Big waves

 

I was supposed to sit in an airplane to Germany while I’m writing this but a strike of the Lufthansa pilots grounded me for another day. Take off from the American continent will be hopefully Friday night instead…

Time to post another photo from our Thanksgiving weekend on the Door Peninsula in Wisconsin. Saturday we had another proof that Lake Michigan is not just a pond… ;-)… Strong winds created big waves that could compete with any ocean in the world at one of our favorite spots on the peninsula, North Pierhead Lighthouse…

Self assignment

 

There are definitely some reasons why we keep coming back to the Door peninsula in Lake Michigan in November and one of them is that we have it almost for ourselves. It is a touristy place in the summer but at this time of the year not too many people find the way up here. One of our favorite hikes starts at Cave Point County Park and leads on top of the rocky bluffs along the lake shore into White Fish Dunes State Park. Beside enjoying the crisp and clear air after an excellent Thanksgiving meal we watched out for ice sculptures that have been shaped by the waves and the surf of the lake. We have done this every time during the last three years and it is never the same experience.

I gave myself an assignment today by using only the wide angle zoom Sigma 10-20mm / f4-5.6 for all photos. I was looking for a way to challenge creativity on a subject I have worked on before under similar circumstances. Where is the challenge? The easy way is to zoom in with a longer lens, like the Nikkor 24-120, f/4, because the winter weather with ice and snow on the ground forbids to get really close to the edge of the bluffs. A fall into the icy water might be fatal. The challenge was finding the places where subject, light, and a safe way to make the shot coincided. You can certainly make a bet on the fact that the most interesting ice formations are right at the edge of the bluffs. It is obvious that the second photo wasn’t so difficult to make but above the bluffs it was a different game. Needless to say that cropping beyond keeping the horizon line straight was not an option for today’s assignment. I like to rework known photo subjects or situations with different technical means, during shooting as well as in the post process. I believe it is a valid way to improve… Give it a try! :-)

Beauty in ice

 

I don’t think there is much to write about today’s photos made at Lake Michigan up in Door County, Wisconsin. Ice sculptures are a wonderful subject for nature photography and if the light is right their beauty can be revealed easily. We had a great time working these wonderful ice formations from different perspectives and angles. I hope you enjoy!

More from Door County Peninsula

 

I like to round up my little story about our trip to Door County last week with a few more images. Thanksgiving was relatively warm but very windy. Ideal conditions to visit the shoreline along Lake Michigan on the east side of the peninsula. I haven't used my Sigma 10-20 wide angle lens for a while but here it was a good choice to capture the beautiful rocks and waves pounding against shore.

To make my series of lighthouses complete, here is an image of North Pierhead Lighthouse. This is the point where the canal that connects Lake Michigan with the Green Bay begins (or ends, depending from what direction you approach it) and where the lights helps to find the entrance into the canal. Joan was with our little dog Cooper at the end of the pier and got a very nice close up shot of the red lighthouse in "killer light". I'm not unhappy with my perspective but I like her image a lot.

While hiking into the woods along the canal and trying to find a good perspective for the nearby Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal lighthouse I heard the noise of a boat engine. There are not many vessels on the water at this time of the year and I started running down the hill towards the canal in order to get a clear view for the boat. It was actually a real nice one and I was just able to make a few clicks before it disappeared behind the surrounding trees again.

Each evening of the four nights we spent in Sturgeon Bay the sky was different. I liked the last one on Saturday night the best. The color contrast after sunset was great. What a way to end a wonderful weekend... :-)

Door County lighthouses, part 1

 

It was a very windy day and much colder today in Door County. We continued exploring the state parks and tried to find more lighthouses. With fast moving clouds the light changed constantly all day long. Most of the time it was all gray but then suddenly a gap opened in the sky and "killer light" would strike the scenery. These moments are often very briefly and it was important to be ready and prepared for the shot. As you can see being patient paid back at almost every lighthouse we visited during the last two days. I hope you enjoy this little series of Door County's lighthouses. A second part may follow soon.

Ocean feeling

 

If you live in the Midwest of the United States chances are pretty good that you may book a flight if you like to spend some time along an ocean shore. A great way to experience the "ocean flair" without spending much time and money for a flight is to go to any of the Great Lakes. The only thing I'm missing here at Lake Michigan is the salty smell in the air that you can experience at the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean. We had great weather today with still mild temperatures, sun, and a stiff breeze that created some good size waves.

The sun is only at an elevation of about 25 degree above the horizon at midday, and in combination with a very thin layer of clouds it creates mostly very nice light conditions. We went on some short hikes today along the coast, enjoyed the landscape and visited three lighthouses. No, we didn't eat a big Thanksgiving turkey dinner today but after a wonderful day outdoors and lots of good photo opportunities we had no regrets of eating a big bowl of chili in our little cottage this evening... ;-) More to come...