MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2024 #4 - PEACEFUL SUNSET

Sunset in the valley, Mississippi River, Abel-Essman Island, Guttenberg, Iowa

I really rushed down the hill into the Mississippi Valley, hoping to reach the outlook before the shadow of the bluffs would cover the island, on my way home last night. Just as I pulled into the parking lot beside the road the shadows already crept up on the west side of the island. When I jumped out of the car with the camera in hand a small airplane just took off from the landing strip between the buildings on Abel-Essman Island. Too bad, I missed that rare opportunity but I’m happy with this peaceful sunset scene in the river valley.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 49 mm, 1/500 s, f/10, ISO 200

THE OTHER SHOT

Autumn light, Dunnings Spring Park, Decorah, Iowa

Driving back home from another business trip this afternoon I took the time and stopped at Iowas tallest waterfall in Decorah at Dunnings Spring Park. This location is part of the Driftless Area here in the Midwest, not flattened by the glaciers of the ice age, and home of  clear trout streams, waterfalls, caves, and it is just as gorgeous as it is in our neck of the woods.

I guess you may ask, Andreas, where is the waterfall? Well, I made quite a few clicks. Used a tripod and shot with long exposure times to make the water looking smooth, tried to avoid the dappled light as much as possible, but still didn’t like the outcome. I have photographed the waterfall before and accepted somehow that this time we had a lot less water coming down the stream after a dry summer. At the end, looking at my photos on the screen of the monitor, it was not what I had in mind. They just didn’t tell the story of a ”great waterfall” as I had remembered it.

This is a very narrow side valley of the Upper Iowa River and there is only a short time during the day when the sun actually shines into it. While hiking down back to the parking lot my eyes were on the crystal clear waters of the stream and suddenly I saw another picture opportunity. It is this certain quality of light as we can only experience in autumn and that I love so much, even with the absence of fall colors in the trees. The leaves are almost gone her in eastern Iowa. It’s still warm, but winter is coming for sure…

WATCHING THE SUNSET

Beach at Petoskey State Park, Lake Michigan

I guess it’s time to treat you with another photo from our recent trip to Michigan.

The beach at Petoskey State Park was a perfect place to watch the sunset from the east side of Lake Michigan. Many people from the campground behind the dunes came out and enjoyed the moment.

First I hesitated to include this aluminum walkway into my photo but then I liked how the sun was reflected on it all the way to the lower edge of the image. It also adds a little more story to the picture. Michigan’s state parks were all well maintained and offered visitors and campers with disabilities good opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. This aluminum walk- or driveway allows people in wheelchairs to access the lake with its crystal clear water.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head,   @ 62mm, 1/640s, f/8, ISO 100, image slightly cropped

COPPER PEAK

Copper Peak Ski Jump, Upper Peninsula, Michigan

Since my childhood I have followed ski jumping competitions. It was a big deal, and still is over in Europe and Japan, and we wouldn’t miss any of the big events broadcasted on TV every winter. While camping in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan last month we didn’t want to miss visiting the world’s largest artificial ski jump, Copper Peak. This jump hill is out of commission since 30 years now, but big plans have been made and the State of Michigan has granted $20 million to redevelop the hill to host international competitions. The jump hill needs to be changed tremendously to bring this ski jump up to todays standards for ski flying. I really hope it will happen.

View from the top

Some leaves started changing but we were a little early for the peak of fall colors. However, the view from the top of the ski jump is breath taking. With the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness below and Lake Superior in the background you just get an idea how vast and beautiful the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is. I was just happy to have at least a few clouds in the sky…

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,

EVENING AT THE DUNES

Sand Dunes at Petoskey State Park, Lake Michigan

Already deep in our vacation a long day of travel led us to Petoskey State Park at the northeast shore of Lake Michigan. When your senses are still trapped in a driving state it is more than a pleasure to walk barefoot on the access trail over the dunes to the beach and unwind by sitting in the sand and wait for the sunset. As much as we loved the beautiful weather, with lots of sun for camping and relaxing, but with hardly any clouds in the sky, the photographer rolls his eyes…

Well, it was time to make the best out of it and embrace the soft light of the setting sun over the dunes along Little Traverse Bay at Lake Michigan.

