Portraits, a Wedding, Denali Park, the “S” word, and a Calendar!
This past week has been crazy busy for me, and I’m actually quite happy that things are beginning to slow down.
It’s yearbook time for local high school students (even though they don’t graduate until May), and I was asked to photograph several students. One of my favorite shoots was with Robert - a charismatic and easy going young man, with a love for science and math.
His parents, Wendy and Mike, are personal friends of ours. Wendy and Mike came to AK last year from GA. Wanting a change of scenery, they packed up their camper, sold off almost everything they owned, and drove across the country with their four children - landing here last summer. They’ve since bought a home, and have been working hard at remodeling/redecorating it before winter hits.
I picked up Robert and took him to Chena Lakes to take advantage of the beautiful fall foliage. He was so easy to work with, and even had his own suggestions as to poses and locations. I like when my model gives me input; I know then, that I’m giving them what they envision.
 |
 |
 |
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
STELLA & JAY
I received an email from Stella about a week ago. One of my faithful blog readers (thank you, Tammy!), recommended me as a photographer for her wedding. Stella traveled to AK with her father about a month ago - to be here for the homecoming of her soldier, who was deployed to Iraq with our Stryker Brigade.
Because Stella doesn’t know anyone here, the wedding was a simple ceremony, held at Wander Lake (on the grounds of Wedgewood Resort). Her father, Mike, was the officiant. Stella wore a gorgeous wedding gown, while Jay looked handsome in his tux. Jay would have liked to have worn his Class A uniform, but there was some difficulty in getting it out of storage after he redeployed.
There were no attendants, and a very small gathering of guests - all soldier friends and wives. There was no formal reception, no cutting of the cake, none of the traditional wedding events. Because of the intimacy of the event, I agreed to photograph her special day. (I have never photographed a wedding, so this was a way for me to “get my feet wet”.)
My friend Lori went with me, to assist in carrying my camera bag, and even more importantly - to lace up the back of Stella’s dress. As I wrote, Stella doesn’t know a soul here, and had no one to help her get ready. She was quite appreciative of Lori’s help - as was I!
Wander Lake is 1/4 mile from the hotel grounds. A gravel and dirt path winds through a boreal forest, until you reach a clearing and the beautiful and reflective lake. At the lake, there is a viewing platform deck, which juts out over the water. When the migratory birds are here, it must be a wonderful place to observe them. In the 6 years I have lived in AK, I never knew about Wander Lake. But now that I do know about it, you can believe I will visit more often!
Jay and Mike (Stella’s dad) got ready at the hotel and then Jay went down to the parking lot to meet the guests. They all walked to the observation deck to wait for Stella and her dad. Stella’s dad escorted her along the path, while Lori and I followed. I felt like paparazzi as I snapped photos along the way.
Once Stella arrived at the deck, Mike performed the short, but sweet, ceremony. And then they were married! It was just beautiful. The love that they have for each other shone brightly. I love weddings!
Here are a sample of some of the photos I took on Stella and Jay’s special day:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person. Germaine Greer |
 |
|
Congratulations, Stella and Jay! Thank you for allowing me to share in your special day! May you have many years of love and happiness.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
DENALI PARK - ROAD LOTTERY
As you know, Steve and I were able to drive into Denali Park for the road lottery this year. Many thanks to Lisa and Charlie for the ‘golden ticket’ for this great event.
Speaking of Lisa and Charlie…. they are now on their way to their final destination on the east coast. We were able to get together for lunch several times before they left, and saying goodbye was so hard. I am going to miss Lisa more than anything. She was - and will always be - a close friend. I do hope that someday we will meet again - whether on the east coast, or here in Alaska. I am so glad that the army brought her into my life, despite the sadness of having to say goodbye.
Steve and I had an awesome trip to Denali! When we left Fairbanks, the weather was a bit overcast, and we truly didn’t think that the mountain would be out for us. Our biggest worry was that they would close the road due to snow, since it was so much later in the year.
