Northitude Returns to Me: This Time With an Actual Camera!

12 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by danielwalldammit in Alaska, Bad Photography

Tags

Alaska, Arctic, Barrow, Birds, Nature, Photography, Photos, Sea, Water

Barrow-side from Browerville 4

So, I’ve been back in the arctic for a little over a week, and the fog has only just given me a chance to get out with my new camera. I took a walk yesterday, mostly around the perimeter of town, and yes water and pretty stuff seems to have held my attention for most of the day. The place looks pretty much the way I left it which isn’t exactly surprising. Let’s just say that with the onset of drilling in the North Slope there was some cause for doubt.

The housing situation in Barrow is never all that good, but with Shell on its way, several of my colleagues and students were struggling to find a place as landlords held out in hopes of windfall rent profits. But it was never clear that Barrow was going to get a large influx of workers, and Shell has scaled back its plans for this year. So, things seem to be easing up a bit, a little too late for at least one couple.

Sad to see them go.

Most of the migratory waterfowl seem to have left already, but a bird or two remains. Other than that, a few familiar faces are missing and a few new faces have appeared. Barrow remains Barrow, just like paradise.

…only not at all.

(Click to Embiggen)

: The Kitties were happy to see me. …no really.

: Barrow-side from Browerville

: Barrow-side from Browerville 2

: Wind Break

: Barrow-side from Browerville 3

: Barrow-side from Browerville 4

: Old Boat

: Path out to a Point (It’s not much of a point, really, but around here it’s like a mountain-top)

: Sculpture (There is a story behind this, but I’ve forgotten it. So um …hey, look at the ice!)

: My friend Cindy would probably do something like this

: Boat and Old House

: Ice in the Background

: Clouds

: Bird with Ice in the background

: Old Arctic Hotel

: Directions

: What’s Wrong with this Picture?

: Dumpster I missed

: Been Meaning to Get this Dumpster for Awhile

: The bird is the word!

: One of several barges dropping supplies off while they can

: Mystic Barge

: Old Boat

: Another attempt at Cindy-Style

: Some Housing with Umiag and Sled Frames

: Bird 2

: Wind Breaks 2

: Building and Reflection

: Winter is Coming

: Tiny pockets of groundwater trying to make it foggy

: It’s about 12:30am, but that sunset looks like the real thing.

: Sunset on the Ocean

: Leaving so soon?

In Reno With a Camera – Trouble Ensues!

21 Saturday Jul 2012

Posted by danielwalldammit in Bad Photography, Justice, Street Art

≈ 26 Comments

Tags

First Amendment, Free Speech, Freedom of the Press, Mural, Nevada, Photography, Reno, Sculpture, Street Art

So, I have this brand new camera, and I have been busy confirming my lack of photographic skills whenever I get a chance. Alone for a day in Reno, NV, I decided to go check out some of the artwork around town.

So, I figured these pics might go up on Facebook, but this isn’t a photo-blog, so I really didn’t think my trip to Reno would end up here at the northy place.

That was before I got to the Bruce R. Thompson, United States Courthouse & Federal Building. It had kind of an interesting sculpture in front of it, so I tried a few times to get a decent pic; zoomed in and out, turned the camera 90 degrees, tried it again, …you know the drill.

Enter the security guard.

He walked up rather briskly and asked me if I was doing this for commercial purposes? I answered ‘no’, and he proceeded to explain to me that if I had been doing it for commercial purposes, then I would need to get a permit. As long as I was just doing it, because I thought it was an interesting building I was okay, but taking a picture for commercial purposes required a permit. Asked why this was the case, the guard simply shrugged and said the politicians always have their regulations. What they were, he didn’t seem to know.

I had my pictures, so I walked off.

…but this has been eating me. Oh, the guard was perfectly nice about the whole thing, but still it’s eating me. I’ve studied enough legal conflicts to know just how complicated and counter-intuitive these matters can get, and normally I like to sort through the particulars before saying anything. Still! Somewhere in the scope of the First Amendment, I just can’t help thinking there ought to be room for taking a picture of a perfectly public building from a perfectly public sidewalk.

…and it shouldn’t require a damned permit to do it.

At this point I have no idea what the regulation is, or how broad its scope happens to be, much less how its framers envision its relationship to the rights of citizens. Nor do I know how much may have been lost in the translation from the particulars to what that guard said to me at that particular moment. But this is one case where I just can’t help thinking that no matter how the particulars shake out, it shouldn’t lead to exchanges like the one I had there with that guard.

Perhaps I am being unreasonable; I just don’t think so.

Since I’m thinking about it (airports and free time, you know how it goes), and since I now have story (however brief) to go with my bad photography, I am now going to inflict my pictures on those of you unfortunate enough to stumble across my blog today.

What did you expect? I’m a bad man!

: Reno From Above

: It’s entirely possible that the trouble began with check-in.

: Now that’s a climbing wall!

: They actually use it!

: Reno, Mural 1

: Reno Sculpture 1

: Church in Reno

: A river passes through Reno. It’s quite beautiful.

: The Rover Again

: So, …my new camera ain’t much, but it beats a cell-phone!

: Duck!

: Reno, Mural 2

: Reno Mural 2, Close-Up

: Reno Mural 2, Close-Up 2

: Reno Mural 2, Close-Up 3

: Reno, Sculpture 2

: And here is the infamous sculpture!

: The Federal Building

: Federal Building and the Sculpture in the Same Shot, Oh yeah!

