Last night I was looking through a folder of photos from October 2010 when I came across this intriguing image that I couldn't resist sharing. As I was flipping through the photos from that month this one really pulled me in. I like experimenting with zooming and panning or shaking the camera while recording a long exposure, but rarely do I combine the techniques in one shot. Well, that's what I did to achieve this look. I used a shutter speed of 1/15 of a second while zooming AND twisting the camera at the same time. I know this type of image isn't for everyone, but I sure like them :-)
Yes! The season of ice is upon us! I love winter for a lot of reasons, not the least of which is the return of one of my favorite photographic subjects: ICE. Ice comes in an infinite variety of shapes and formations and I never tire of photographing it. This particular "Wall of Ice" is the cliff face of High Falls at Grand Portage State Park in northeast Minnesota. The main channels of water on the falls are still running freely, but on either side of the running water is an amazing garden of ice. The waterfall freezes differently each year based on the water level and weather conditions. One thing is for certain, it is ALWAYS interesting and ALWAYS beautiful!
Winter is coming, which is becoming evident at High Falls on the Pigeon River in Grand Portage State Park. This photo was taken yesterday afternoon when the sky was filled with beautiful clouds. I was a little surprised by the amount of ice already forming on the face of the falls, but then I realized that it is almost December already! I just love this photo of the falls… I think it is one of my new favorites of this location. I love the clouds, the ice, the tree shadows and the light. When I first arrived at the falls the sky was almost completely clear of clouds and by the time I left the cloud cover was really heavy, with no blue sky at all visible. Everything came together for this shot, and I happened to be there at just the right time to capture it!
Earlier this week Jessica and I were in Ely, MN "playing tourist" for a day. We had a great time walking the main street of Ely and checking out such places as the Brandenburg Gallery, the Piragis Northwoods Company store and the Steger Mukluks store. We also enjoyed a delicious lunch at "A Taste of Ely", a very nice local cafe that also features live music and a small art gallery. The first item on our agenda for that day, however, was a hike to Kawishiwi Falls, a beautiful waterfall located just a few miles outside of town. The hike to the waterfall was easy, winding through a very nice forested area. Even though it was a very overcast day we were lucky enough to have some nice definition in the cloud cover, making for a nice shot from near the base of the falls. I would highly recommend the easy hike to this waterfall if you are ever in the Ely area!
Here is another night-time image of the tree that I have unofficially named "The Conductor". This photo was actually made BEFORE the last image that I posted of The Conductor. It was taken in early October of this year during a spectacular night of northern lights. While this is far from my favorite image of that night, it is nonetheless one that I like enough to share with all of you!
I discovered this tree a while ago and have long thought of using it as a foreground for some night photography. This image is from the second time that I went out to photograph the tree. It was during the almost-full moon and on a breezy night with fast-moving clouds. To me the shape of the tree resembles the shape of a symphony conductor as they direct the musicians in the performance of a musical score. I think it makes for a pretty cool foreground for a night sky image!
Here is a recent night-time exposure of myself walking down a forest road in the full moonlight. I just love this road and the beautiful stands of maple trees that line the majority of the road. I have taken countless photographs along this road and never tire of spending time there. This was a beautiful November night, with mild temps in the upper 30's and a light layer of snow on the ground. The tops of the trees were swaying back and forth in a light breeze as my foot steps crunched the surface of the snow. A sublime experience for sure!