We did the drive in one day, which meant a total of 440 miles, and 14 hours in the truck. Boy, were our backs aching when we got home that night! But, as always, it was so worth it.
The first couple of miles into the park are marked with signs to watch out for moose. It’s the rutting season, and there were bull moose throughout - following cows for a little romance. *grin* The cow moose, for the most part, didn’t want any parts of these huge beasts and kept moving away. It was really something to watch the bulls walking after the cows, licking their lips, and making grunting sounds. I had never seen anything like that before.
 |
 |
 |
We did see some other wildlife while driving through the park. We saw a few ptarmigan. They still have some brown feathers, but for the most part, their feathers have made the full transition to white, so that they’ll blend in with the snow.
We also saw five grizzly bears. Three of them were busy grazing on berries and other goodies on the tundra - fattening up for hibernation. But the other two we saw were actually one step further. While one bear watched (a yearling perhaps), the other dug fervently into the side of a hill, preparing a den for her winter sleep.
She was very far away, so the photos I took had to be cropped, and aren’t the best quality. But it was really neat to watch her rump hanging out of the hole, while she used her front legs to scoop dirt and push it out between her legs. After she scooped for awhile, she’d climb into the opening to see how it fit. She’d even lay down in it as if checking it for comfort. That was definitely something to see first hand.
The most exciting part of the drive, was that Denali was out from top to bottom! There were some cloud wisps floating across the middle of the mountain, but we could see it in all its beauty all the way past Wonder Lake. We drove to Reflection Pond for another photo op of the mountain, but the sun was very bright, and it was very hazy.
We didn’t continue on to Kantishna, as we did last year, but instead began the drive back. It was already after 3pm and the drive back would take 3-4 hours depending on how often we stopped for wildlife and scenery viewing/photography. (It took us nearly 4 hours)
One of the neatest things we saw while driving both in and out of the park, was a thick pea-soup fog which rolled into the valleys. This fast-moving mist was almost eerie in the way it overtook the valleys, obliterating views, and making the drive quite scary in places. Steve and I joked that it looked like a scene out of a Stephen King novel.
Here are more photos I took in the park:
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
THE *S* WORD
Yesterday, we woke to much colder temps than usual (20s) and snow was falling from the sky. It didn’t stick around though; within hours the sun came out, the snow melted, and the temperature rose into the high 30s. Today, it’s chilly but sunny. A chance of snow is predicted through Sunday, but as long as the sun continues to make an appearance, those chances are pretty low.
I know it can’t hold off forever. Last year, we had our first dusting at this time, and our first laying snow on October 7th (or thereabouts).
I’ve been noticing increased activity at the bird feeders. The chickadees, nuthatches, hairy and downy woodpeckers, and even gray jays have been stopping by to eat. The squirrel is also a regular, and I’ve been putting out peanut butter for everyone. It seems as if all my feathered friends are stocking up for winter, as they’re draining the feeders rather quickly.
We finally turned the heat on in the house, but have it set at 62F to save some energy. It’s not too bad, but I’m thankful for my soft afghan when the evening chill comes. I am dreading the upcoming winter energy bills.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
2010 ALASKA CALENDAR PREVIEW
I’ve been working on a 2010 calendar, and here is the result:
This is the cover, and the back page - which is a summary of the calendar:
And here is a collage showing all the pages:
As I wrote in a previous entry, the cost of this calendar to produce is going to be higher, so I have to raise the price of the calendar to anyone who is interested in buying one. At this time, I estimate that the cost of the calendar will be somewhere between $25-$27 (which includes priority shipping within the US).
I would like to hear from all who are interested in purchasing a calendar(s) by mid October, at which time I will send out invoices and place the order. My hope is to have these calendars shipped by the end of October or beginning of November. I really want to beat the holiday rush, as waiting in long lines at the PO was very stressful last year!
If you think you might be interested in purchasing a calendar, please respond here (via a comment) or email me directly at susan@susanstevenson.com.
Thank you for your interest!
Until next time….
