THE TREE AT GOOSEBERRY RIVER

Gooseberry Falls State Park, Minnesota ----   

While hiking up the trail from the waterfalls along Gooseberry River this tree and its roots, nestled into the rocks, caught my attention. On the way back the light was in my favor and I stuck the legs of the tripod in the sand and made the click. How about the waterfalls? Sure, some photos were made as well. Everybody does that. Sometimes looking away from the main attraction of a known location leads to a photograph that is special. At least it was for me at this time.

 

CHANGING THE SUBJECT

Marie Louise Lake, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada ---  

When I looked across Marie Louise Lake I thought that Sleeping Giant, the mountain range in the back that gave this provincial park its name, would be a good subject for a photo. While evaluating the scene I became aware how rough the wind made the lake surface and how the reflections on the water played a role how we saw the lake. Suddenly the lake with its subtle reflections was a lot more interesting and the Sleeping Giant played just a second role for this image. Sure, the eye will go briefly to the bright parts of the clouds in the back, but the clouds are not interesting enough in this matter and the eye will return to this beautiful light and the rough surface of the water in the foreground. It became one of my favorite shots from this trip around Lake Superior…

 

LIGHTHOUSES

Split Rock Lighthouse, Two Harbors, Minnesota, put into service in 1910

It doesn’t matter what kind of weather we have or how good or bad the light treats me, I like to photograph lighthouses. As you can imagine there are quite a few around Lake Superior and any time I had a chance a click was made. For me it is the fascination of the technical side that every lighthouse bares, combined with the fact that not even two are exactly alike. It is story telling about our heritage and a great chance to work with architecture, quite often embedded in a natural environment.

The bivalve fresnel lens of Split rock Lighthouse was built in Paris, France. While operating, the lens made one revolution every 20 seconds, floating on a thin layer of mercury. Light for the beacon was provided by a kerosene vapor lamp, which was replaced in 1940 by a 1000W electrical bulb. (source: Visitor Guide: Split Rock Lighthouse)

Agathe Bay Lighthouse, Two Harbors, Minnesota

 

SUBJECT AND AMBIENCE

Lake Superior, Silver Bay Harbor, Minnesota

Over the years I discovered that making an image of just “the ambience” of a landscape seldom leads to a reasonable, story telling result. The lack of a clear subject is usually the reason for these frustrations. Sometimes it works but more often not. Imagine the photo above without the ship. The rocky islands did not offer enough to make it interesting and the “angel rays” coming through the clouds were not strong enough to make them a good subject. No waves on the lake didn’t help either. But there was this very soft, warm light and subtle reflections on the water creating a special ambience that I liked. The “LAKE GUARDIAN” came to my rescue as it approached the islands and rocky pier of Silver Bay Harbor, Minnesota. Suddenly the picture made sense to me…

 

THUNDERSTORM, GONE QUICKLY

We had a busy weekend attending the first birthday party of our grandkids Anthony and Teegan and finally today the baptism of the twins and their dad Danny. This all took place in Jefferson, a small town in central Iowa just northwest of the capitol Des Moines. With the possibility of some thunderstorms this weekend my landscape gear was always with me. 

Finally a small, very local thunderstorm approached the area yesterday evening. The picture was made through the glass of a surprisingly clean window from the third floor of our hotel. I would have preferred to go outside, close to the little pond behind the hotel, but the light spectacle lasted only a few seconds. Despite the “extra filter” between the lens and the subject, the click had to be made and I think the photo tells the story of a very common little thunderstorm approaching. By the way, it dissolved as quickly as it came up and we didn’t even see any rain at our location...

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2016 #9 - THE SHOT IN MY MIND

Mississippi River, Bridge between Dubuque, Iowa and East Dubuque, Illinois

I wished this photo could have been made an hour later, when the light was less aggressive, as it usually is closer to sunset. But I knew these puffy clouds would not last that long. The way the weather developed today the clouds were gone in the evening and shooting the bridge against a blue sky, well, as a tourist I would do it, but as a local I feel I can wait for my next opportunity. This picture was on my mind since a long time. I found the spot during the winter, when the light of the setting sun doesn’t hit the bridge from that angle. So I thought, I come back in the summer, and that’s what I did today…

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2016 #8 - NEVER THE SAME

A busy travel schedule kept me away from home and from pursuing my passion lately. But any time I come back from a trip, I can’t wait to get down to the Mississippi River and maybe find some interesting light or a good subject to photograph. The river is always good for a surprise and it is never the same twice. Look at this image and compare it with the photo in my last blog post from exactly a week ago. It is the same spot on the dyke at Mud Lake Park and both days a thunderstorm moved in. It is even shot with the same lens, the gorgeous Nikkor 16-35 mm/ f4 VR.

