1124 PM Akst Mon Mar 8 2010

Matanuska Valley-
Including The Cities Of…Palmer…Wasilla…Sutton…Chickaloon

…Winter Weather Advisory In Effect Until 3 PM Akst Tuesday…

The National Weather Service In Anchorage Has Issued A Winter
Weather Advisory For Snow…Which Is In Effect Until 3 PM Akst
Tuesday.

A Powerful Storm Will Track Into Western Prince William Sound
Tonight And Over The Anchorage Bowl Tuesday Morning. Moderate
Snowfall Is Expected To Continue Overnight And Through Tomorrow
Morning Before Tapering Off To Snow Showers Tuesday Afternoon.
Snow Accumulation Of 4 To 8 Inches Is Expected Overnight With An
Additional 3 To 6 Inches On Tuesday.

What more is there to say? Winter is still here in Wasilla, Alaska.

Dang!!

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“I really have thought for my whole life that Alaska was an island”

~Facebook comment on March 8, 2010~

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Continued photo coverage of the 2010 Iditarod re-start

Today I am continuing my photo coverage of the 2010 Iditarod re-start, held last Sunday, March 7,  in Willow, Alaska. This series of photos will continue through Thursday, March 11, with approximately 25 new pictures each day.

Rather than focus my attention on the race itself I thought it would be interesting to document the pre-race activities, preparations at a mushers home and kennels, and in the staging area during the hours before the actual start. I felt like this was something many fans of the Iditarod have never seen up close and I felt like I should share these images with my readers. I am very grateful to Dee Dee Jonrowe for giving me the opportunity to do this.

Again, if you find any photos where I have not identified someone, or have identified the incorrectly, please e-mail me @ rondayvous2000@yahoo.com with the correct information and I will update it immediately.

The official web site of the Iditarod has an informative web page which lists all of the mushers in the 2010 race, along with their biography’s and photograph’s. It is interesting reading and will enlighten you, not only about the people themselves, but also about the history of the Iditarod.

 You can find the web page here:

2010 Iditarod Musher Listing   

As I published this morning’s post, Paul Gebhardt was leading the race, out of the Rohn checkpoint at 8:32 last night, three hours and 7 minutes ahead of Sebastian Schnuelle.

You can track your favorite racer and check current race standings here. 

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Now, let’s look at more scenes from the 2010 Iditarod re-start in Willow, Alaska.

Dan Seavey chats with a Seavey Fan. In 1973, Dan helped Joe Redington, Sr. found the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a 1,000-mile sled dog race from Anchorage to Nome. Dan competed in the first and second Iditarod races placing third and fifth respectively. His son Mitch, and grandson Dallas, are both racing in this year’s Iditarod.

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Two of Dee Dee Jonrowe’s sled dogs.

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Blue skies, white fluffy clouds and brisk temperatures were perfect for Sunday’s re-start.

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Ryan Redington takes a moment to pose for a picture as he gives his sled a pre-race check. Ryan has raced in six Iditarod’s. His best finish was 18th. in 2007.

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Jim Lanier’s sled awaits it’s dog team in the pre-race hours.  Jim has entered and completed thirteen Iditarods. His best finish was 18th. in 2004. 

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Dee Dee’s handlers and volunteers unload her race sled to begin preparing it for the race.

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Left front: Sally Jo Martin, Cindi Martin, Dr James Martin. Dr. Martin and Cindi, owners of Valley Chiropractic Clinic in Wasilla,  have been one of Dee Dee’s sponsors for many years. I feel bad that I don’t know the names of the other people in this group. I will add them if and when some nice person provides them to me.

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I liked the way this gentleman was dressed and he was kind enough to stop for a picture when I asked him.

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Lance Mackey entertains a large group of his race fans while camera’s roll.

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As starting time drew near, officials with stop signs began to appear in the staging area. The stop signs were used to control the race teams as they got in line for the re-start.

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Ramey Smyth loads gear at the front of his sled while his  daughter Ava practices her own dogsled racing techniques at the back.

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Colorful Alaskan style outerwear was very apparent on spectators and mushers alike.

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I believe this to be Mitch Seavey and his family, but as they were posing for another photographer I’m not sure.

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Volunteers lend a helping hand to Dee Dee Jonrowe and her mother as they return to the staging area. Dee Dee is dressed to race, ready to begin preparing her team.

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Dee Dee Jonrowe with her sister Linda.

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After Dee Dee returned to the staging area wearing her Iditarod parka many of her fans came by to wish her well and to ask for her autograph.

