Paris and Stephanie

As I look through all of my negatives and slides from my career I keep finding priceless treasures.

This photo is of me and my friend Stephanie at a cafe near the Opera House in Paris, France and at a picnic on the Seine river walkway.

I attended the Northern Short Course (NSC) in Syracuse, NY in March of 1992. The NSC is a workshop for Photojournalists sponsored by the National Press Photographer's Associatin for its East Coast members. I really could not justify going to the NSC since I could have gone to a simuler workshop on the West Coast but it was someplace very uncool that year like Stockton, CA. Not that I consider Syracuse a cool place but it permitted me a great excuse to spend 5 glorious days in New York City after the workshop.

I really did not learn too much at the NSC. After the workshop I went to catch a bus to the Syracuse airport. I found a bus stop but I had to wait for a half hour until the bus arrived. I went into a bar to get out of the cold. I sat down and my friend Dan was in the bar as well and talking to a woman who turned out to be Stephanie. We talked for a few minutes and I found out she used to live in Moscow. I asked if she knew my friend Heidi who was also working in Moscow and it turned out she did. We all knew Heidi. Dan from New York City, Stephanie from California and me from Alaska. In a world of billions 3 random people in a bar in Syracuse all had a connection.

I could not talk long since I had to catch my bus. Stephanie and I exchanged email.

Long story short we kept in contact and that September we went to Paris where Stephanie was my guide and interpreter. I was in search of the best Duck l'ornge as well as taking photos. Fun days spent riding the metro and visiting sites like Jim Morrisoin's grave in Pere Lachaise Cemetery and the other usual sites. Nights were spent looking for transcendent dining experiences.

We have visited each other many times since then. In places like Hong Kong, Juneau, New York City. She just gave birth to a son. She and her partner live in Beacon, New York where she is the director of Fovea Exhibitions.

http://www.foveaexhibitions.org/

Heidi visit

The New Years weekend was full of emotions. None of my feelings were about my former work. I have accepted that and it is history. More important things were stirring.

I took my daily walk through town and photographed a raven in a tree at Evergreen Cemetery. Its stark lonely vigil matched my mood.

All of Juneau except me was happy with the clear weather and a rare blue moon.
Sunday morning came and I spent several hours clearing out old files. Bank statements from 1998, auto manual for car I sold 20 years ago.
I had the music of Aztec Two-Step on full volume on my stereo to try and blast away my blues. The louder I played my music the deeper I fell into a well of melencholy.
I noticed there was a message on my cell phone. There was a familiar voice I have known since childhood. "Brian, This is Heidi. I am in town for a few days........."
Beautiful, wonderful Heidi. I have not seen her for about five years when we last saw each other in New Jersey. We have been friends since our grade school days of playing softball together with her and her sisters at the Capital School Playground. We worked together at the Juneau Empire back in the 1980s. She started out as photo intern for the Juneau Empire and has become a very successful international photographer.

http://www.heidibradner.com/

It was a short visit. I only got to see her for a few hours. But it was enough to make me as happy as I have been in many months. She will be on next plane back home to London soon. And I will be wondering the streets of Juneau.

Riley Woodford in concert January-2, 2010.

I am playing with the video option on my new Canon Camera EOS-7. I have a lot to learn before I can make a good clip. Here is a video of my friend Riley Woodford singing my favorite Grateful Dead song "Me and My Uncle" during a Saturday concert.

Favorite photo of 2010

I took this only 13 hours into the new year but I suspect this photo of my good friend Mari in the 17th Annual Polar Bear Dip just might be my favorite photo for 2010. A graduate of Davidson-the Harvard of the South and currant University of Washington Law student has both beauty and brains to match.

More favorite photos from 2009

Was there any doubt my favorite photos from the past year would be of the most beautiful and best fishing partners and friends anyone could ever have? Top photo is Kim and her record 22-pound silver salmon. Second photo is Kate with her first silver she ever caught at Cordwood creek. Third is of Brittany fighting a halibut while enjoying the sunny day at Benjamin Island. Fourth is Jill with two of the 4 silver salmon she caught during the only 4 hours we fished together this past year. And the fifth photo is Kim with the sunset in Gastineau Channel while fishing for king salmon.

Favorite Music Experience 2009

I am a rock and roll music snob. I have seen The Rolling Stones, The Dead, The Boss, Van The Man, B-52s and many more. My taste is refined and exquisite. In short I do not put up with posers and frauds.

That said I was knocked off my feet by the amazing performance by Annie Bartholomew and Alex Nelson and the band Ball and Chain during the KXLL Woodstock-40-year-anniversary dance. Their cover songs of Jimi Hendrix, The Greatful Dead and Janis Joplin were first rate. Their show was hands down my favorite live musical performance for 2009. To put in in simple terms. The kids can rock!

Harbor Seals

I have been doing lots of walking since I was laid off. My favorite places to go are to the docks. Today I was rewarded for my walk to the Intermediate Dock in Juneau Harbor. There were several harbor seals eating herring under the dock. I got a lot of nice photos and some video with my point and shoot camera.