Today I climbed down the rocky slope of the levee to get closer to the water and make the round leaves of the water lilies my foreground. The tripod was left home but there wasn’t much time anyway to set up, because shortly after it started to rain heavily. The click was made with 22 mm, 1/20s, f/8, and ISO 640 dialed in, and thanks to vibration reduction in the lens I was able to handhold the camera. I usually don’t like such high ISO settings for landscape photography (noise reduction = loss of detail) but today it was the only way to get this shot halfway sharp.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2016 #7 - CLOUD HUNTING

Mississippi river, Mud Lake, Iowa - Nikon D750, Nikkor 16-35mm / f4

Clouds piled up to big thunderheads this evening and I took Cooper, our dog, and rushed down to the Mississippi River in hope for a good shot. It didn’t work out the way I thought and even some rain drops came down at my arrival at Mud Lake. I gave Cooper his much needed exercise for the day and waited for some changes in the sky. The thunderheads were too far away for being really the subject in the photo but the light became kinda lovely and moody and that’s when I made the click.

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2016 - #6

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, 1/2500s, f/8, ISO200, @ 150 mm

When I was recently in Germany several friends were asking me to show more photos about the area where we live. Well, the recurrent readers of my blog know that I’m not a fan of the “postcard views”, the pictures that are taken just because the camera owner (sometimes referred as the photographer 😉) was at a location and had to make the click, no matter what time of the day it was and how the light effected the scene.

The subject in the photo above can be photographed several times every day during the summer here at lock & dam #11 in Dubuque, Iowa. The tugboats that move up to fifteen barges up or down the Mississippi River are a great subject for photography. The photo was made at 6:23 PM, and parts of the river had been already in the shade.

Exposing strictly for the highlights makes this image work for me. Exposure compensation had to be dialed in at -1EV. If the shutter speed is still at 1/2500 s, nothing can go wrong. You don’t even need to pan really with your camera to make this shot. The flying pelican was shot at 1/1250 s, still a fast shutter speed, but without panning this would have been a blurry mess.

Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens, tripod, Induro GHB2 gimbal head, 1/1250s, f/8, ISO200, @ 600 mm

While in California last week a conversation with one of my customers came up about the Mississippi River. We both agreed that the river looks always muddy, no matter what time of the year. It is no secret that the top soil of the former prairie erodes away, left and right of the river’s path to the south. If you zoom in closely at my first image, you can see the real color of the water at the back of the vessel, stirred up by the ship’s propellor. At the other hand, the surface of the river has an almost intriguing blue color. We all know it is just the reflection of the sky. Knowing about our light source, direction, reflection, and what ever else may influence our image can make the difference between just wasting time or come back with the photo we have in mind.

THUNDER HEADS OVER DRESDEN

Dresden, Saxony, Germany

Spending time with my German family and friends is priceless. Yesterday we made a trip by train to the more than 1000 years old city of Meissen and returned to the capitol of my home state Saxony Dresden by paddle river boat. The famous skyline of Dresden was crowned by big thunder heads. You can’t ask for more as a photographer…

SPRING IN THE VALLEY

Little Maquoketa River Valley, Durango, Iowa

I love my little walks during the evening with our dog and with the camera in my hand. Sometimes its all about looking for birds and critters and sometimes I just chase the light. It’s a great way to wind down from a day behind the desk. 

Last night when the sun hit the horizon the magic of light unfolded down in the valley. The trees along the Little Maquoketa River received a nice shaft of warm light. The color of the leaves, the bare field in the foreground, and the pale stems of last year’s reeds and grasses, they all help to tell the story about spring in the valley. There are only a few days during the year when this picture can be made, maybe it was only yesterday. Last week the leaves were not really out. Later, when the leaves are darker and fully developed, when the field is planted, and when the sun sets in the northwest, it will not be the same mood anymore. Today I was at the river again but a gray overcast painted already a total different picture. Didn’t even think about to make a click…