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More autograph signing as a crowd gathers around to hear her comments about the upcoming race.

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This young man was proud to pose for pictures with Dee Dee as she put her arm around his shoulders.

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Volunteers enjoy the sunshine and the Iditarod atmosphere. From left: David Martin, Sally Jo Martin, Cindi Martin, Dr. James Martin, Bill Collins.

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Suddenly a voice from the crowd called out Dee Dee’s name. Dee Dee looked up, gave a cry of delight, and rushed towards the person who had called.

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Here she embraces the woman who called out her name, obviously a good friend who has shared many conversations with Dee Dee.

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Another group of friends huddle round Dee Dee Jonrowe before the race, wishing her well and saying a prayer for her.

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Dee Dee is a hero and a friend to many young women because of her strength and determination in the face of injuries and illness.

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Happy smiles and good will were the order of the day for those who admire Dee Dee.

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Her starting time getting nearer, Dee Dee begins making last minute checks of her sled and it’s required contents. Once she has completed that duty she will turn her attention to her handlers and those who have volunteered to help her on this important day, occasionally shedding a tear as she thanks them for all they have done.

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Husband Mike double checks Dee Dee’s sled to make certain his wife has everything she’ll need to survive alone in the Alaskan wilderness for the next 8 or 9 days.

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By Ron Day, March 8, 2010 10:08 am

Date: March 8, 2010

Official Sunrise @: 7:37          Photograph Take @: 8:40

Temperature: 25°          Wind: From the north @25 m.p.h – Gusts to 45 m.p.h.

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Canon G9

I was so busy working on today’s post that I lost track of the time. When I finally looked outside I found that sunrise had happen quite some time ago and I’d missed it. But I didn’t really miss too much because it is again real nasty out there with, horizontal snow in strong gusty winds. As I stepped out onto my studio porch to snap a picture of some sort Becky was just leaving for work. She stopped the PT Cruiser long enough to roll down the window to say good-bye to me. I snapped a picture of her and that is today’s sunrise picture. I hope she doesn’t mind too much.

I have several hundred pictures to sort though this week, all of them taken yesterday at the re-start of  Iditarod XXXVIII in Willow, Alaska. I’ve quickly browsed through them and think I’ve got some pretty good shots. This week, for several days at least, I will be posting them here on Alaska At Sunrise for my readers to enjoy.

I hope they help to give you a sense of what Alaska’s Iditarod Dogsled Race is all about. 

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“I wish was in Alaska today to see the start of the Iditarod. That should go on my BUCKET LIST.”

~Facebook comment March 7, 2010~

The 2010 Iditarod Begins

Mushers entered into Iditarod XXXVIII are officially on their way to Nome, Alaska. The race began in Anchorage on Saturday, with a ceremonial start, but the real race started on Sunday with a re-start in Willow. Seventy-one racers are entered into this year’s event, including many rookies.

I was honored to have been asked to participate by photographing Dee Dee Jonrowe as she, her dog handlers, and volunteers prepared for the race.  Over the next week I will be posting many of these photos on Alaska At Sunrise. Although they will have a strong slant towards images of Dee Dee and her team, I was still able to capture many other sights during the pre-race hours as other teams prepared for the race, too.

The weather was beautiful for the re-start, with temperatures in the low 20’s and the sky a pretty blue with white fluffy clouds. Several thousand spectators were on hand, lining the starting chute and cheering for their favorite mushers and dog teams. 

I photographed many people during the day on Sunday. Many of their faces are unfamiliar to me and I feel bad because I’m unable to identify them, or have identified them incorrectly. For that reason I’m asking my readers to help me, if they can, by e-mailing me with names to match the faces in my pictures, or correcting me if I have made a mistake in a caption.

My e-mail address is; rondayvous2000@yahoo.com

I hope you enjoy, over the next few days, my photographs from the 2010 Iditarod.

Thank You

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Jonrowe Racing Kennel – owned and operated by Dee Dee and Mike Jonrowe.

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The view from Dee Dee Jonrowe’s kitchen window, overlooking her backyard where the dogs who will form her 2010 Iditarod team are tethered.

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Hours before the start of the race, Dee Dee Jonrowe and her mother Peg gather at the kitchen table to visit quietly and read the Sunday newspaper.

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Mike Jonrowe, left, and other volunteers carry Dee Dee’s racing sled to the truck for loading. Dee Dee’s favorite Labrador Retrievers follow along to oversee the activities.

