RACCOON MOON

Mississippi Valley, Green Island Wetlands, Iowa

I left the Green Island Wetlands in the Mississippi Valley late last Sunday evening. My hope was to spot maybe a Short-eared Owl, which I had seen in this area before some years ago. This didn’t happen but instead the call from a Great Horned Owl echoed from the rocky bluffs that line the edge of the valley after sunset. I enjoyed it for a few minutes while sitting in the car with the windows down. Just as I was ready to leave I looked to the east and realized that I had missed the moonrise over the Mississippi River. It was still gorgeous and since the Sigma 150-600 S was still on camera, I used the long end of the lens for a compressed view across the wetlands.

I finished the book “Saga of the Sioux” just recently and learned that many civilizations, including native Americans, used a calendar based on the cycles of the moon. Some would call the one we see here “Moon of the Dark Red Calves”, others call it “Racoon Moon”. It makes sense, raccoons mate in February and amorous raccoons become especially raucous. Yep, let’s call this photo ‘Raccoon Moon’!

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Sigma 150-600mm / f5-6.3 DG OS HSM S,….@ 600 mm

FROM THE ARCHIVE: BOWMAN LAKE, GLACIER NP, MONTANA

Bowman Lake, Glacier National Park, Montana, 2008

As I reorganize my photo library during the winter I come across some pictures that trigger great memories from the time they were created. This one is from September 2008. We had pitched our tent at Bowman Lake in Glacier National Park in Montana. A walk along the lake, with the camera on tripod over my shoulder in the morning, was the first attempt to capture some of the endless beauty Glacier National Park has to offer. Clouds and fog over the lake were lifting and the diffused sun showed up above the mountain ridge.

Only three pictures from that walk in the morning were kept in the archive but due to the lack of knowledge I probably missed a lot of opportunities. My post-processing skills were also still at a beginner’s level at that time and obviously one of the reasons I didn’t touch the file for almost fifteen years. Luckily from day one, since a DSLR camera was in the photo bag (in April 2007), I shot every single image as a RAW file, means all the data are lossless “conserved”. In addition post processing software has evolved tremendously during the last fifteen years. Taking an old photo like this, tweaking and processing it with the latest tools is fun and allows us to share photos, we maybe would not have considered at the time right after they were captured in camera.

So, what was done here? The gray in the sky overpowered all the colors and took a lot away from the scene as I saw it. It was important that the highlights in the sun and reflections of the sun were not blown out and would render in a white “blob” in a print on paper, or just on the screen of the computer. Although the photo was shot at ISO 100, I still used Topaz DeNoise AI for further noise reduction. This fantastic software also does a great job for the basic sharpness every RAW file needs to undergo for a final sharp image. Subtle fining tuning of vibrance, contrast, highlights, and shadows, most of it locally in Adobe Camera RAW with its relatively new mask features, has led to the final image.

RETAINING VALUE

Lenticular cloud, Owens Valley, California, 2009

The long and dark evenings during winter are the best time to tidy up or reorganize the photo library. While doing this I stumble sometimes over an older picture that may have some potential to be shown to the public. In the fall of 2009, during a trip through the Sierra Nevada in California with some German friends, we explored the Owens Valley and its surroundings. A lenticular cloud was hanging all day long above the area. It was just a matter of finding the right angle of view for integrating it into the landscape.

At this time I was shooting already two years with my first DSLR camera, the beloved Nikon D200. Looking at these old images almost 14 years later makes me aware ones more that I just had started to scratch the surface of photography. Only a couple months earlier I had added the gorgeous Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2/35 ZF to the camera bag. During this trip I used this lens with its manual focus a lot. The sharpness and rendering of this piece of glass was so much better than what I had owned ever before. I still use it today. Cameras will come and go and become technically obsolete very quickly. A real good lens retains its value much longer.

Nikon D200, Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 2/35 ZF, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head   @ 1/20 s, f/22, ISO 100

BACK IN THE NORTHWOODS

Fay Lake, Florence County, Wisconsin

It was the traditional ice fishing weekend with friends up in the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Great camaraderie, good food, lots of laughters, moderate temperatures, and yes, a few fish saw the light above the ice. While here in eastern Iowa all the snow had melted, up north there was still plenty of the white stuff on the ground and the ice on the lake was solid and about 12” (30 cm) thick. Good enough for driving safely onto the lake.

