Author Topic: Fur Auction  (Read 1737 times)

Øivind Tøien

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Fur Auction
« on: March 24, 2019, 08:01:44 »

A fringe benefit at the Open North American Championship was a parallel arrangement of a yearly (?) fur auction. There are quite a number of people in Alaska living a subsistence life style off the land at remote locations and getting some income from trapping. It must take some special talent to be such an auctioneer, speaking so fast without getting a cramp in your tongue! (Wish I had recorded some audio/video).
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There were some furred persons to be observed, among the audience/participants in spite of the +5°C weather.
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Øivind Tøien

John Geerts

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Re: Fur Auction
« Reply #1 on: March 24, 2019, 08:11:13 »
Those portraits of the furred persons are great !

Fons Baerken

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Re: Fur Auction
« Reply #2 on: March 24, 2019, 09:37:45 »
Those portraits of the furred persons are great !

True some fine images.

Akira

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Re: Fur Auction
« Reply #3 on: March 24, 2019, 09:52:21 »
Love #9, for whatever reason!
"The eye is blind if the mind is absent." - Confucius

"Limitation is inspiration." - Akira

Anthony

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Re: Fur Auction
« Reply #4 on: March 24, 2019, 10:16:38 »
Fascinating images.

What are the animals?
Anthony Macaulay

Øivind Tøien

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Re: Fur Auction
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2019, 10:44:08 »
Thanks for the kind comments all of you. The most important hides were from wolfs, lynx (the ears in #11), fox, perhaps coyote, and beaver;  There were also some mustelids of which I think wolverines were most important. Here is a list of all the animals that can be trapped for fur, but I do not think all of them were present:
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=wildliferesearch.furbearers. Note that bears are not on the list.

The 300 PF is a fun lens for portraits at events like this for sure! Somehow I like #9 very much too, it is such a nice parka.

BTW, here is an old slide scan from a similar auction downtown Fairbanks about 20 years ago. Not much has changed. I very much like the contact between the little native girl and the action.


Øivind Tøien

Anthony

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Re: Fur Auction
« Reply #6 on: March 24, 2019, 11:13:11 »
Thank you for the information, very interesting.
Anthony Macaulay

golunvolo

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Re: Fur Auction
« Reply #7 on: March 24, 2019, 20:35:25 »
I was thinking about how "timeless" the first batch looks and then arrived to the 20 years earlier version. I like your closeness to the subject and the balance view: no against nor pro. The characters are strong

  Thanks for sharing!

Øivind Tøien

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Re: Fur Auction
« Reply #8 on: March 24, 2019, 23:23:03 »

Thanks Anthony and Paco, your comments are much appreciated.
It is always easy to find strong characters to photograph in interior Alaska.

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Øivind Tøien