Goodbye to the Analog World .... We're Going Green!

Big news here on the Alaskan front ... Alaska Stock is leaving the analog world behind! We're revamping our files and recycling like crazy. While we're keeping our original transparencies in-house for quick rescanning if needed, we've returned all the old slides dups we used to send out to clients for submissions. Gone are the days of printing delivery memos for every comp scan sent. We are emailing invoices whenever clients will accept electronic transmissions and looking into streamlining procedures to send electronic reports and commissions to our photogs and subagents.

Our office looks like a tornado came through it and these guys haven't been much help! Already we've freed up a ton of space. Phase two is a new coat of paint with accent walls and hardwood flooring. Phase three will be revamping workstations and installing energy efficient lighting. We're still trying to talk Jeff into napping pods for the staff!!!

If you'd like to go green and save a tree ... just send an email to laurie@alaskastock.com and tell me you'd prefer to have your invoices emailed instead of sent via snail mail. Thanks!

~ Laurie

Adobe + Alaska Stock = Convenience

I have to admit, I think Adobe is the best thing to happen to designers and photographers this decade. The interface between applications, tools and attention to digital developments make Adobe workspaces incredibly convenient.

Did you know you can find a selection of Alaska Stock's Royalty Free offerings through your Adobe Bridge browser? As the sole contributing Alaskan agency to Adobe Stock Photos via our partner, IPN, Alaska Stock RF can be quickly accessed through Adobe Bridge by choosing File > Browse from any of the Adobe Creative Suite® family products. But wait ... it gets better: You can also access images from our sister agency, http://www.stockpilephotos.com/.

StockPile is a collection of royalty-free stock photos made by a wide-range of talented photographers and spans the gamut of global life experiences including: adventure sports, the natural world, everyday life, travel, holidays, food, home, wildlife, art and conceptual visions.

Don't have the Creative Suite, yet? Just check out the latest Holiday RF (tons of new images) by clicking here:

http://www.alaskastock.com/resultsframe.asp?txtkeys1=061507%20%25or%20060507&pixperpage=64

Okay, it's a shameless ploy on my part, but I can't help being proud about the way Alaska Stock has grown (even if I am ever-so-slightly biased)!

~ Laurie

Downtown Wildlife!

I remember the first month that I lived in Alaska, I awakened one morning to my radio alarm clock announcing that there was a grizzly bear roaming around downtown and that everyone should stay away until the bear was captured for transport outside the city.

I remember thinking "we're not in Kansas anymore."

Currently a young brown bear (grizzly) has been spotted multiple times roaming around downtown Anchorage. While it has not been acting aggressively, the Fish and Game authorities are keeping a close eye on it and hoping to relocate the bear to a more appropriate location.

This year seems to be a good year for the bear; the last three years have produced many healthy cubs living in the wilds on the outskirts of Anchorage and Eagle River. These "yearlings" are now making their way closer and into the cities. Currently, Fish and Game are tracking a total of eight young brown bears living in and around Anchorage!

~ gina

New Face at Alaska Stock!

Hi everyone! I’m Kristina, the newest member of the team here at Alaska Stock. I’ve been here for 3 weeks now and loving every minute of it. It’s an in-depth job to get the hang of and I imagine I’ll be figuring it all out for a little while, but I’m working with a great team of professionals as well as patient clients! :) The best part of the job though, by far, is the opportunity to view so many amazing and beautiful images! It really makes me want to get out there and see all that Alaska has to offer.
On that same note, I’m so glad that summer is finally, and officially, upon us. I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of the winter months here, seeing as how I’m not originally from Alaska, so now is the time that I really get out there and enjoy the great outdoors….hiking, camping, cycling, etc. Although, now it’s also time to get out the black-out drapes for the windows…it’s kind of hard to sleep with the sun shining in your eyes…however, it does make it a little easier to wake up in the mornings!
Happy summer!!

Here comes the sun!

Happy Solstice!

It's the longest day of the year and here in Alaska we couldn't be happier about it. The weather is gorgeous, the salmon are runnin', the views are stunning and we'd like to keep it that way as long as possible! Today our sunrise came at 4:20am and sunset is expected around 11:42pm. Yippeee! 19 hours & 22 minutes of vitamin D. here in the office, we've got all the doors open ... it's almost like we're working outside!

And to summer solstice celebrate Anchorage residents make their yearly trek to the the summit of Flattop Mountain in Chugach State Park. The end of this trail offers breathtaking panoramic views of Mt. Susitna, Fire Island, Cook Inlet and downtown Anchorage.

Wishing you lots of summer fun,

~ Laurie

Downtown Anchorage goes wireless!

Ok, not yet, but it looks like the mayor of Anchorage is moving that direction. Reports in today's ADN tell that a wireless company has been selected to provide free wireless internet throughout downtown Anchorage. This will be the trial area for the company and potentially the whole city could go to free wireless!

Alaska has always been known for being one of the most wired states in the US. Because the state is so large and so many people live in very rural communities, once the internet became accessible, these rural areas jumped at the chance to get wired. Everything from educational opportunities to Christmas shopping has become normal life for the remote villages.

So, this July, dowtown will also become an oasis for internet users...locals and visitors alike! But beware Big Brother, the mayor could also have plans to run a high-performance camera enabling police officers in their cars to send or receive video from the scene of an accident or incident.

But the upside is that perhaps one of our next blogs will be from a cafe downtown while sipping on a cup of coffee!

~ gina

New upcoming images!

Holiday images what.... in June?

This past week I've been working on a large submission of about 300 +/- holiday images into our system here at Alaska Stock. It's been a bit weird entering in all these keywords when it's sunny outside and our office is just heating up. My head is filled with words like; winter, Christmas, holiday, celebration, and seasonal; but outside I'm thinking warm, sun, and how much more I want this summer inching it's way to us to just kick in.

We always have a plethora of images coming in from our various photographers; great new creative ideas, always newly captured adventures, truly "Alaskan" inspiring photos. We feel very fortunate to be spread out in order to cover our entire huge state, to bring you those fresh photos you may be looking for. So jump on in and take a look at some great images that say Alaska; to see what our creative photographers are seeing through the eyes of their camera; something that may inspire you to pick up your own and GO WILD in the state that's now called "Big Wild Life."

-Emily Sloth