Roadside Beauty

I spent a couple days at Fish Lake Wildlife Area over the weekend after missing last summer's flowers due to a health problem. It was invigorating to return and the absence helped me recharge creatively.  Photographing these wood lilies interspersed with non-native crown vetch made it easier to cope with the hovering, occasionally biting flies.

Technical: sky exposure reduced using -1.5 stop graduated ND filter in Lightroom

Clouds over Crex Meadows

Earlier this week I spent an afternoon and morning  at Crex with Gary L. While waiting for cranes to come in at sunset these clouds caught my attention. 

Autumn Detail

While photographing fall colors this single leaf caught my attention. I was drawn to the simplicity of the contrasting colors. To me the leaf says "autumn" as much as a brilliant maple tree draped in autumn leaves. Photographed at Minneopa State Park, Blue Earth Co., MN.

Winter on the Prairie

Warm light is expected at a January sunset, a warm breeze is not. A great afternoon was spent exploring Cottonwood Prairie SNA enjoying the fresh air and open space. My eyes need to be stretched to the horizon every now and then.

An Hour at Norris Geyser Basin

I arrived late in the afternoon to photograph the basin with warm light and found this composition. I wandered around taking in the atmosphere, inhaling the vapors, and getting some shots until I saw the same composition in different light. The time between the images is 1 hour, 10 minutes. Both shots developed to maximum potential in Lightroom

Another Perspective

The crawl space under the waterfall was just big enough to get to the edge of the water without getting wet.  A completely different image of the same waterfall as yesterday using the same lens. Lightroom was used to coax the maximum dynamic range from the file.

Autumn Ferns

I rarely use the technique of framing in composition but I couldn't resist putting these ferns on the lower edges to frame this October scene. The lines seem to form a diamond in the woods. This was taken along a country road in the Minnesota River Valley which is an often overlooked autumn location for color.

The gate and the fence theory

The Fence

The Gate

So where are they? When I find a subject my first question is "What do I see?" In this case I saw not the rocks but the wide open space. The first image is a fence which doesn't show the wide open space that made me stop and look it is just three rocks on the prairie. On the second image I start looking at the rocks and visually flow to the high clouds giving me the feeling of expansive space. What do you see?

An August Night

I was shooting the prairie sunset and early night sky last night. From my location the lights of 5 different towns were visible on the horizon. Despite city lights the Milky Way was brilliant in the southern sky. This month's Outdoor Photographer ties its brightness to Sagitarrius, I'll need to look that up. Choosing the white balance for the color of the sky is perplexing since it is black. A good explanation of this can be found at: Can the night sky be "authentic?"

So much food, so little time.

The orange is overwhelming as the is its food supply for the butterflies and bees that cover it. I chose to use a wide angle lens instead of the usual macro lens to show the diminutive size of the butterfly on the flower and make the most of the morning colors.

Frozen Falls

I hiked into Wolf Cr. Falls to use a slider for the first time in the field. After practicing at home I thought it was time to give it a try outdoors. There is a learning curve for smooth movement and some planning is needed to put a series of clips together.  It has opened a new world of video by creating movement in an otherwise static scene. 

Sea Caves Closed

Lake Superior's sea caves have been closed, at least for now, due to high winds and potential ice instability. While out there I didn't think about being on ice over 30-40 feet of water. I was always looking up in awe.

Prairie Curves

I was out in the prairie a few days ago on a windblown, overcast afternoon. I thought I  saw birds in flight when looking at these curved blades of grass. Is this a sign of cabin fever?

Moonlight at Dusk

We see snow as white in almost all light conditions just because that is what our brain is telling us the color should be, then we take a shot and see the color as the camera does. Sometimes that color works to create the mood we have envisioned, other times it doesn't. This night shot was taken recently and blue snow bothered me. Using the split filter in Lightroom I desaturated the snow making it white. 

Open water in February

It's unusual to find quiet open water this time of year, especially after the recent temperatures. This rust laden water along Main Dike Rd. in Crex Meadows stays open and can be a winter viewing location for otters and mink, but none on this day. The setting sun and water added color to an otherwise gray winter afternoon. White balance set at the cloudy preset to enhance the colors.

Winter Textures

I went to Flandrau State Park to look for winter prairie images.The textures in the flower and snow caught my attention on the background of white and blue.

Cold and Stormy

Those are the words that describe January, 2014. Photography was tough due to the cold and I didn't get out much. the highlight of the month was the sea caves that have been in recent posts. Last Sunday I shot my first video of the year. It was a blizzard but what better opportunity for some action video. After all how many photographers, or any sane people, go out into a blizzard to get some pictures? After talking to my daughter she asked if the shots were taken with the weatherproof, waterproof GoPro. My response was " I wish I had thought of that instead of using the expensive 7D."

Technical: manual exposure, 2 second interval for about 10 minutes

Ice Burst

Ice comes in many forms: icicles, black ice, pancake ice, icebergs, and the list goes on. However, an ice burst does not exist in nature, only through a wide angle lens. The diagonal lines form the illusion of depth creating a "bursting" impression. 

Cathedral Ceiling

I have seen a few cathedrals with their intricate designs and architecture that are a testament of man's creativity. However nothing I have seen compares to the fascinating patterns of ice and sandstone seeping through the roof of an ice cave. 

Technical: wide angle lens, image rotated of produce symmetry, shade WB (7500k)

Sunset is not the end.

Sometimes sunset is the beginning. In this case I used my headlamp to brighten the interior of the cave. Light painting can be garish, and frequently is, but I like a more subtle approach without overpowering the natural light, using it as a fill light. Another example of making choices to reflect what you "see".