On a not so unimportant note, it always amazes me how disrespectful many people are to nature and rules that try to protect our natural treasures. The campground was on the other side side of the dunes, and it is not a small one. Posted signs and fences make it very clear that walking across the dunes outside of the access trails may increase erosion and can lead to destruction of the dunes. The many human tracks in the sand make me wondering how many people in this country can’t read, or just give a dam about their natural resources… Very sad!

INTERESTING? OH, JUST TURN AROUND…

It is easy to forget everything around if you have an interesting subject in the viewfinder of the camera, like the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse at Lake Superior on the Keweenaw Peninsula. This pine on the cliffs just below the lighthouse wasn’t less captivating and it was the puffy clouds over the bay that made for a balanced composition.

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse, Lake Superior, Upper Peninsula, Michigan

All images: Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S

NO LACK OF WATERFALLS

Manido Falls, Presque Isle River, Upper Peninsula, Michigan

We came back from a trip to Michigan, mainly on the Upper Peninsula, a few days ago. Our first campsite was at Black River Harbor at Lake Superior and from there we explored the Western UP and in particular the Porcupine Mountains.

The Upper Peninsula is a gorgeous nature area and some of the highlights are the many beautiful waterfalls. One of my favorites is Manido Falls. Although it is the smallest fall along the Presque Isle River, only about 4.5 meters high, but I love how it is tucked into the natural landscape. Naturally occurring tannic acids in the water give the falls their brownish tea color. I have photographed Manido Falls in November of 2010 with some snow and ice and a bit more water coming down across the terraces in the foreground, but I like the contrasty look we had this time as well. As always, it pays back to take a tripod on the hike to a waterfall and try out different longer exposure times for the appearance of the flowing water. This can vary and is often a personal preference.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head     @ 70mm, 1/5s, f/16, ISO 100

BACK ON THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA

Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park, Washington

It took me more than 16 years to revisit Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park on the North Pacific coast of Washington. At the end of a week long business trip to California and Washington I added a couple days and spent the weekend on the Olympic peninsula. In 2008 these sea stacks were kissed by bright sunlight but this time a rain jacket was an important part of my gear. The high tide was coming in and watching the waves was highly recommended while looking through the view finder of the camera to keep the feet dry. With colors not playing a big role in the rain and with this heavy overcast I quickly decided to set the camera to monochrome mode and shot with the intend to produce some black and white photos. The beach behind me was full of big tree logs that the storms had accumulated over the years. Usually I don’t like dead trees in the foreground but a few pieces of driftwood seemed to be ok as part of the story the image would tell. I waited for waves that would create a nice foam pattern when the water runs back and that took many tries from different angles. Nature is always incredible and when a wave went right between the two pieces of driftwood, I suspected at least one image was on the memory card that I would probably like.

Later that evening I met my Airbnb- hosts Debby and Bob in Olympia, WA. Despite the discovery of a wasp problem in their studio apartment they didn’t cancel my stay and moved me into their house. Thank you again Debby and Bob for all your help, great conversation, and being such wonderful hosts!!

WAY TO END A DAY

Beach after sunset, Newport, Oregon, March 29, 2024

A minute earlier a small sliver of the sun was still visible. Of course, a few clicks were made with the sun above the horizon, but it was the glow that follows I was after. The people on the beach at low tide below our apartment give the scene a sense of scale.

