the north slope

currently, i'm composing a letter to two north slope oil companies- attempting to get clearance to the oil camps in july. i've been offered a great opportunity to do a photo essay for a publication that will go to print in december (much more on this later). this opportunity creates for me an urgency, and the means, to get involved in my good friend stacia's research (enormous thanks to her for facilitating the scope of this effort). as i've mentioned in a previous post- she studies ravens and their habitat in the oil fields. i'm intensely curious about her life in the field as she spends months on end in prudhoe bay studying, trapping, tagging, and communicating in a way with these elusive creatures. the reality of capturing the starkness that the oil architecture asserts against the tundra with a human interest is daunting. i'm excited to weave stacia's experience and writing with my eye.

this image was taken during time i spent with her and the ravens in the aviary on campus last march.



on a side note: stacia has spent some time on the north slope with national geographic photographer joel sartore. the cover of the may issue of ng sports one of joel's powerful north slope images. the ng site has the entire text in full as well- regardless of your opinion on alaskan drilling, i urge everyone to read this article. i'm more inspired than ever to make this trip north.

another side note: the new issue of dirt went online today. this online mag originated by artist brian lemond is consistently the best effort out there.

now, back to this letter.

listening to kexp.