Category Archives: Sunrise

Sunrise Scenes

by

The Big Purge


It has been a long time coming now.  Backing up to the cloud takes time even with plenty of bandwidth.  My recent back up revelations have led to incessant purging of files.  It is a very long process.  2011, not a complete year (Aug – Dec), has been reduced to approximately 1000 shots retained; I am sure that could even be reduced further if I really had to.  I will leave some for a likely future last round of digital cleansing.  I guess when I first started to dig into photography I kept everything.  For the most part I am glad that I did.  When I look back it is very clear to me what worked and what didn’t.  I know a few more tricks in salvaging an image that was less than perfectly exposed, but that isn’t the ultimate goal.  Shoot and learn; shoot more and learn even more.

I am hoping with further review of subsequent years to see a style emerging; your style isn’t so readily apparent to you – at least it isn’t to me.  I have spent the last few years experimenting with many different things photographically.  It is interesting to look back at what you have shot. Remembering why you shot something is my biggest challenge (thankfully the memories are still fresh).  These are a few photos from 2011 that caught my eye while sifting through the nearly 4000 shots.

About these ads
by

Assorted Photos – 2013: Week #12


Another week gone by and even though we actually arrived at the first day of Spring , there doesn’t seem to be any Spring in sight.  Lots of snow and cold here in Minnesota yet.  Possible 40′s late in the coming week – woo hoo, but I won’t hold my breath; I see a chance of snow beyond that…is there no end?

I had the privilege of viewing a nice sunrise Friday morning.  There is just something about sunrise on Hwy 50.  I never tire of it.

5th St Tunnel St. Paul, MN
Setting Sun Anderson Center Red Wing, MN
Hwy 50 Sunrise
Hwy 50 Sunrise
Hwy 50 Sunrise
Asking to get key’d
Gopher Fans
by

Assorted Photos – 2013: Week #10


Another interesting week in photography and weather.  It is a crazy time of year; this transitional weather certainly affords a certain level of variety.  Huge dump of snow early in the week, hoar frost and fog mid-week and now rain at the tail-end of the week.  The rain will turn to snow,  ice, or both here shortly because that’s just the way it works around here this time of year.

Hwy 52
Hwy 52
Cannon River
Cannon River
Vermillion River
by

Assorted Photos – 2013: Week #8


It was an eventful weather week.  It started out windy and cold and ended with lots of snow.  The wind really whipped down Lake Pepin on Tuesday; it was quite the sight.  The eagles were out in numbers fishing away in the wind.  There was a magnificent rainbow sherbet sunrise mid-week.  I spied a pile of discarded household crap on a country road.  What the hell are people thinking when they do that?  And to wrap it all up, Friday brought several inches of white-fluffy-commute-lengthening stuff.  Eventful week.

Lake Pepin
Lake Pepin
Minneiska
Minneiska
Rainbow Sherbet
Big Stupid Head
Refinery
St. Paul
Road I live on
Wabasha St Bridge
Halfsies
Plowed
Dead Ends
St. Paul Skyline Pano
by

Assorted Photos – 2013: Week #7


Another installment of weekly shots.  Who knew Mallards were so carnivorous?  I certainly did not.

Maiden Rock, WI
Sunset – Lake Pepin. Maiden Rock, WI
Sunset – Lake Pepin. Maiden Rock, WI
Sunset – Lake Pepin. Maiden Rock, WI
Boathouses – Red Wing, MN
by

Spring Lake Sunrise


Another picture perfect Saturday morning on the Mississippi.

I scouted this area out on my way home from Work on Friday.  A short half mile walk from the parking lot down a well maintain trail – easy peasy.  I found a nice little point where we could set up and take in nature’s color.

Spring Lake Regional Park is located a few miles North and West of Hastings, MN.  There are two parts, an upper and a lower.  The upper part is Schaar’s Bluff; this is a great sunset location.  The lower part of the park was pretty great for sunrise.  Mother Nature cooperated once again and laid out some clouds just above the horizon.

The lower part of Spring Lake Regional Park has an archery trail.  If I were into bow hunting I’d think it was pretty swell.  Next to this archer trail is a half mile hiking trail down to the river where you’ll find a nice point that protrudes out into Spring Lake.

When we arrived this a.m. the gate was closed across the access road.  Bugger. I hadn’t considered that yesterday afternoon in the middle of the day.  We parked alongside the road, shouldered our gear and hoofed it to the trailhead.  It was a beautiful morning, mild weather, with only a few thousand mosquitoes.  They weren’t too vicious, but they were buzzing all around us.  After the fiery ball was well in the air we hiked back to the car.  There was something on the windshield.  A (Warning)/Citation outlining some sort of weird parking violation (no no parking signs anywhere in sight) and written on the other side was a phone number to call for access prior to 6 a.m. (no trail hours signs posted either).  I am supposed to automatically assume the park is closed if the gate is across the road?  I guess so.

by

Mississippi Sunrise – Weaver Bottoms


Another gorgeous morning for a sunrise on the Mississippi River.  This Saturday’s location was the Weaver Bottoms where the Whitewater River flows into the Mississippi River.  There were just enough clouds to add some substance to the sky and the fog was an extra bonus…as was the train streaking through the scene :-) .

by

Sunrise – Lake Pepin – Maple Springs, MN


We could not have asked for a better morning to take in a sunrise.  Lots of clouds and wonderful color; the mist burning off was a lovely bonus.  Maple Springs, at the foot of Lake Pepin, is an excellent place for a sunrise.  The wide expanse of water, bluffs, rocky shoreline and even the railroad tracks provide a great setting.