I want 2 calendars please.
What wonderful pictures you have. You are so fortunate to have seen Denali two years in a row. Wow. You even have another shot with the flag. I love them all.
Stella emailed me today and said she would email me some pictures. Wow. They are wonderful. She and Jay look so happy. I am so glad I told her to contact you. You are an awesome photographer. When my family gets back there, you will be taking pictures of my family. You have the eye.
Looking forward to having a new calendar and giving the other as a gift.
Take care.
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 24th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Thank you Tammy. I’ll email you with the final cost after everyone weighs in with orders.
I really appreciate you referring me to Stella for her wedding. I was a little nervous at first, but she was so easy to work for and follow around. And so beautiful too! I would love to photograph your family when you come back to AK.
Thanks again for everything!
Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Tammy Kauffman — September 24, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
Ahhh, the park photos are incredible! Your wildlife experiences sound amazing!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 24th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Hi Michelle! It was really a wonderful experience. It was the first year I actually got to see the bull moose following the cows. They were REALLY wanting to get frisky! LOL
And the bear digging the den was pretty cool too. It’s too bad she was so far away, but Steve and I enjoyed watching her work through the binos.
All in all, a wonderful day in the park. Now it’s time to hunker down for winter. :/
Take care,
Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Michelle Simpson — September 24, 2009 @ 3:09 pm
Thank You Susan for having the 2010 Calendar ready to be ready to go to print Also to get the orders in We for sure want one with out a doubt Just Please let us
know when you want the money in for it I’ll be sending you the full $27.00 With in the next couple week if not before It will be worth the $27 to me with all the work you put in to it You can email me if you like on when you want the money in
Please take care
We Do Really Love You Both Very Much John and Shirley
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 24th, 2009 at 4:57 pm
I don’t want any money yet, John. Once I find out how many folks are interested, I will send out an email and an invoice.
Thank you for your interest in my calendar.
I’m happy to know that you will be looking at my photos every month.
Love, Susan
[Reply]
Comment by John & Shirley Strauser — September 24, 2009 @ 4:47 pm
Hello Susan,
I would like to order a calendar. Your photos of the Denali Park Road are wonderful this year. Did it snow in Denali the day after you were there? I noticed snow on the Denali Web cam, from Wonder Lake. The cam now seems to be down for the winter.
Warm regards (and keep warm!),
Diane
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Hi Diane, and thank you.
We had a lovely drive into the park on Sunday. There wasn’t any snow on the road, but plenty of snow in the mountains. But there was a really thick fog that rolled in the valleys. It was very eerie, but beautiful too.
We had our first sticking snow today, but I don’t think it’s “the one” that signifies the true arrival of winter. Nevertheless, it was a potato soup day - my favorite in the winter!
Take care, and thank you.
~Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Diane — September 24, 2009 @ 5:53 pm
Hi Susan,
Please put me down for two calendars. I will give one to my friends who visited us when we were in Fairbanks and Denali.
Linda
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Hi Linda, and thank you!
I’m so glad you came to visit AK this past summer, and I do hope you’ll find your way back again soon.
Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Linda Kauffman — September 24, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
Susan I would love 4 calendar’s ths year. They make great gifts.
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Thank you Denise.
I’ve added you to the list.
Enjoy the snow!
~Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Denise Goldstine — September 24, 2009 @ 6:25 pm
Hi Susan,
Glad you and Steve got to go to Denali this year. Your pictures are awesome as usual. Please put me on your list for a calendar. I have enjoyed the one I got from you last year. By the way, I would be glad to send you a little “heat and humidity” in exchange for some of the *S* stuff.
Take care.
Dewise
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Thank you, Dewise!
I might just take you up on that offer of some heat and humidity.
It snowed today - all day! Fortunately, no accumulation … yet.
Take care,
Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Dewise Bailey — September 25, 2009 @ 4:00 am
Thank you again, Susan, for perfectly capturing the most important day in my life so far… Jay and I are very happy you’ve posted these pics so our friends and family who could not be here can see what a perfect day it was.
