Insect drama is not as exciting as the drama that unfolds for photographers when they see the charismatic megafauna of Africa or Yellowstone but it is much more common and cheaper to record. A slow walk in the woods or on the prairie will give more than enough opportunities to photograph drama in the natural world. I noticed an upside down flying butterfly and followed it until it landed. Then saw it was in the clutches of a big fly.
As you can imagine this does not have a happy ending for the grasshopper. Crab spiders can adapt their color somewhat to blend into the flowers as they lay in wait for prey. Web spinning spiders are hard to see during the day making this spider one of my favorite spiders to photograph when looking for butterflies.
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.
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)
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".
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.
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.
Today is starting gray and windy which reminded me of this shot from a few years ago. Most of my black and white shots are taken during the winter, making the most of the contrast range. I'm not getting many new images this month, the shutter finger is getting twitchy.
Birds at the feeder, good music on the radio, and a camera in hand. Does it get any better than this in January?
Another image from the winter tree series. How small we are in the universe.
I saw this tree a couple weeks ago and it just had to be photographed. At the time the ground was bare and brown, the sky was dull and gray. The tree just would not leave my mind, I was fixated on it. Finally the solution hit me, shoot it at night.
Technical: What is the best best white balance at night? In this image I decided to keep the sky black and let the cloud color fall where into place.
I often wonder why certain plants are so different from their counterparts in the same habitat. It may be that they have been stressed due to their location or some other factor known only to them. I'll just enjoy another of life's mysteries and not ponder it for too long.
This guy was waiting out the snow while still looking for lunch. I was impressed by its delicate nature and small size. The gray sky and the kestrel's subtle color made this a perfect shot to convert to black and white.
Technical: converted to b & w in Lightroom
I recently watched a great talk by Andy Biggs whose photography in black and white is phenomenal in its simplicity of design. His subjects are the iconic megafauna of Africa but done in a unique way. If I were to go to Africa I would signup with him. His work can be seen at: Andy Biggs Photography There are other great photographers at: Talks at Google Photographers. A couple of my favorites are Art Wolfe whose personality clearly comes through and Moose Peterson who I gained new respect for after watching.
Technical: I didn't go all the way to B&W with this image, only removing the saturation from the tree.
Most of us view autumn as the end of growth and the beginning of winter when plants hold there breath until spring. That's the main event but fungi are coming out of fallen logs and stumps, experiencing a growth spurt in the waning warm months of the year.
Fall was temporarily interrupted Sunday by the season's first snowfall. A perfect afternoon!
I was a little late getting to Lion's Park in St. Croix Falls for peak color and had to look for isolated pockets of color. This leaf covered rock caught my attention yesterday afternoon. My eye starts at the bottom, jumps the log, and ends at the diagonal tree in the upper right.
Technical: 1.3 second exposure, f 16, 14 mm on Canon 7D. Lightroom used for ND filter in upper right.
There is something special about a winding country road in the fall. Is it the mystery of what is around the bend, either literally and metaphorically? Does it remind us of winter, of life, or something else?
Technical: 70-200 lens on a tripod in the rain, 1/5 second shutter speed, f 16.
September was incredibly busy and early October will maintain that pace. This year I scheduled community education classes in the early fall and bunched them together since there have been cancellations in the past but not so this year. I am currently in a marathon of teaching 5 classes in 8 days. All REI classes have been running to add to the mix. I have an ambitious shot list for fall images after the classes are over, we'll see how it goes.
The autumn air is alive with action and sound. I haven't developed an affinity for Canada geese and rarely photograph them but I couldn't resist this group as it lifted off.
