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Could you provide our readers with a little background on yourself and how Aurora Hunter came to be?
Howdy, my name is Todd Salat (pronounced ThanxSalat) and my brand is Aurora Hunter. I reside with my wife & business partner Shay in Anchorage, Alaska. I grew up an Iowa country boy then went west for college where I earned a BS in geology at the U. of South Dakota and a MS in geology at the U. of Wyoming. I then took a big right-hand turn to Alaska in 1989 when I scored a job as a petroleum exploration geologist. AND THEN, I witnessed the power of the northern lights, the aurora borealis, and a whole new dream entered my world! After seven years in the corporate world, I resigned to become a full-time Aurora Hunter. That was 28 years ago and I’ve never looked back.
How cool that you turned your passion for the Northern Lights into a career! What do photography and art mean to you as an artist?
For me, art is an expression of creativity, and nothing gets my creative juices flowing like a grandiose aurora display. Composing photographs and preserving these stellar moments in Nature was a complete game-changer in my life. I went
from wanting to climb the corporate ladder to the other end of the spectrum, that of a self-employed nature boy. I've found that being a sole proprietor has been good for my soul!
Where do you find inspiration for your art and your artistic process?
NATURE! That’s where it’s at for me. All I need to do is step outside, look around and boom, I’m inspired. It kind of feels like teamwork where Nature presents an infinite array of art forms and it’s my job to locate, focus & compose the best elements into an aesthetically pleasing photograph.
As an artist, have you found that your art has grown or changed over time?
I don’t know if my art/photography has actually grown or changed much throughout the past three decades. From day one, it was all about composing an image while experiencing a heroic moment in Nature, and it still feels like that! Getting what we call a “hero shot” is one of the best feelings ever. That euphoria seems to last for a long time but I'm always on the hunt for new images to refresh the feeling.
As Aurora Hunter, is there a photo or an art moment of yours that you’re most proud of?
All my photos are my babies, but I’m currently smitten with a wall-hanger titled “Supernova.” It’s a wide-angle northern lights shot that I took in
the Brooks Range of Northern Alaska and ranks as the most intense aurora display I’ve seen in my entire life! This nighttime experience was mind-blowing and I get to relive that feeling every time I look at this image.
During Alaskan summers it’s too bright to see the aurora so I turn to my hobby; daytime photography. Last summer I witnessed humpback whales bubble-net feeding in the Kenai Fjords out of Seward. I found that absolutely thrilling so we’re proud to present a new print titled “Catch of the Day” and I can't wait to go on more whale watching excursions!
Incredible! We’re proud to carry both “Supernova” and “Catch of the Day” here at FTT.
Do you have any advice for other photographers or artists, especially those looking to turn their art into a business?
Do what you love and the money will follow. A friend said that to me around the time I quit my good-paying corporate day job to be a self-employed photographer. Making a living as an artist can be tricky & challenging, to say the least. Before I quit my day job, I tested the waters by setting up a booth at the Anchorage Market and had a go at selling my prints. Fortunately, this revealed great potential and gave me the confidence to take the plunge. Find your niche, hone your craft, research good business practices (profit margins being key), then go out there and peddle your wares. It’s like one big experiment that continuously evolves.
I was very fortunate in that my wife & teammate, Shay, was on board pretty much from the beginning. She’s the unsung hero here. I call her the backbone of the business and she runs circles around me! It helps a lot to have a supportive significant other because there is a lot to do to make the business sing. Financially, my best advice to anyone would be to save 10-to-20% of EVERYTHING you make, no matter how much it is, and develop a diversified investment portfolio. The younger you start, the more it will compound.
That’s great advice, thank you for sharing! One final question – is there anything else you’d like to add?
I would like to give a big shout-out to the staff & owners of Forests, Tides & Treasures for helping promote and support so many of us artists. Also, a huge and appreciative “Thanxsalat!” to all the art collectors & customers out there. Without your support, this lifestyle would not even be possible so thank you for the inspiration!
A huge thank you to Todd Salat, Aurora Hunter, for taking the time to speak with us about his process. You can shop his stunning photography in the gallery at FTT and in our online store. To keep up with Todd, you can find him on Facebook and on his website.
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