Author: Sp8s Studio

I am a photographer that lives in Ketchikan Alaska USA. I enjoy taking pictures of nature, wildlife and cruise ships. I have recently started getting involved with 3D animation and pictures.

A Day in Ketchikan

So living in a tourist is nice in some ways, and not so in others. If you take an Alaskan inside passage cruise usually Ketchikan is one of your stops, either your first stop if your going North or your last if your going South. I made a DVD a few years ago, because it was something I really wanted to do. The DVD, “A day in Ketchikan”, displays several of the local sites and places to go. I sold some at a yearly craft fair called the Blueberry Festival. Others I sold in a few of the local shops for up to $15 each. Below are a few of the sections from it, one about bears and the other about eagles. Both contain some pictures that I took here. I just uploaded a digital cop of the DVD for only $4.99. If your interested please click the link below. Thank you.

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Memorial Day

Arlington National Cementary…Most Americans know the name, so few have actually been there. My wife and I went there a few years ago, I had no idea how huge it really was. Me trying to be cheap and save a few bucks decided against the tour (and tour bus) and figured we could walk it. If you ever go TAKE THE BUS ! We walked and walked and walked. It’s not a flat place either, it is all very hilly.

Of course if you do go there you also must stay for the changing of the guard and also President JFK’s memorial, both could bring a tear to one’s eyes.

This Memorial day take a visit to one of our nation’s National cemetaries if you can, if not then find a family that has lost someone while serving in the military and thank them.

Float Planes

Living on an island, one of the modes of transportation is by the float plane. They are all roughly about the same size, yes there are some bigger ones and smaller ones, there are Beavers and Otters and others. Some are noisier then others, some take off quicker then others. The weather and their load determines how quickly they take off and how much distance is required for their landings.

SONY DSC
SONY DSC
SONY DSC

 

Cruise Ships

Our tourist season in SE Alaska has begun. It usually goes from May until Sep/Oct, this year it will end in Oct. When taking pictures of cruise ships, I try to not only get a picture of the whole ship, I try to get various angles or views.

Most of the time I try to get pictures without people in the way. A way that I found is once they are boarding and getting ready to leave or when they are pulling into port. Cruise ships, to me are really fun to take pictures of. I enjoy seeing and watching them. If you haven’t had a chance for a cruise, maybe this could be your year. As always, I would recommend one to SE Alaska on the inside passage.

Waterfall 1

There is a waterfall that’s about 10 miles South of Ketchikan Alaska. The water flows like this year around. When taking pictures of a waterfall try to have your camera on something steady to help reduce shake. Also if you adjust the shutter speed to a little slower then your water is more blurry and some people like that effect. If capturing video make sure your sound is not hindered or interrupted.

Real Alaska

So many people have no idea about Alaska, some think it’s West of Mexico others think that it’s smaller then Washington. The truth is that Texas is Alaska’s little sister. This depiction over the U.S. map shows it’s real size. The vastness, the size between towns and villages, the untouched wilderness. There are still unexplored parts. The population of the whole state last I heard was still below 800,000. A lot of towns in the lower states have that much or more. This has been home for the last 18 years. The wildlife is so increadable, the landscapes are so open. I believe everyone needs to visit the state sometime either on a cruise or a trip to Anchorage or Fairbanks, or watch the ididarod dog race. We do speak English, we do not live in igloos. There is not 6 months of darkness and 6 months of light. Alaska really is the last great frontier. There are many great people who call the 49th state home.