And thanks again to Tammy for the referral!!!
P.S. LOVE THE DENALI PHOTOS!!!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
You’re quite welcome, Stella. Thank you for trusting me with your special day. You were a beautiful bride, and it was a lovely ceremony!
~Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Stella Schuchardt — September 25, 2009 @ 5:45 am
Oooh! I want a calendar! Put me on the list!
Wasn’t sure if y’all got snow up there too. Not happy to see the white stuff quite so early, but I am about ready to hibernate!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
The snow came today…. not too much accumulation though. I’m officially in hibernation mode now!
Thanks for your order.. I’ll be in touch!
Take care of yourself and those babies! Enjoy the critters in your yard.
~Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Nicole — September 25, 2009 @ 7:01 am
First of all Susan Those pictures of that Wedding really is wonderful I’m sure that Stella and Jay really loves them I do know one thing If it was ours
We would be so proud of them Beautiful work Susan in taken them I’m sure you are honored in ask to take them
In looking at the Calendar It is going to hard to have to wait to see it You really picked out 12 beautiful photos again Of course I noticed that you still have my favorite one The Northern Lights and
then one for December really is just great
Take care I do see that you are getting some of that
white stuff Our weather has been pretty cool here lately
Love You Both John and Shirley
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Thank you John and Shirley! I loved being asked to photograph Stella and Jay’s wedding. It was a lovely day despite the chill in the air.
I’m glad you like the new calendar, John. I will be in touch when it comes close to ordering.
Take care of yourselves!
Love,
Susan
[Reply]
Comment by John & Shirley Strauser — September 25, 2009 @ 4:14 pm
I’ll order two calendars, please! Thank you for all your efforts putting it together.
Denise
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Thank you, Denise. I’ll be in touch!
Take care,
Susan
[Reply]
Comment by denise — September 25, 2009 @ 5:52 pm
Susan, All I can say is WOW! those are amazing photos of Stella and Jay…Stella is by far one of the most amazing friends I have ever had and to see her so happy brings such joy to me and my family…she has done some amazing things for me over the years and I am so very happy that she and Jay are so blessed….thank you…
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Hi Thelma, and thank you for your lovely words about the photos. It was a beautiful day, and Stella was a most gorgeous bride! And Jay looked quite handsome too. I am privileged to have been given the opportunity to share in such a special event.
Take care,
Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Thelma Gutierrez — September 26, 2009 @ 9:45 am
Congrats Stella and Jay. I miss you Stella and hope you have a safe trip back. Im also hoping to meet Jay, i cant wait. Ill see you when you get home. Love you and miss you
[Reply]
Comment by Adrian Klein — September 26, 2009 @ 12:20 pm
I would love a calendar!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 26th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
Thanks, Juli. I’ll be in touch in a few weeks.
Take care,
Susan
[Reply]
Comment by Juli james — September 26, 2009 @ 6:23 pm
ME ME MEEEE!!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Thank you, Summer.
[Reply]
Comment by Summer — September 27, 2009 @ 6:10 am
I’ll take 2 calenders Susan
GREAT pictures!!!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
Thanks Lori!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Check the comment below yours. Stella’s parents say thank you too!
[Reply]
Comment by Lori — September 27, 2009 @ 9:08 pm
we got the proofs they are so beautiful. You did a great job capturing my daughter’s aura, thank you and Lori for being there. You were truly a Godsend.
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 28th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Thank you, Janie and Michael. If you would like to order any prints (8×10, 5×7, wallet, etc) let me know. The prices are on the online proof sheet. It was a pleasure to be there to witness such a beautiful event. Your daughter is GORGEOUS!
[Reply]
Comment by Janie & Michael klein — September 28, 2009 @ 6:36 pm
Great pictures!
Congrats!!!!
[Reply]
susanstevenson Reply:
September 30th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Thanks. It was a great day!
[Reply]
Comment by D.D. & Betsy Webb — September 30, 2009 @ 12:08 pm