I know I have posted photos of Fay Lake before, but it is never twice the same. The camera comes out of the bag shortly before we collect our fishing gear and leave the ice. The sun is low and we were rewarded with a nice glow on the ice and warm colors above the horizon. Good times!

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 24mm, 1/1000 s, f/10, ISO 100

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2023 #2 - DARK ICE

Mississippi River, John Deere Dike, Dubuque, Iowa

Here is another photo from the first day of this year. When we walked towards the end of the almost a kilometer (0.6 mi.) long dike at John Deere Marsh the scene was constantly changing. The main channel of the river lies right in front of you and the Wisconsin side is about 1.4 km (0.87 mi.) away. The fog above the ice was in motion and a few remaining snow drifts made for a crazy pattern on the dark ice.

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 31mm, 1/100s, f/8, ISO 320

MISSISSIPPI RIVER STORIES 2023 #1 - GREETING A NEW YEAR

Mississippi River, looking north from John Deere Dike, Dubuque, Iowa

Welcome in 2023! I think there is no better way to start into a new year than going for a walk with a camera in hand. With the grandkids in tow we made a short, but enjoyable hike to the end of John Deere Dike. This leads you about half a mile into the main channel of the mighty Mississippi River. Despite the warm weather we had after Christmas, the ice is still standing for the most part on the river and it had a dark color during this early evening hour. Large patches of fog had developed in the distance and the setting sun illuminated the clouds above.

This light and marker for the boat traffic has been my anchor point for many images before. I can tell you, the mood in these photos is never twice the same. Today it was quiet, calm, and kinda romantic. Not much effort was required in post process to emphasize what I saw in my mind for the final picture and for another, new Mississippi River story.

LAST HIKE

Horseshoe Bluff, Mines of Spain, Dubuque, Iowa

Spring like temperatures melted most of the snow we had away in just a couple days and we took the grandkids yesterday evening for probably the last hike in 2022. We climbed up the slippery trail to the overlook at Horseshoe Bluff in the Mines of Spain Recreation Area, in Dubuque, Iowa and enjoyed the warm light on the bluffs before sunset. The eye wanders along the rock wall and stops at the still frozen Mississippi River far in the back. I always enjoy the view in both directions, north and south, but looking south and having the setting sun illuminating the rocks of this old, horseshoe shaped quarry is hard to beat.

Thank you to everybody who shared ideas, knowledge, and opinions, or just quietly enjoyed looking at my photos in 2022. I wish all friends and visitors of my website and blog post a wonderful year 2023! Stay safe!

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,   @ 31 mm, 1/160s, f/8, ISO 640

BACK AT THE LIGHTHOUSE

Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse, Lake Michigan, Wisconsin

I’m back from probably my last business trip this year, this time to the western shore of Lake Michigan. Native Americans, who called this place home in the days before European settlement, named it Manitowoc, home of the good spirits. I have been there before in September 2021 and came back with some pictures of the Manitowoc Breakwater Lighthouse that marks the entrance to the marina. (Click HERE for a link to my blog post from last year )

This time the image was was created from a different angle and different light. The late afternoon sun was muted by a layer of clouds but the building stood out against the darker clouds over the lake. A little snow on the ice in the foreground and tweaking the white balance towards a colder tone give this photo the peaceful wintry mood I felt yesterday at the lake shore. Maybe this was just the prelude to a big snowstorm and arctic temperatures that are expected here in the Midwest still before Christmas…

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4,  @ 200mm, 1/400s, f/5.6, ISO 400

OZARK MOUNTAINS (7)

Pines in the fog, Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas

The majority of time in the Ozarks we had blue skies and sunshine, but the few days with clouds, rain, or fog were actually the ones I enjoyed a lot more for photography. It seemed like we had to wait all summer long for the mood a foggy landscape can provide and that I like so much.

