Catching the Wave

I spent mornings last weekend along the Lake Superior shore. Sunday was fogged in so I concentrated on wave activity trying to wait until later in the wave to catch action a different phase of wave motion. A relatively slow shutter speed (1/6 second) preserved some motion. Fall color is yet to come but the lake is always there.

Autumn Waves

 

We enjoyed the crashing waves and color while in Michigan a couple weeks ago. I couldn't resist putting a video together in what was otherwise a trip for landscape photography. This experience also tipped the balance to get an upgrade on the Sony RX10ii, more to come on that note.

The end of the day

The lake became more dramatic than the sunset as we were alone on the beach watching day turn into night. A handful of photographers had packed up and headed in for supper. We watched a few minutes longer and almost missed the last call for burgers in town. It was worth it.

Technical: iPhone6 using Procamera HDR app

Michigan Color

We planned a trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore this fall and arrived just after peak color. Coincidentally Outdoor Photographer magazine also had an article on fall color in Michigan.  This is the place to be for fall color! Waterfalls and the Lake Superior shoreline against the back drop of autumn cannot be beat. This area has a different character than the North Shore and is a little later. Next fall consider Michigan.

Sea Cave Memories

Another sea cave season comes to a close. Still images capture the beauty of the landscape while video gives an impression of the human experience and our reaction to the caves. Recorded with a Canon 7D.

A Cold Morning

This is the last winter shot, promise. The recent temperatures, change in time, and cardinals singing confirm that winter has been beat. They may be a few inches of snow before the grass turns green but I can handle it. All I can say is, Goodbye Winter!

Inside looking out

You may have noticed I have not shown the inside of the caves from this trip other than the close up of the roof icicles. This is one of the caves highlighted on the map which shows the great texture of the sandstone. HDR technique was needed to show the sky and cave interior. The caves are being heavily advertised and visitors are showing by the thousands. A later video will show what the images have not shown, all the people.

More Caves than Ice

 The ice caves were beautiful this year, much more striking rock formations than ice within the caves but lots of ice along the cliffs. This was actively dripping in the afternoon like with the temperature at 30 deg. I can imagine the water pouring down it with the forecasted temps. It will make for a nice walk on the ice.

Ice Flower

It's March and I am thinking (dreaming) about spring. No snow this winter but it is still getting long. When I crawled into a cave on Lake Superior and looked up I saw an ice flower. This time of year the imagination starts going wild.

Ice Cave Afternoon

I spent yesterday afternoon at the ice caves under a warm blue sky. They are being heavily promoted and were shared with about 2000 other visitors. I usually don't include people in my images but in this image you can get of the size of the sandstone cliffs. 

Confined & Editing

I had cataract surgery Tuesday and have been confined indoors this week. I had a huge number of image multiples and have spent time deleting them as well as catching up on key wording. Key wording is boring but necessary if looking for a specific image. I found this image from last October that reflects my longing  to get out and do some shooting, only a couple more days to stay out of the wind.

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.

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". 

Watching the light

After wandering along the shoreline for an hour it was time to settle down and find a location to follow the light into the night. This portal had earlier been filled with people sitting on the ice bench getting their photos taken. As the afternoon passed it became quiet with only a couple photographers, Gary Leeper and myself, enjoying the changing light. Quiet and beauty missed by those using a clock to control their lives.

Technical: HDR image merged with Photomatix. Three images at 2 stop intervals.

Sea Cave Ice

Where do you start? How do you turn awe and amazement into images? The sea caves along the  south shore of Lake Superior are the current rage for photographers.  After a five year absence of enough ice to get to them, they were opened to the public last week. A moderate walk along the shore to reach them is rewarded with otherworldly sights.  If you are going dress for the wind. I'm starting with this iconic location shot, more images to follow.

North Shore Color

I spent the morning looking for color along the North Shore with Gary Leeper (who is the author of an excellent North Shore guide book) and for the most part did not find any along Highway 61 to Tettegouche State Park. After sunrise at Palisades Point we headed back toward Two Harbors. Near there we climbed a short hill to find the best color of the morning which also highlights the green shoreline. Good color seems to be in pockets surrounded by brown or green.

Technique

This view off Stoney Point created a dilemma.  The extreme contrast just does not translate to the screen although I could easily see the colors.  HDR seemed unnatural when put together.  A split density filter could have worked if I had thought of it.  My solution was shooting for the highlights and using ND filters in Lightroom at both the top and bottom to bring the contrast into acceptable range.  About 2 stops were reduced from the top and 2 stops added to the bottom.  A long explanation for a process that took less time than this typing.