Tag Archives: Christmas

Aurora Borealis, In Alaska, Micro 4/3 Photography, Northern Lights, Photography, Videography

An Early Christmas Part 2

December 14, 2015 grizjohnson Leave a comment

The feedback on An Early Christmas Part 1 has been really great, thanks! I wanted to share with you how I have embellished on that first concept of shooting Christmas ornaments under the Northern Lights and also get a bit poetic about the aurora. The aurora this week has been remarkable thanks to a coronal hole from the sun allowing high speed solar winds to reach earth.

I walked out on the ski trails behind my house because the broad and brilliant band of aurora overhead indicated to my aurora-sense it was going to be an early showing. I meandered through snow covered trees maintained in their icy encasement by complete lack of wind for nearly two months. The trail was firm, but as I stepped off my body sunk into thigh deep snow which even though it had fallen 6 weeks ago, was still perfect, soft powder thanks to consistently cold temps. In fact, on this night my breath steamed away at -15F, and a few days earlier I woke up to -23. My anticipation grew as the aurora continued to build in strength and at 10:30 PM an auroral bomb exploded in the sky. The metaphor of a bomb is perfect because it was so sudden that I was caught off guard, and was forced to shoot my camera where I stood in an effort to capture adequately the green and pink shrapnel which rippled and writhed in the sky. The explosion caught me in a towering cathedral of spruces which in the images all point to the source of the disturbance. In five minutes the waves of light ended, but it was only the beginning of series of barrages that kept me awake and in awe until 3AM.

“The Lady Slipper” – In a towering cathedral of spruces that point to a brilliant display of aurora.

Aurora Around the Bend — “Aurora around the bend” – The ski trail I was on rounds the bend, and makes me wonder what views would have awaited if I were not rooted to the spot.

I have been building on the initial ornament concept in a few ways. Although it is difficult to hide a camera in front of a mirror, I am placing it in ways that is not obtrusive. From its hiding place I have shot a full 90 minute star-lapse in the bulb! That image, featured below, is the only one not taken on the night I described. I have also shot a full time lapse in the ornaments which turned out quite wonderful! I hope you enjoy the festive twist on the aurora 🙂

This concept shot builds on the original in An Early Christmas by shooting a 90 minute star-lapse!

Merry Christmas!

Aurora Borealis, feature, In Alaska, Micro 4/3 Photography, Photography

An Early Christmas

November 30, 2015 grizjohnson 7 Comments

Now that we are past Thanksgiving I am definitely in the Christmas Spirit. I took my festive passion into the Alaskan wilderness last night to fuse together a little Christmas Cheer and the aurora borealis. I sat in the waist deep snow and tossed Christmas ornaments into the powder as I belted Christmas carols and watched a crescendo of pink and green aurora dance over my head like the twinkling lights of a monstrous, celestial Christmas tree. Of course, there is no reason to put a star on top of this metaphorical tree, it is a tree that is covered in them, not crowned with one. There were no presents under this tree, because it was already a gift. I had a lot of fun doing this shoot last night, I hope you enjoy!

If you are interested in a one-of-a-kinda Alaskan Christmas card and before you send your greeting cards this year, consider a purchase from my Fine Art America website. To browse a selection of these images as a greeting card, framed print, phone cover, or many other products please visit my page : Ian’s Fine Art America.

Merry Christmas!

I experimented with a variety of arrangements through the night, but I trended towards ones with color in front.

The aurora is reflected perfectly in this shiny Christmas Ornament

A drop of green aurora fell from the sky and landed in the snow 🙂

I took advantage of this fully covered black spruce to make a Christmas tree!

The hoar frost on top of the snow just adds to the beauty of the scene!

I love the splashes of color the Christmas Ornaments provide!

I am reflected in this stack of Christmas ornaments 🙂

A big moon shadows the ornaments, and is a brilliant aurora reflection shines from overhead.

I love the reflection in these ornaments!

Leaning Tree Aurora — A full sky of aurora. I stood nearly waist deep in the snow and framed up this wonderful leaning tree.

Moon in the Loop — Crouching low to the snow I watched the aurora flow through and over the moon.

Swirling Aurora — A beautiful full sky of swirling aurora, like oil in water.

In Minnesota, Life

Christmas Tradition

December 28, 2013 grizjohnson 2 Comments

Merry Christmas!… and a happy New Year. It is Amazing that in 5 more days 2014 will be here, and we once again will mis-write the date on our checks as many times as it takes to break a habit – a debatable number.

I’ve had a busy last few weeks of the semester and am looking into the next one. With graduate level statistics and thesis development on the docket, it will be busy for sure.

Being home for Christmas and the Holidays has been a real treat, and this more even more than others, I’ve really felt blessed to be home and back in the tradition of Christmas. The house where I grew up is adorned with lights over the doors and windows and stockings on the Chimney. Every year after Thanksgiving my brother and I would haul box after box of Christmas decorations from the basement and place them up around the house. Two balsam fir Christmas trees, often harvested from the woods around Grand Rapids, Minnesota were put up. One of them ‘belonged’ to my brother and I; it was garnished with lights and personal ornaments collected through the years. The other tree was for my parents.

One of the decorations put up in the house is the ceramic village pieces which my mom hand-painted through the years. The pieces are set up as a village lit by LED lights and represent a quiet town or village. These pieces drew me, and for some reason I have never looked at them as closely as I did this year. The detail put into them upon close inspection brought them to life. The small eyes of carolers have pupils, the tiny window displays of toys are colorful and distinct, and each house is painted uniquely and ornately. I want to do some photography of this Christmas Village and thought the results were just fun to look at and full of life!

PC230020 — The Boys pull a yule-log past the toy store in Christmas Village.

PC230023 — A group of kids get pulled by their dog past the Doctors office in downtown Christmas Town.

PC230025 — Carolers sing in front of the candy shop near the corner or “Ian/Sean” street – named for my brother and I.

Sleigh-ride — A sleigh ride goes past the east end of town.

PC230031 — Throughout Christmas town our family is built into the village. The focus of this image is meant to show off “Johnson’s” Craft shop. In the foreground a couple of shoppers hall gifts in front of the candy shop.

PC230026 — In the Northeast corner of town, up on the hill, the church is lit up with the Nativity in front.

PC230017 — For some reason school is still in session in Christmas town, and it’s all lit up.

After taking pictures of the village I couldn’t help but feel more connected to it. Taking pictures up and down the alleyways gave it life meaning. I have been looking at this village for more than 15 years without ever appreciating the Christmas tradition of it. Here’s a look at Christmas town from a distance, I hope I’ve given you some appreciation of it through these close-up shots of life in Christmas town.

Of course Christmas Tradition is also about a Christmas tree and family. Below is the tree this year and a group shot of my immediate family. If you have Christmas traditions and stories I’d love for you to post them below. This is the best time of year!

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