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The sled is hoisted onto the Jonrowe Racing Kennel’s dog truck.

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After the sled is loaded and secured to the top of the truck all of the dogs who are going to Nome with Dee Dee are turned loose and make a wild dash to the truck  where handlers load them into individual cubby holes. The dogs are anxious and excited, for they know they are off to another racing adventure. 

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Smiling and laughing, this sled dog makes a run towards the truck, hardly able to contain his excitement about racing to Nome, Alaska in the 2010 Iditarod. 

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Leaving Mike and Dee Dee’s home I’m able to photograph the dog truck in front of us as we drive down the long driveway towards the Parks Highway, on our way to Willow, Alaska, just a few miles away.  

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Handlers for Ryan Redington attatch new runners on his bright sled in preparation for his run to Nome.

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Other mushers begin making preparations for the race.

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Trailers and trucks containing sleds, dogs and required gear begin to arrive at Long Lake, Near Willow, Alaska, where the race will begin.

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Dee Dee, along with her mother and a friend, or fan, pose for pictures before the race.

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Dee Dee Jonrowe and her mother, Peg Stout.

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Dee Dee assists her mother as they walk to a nearby home on the lake’s shore. They will remain in the house for several hours, resting and preparing for the race within the semi-privacy of it’s walls. 

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Mitch Seavey chats with a fan. Mitch started nineteenth in the race. He was the Iditarod Champion in 2004. Since then he has finished among the top ten in every race.

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One of many colorful and unique hats worn by fans of the Iditarod.

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Martin Buser made sure he spent a lot of time talking with his many fans. Martin is a four time winner of the Iditarod (1992, 1994, 1997, 2002) and hold the race record of 8 days, 22 hours, 46 minutes.

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Martin Buser, dressed to race, ready for the 2010 Iditarod.

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Jane Faulkner, a rookie, started 22nd. in the race.

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One of Dee Dee Jonrowe’s dog handlers answers questions from fans near her truck.

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Colorfully dressed race officials discuss the upcoming race.

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Mitch Seavey listens to questions and comments from his fans.

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Jane Faulkner receives some valuable encouragement from one of her dogs.

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Colorful, and uniquely Alaskan clothing  was in abundance at Iditarod XXXVIII

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Martin Buser, relaxed and confident, talks with a fan before the start of the race on Sunday.

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By Ron Day, March 6, 2010 9:00 am

Date: March 6, 2010

Official Sunrise @: 7:43          Photograph Taken @: 7:51

Temperature: 25°          Wind: None

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Canon G9

I walked out to the bluff to take this morning’s sunrise picture but their wasn’t one. Just dull grayness where the mountains should have been.

Not pretty.

Instead I found this Chickadee(?) breakfasting on a brick of Suet I’d placed on a birch tree a while back. It didn’t seem very frightened of me, let me walk up close to photograph it while it ate, so I decided to use it for today’s picture.

His name is Smitty.

We’re supposed to have more snow today and tomorrow and it looks as if that might be true. It will be nice for the Iditarod racers and their dogs to have some real winter weather for once as they begin this year’s  ”Last Great Race”.

Highs near 35° for south-central Alaska with lows near 12°. Not quite spring weather, yet.

Tomorrow’s Alaska At Sunrise post will be delayed somewhat as I leave the house early in the morning to attend the Iditarod re-start in Willow, Alaska.

Have a great Saturday, everyone. 

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“I would love to just runaway….and forget about these conservative people in Alaska!”

 ~Facebook Comment from March 5, 2010~

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Two More Photos From Washington D.C.

Yesterday I received an e-mail from my friend Cindi containing two group photos taken in Washington D.C. last week as they attended a Chiropractic Convention there. They all looked so pretty and handsome in these pictures that I just had to post them. It’s obvious they truly enjoyed their brief stay at our nation’s Capitol.

From left: Dr. Hediger, Dawn, Cindi, Becky, Dr. Martin, Kimber, Debbie, David.

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From left: David, Debbie, George, Dawn, Becky Cindi. George, a well known Washington figure, was their impromptu tour guide, taking time out of his schedule to spend an entire afternoon showing them through the capitol building. Afterwards he used his own car to drive them to a nice restaurant where he had dinner with the Alaskan group, including Dr. Martin.

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I sell more photographs at Fine Art America

I received word this morning that two more of my photographs have sold from my gallery at Fine Art America.

Fired Up was sold as an 8″ x 12″ framed print and Laced In Apricot was sold as an10″ x 20″ framed print.