What followed was a short drive to a restaurant at the harbor of Newport and a dinner with fresh seafood and wine. You can’t find a better way to end a great day at the Oregon coast…

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head    @ 24mm, 1/100 s, f/10, ISO 100

HAVING AN EYE ON THE SKY

Thunderhead over farm, north of Guttenberg, Iowa

I spent a lot of time this week in my car, driving through the countryside for some business appointments far away. Sometimes it can be a little boring, but when puffy clouds show up in the sky I watch how they develop. There wasn’t much traffic when this thunderhead got some interesting light and when it was right behind this farm at the horizon I knew I had an opportunity for a picture. No distracting power lines in the foreground, no other cars around, just perfect for a brief stop. Two minutes later I was on the road again, this time with a smile in my face… 😊

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 62mm, 1/500 s, f/8, ISO 160

BACK IN TIME, OREGON COAST

View from Cape Meares, Pacific Coast, Oregon

Unfortunately I didn’t spent time behind the camera last week but still like to share a photo from our trip to the Oregon coast three months ago. Fast changing weather and light make it such a great place for landscape photography. If you miss a shot, you can’t repeat it exactly the same way.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4

ZOOMING OUT, BETTER STORYTELLING

Elbe River, Dresden, Saxony, Germany, May 26, 2024

We had met with a dear friend in one of the lovely beer gardens along the Elbe River in Dresden, Saxony and enjoyed a great time together. On the way back to the apartment we watched mighty thunderheads developing around us and with them the low sitting sun created some spectacular light in the sky and on the river.

I took a few pictures of the scene, zooming in on the clouds, with the sun beams as my subject, but wasn’t really happy with the results. I realized that it was more about where to place the different elements in the frame, the river with reflections, the steam boat, the silhouette of the building, and of course the position of the sun in the cloud. Zooming slightly further out made finally for better storytelling about location and time.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 43mm, 1/500 s, f/8, ISO 100

MORITZBURG CASTLE

Moritzburg Castle near Dresden, Saxony, Germany, May 21, 2024

After a nice hike with family in the area north of Dresden we stopped at Moritzburg Castle, a Baroque palace in the German state of Saxony. It was built from 1542 to 1546 and was extended several times. It was used as a hunting lodge and country seat by the dukes and emperors of Saxony over the years.

Six days after this photo was created the French President Emmanuel Macron visited Dresden and Moritzburg Castle together with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeyer. It put a smile in my face when I saw on the web that they posed with their wives for an official photo with the Minister President of Saxony Michael Kretschmer almost at the same spot where I took this picture of the beautiful castle. Well, they didn’t have such great rain clouds that made for a nice color contrast with the castle and its surrounding park…

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 44mm, 1/800 s, f/8, ISO 200

GREENLAND - AN AERIAL VIEW

A dream came true a couple days ago during my return from Europe to the American continent. I have seen Greenland from an airplane before but never actually flew across it during day light. When I saw on the screen in front of me that our route was north of Iceland, I knew there was a chance to see the world’s largest island. Luckily there were no clouds. The mighty glacier below is flowing slowly to the North Atlantic Ocean, somewhere in the haze at the horizon.

The photo was shot through through the blue tinted window of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This aircraft has electronically dimmable windows to keep the UV light out, but even if set to maximum opacity, a blue color cast is still inevitable. I didn’t want to miss this gorgeous view and quickly used the camera in my phone and tried to remove some of the color cast in Adobe Lightroom Classic. Not perfect, but good enough for a memorable moment.

HAYSTACK ROCK AT ANY WEATHER

Haystack Rock, Cannon Beach, Pacific North Coast of Oregon

The coast of Oregon is not a place that has sunshine all the time, especially at this time of the season. There were quite a few hours during our explorations and hikes along the shore when the colors were muted. But rain, fast moving clouds, and the surf on these stormy days created drama and the question I asked myself was, how can I make it visible in my photos? Seeing in black and white and envision how the final picture may look needs practice and I certainly could use some more of that.

The photo was made at low tide in the town of Cannon Beach. The iconic Haystack Rock attracts many people and it has been photographed probably several million times before. I did not go too low with my tripod because I wanted to have a bit more of the surf in the frame. To give the waves a sense of movement and keep the mist in the air visible I exposed 2 seconds at f/7.1. I tried longer and shorter times but this seemed to lead to the most harmonious results. The pattern in the sand changed quickly and it required reposition of the camera several times for some lines with reflections and shadows. Crushing waves broke frequently on this basalt sea stack and I was able to capture one of these moments. Who says you can’t make a photo on a stormy and rainy day…? 😉

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head,   @ 52 mm, 2 s, f/7.1, ISO 100