Star Trails Timelapse Video

Hey everyone,

Well, I had a busy night getting this timelapse all set up. I was a bit worried about leaving my camera outside for a long period of time, but there was no way I was staying up all night to watch it either. So, I left it out to do its thing and capture hundreds of images of stars.

Then I processed the images in photoshop to create the star trail effect. I did manage to get one shooting star early on if you can see it. The video is a bit dark, and I don't feel like messing with it too much. It was a test after all. I hope that you all enjoy it. The timelapse challenge will probably start the first of October, and extend for at least a week.

We shall see how it all turns out. If you have any timelapse subject ideas please post a comment so I can try it out.

Timelapse Challenge

Hey everyone,

A thought entered my head the other day concerning timelapse photography. I think I may try to produce a timelapse video every day for a week or maybe a month (gosh!). They are fun and don't require a whole lot of attention so they won't interfere with my work too much. It sounds like a fun experiment, and I was wondering if any of you had any thoughts on the subject. Ideas are welcome, too.

Here is a video I just made while working in the hallway. I used a high f-stop and took 1 second exposures for around half an hour. When winter comes I would like to do a full timelapse showing the sun rising and setting since it barely does either one. It is a fun process that I would like to explore some more.

Thoughts?

Summer Vacation is Over, Recent Auroral Activity

Well, my blogging hiatus is over like the 24 hours of daylight we've had. I must say I have missed writing about Alaska happenings, and believe me there has been a lot going on up here. My goal is to be able to share my summer adventures very soon. Most of the photographs have been edited and posted in the Alaska Photography section. I am in the process of re-tooling that page as well.


Recently, with the coming darkness, it has been possible to view the very active aurora. Massive solar flares have been colliding with the earth's atmosphere, causing impressive auroral displays. I thought I would share a few photos along with my first timelapse video of the aurora. It was more of a test run, but I think it is still a neat clip.






While I was taking the shots, a charming couple from the UK stopped by and chatted with me. I hope that the weather hasn't completely ruined their time in Denali, but that is definitely the norm. Look for more cooler timelapse videos on this blog in the near future.

Writer's Ice Block

                       Photo from http://www.nenanaakiceclassic.com/

Well, it certainly has been a long time since my last post. In the past couple months of quiescence, my life has been anything but. From super solar flares, the Yukon Quest, local tumult, and the World Ice Art Championships, Fairbanks is constantly on the move. I will have to write/explain most of these things in greater detail (and with photos!) than I will be doing now, but this post is more of a teaser, I suppose.

Break-up (goodbye to ice) is coming soon, and people in town speak of it constantly and with great anticipation. I, for one, am excited for the change and can feel the excitement building within myself. Today we have surpassed the 12 hour daylight point by a few minutes. With Daylight Savings it is even more apparent that spring has almost arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska. Happy equinox!

The tripod is on the ice of the Nenana River which means it is time to buy a ticket and guess what time the tripod will crash into the water, officially announcing the start of break-up. This tradition has been going on for 94 years and is a popular lottery throughout all of Alaska. It began back when the Alaska Railroad was being constructed.

The workers, bored to ice tears, would place bets on when the ice would break up, allowing boats and supplies to reach them. Word of the lottery spread throughout Alaska, and now it has paid out nearly $10 million since its inception (good movie). Last year’s pot was around $280,000! Price to play is only $2.50 a guess, but it has to be to the minute!

Speaking of melting ice, my garden area should be thawing out soon enough. Another goal (there are many) for this summer is to establish a healthy vegetable/herb garden. For reasons maybe not too obvious, Alaskans have amazing gardens! The chief reason is the incredible amount of sunlight during the summer (almost 24 hours!) we receive.

If this goal is achieved, I will report its success with much aplomb and selflessness (if failure, then quiet reflection). Well, this is all that I care to write since this post is getting too long for the attention span of most readers. There will be more to come once I sort and edit my digital pile of photos and HD videos.




Cheers!

The Antler: Extreme Home Edition

I sat in row 34 E, the middle seat in the back of a Continental jet. The plane was late, very full, and leaving at 1 am. This was not going to be a good flight.

This post is coming not from Alaska, but from my new home in Texas. In the short time since I left my home and made the drive to Alaska, my parents made some life changes of their own. My father picked me up from the airport, but drove me to a new home, a different home.

The last time my parents moved, I was four years old. So, I am a little emotional about this "uprooting". In other news, I have accomplished what I had set out to do in the last blog post, namely make a few time-lapse videos of the short winter days in Fairbanks. They are located at the end of this blog post.

Temperatures in Texas are 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit greater than what I am used to. Also, there is abundant sunshine which has been wonderful. However, it has not been a vacation because my parents are still moving things to the new house. In addition, the old house needs some work before it is placed on the market.

I do miss Fairbanks and all of it's many quirks. Leaving was strange because it felt like I had just arrived. School has a way of distracting you from the passing of time. I am thankful for the change and look forward to returning soon.

Cold Snap: Oh, Snap!

Well, it appears that our warm winter is over. The highs and lows here have stayed well below zero degrees Fahrenheit. Tonight may be the coldest night yet with a range from 35-45F below! I have found where the insulation in my cabin is not sufficient. It is mainly around the edges of my front door. There is actually frost on the inside near the locking mechanism!

The aurora must be cold too because I have not seen it in quite a long time. The outside of my cabin needs some shoveling especially on my "party deck". there is 1-1.5 feet of snow on it, and I am afraid that if more gets piled on there it will collapse. I have a new hat and pair of mittens to keep me warm. Long underwear is next on my list.

I also rigged up a full-spectrum light alarm clock. It has been getting harder and harder to get up in the mornings since it is so dark, and this is my solution. It worked like a charm this morning even though the timing was a bit early. Not a big issue. School is almost over which means deadlines are very close! I have a couple of weeks to finish up my grading and turn in some papers and projects.

I think my next blog will have some timelapse photos of the rising and setting sun. I think that will interest some people. Be looking for that sometime this week perhaps.

Rain Day: Part Deux

Raining non-stop. Over an inch or rain (=ice) on some roads. School canceled because of the warmth!

Warm it is here in Fairbanks. Jackets are missing for the most part as temperatures hover above the freezing point. The roads are improving as the ground slowly thaws out. I managed to escape the slushy grasp of my driveway as the many inches of hard-packed snow gave way. Having a two-wheel drive truck in Alaska is definitely a humbling experience.

I keep on taking the risk of leaving my cabin because it is the only way to learn how to drive in icy conditions. I just remember what I was taught many years ago in driving school (yes, I went to "school"). It is fair to say that Alaska never has "snow days", but it has "rain days". Forty below should not slow you down any!

Sorry for the lack of pictures, but concentrating on driving is a top priority for me. Also, I do not want to stop moving because I may never get the darn truck moving again! Momentum is an important part in gaining traction, I have found. Luckily, the rain will be switching over to snow tonight as the temperatures plummet to the negatives once again (Luckily?). It is true that I get annoyed when it warms up here.

For now I am sitting in College Coffeehouse grading my babel-sized stack of papers.