Superior Photographs

WINTER 2009

March 31, 2009

A spring snow storm hit most of Minnesota today so I decided I wanted to capture a few images of some barns in the area. We picked up about seven inches of some heavy wet snow, and some parts of the state got more. Everyone I talk to is sick of the snow and cannot wait for spring. I on the other hand enjoy winter and take advantage of every chance to shoot in some new snow. A fresh blanket of snow gave these images a nice soft look. Unfortunately the snow stopped and it started to get dark, so I packed it up and headed home.

March 13-15, 2009

Last week the North Shore picked up 8-10 inches of new snow, so my wife and I decided to head up north to do a little cross country skiing before the arrival of warmer spring temperatures. There was still plenty of ice piled up along the shore. Saturday morning we caught the sunrise at the Split Rock Lighthouse and then went skiing at Gooseberry State Park. Then we drove down to Duluth to photograph some ice at sunset. We spent the night in Two Harbors and I got up the next morning and shot some more ice near the Two Harbor’s break wall and also shot the frozen Edna G. Tugboat.

March 6-8, 2009

After viewing satellite images of Lake Superior, I decided to head up to the North Shore in search for ice. In the spring the ice breaks up, and depending on the wind direction, it can pile up along the shore. Upon my arrival I quickly discovered that the ice had not yet broken up and it was frozen solid for about 200 yards out from shore. Most of the ice piles were not located along the shore, but along the edge of the ice where open water was. The ice was 8-12" thick so I ventured out to get my pictures. This was the first time I have ever been able to walk that far out on Superior, and to some degree it was a little unnerving. My first night I pitched my tent on the frozen lake. In the morning I found myself at the Split Rock Lighthouse shooting a nice ice field with the lighthouse in the background. I heard reports that the harbor in Grand Marais was frozen over, so I drove further north in search for more ice. The harbor was froze over so I decided to wait till sunset to get my picture of the Grand Marais lighthouse. That night I snowshoed up the Caribou River and camped on the frozen river. Underneath my tent and the ice I could hear the slow trickle of the Caribou River, within minutes I was asleep. In the morning there was a strong northeast wind breaking up the ice and moving it down the shore towards Duluth. I managed to find some more ice piles just before sunrise. The blue in the ice is very dominate just before sunrise. Ice is one of my favorite subjects to photograph. It won’t be long, soon Lake Superior will be released from its wintery grip and spring will arrive.

February 12-16, 2009

My wife and I were recently at the Grand Canyon for a couple of days. We are not like most Minnesotans, instead of heading for a more warmer climate like the Caribbean, we vacation at places with more snow and colder temperatures. Prior to our arrival, the Grand Canyon received 20 inches of snow and was shut down for five days. We were going to camp out, but with -10 and wind chills in the -20's, we opted for a lodge. This was our first time at the Grand Canyon, and without a doubt, this is one of the coolest places I have ever seen. Photographs cannot truly capture the enormous magnitude of this place. We day-hiked 3 hours into the canyon and never got down to the river. One morning we awoke to 2" of new snow blanketing the canyon (this was my personal highlight). I already want to go back. If you have never experienced this great wonder, put it first on your list of places to visit.

Janurary 24-25, 2009

I have been wanting to get some winter steam pictures of Lake Superior, but it requires very cold temperatures. This weekend it was suppose to get down to -20 so I pack up my gear and headed for the North Shore. When I arrived for the Saturday morning sunrise I did not see any steam, instead the lake was frozen over for about 200 yards off shore (bummer). So no steam shots the first morning. Later in the morning the wind picked up, broke and moved out the ice. I just happened to be down by the lake during this process and managed to witness the power of wind and water over the ice. I sent up my tent that night on an ice shelf under the chilly stars. I woke the next morning to -20 and a lot of steam coming off the lake (finally). On the way home I found some ice shards piled up along the shore. Despite the harsh winter conditions, I find winter photography the most rewarding. In the winter, Lake Superior can give you so many different looks in a single day.

Janurary 10, 2009

This weekend my wife and I were on the North Shore. Each year we go up in the winter to “get away” and do some cross country skiing. No winter camping and no winter storms. I got up Saturday morning and headed for the Split Rock Lighthouse (no North Shore trip would be complete without at least one morning photo-shoot at the lighthouse). There were clear skies when I got up, so I wasn’t very excited about the possible sunrise. As I began to set up, the clouds started to roll in (clouds always give your sunrise a little more character). The warm colors in the sky contrasted nicely with the ice along the shoreline. There was pancake ice in the bay and this was another special treat. After a couple of hours of pictures it was time to head back to the condo. That afternoon we went cross country skiing at Gooseberry State Park and took a little coco break at a three-sided shelter. Towards evening we headed for the Split Rock Lighthouse to watch the full moon rise behind the lighthouse. This weekend’s full moon, called the “perigee moon,” was the biggest and brightest moon that will be seen in 2009. The moon was 30,000 miles closer to the earth making it appear much bigger. The full moons in the late fall and winter months usually rise closest to the lighthouse making it ideal for photography. However, it was cloudy in October, November, and December, so January’s full moon was indeed a rare sight in this very cloudy winter season.

Janurary 2-4, 2009

Yet another big winter storm hit this weekend. This time I decided to head up to the North Shore. I drove up Friday before the storm came. Saturday morning I headed down to the Split Rock Lighthouse before the snow started to fly. Usually before the storm hits is when the sky looks the stormiest. A northeast wind created some good waves. Around noon the snow began to fall so I drove up to Oberg Mt. hoping to get some winter shots of Oberg Lake. I strapped on the snowshoes and headed up the mountain. The overlooks with the snow created some nice images, definitely worth the hike. It was now getting late so I decided to hike up the Temperance river and set up camp for the night. I enjoy winter camping, no bugs, no people, and it is really quiet. I set up my tent next to the frozen Temperance River. Once I was settled in for the night, I took a little self portrait entitled “comfy and cozy.” Throughout the night I could hear the heavy snow coming down on my tent. In the morning I woke up to about 10" of new snow. I broke camp and headed down stream to get some images of the Temperance River gorge. In about a hour the sun broke so I decided to head home.