: Reno, Mural 3

: Reno, Mural 3

: Reno, Mural 4

: Reno, Mural 5

: Reno, Mural 6

: Reno, Mural 7

: Reno, Mural 8

: Reno, Mural 8, Close Up

: Reno, Mural 8, Closer-Upper

: Reno, Mural 9

: Reno, Mural 10

: Reno, Mural 11

: Reno, Mural 12

: Reno, Mural 13

: Reno, Mural 13, Close-Up

Gallery – Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe, New Mexico

28 Thursday Jun 2012

Posted by danielwalldammit in Bad Photography, Education, Native American Themes, Street Art

≈ 28 Comments

Tags

American Indian, Art, Education, Institute of American Indian Arts, Native American, Photography, Photos, Santa Fe, Southwest

So, I just got back to Vegas after spending a few days in Santa Fe. I was there to visit the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) along with some folks from my own institution and about 5 other tribal colleges. IAIA is a 4-year tribal college, and they have an awful lot going for them. The trip also included a visit to Taos Pueblo, several excursions into downtown, and a trip out to some interesting rock formations. For the present, I thought I would just put up a gallery of the lovely IAIA campus.

Students were gone for the summer, and a number of displays had been pulled down, but the campus still has an amazing variety of art projects. They also have a digital dome, the worlds only fully articulating dome. It hangs from four chains which can be raised or lowered to change the angle of the display. …and yes, students get to use it.

Seriously, there are few institutions in this world about which I can’t think of anything critical to say. In fact, right now I think the list may have one entry.

: The Institute for American Indian Arts

: Dance Circle, They hold various outdoor functions here (including a Powwow in May)

: The IAIA Dance Circle from above.

: IAIA Sculpture 1, Bison

: IAIA Sculpture 2.

: IAIA Windchimes

: IAIA, Sculpture 4

: IAIA, Sculpture 5

: IAIA, Sculpture 6

: I don’t know the story behind this one. Something tells me it’s a good one.

: IAIA, Exterior Mural 1

: IAIA, Exterior Mural 2

: IAIA. The couches in the student Learning center beckon students to places where the can get help. …it’s a devious kindness that lies in wait here.

: IAIA, Interior Mural 1

: IAIA, Sundry art 1

: IAIA, Sundry Art 2

: IAIA, Sundry Art 3

: IAIA, Interior Sculpture 1

: IAIA, Display 1

: IAIA, Interior Sculpture 2 (This appears to be a play on an old cliche, the image of a dying Indian)

: IAIA, Decoration in an Office Window

: IAIA, Interior Mural 2

: IAIA, Interior Sculpture 2 (It’s a Headdress)

: IAIA, Interior Mural 3

: IAIA, Ethnobotany Display

: IAIA, Museum Collections 1 (Storage)

: IAIA, Museum Collections 2 (Storage)

: IAIA, Museum Collections 3 (Storage)

: IAIA, Museum Collections 4 (Storage)

: IAIA, Museum Collections 5 (Storage)

: IAIA, Museum Collections 6 (Storage)

: IAIA, Museum Display 1

: IAIA, Museum Display 2

: IAIA, Digital Dome

: IAIA, We all have our battles

: IAIA, Metalsmithing Teacher’s Office

: IAIA, Sundry Art 4

: IAIA, Sundry Art 5

: IAIA Display 2

: Corner Murals

: IAIA, Interior Mural 4

: IAIA, Exterior Sculpture 8

: IAIA, Sidewalk Art

: IAIA, Sidewalk Art 2

: IAIA, Landscaping

: IAIA, Just Cool!

: IAIA, Conference Room and Student Art 1

: IAIA, Conference Room and Student Art 2

: IAIA, Conference Room and Student Art 3

: Conference Room and Student Art 4

: Lobby

: IAIA, The Garden. They use some of this in the cafeteria, which is by the way the most awesome food I have had in a college cafeteria.

Spring Break Up and a Video: No, Not that Kind!

09 Saturday Jun 2012

Posted by danielwalldammit in Alaska, Bad Photography

≈ 33 Comments

Tags

Alaska, Arctic, Eskimo, Ice, Inupiat, Nalukataq, Ocean, Photography, Photos, Sea

Last June I used to walk down by the beach nearly every day. It was fascinating to see the ocean slowly turning back into liquid. Since I’m in Vegas at the moment, I can only imagine what’s happening now.

…or live vicariously through last year’s photos.

But first some happy music!

Now, if you click on the pics, they will embiggen!

: Actually this is July of 2010

: July, 2010 again! (And it was the size of a small coffee table).

: 5/28/11

: 5/28/11

: 6/6/11

: 6/11/11

: 6/11/11

: 6/18/11

: 6/20/11

: 6/20/11

: 6/25/11

: 6/25/11

: 6/25/11

: 6/26/11

: 6/26/11

: 6/30/11

: Early July, 2011

: Early July, 2011

Now, since I am also missing the Nalukataq, the Spring Whaling Festival later this month, A Quick Video!

I know. Fire the cameraman!

Anyway, that is Barrow, AK, at this time of year.

The Truly Trashy Post: Barrow’s Finest Dumpsters!

01 Friday Jun 2012

Posted by danielwalldammit in Alaska, Bad Photography, Street Art

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Alaska, Art, Barrow, Dumpsters, Photography, Photos, Street Art, Wainwright, Youth

As I said before, Barrow has the best dumpsters.

Now, because I am away from home and I miss the place (It’s too damned hot here in Vegas!) I’m going to cool down a bit and share a few of my favorite dumpsters with y’all. These are actually part of a youth project; I am told they have been doing this for about 4 years at this point.

I have to admit that there is a good one down by the High school I’ve been meaning to get for awhile now, and I just haven’t gotten around to it. Hopefully there will be more at the end of this summer.