After our sunrise shoot we  went to the public access in Old Frontenac to look for beach treasure.  Nothing much to speak of really, but Cyndie found a big ‘ol shiny rock to tote home (last photo :-) ).  We drag all kinds of artifacts home from out travels; mostly interesting rocks to work into the landscaping.

by

Hwy 50 Sunrise and Afternoon


Highway 50 between Meisville and New Trier is a very nice stretch of road to take in a country sunrise.  This particular area also holds a scene of rolling hills that I have had my eye on this Spring.  Each day I drive by it…waiting…and waiting some more for the just the right light and some clouds on the horizon.  Last Friday just happened to be that day.  The rolling hills were just not exactly how I envisioned the shot in the a.m. so I stopped on my way home to capture them.  The clouds were fantastic drifting overhead and casting subtle shadows in the field.

by

When life gives you mud – make a mud pie


Or just get stuck in it…

This past weekend I had the distinct privilege of getting acquainted with some good ‘ol Wisconsin country field road mud.

The morning started out by dragging our butts out of bed at 5:30 a.m. in anticipation of a great sunrise shoot in the Leon Valley just South of Sparta, WI.  We arrived the evening before at the Justin Trails B&B and after dinner we heard the sand hill cranes across the way in the farmer’s marsh singing their songs.  After speaking with Donna (innkeeper) and being informed that the neighbor didn’t mind visitors our plan was quickly formulated.  The car was all set, camera gear – check; so with mugs of coffee in-hand we set off.  Our destination was only two short miles or so away.  Drive right to the marsh, find the cranes, catch the sunrise reflection off the water; maybe catch the cranes in the background or silhouetted - Easy-peasy right?  A well hatched plan took a different course when I made a poor decision that a.m. in the early light.  There are no signs that say “Puddles may be deeper than they appear” or “This mud is unbelievably squishy” because that is common sense; of which I exercised none.  I knew the moment just after we entered the puddle that it was a bad idea.  Hindsight is so wonderfully brilliant.  It would have been a more solid plan to stick to the farmer’s driveway rather than his field road.

Stuck we were.  We made an attempt at installing larger limbs in the tires path in an effort to get the tires to grab something, but the mud’s grip was too much.  At one point while trying to free the car, someone might have receive a free all-natural spa treatment – sorry honey for that mud bath – from a spinning wheel :-)

All the commotion had pretty much driven away all wildlife in our immediate area.  Our sunrise options were rather limited now and the clock was ticking.  We left the car behind and walked back out on that muddy field road to more solid ground.  Our setup for sunrise was in a rolling pasture instead .  It wasn’t quite what I had envisioned but it was a colorful vision non-the-less.

Leon Valley Sunrise

After sunrise we made our way [on foot] back to the B&B.  Our shoes and pants thoroughly covered in mud.  I met Donna in the lodge and confessed by poor choice of the morning whilst the aroma of bacon and freshly brewed coffee wafted about.  She advised that the neighbor was an early riser and I would likely find him up around 7:30.

View on the way to the farmer’s house

I took a nice long walk back to house.  The neighbor’s home is nicely situated part way up and on a carved out portion of a hillside.  There is a spectacular view of Leon Valley from his doorstep.  A view I took the opportunity to capture.  You can get a sense for how long the driveway is from the image below.

Joe Schaitel is one of the nicest farmers you could ever hope to meet.  After apologizing for my early morning intrusion I briefly explained my situation.  He very kindly and generously offered to help me out without the slightest hesitation or question.

He towed me out of that mud hole and then a bit farther down that field road just to be sure.  I offered up an appreciative sum to which he quickly declined.  His tractor made short work of my dilemma.  I can’t say enough about the kindness afforded me – the complete stranger – by this farmer – in this beautiful area of Wisconsin.  It is great to meet wonderful people like Joe along your travels.

After several “thank you’s” and appreciative chat I was on my way back to the B&B to have breakfast with my sweetie.  I could smell the bacon and taste the coffee.  Cyndie just happened to be right there at the driveway to capture my muddy blunder.  It was an eventful morning and the details of it all provided for a day’s worth of jokes.  If you can’t laugh at the stupid things you do from time to time…well, laugh at the stupid things other people do.  I prefer the latter.