My sincere thanks goes out to the buyers of these prints.

    Fired Up

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    Laced In Apricot

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2010 Iditarod

The 2010 Iditarod dogsled race begins today with a ceremonial start in Anchorage , Alaska. Seventy-two mushers and their dog teams are set to race 1,150 miles through the heart of Alaska, reaching Nome and the finish line a little more than a week from today.

Tomorrow, Sunday, a re-start of the Iditarod will take place in Willow, Alaska. From there the racers will begin their real journey through Alaska and it’s sometimes cruel weather and landscape. I will be in Willow to photograph the re-start and will be posting pictures here on “Alaska At Sunrise” beginning Monday morning, possibly Sunday night if I return home early enough.

The weather looks to be quite wintry for tomorrow’s re-start, with snow and cold in the forecast. It should be great weather for photography and I hope to have some interesting “Real Alaska” type photos for you to enjoy.

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By Ron Day, March 5, 2010 8:01 am

Date: March 5, 2010

Official Sunrise @: 7:46          Photograph Taken @: 7:37

Temperature: 25°          Wind: Out of the NE @ 25-35 m.p.h.

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Canon G9

It’s nasty outside this morning, so nasty in fact that I didn’t even bother going out for the sunrise picture, just stuck my Canon G9 against a window in my studio and snapped away.

The wind is howling, sounds cold and ferocious, the sky is dark gray had heavy, and it’s cold. we’re supposed to get more snow, too, according to the predictors. Snow will be good for The Iditarod, the 1,049 mile dogsled race to Nome which starts tomorrow, but I think many of us would just as soon have some sunshine and warmth.

I’ve added a few more blogs to the blog roll on the right. I check each of them every day and often find some interesting reading.

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OMG! I have moose in my yard, eating on my tree and now bedded down in my yard.

Only in Alaska, I love it!!!

~Facebook Comment~

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A bright Spot In Our Day: Grandchildren

Yesterday, while Jenny attended a meeting, Becky and I watched our three youngest grandchildren for about an hour. They are always a delight to us when they’re here.

While Dalton and Brylan played with their new toy airplanes, which Grandma bought for them in Washington D.C., Destiny was quite content being held by her grandparents.

Schnitzle had a good time, too, running from one to the other, barking and having fun. He likes his kids and gets very excited when I tell him they are coming to visit. He’ll run to the entry and sit there, looking out of the window in the door, until he sees their truck pull into the driveway. I used to tease him, telling him they were coming when they really weren’t, but I stopped doing that because I felt mean when he’d become excited and run to the door with his tail wagging furiously.

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Becky took this picture of Destiny as she was waking up in her carrier moments after Jenny had walked out of the door. She is such a sweet baby, always ready with a smile and very seldom crying. By looking at her it’s hard to believe she was born a few months early.

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Brylan found a corner to himself and was quite content for a while, playing with a toy belonging to our cat, Miss Paws, along with a dinosaur and Bart Simpson on a skateboard.

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We had to bribe Dalton to get this shot. He was hungry, as he always is, so we told him he could have a corn dog if he’d pose for a picture. Dalton will do about anything for food, including sitting in a chair upside down and making a funny looking grin. Schnitzle is on his way over to check things out, curious as to why his friend is acting so strangely.

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Brylan and Dalton with their new toys direct from Washington D.C., exact replicas of Air Force One. As you probably already know, there is always two identical planes in the air whenever the president travels anywhere. I myself wasn’t sure which one of them President Obama was in, but Bart Simpson knew, and was trying to convince him that he should come along as a mediator or something. Of course he was refused and quickly escorted off the runway by the Secret Service.

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Dachshund dog Schnitlze stops moving just long enough to have his picture taken. He loves his “kids” and has lots of fun playing and running with them. After they leave he always goes to his bed, crawls under his blankets and crashes for a few hours. Playing with kids is hard work and wears him out. 

Comments (2)

By Ron Day, March 4, 2010 9:21 am

Date: March 4, 2010

Official Sunrise @: 7:49          Photograph Taken @: 7:56

Temperature: 20°          Wind: None

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Nikon D200

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A bleakish morning with a few snowflakes falling from dull gray clouds. As you can see from the above photo visibility is pretty limited, the distant mountains are completely hidden from view by the clouds. It certainly does not feel like spring today.

Snow in the forecast with highs in the lower 30’s and lows near 28°.

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What i would give to click my heels and be laying by the ocean listening to the waves!