WILDFLOWERS IN ABUNDANCE AND MEETING A LEGEND

Wildflowers at Palisades-Kepler State Park, Iowa

It was a lovely spring weekend and if you like wildflowers, it was the perfect time to see, photograph, or just enjoy them. It was Joan’s weekend off from work and we decided to pack the tent and go camping again. It had to be somewhere near Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Why? I will talk about this in a few seconds. We stayed two nights at Palisades-Kepler State Park, an 840-acre mostly wooded area with river bluffs, big trees, and a large variety of wildflowers. The bluffs overlook the beautiful Cedar River. We have quite a few wildflower species here on our bluffs above the Little Maquoketa River, but we can’t compete with the variety we have seen last weekend in the state park. I’m not much into flower photography but a few clicks were made anyway…😉

Moose Peterson

Well, the big reason I wanted to be near Cedar Rapids was a photography seminar on Saturday, which I had booked already several weeks ago. It was organized by the Linn Area Photo Club. I couldn’t be more excited because one of my favorite photographers presented ideas, shared his knowledge, and answered many questions from the audience. Moose Peterson, acclaimed wildlife, landscape, and aviation photographer, Nikon ambassador, and great educator had probably the most influence to my own style of photography during the last 8-9 years. The seminar was supported by many of his photos and seeing them projected on a big screen was a feast for the eyes. Although I don’t make a living from my photography, but I like his ideas, concepts, and workflow and have many applied to my own work. Moose Peterson shares his incredible knowledge and his passion for photography on his websites, on YouTube, or in his own publication, the BT Journal. http://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/ . Check it out, they are all great sources for inspiration and learning photography.

Early morning in Palisades-Kepler State Park, Iowa

Spending almost a whole weekend day with such beautiful warm weather inside a building is not normal behavior for me but I didn’t regret any minute and time flew by very fast.

Back in the camp Joan talked me into a hike and showed me some of the best spots in the park she and our dog Cooper had discovered during the day. Well, and we still had the Sunday for chasing the light… 😊

WARM LIGHT AND THE LATEST ABOUT THE OWLS

Mississippi River, Mud Lake, Image made at 500 mm with Nikon D750, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens

It’s a nice situation, I have made so many images recently , I just need to make up my mind what stories I like to tell first or maybe never. Sometimes the latest observations seem to be more important than the older pics… 

The backwaters of Mud Lake are the closest access to the Mississippi River for us, just ten minutes away from home. As you know, I watch the Great Horned Owl and their offspring during this time of the year at Mud Lake State Park and the photo below tells hopefully more I can even write about here…

Using the long lens for landscape photography may not be on every photographers mind. The compression of a scene, combined with gorgeous light, made me push the shutter release button this evening. The kiss of warm light during sunset is the right time to be there. The mighty Mississippi is behind this dike and the canal in the foreground is part of the Mud Lake backwaters.

OPENED THE TENT CAMPING SEASON

Paint Creek, Yellow River State Forest, Eastern Iowa

Despite temperatures slightly above freezing at night, Joan and I couldn’t resist to go out and open the tent camping season this weekend. We did a lot of bird watching along the Mississippi River and spent Saturday night in the Little Paint campground at Yellow River State Forest in northeast Iowa. We live in the drift-less area of Iowa, land that has not been flattened by the glaciers. As a result we have deep valleys, streams, rocks, bluffs, and large areas covered by forest. Yep, Iowa is not just corn and soybeans!!

One of the reasons I like it here so much is the fact that the landscape reminds me of the Sächsische Schweiz (Saxon Switzerland), an area not far from my hometown in the southeast corner of Germany. The sandstone bluffs and rocks in this part of Germany are very similar to what we have here in eastern Iowa. The Sächsische Schweiz is also a National Park in the state of Saxony.

There are many reasons to safe money in the endless world of “modern” consumption if you try to make a living by going to work five days a week. However, when it comes to camping and outdoor equipment we only buy the best of the best. There is nothing worse than freezing or being uncomfortable during a time when you are supposed to have fun. First class sleeping bags, good insulating mattresses, and the best tent in the world (Swedish Bo Hilleberg NALLO3!!!…, ours is almost 19 years old, and has still not let any water in) are the ingredients for trouble free camping! Even with the best equipment, a nice campfire works wonders. As you can see, Joan makes sure we have enough firewood on site before the night starts. Will talk about wildlife later, … so please stay tuned! 😊

DEPTH AND DRAMA

Clouds and other weather related things have always triggered my interest and so it may not be a total surprise that I make them increasingly the subject in my landscape photography. There were high winds last Wednesday and these clouds moved very fast and changed shape and colors constantly. The low sun that came out briefly gave the scene some depth and drama.