This meadow in Petite Jean State Park, Arkansas was actually an overflow campground, probably used in the summer when camping space in such a popular location is in high demand. Well, at his time of the year nobody was there and these wonderful pines, hugged by the fog, were just the right subject for a photo. Color’s didn’t play any roll and selecting black and white as my medium was a choice quickly made. A campground usually comes with some men-made facilities, like electrical outlet boxes, water faucets, or garbage containers. There were a few of these items visible between the trees in the background, but for such items, that just do not contribute to the photo, I don’t hesitate to use tools for content-aware replacement in Adobe Photoshop. What you won’t see in any of my nature images is sky replacement or any manipulation that changes the context of the subject.

OZARK MOUNTAINS (5)

Palisades Overlook, Petit Jean State Park, Ozark Mountains, Arkansas. *Click on the photo for a larger view.

This was probably one of the most interesting vistas we enjoyed in the Ozark Mountains. Yes this is the same viewpoint I had already a few days ago but it was the day before Thanksgiving and sun and fall colors made for a great show at the edge of Cedar Creek Canyon. Down below in the background lies the Arkansas River Valley.

This panorama is stitched together from two photos. They were merged in Adobe Lightroom and it took less than a minute to do. It still amazes me how far this software has come over the years.

OZARK MOUNTAINS (4)

Grasses in the river bed, Haw Creek Falls, Ozark Mountains, Arkansas

Today I have something for the more art-minded viewers. In my first blog post about the Ozark Mountains about a week ago I mentioned the challenge to find interesting details in the landscape. Deep in the woods of the Ozarks we checked out a campground at Haw Creek Falls. The summer was dry, not just in this part of the country, and many creeks and rivers have still low water levels and the waterfalls of Haw Creek were not very impressive  to say it mildly. But a hike with the camera on the exposed rocks in the river bed seemed to be promising. Harsh light can be your friend sometimes and these grasses in the river bed, that obviously had not seen a flash flood this summer, stood out against the dark background of the river nicely. The curves of the rocks gives us an idea how the water has carved out this valley over a long period of time.

And here is one of the aspects I like about the Nikon Z 6II, the first mirrorless camera that I use since exactly a year now. I really love the ability to set the camera into a particular picture mode and see a preview of the photo right in the viewfinder before I even make the click. In this matter I set it to monochrome. My presets in camera include a red filter applied to the image and relatively high contrast and sharpening. I still shoot in RAW mode, and if I don’t like the final result, it allows me to go back to color because all color information is still stored in the RAW file. In this case, with “Grasses in the river bed”, it was exactly what I had envisioned and saw in the viewfinder when the click was made, except for the fact that I cropped the final picture slightly.

Nikon Z6II, Nikon FTZ adapter, Nikon Nikkor AF-S 70-200mm, f/4, GITZO tripod GT2931 Basalt, KIRK BH-3 ball head  @ 200mm, 1/400s, f/4, ISO 100

OZARK MOUNTAINS (2)

Between rain showers, Palisades Overlook, Petit Jean State Park, AR

We spent Thanksgiving weekend in and around Petit Jean State Park, Arkansas. While we found mostly bare trees in the northern part of the Ozarks, fall colors were still present south of the Arkansas River. I made some photos of this vista from Palisades Overlook in nice sunlight with a blue sky the day before, but I like this shot between rain showers across Cedar Creek Canyon much better. Clouds moved fast through the canyon and the colorful trees below tell the story that fall finally came to an end here as well. An hour later we had a great Thanksgiving dinner at Mather Lodge, one of Arkansa’s historic treasures, built in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Beats camping food by far…😉

Nikon Z6II, Nikkor Z 24-70, f/4 S,  @ 24mm, 1/250s, f/8, ISO 400

OZARK MOUNTAINS (1)

Old barrage at Alley Spring Roller Mill, Ozark National Riverways, near Eminence, Missouri

Hi everybody, we are back from a road trip that led us through parts of the Ozark Mountains in Missouri and Arkansas. Not a time when most people travel with a tent as their daily shelter for the night, but despite a few cold moments we managed it well. Photographically spoken it wasn’t a trip with a lot of great vistas but finding interesting details in the landscape was the challenge I tried to take on every day. I hope you may enjoy some of the photos I share here in the blog during the next weeks.