..oh wait my luck ..i’d wind up in alaska laying next to a walrus!!!

~Facebook Comment~

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A Moose Boosts My Heart Rate

I woke up at 3:30 this morning, laid there awake for quite sometime listening to a couple of owls hooting to each other outside my window somewhere. Then I got to thinking about different techniques for taking pictures at night. When those thoughts kept me from going back to sleep again I decided that I might as well roll out from under the blankets.

And I did.

After fixing a fresh pot of coffee, and pouring a slug of it into a big cup, I stepped outside into the darkness, on my way to the studio.

Normally when I go outside early in the morning I stop next to the house for a moment, peering into the darkness and giving a listen or two. But this morning I didn’t do that, I just blundered along, stepping into the driveway while holding my coffee in one hand and digging in my pocket for my keys with the other. After a few steps I began hearing crunching sounds coming from my right. Big crunching sounds. Crunching sounds that a moose makes when it is running through crusty snow.

Dang!!! That’s not good.

I couldn’t see very well, it was still really dark outside, but it sure did sound like a moose was running towards me, and not too far away, either.

The thought of being run down by a moose before I’d even tasted my coffee got my adrenaline flowing real good. I made a mad dash to my studio where I quickly climbed the 4 steps to the little porch. Once there I felt safe and took a look into the darkness, giving a listen while I was at it.

Nothing. Nothing at all. Complete and utter silence.

Except for some heavy breathing on my part.

Hmmmm. That was weird! Where in the heck that moose went I just didn’t know.

I got embarrassed when I imagined the beast hiding out there somewhere, behind some bushes or a birch tree. 

Giggling.

I stood listening for several minutes more, but all I heard was silence, then the hooting of the owls, once again.

Were they laughing, too?

I never did see or hear it again, but you can bet it will be a while before I step carelessly away from the house in the darkness again. 

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In a previous post I mentioned that I should look at my maps to identify the mountain peak in the center of this photograph, since it appears so often in my daily sunrise pictures. Turns out that I didn’t need my maps, all I needed to do was look on the Internet. It was pretty easy.

This is Mt. Goode, situated near the head of the Knik Glacier.  Mt Goode climbs to 10,449 feet (3,184.86 meters) above sea level. Mount Goode is located at latitude – longitude coordinates of N 61.327222 and W -147.983889. The nearest Alaska city is Whittier, 43 miles away. It is accessible only by smaller aircraft equipped with skis.

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I made this shot from my yard yesterday. It was taken late in the afternoon as the sun was beginning to settle on the horizon. The lighting on the snowy mountainsides is what caught my eye, it looked very beautiful and inviting to me, although I don’t think I would have really enjoyed being up there. Much too cold for me, I’m sure.

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More Photos Of Vehicle Lights In The Darkness

I spent the pre-dawn hours this morning fooling around once again with lights from my neighbors vehicles as they drove to work. This time I tried a new technique.

By attaching my tripod to the tripod collar on my 80mm-2oomm lens, and using the MC-36 remote release by Nikon, I was able to rotate my Nikon D200 during  the exposures, resulting in some very interesting images.

Initially I began by rotating the camera about 90° to the left and then back again, but I found I had better results by simply rotating it 90° then ending the exposure at that point.

I’ve noted the specifics for each picture as a reference in case you’d like to try this yourself.

Each of these photos was taken at ISO 100, White Balance set to Incandescent, and shutter set to bulb. I used manual focus, set to infinity, along with manual exposure mode and spot metering.

These photos were all taken from my studio on Bayview Drive, near Wasilla, Alaska

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Time: 5:14 a.m. – Lens Focal Length: 120mm – Exposure: 26 sec @ f4.5

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Time: 6:05 a.m. – Lens Focal Length: 105mm – Exposure: 10.3 sec @ f6.3

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Time: 6:06 a.m. – Lens Focal Length: 105mm – Exposure: 12.6 sec. @ f6.3

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Time: 6:08 a.m. – Lens Focal Length: 92mm – Exposure: 10.6 sec. @ f6.3

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Time: 6:08 a.m. – Lens Focal Length: 80mm – Exposure: 13.7 sec. @ f6.3

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Time: 6:16 a.m. – Lens Focal Length: 80mm – Exposure: 8.3 sec. @ f8

Comments (2)

By Ron Day, March 3, 2010 10:19 am

Date: March 3, 2010

Official Sunrise: 7:52          Photograph Taken: 7:58

Temperature: 41°          Wind: From the north @ 5 – 10 m.p.h.

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Nikon D200

It might be spring…I just don’t know. It was 40° when I walked outside at 5 a.m. this morning, with a gusty little breeze blowing. It felt something like spring feels, I think. The forecast though is calling for more snow today, so I guess I’ll have to wait and see what happens.

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“Just a quick update to let you know that nearly 9,000 Alaskans called

in to the telephone town hall last night. That’s great, Alaska!”

~Alaska Governor Sean Parnell on Facebook, March 3, 2010~

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Pictures of Washington D.C. by Becky Day

Today I’m posting some of my wife’s photography from her trip to Washington D.C. last week. She told me she wasn’t very happy with her pictures, but after looking through them I think she might be surprised by what she has accomplished with her little Canon SD 780 IS digital camera.

Nice work, Honey.

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This is Dawn standing before the Lincoln Memorial. I cropped a lot out of this photo in order to isolate her from other people who were milling around the statue at the time.

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Dawn in front a marble memorial which quotes the  Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln.

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Cindi and Dawn on a rather brisk morning in Washington D.C.

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Statues in the VietNam War Memorial.

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Debbie looking very Alaska-ish as she stands by the State of Alaska monument.

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I’m not certain where this room is located, or its significance, but is a very nice picture. Maybe Becky will identify it when she returns home from work tonight.

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A very elaborate overhead relief carving in the Rotunda. 

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Dawn kneels on the tile floor where Abraham Lincoln’s desk once sat.

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A beautiful photograph of a beautiful domed ceiling. This is inside of the Capitol Building, but I’m not sure which room it is in.

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Dawn, Debbie and David are shown some beautiful artwork of the Lewis and Clark Expedition by their very special and completely unexpected guide for the day. This man, a very important person in Washington D.C., found them wandering through the Capitol Building and volunteered to take them, (Becky, Cindy, Dawn, David, and Debbie) on a tour of it. The tour lasted more than 4 hours, not ending until after he’d driven them to a restaurant in his own car and had dinner with them all, including Dr. Martin. If ever you have a chance to watch a meeting of the House of Representatives on television you might recognize him. 

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Debbie and Dawn with a wonderful view of the Capitol Building.

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Cindi takes advantage of the view and makes a photograph.

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Arlington Cemetery on a beautiful, although blustery, spring day in Washington D.C.

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David, Cindi and Dawn at the The Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier.

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A single sentry guards the Tomb Of The Unknown Soldier. The group from Alaska was fortunate enough to watch the changing of the guard here. 

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Dawn posing in an ampitheatre. I need to talk to Becky to find out more about this photo so I can caption it properly.

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Dr. Martin points out an interesting display to Dawn inside of the Smithsonian Institution Museum in Washington D.C.

Comments (0)

By Ron Day, March 2, 2010 8:44 am

Date: March 2, 2010

Official Sunrise: 7:56          Photograph Taken @: 7:46

Temperature: 40°          Wind: None

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Nikon D200

Once again, after a brief reminder of winter, it’s beginning to feel like spring. Today’s high temperature may be in the mid-40’s at my house with a low tonight near 32°.

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“I’m back in Alaska, I don’t care much for living in the lower 48 and

would much rather fight with a grizzly bear than a neighbor!”

Comment from Facebook

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Maybe the month of March will be better

I am still feeling the effects of a cold that has been bothering me for nearly two weeks, but I’m pretty sure I’m beginning to feel better. To be truthful I’ve done nothing for the past week or so besides lay around the house. That’s why there hasn’t been any blog posts for a few days. I’m not doing anything worth writing about.

Becky returned from Washington D.C. late Sunday night. She said she had a wonderful time, saw many interesting things amd met some interesting people. I had planned on posting a picture of her in Washington D.C in today’s blog, but she doesn’t have one. She has pictures of other people on her camera, but not a single one of her. I will try to find one  today. Maybe the others that she travelled with can help me out.

Comments (1)

By Ron Day, February 25, 2010 11:50 am

Date: February 25, 2010

Official Sunrise: 8:11          Photograph Taken @: 8:21

Temperature: 30°          Wind: Occasional Gentle Breeze

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Nikon D200

Snow!??  What’s that all about?

This is Alaska not New York. If I’d wanted snow I would have moved to New York State.

Ha Ha. Just joking.

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“Holy crap I’m cold! I’m thinking about heading to Alaska. I’m sure it’s much warmer there!”

~Comment from Facebook – February 25, 2010~

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Home Alone As The Ladies Go To D.C.

Since the weather has been nice for the past few days I had planned on leaving the house early this morning and driving up the Parks Highway looking for some nice pictures of Denali. My plans were changed when I stepped outside before light. It was snowing, and snowing hard.

Well, so much for that! I sure wasn’t driving in this weather if I didn’t need to so I went to my studio, instead.

The reason I’d planned on taking  a drive was because I’m home alone now, and had the PT Cruiser all to myself. Becky, along with Cindi and Dawn, left for Washington D.C. late last night and won’t be back until Sunday evening. So it’s just me at home now, keeping those home fires burning, plus our Dachshund dog Schnitlze and our cat, Miss Paws, of course.

I’ve been kicking myself this morning because I let a good picture get away. Last night Becky and I picked up Dawn at her home and then I dropped both of the off at Cindi’s house, where they would leave for the airport a little later. They were all three dressed up real fine and looked mighty purty, but I didn’t even give a thought to taking their picture. In fact, it didn’t even cross my mind until this morning that I should have taken their picture. I’m such a klutz sometimes. A picture of those three women all dressed up like that would have looked mighty mighty pleasing in today’s blog.

Dang it, anyway!

Well, I suppose you’ve noticed that I’ve missed writing in my blog for a couple of days. I’ve been trying to shake this awful cold and it’s just hung on something terrible. It’s left me groggy and senseless, without enthusiasm or ambition. But today I’m feeling a little better so maybe it’s finally letting go of me.

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How I Photograph Moving Vehicles In The Darkness

Because the snow changed my plans this morning I wasn’t sure what I’d write about in todays blog. Didn’t even know if I’d even publish one today. But I hate missing three days in a row, and as I sat in front of my computer before daylight I could hear vehicles driving by outside on Bayview Drive, my neighbors headed off to work.

“Hmmm.” I thought, ” Maybe I’ll just step out onto my porch and do some more experimenting with long exposures and vehicle lights.”

And that’s just what I spent the next hour or so doing. Afterwards, as I was processing the images I’d taken on my computer, I found it interesting that although each photograph was taken from the exact same place, the little covered porch on my studio, they all had a different look to them. The speed of the vehicle, changing lighting conditions, length of the exposure, and amount of zoom on my lens, all of these variables contributed greatly to the overall look of each picture.

That made me wonder if someone else would find these things interesting, too.

Below, I’ve posted some of this morning’s pictures, along with the EXIF data  and time taken from each one.  I’m thinking that out there somewhere there are photographers who have grown bored with the pictures they’ve been taking recently and are looking for searching for something, a different look in their work, perhaps. I’d like to suggest to them that they experiment with night photography and moving vehicles. It’s interesting work, and kind of fun, too. 

Each photo below was taken with a Nikon D200 in Raw (NEF) format using a Nikon 80-200 f2.8 zoom lens. The camera and lens were mounted on a sturdy tripod, which remained in the same exact location throughout my shooting session. White balance was set to Incandescent, except in the first shot, and the ISO was 100. To help control the long exposures required, the shutter speed on the D200 was set to “bulb” and  a Nikon MC-36 remote release was used to open and close the shutter. Post processing was accomplished using Nikon Capture NX and Photoshop Elements 5.0. 

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Time Taken: 6:25 am – Focal Length: 80mm – Exposure: 28.6 sec. @ f5.6 – White Balance: 7100K converted to Incandescent using Nikon Capture NX.

My first shot of the morning was of this pickup truck rounding a corner on Bayview Drive in Wasilla, Alaska. I thought I’d gone through all of the settings on my Nikon D200 and had them all set correctly. As soon as I took this picture and saw it on the LCD I realized I’d forgotten to re-set the white balance to incandescent, instead leaving it set to my setting of 7100k from yesterday. Luckily I was shooting in NEF format and was able to easily correct the mistake during post processing. 

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Time Taken: 6:38 am – Focal Length: 80mm – Exposure: 45.3 sec. @ f13

This is a School Bus coming towards the camera. I found that vehicles coming towards the camera required a much smaller aperture because of the brighter headlights, as opposed to tail lights which are of course dimmer.

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Time Taken: 6:39 am – Focal Length 80mm – Exposure: 25.5 sec. @ f5

By using the remote release I was able make my exposures begin and end exactly where I wanted them to. In this case I waited until the vehicle had completely entered my viewfinder.

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Time Taken: 6:41 am – Focal Length: 80mm – Exposure: 22.2 sec. @ f5.6

This vehicle was a pickup truck. The short red line at the top left resulted when the driver braked briefly before entering the corner, causing the brake light at the back of the cab to illuminate.

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Time Taken: 6:54 am – Focal Length – 105mm – Exposure: 33.3 sec. @f22

Another School Bus approaching the camera. I stopped the lens down to f22 on this shot to eliminate overexposure, but because the bus was travelling much slower than the previous one I left the lens opened for a longer period of time to allow it travel completely through the frame, thus resulting in overexposed areas once again.

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Time Taken: 7:00am – Focal Length: 105mm – Exposure: 17.1 sec. @ f11

This image was very underexposed and I was forced to do lighten it about 1.5 stops using Nikon Capture NX. Luckily, it’s easy to do this when you shoot in RAW format.

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Time Taken: 7:07 am – Focal Length: 105mm – Exposure: 14.7 sec. @ f10

Another underexposed image, but I only adjusted this one about 2/3 of a stop in  Nikon Capture NX. Again, I timed my exposure to capture both ends of the lights in the image. If I had let the vehicle travel through the frame, increasing the exposure time, the image would have been considerably brighter. 

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Time Taken: 7:15 am - Focal Length: 86mm – Exposure: 11.7 sec. @ f7.1

Notice in this photo how blue the snow is beginning to appear. This is caused by the morning sun as it gradually lighten the sky, changing the scenes white balance characteristics. Because to camera’s white balance is set to tungsten, the colors in the image are beginning to change. Only areas actually lit by tungsten lights have correct coloring now.

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Time Taken: 7:15 am – Focal Length: 86mm – Exposure: 19.2 sec. @ f7.1

Another case of a driver applying brakes before entering the corner, as seen by the shorter and brighter lights on the left. I purposely stopped this exposure just before the vehicle exited the frame at the top.

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Time Taken: 7:19 am – Focal Length: 86mm – Exposure: 20.2 sec @f8

This small compact car left a fairly simple light trail. Another somewhat underexposed image but I left it basically they way I found it in the camera. The bluish cast to the snow is partially by the under exposed image, but mainly because of the changing lighting conditions.

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Time Taken: 7:24 am - Focal Length: 86mm – Exposure: 16.9 sec @ f10

I shortened the exposure on this shot to include only a small length of the vehicles tail lights. It too is under exposed but if I would have adjusted my aperture setting to f5.6 the overall exposure would have been much better.

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Hopefully someone found these pictures and information interesting. As I study them myself  it’s obvious to me that I have a tendency to under-expose rather than over-expose. That gives me an indication of what needs to be done differently the next time I try this. In addition to varying my exposures a little more, I think I’ll also try zooming the lens in and out during some  my shots.

So, if you find you’re becoming bored with your photos why not try doing something different with your camera equipment? Do some experimenting. Digital photography is cheap. There’s no film to be developed and you can instantly see the results of your experiments.

I myself think it’s a perfectly good way to pass the unusually long winter months many of us are enduring.

Comments (0)

By Ron Day, February 22, 2010 9:32 am

Date: February 22, 2010

Official Sunrise @: 8:20          Photograph Taken @: 8:26

Temperature: 34°          Wind: None

Photographer: Ron Day          Camera Used: Nikon D200

A very pretty sunrise this morning as seen from my deck. Another mild winter day is in store for us with temperatures expected to reach the mid to high 30’s, dropping to the mid 20’s tonight.

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“I plan on living forever.  So far, so good.” 

~Author Unknown~

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Coping with Colds

I originally had a dentist’s appointment in Anchorage this morning at 10:30, but we’ve had to re-schedule it. Becky and I both have colds, bad ones, that we evidently caught when our grandchildren spent the weekend with us recently. I don’t think a dentist would appreciate checking out my mouth while I have a cold and I really didn’t feel like driving to Anchorage feeling like I do, especially while I’m on medication.

Becky leaves for Washington D.C. on Wednesday, along with three others from her work, to attend a national Chiropractic event being held there. She is really looking forward to the trip and is hoping her cold is gone by then. I’m pretty sure she’ll be much better by Wednesday, but you might keep her in your prayers anyway.

Because of my cold I stayed at home yesterday, watched the NASCAR race on television, worked on the computer for a while, then went to bed early. Because I was being basically lazy I have nothing much to blog about today. If I start feeling better today I may go out for a little bit.

I hope everyone else has a good day.