Day 273 Crescent Lighthouse Moonset

Crescent Lighthouse Moonset


This is one of those once in a lifetime photographs. There was a member event including a tour, the lighting of the light, a presentation and food. I ment to bring my tripod to work that day knowing the light would be lit but I forgot :O :( I still wanted to try and get some photographs though especially since I had noticed the crescent moon was setting just after the sun. After I finished giving the members a tour I grabbed my camera and tried to get the photograph I wanted without a tripod. I managed alright by bumping up the ISO, leaning against walls and railings, and making many extra photographs knowing some would be blurry. I made many decent photographs but this one is the best because the tower is tall and imposing and the moon is shining from a colorful sunset. I do wish the moon was a little bigger in the frame. All in all one of my best and favorite photographs of Split Rock Lighthouse.

Day 272 Split Rock Lighthouse

Split Rock Lighthouse

This is one of my absolut favorite and best photographs of Split Rock Lighthouse. I have grown a great fondness of clouds because they always make a photograph more interesting. For this photograph they were perfect with just the right ratio of cloud to blue sky. The scene is pretty contrasty and has dark shadows due to the harsh noon light but it works because it gives it a stark power and separates it from the background. I also like the composition and how it includes not only the lighthouse itself but also the fog horns. And you can see the third order Fresnel lens well.

Day 271 Stitching a Quilt

Stitching a Quilt

Diane and other guides at Split Rock Lighthouse have been working on this quilt and it is finally nearing completion. I like Diane's wonderful smile and how her surroundings and clothes help to tell the time period she is depicting. I wish the window wasn't so over exposed but it si not too distracting.

Day 270 Bouquet

Bouquet

Fall bouquets are very beautiful and photogenic. I liked this one that was made by a coworker at Split Rock Lighthouse. There was this one clump of white flowers sticking out the top then this swath of colorful leaves creating the base. There were a few other elements as well but those two were my favorite and made a great photograph. I like the shallow depth of field which makes you focus on the white flowers and the colorful leaves becomes a nice non-distracting background.

Day 269 Pin Cushion

Pin Cushion

I was looking around the restored keepers home at Split Rock Lighthouse looking for things to photograph. I found this pin cushion backlit by a window. I played around with many different compositions and lightings but liked this one best. I like the S curve of the curtain interacting with the needles poking out of the pin cushion. Then all of it is backlit with a warm light with partly goes through the curtain but totally silhouettes the pin cushion.

Day 268 Fall at the Lighthouse

Fall at the Lighthouse

This is not a common view of Split Rock Lighthouse but I loved how this one brilliantly colorful tree and how nicely it interacted with the fog signal building and the oil house.

Day 267 Iron Ship

Iron Ship

There are many iron oar ships traveling along Lake Superior. I have photographed the ships some but they are always so far away that they look really small. This one is actually around 1000 feet long.

Day 266 Blue and Gold

Blue and Gold

I took a nice walk today and ended up at the lake near my house. I noticed that the setting sun was turning the water plants golden and the clear sky was reflecting off the water making it a brilliant blue. I then added the floating log which I think is a key element in the photograph.

Day 265 Gray Sheep

Gray Sheep

This sheep that we call woolly is very friendly and is alway begging for a scratch. It does mean though that she will pose very close and the difficulty was more in getting far enough away to be able to focus on the eye. I managed it in this one although it is interesting how the top eyelash is not in focus. I like the intimate feel and the unique angle.

Day 264 Flaming Sky

Flaming Sky

The sunset today was spectacular. I always try to find something to silhouet against sunset colors and this time I tried to only add a few trees so as to not distract from the wonderful clouds and colors. I also like the gray clouds in the bottum because they add a nice contrast to all the brilliant color above.

Day 263 Sowing in the Old Way

Sowing in the Old Way

I love the way I made this photograph looking through the sowing machine which is also one of the old foot peddle Singer ones. Diane also has a wonderful smile that really makes the photograph work.

Day 262 Birch in Fall Gold

Birch in Fall Gold

I took a hike today up to the dome overlooking my house and then along the ridge and to a little lake nearby. On the way up the hill I made many photographs I like but this one is defiantly my favorite. When I saw this scene I immediately noticed it and loved the way the sunlight was brightening up the leaves and lighting the birch with a golden light. I tried a few different angles and compositions and actually ended up liking the one with the birch centered the best. I love the small detailed contrast in the birch but how most of the focus in on the bright colors surrounding it all. I defiantly enjoyed playing with my new 50mm 1.8 prime lens on this walk and for this photograph.

Day 261 Sunday Towel

Sunday Towel

In the restored keepers home at Split Rock Lighthouse we have a bunch of embroidered dish towels. These towels as well as many other little elements of history really make the house feel lived in and brings back memories in visitors minds.

Day 260 Ships Clock

Ships Clock

This ships clock is actually not on a ship but in the restored keepers home at Split Rock Lighthouse. I Liked the way the hands are mirroring each-other. I thought it looked better in black and white. Plus it adds to the old feel.

Day 259 Fall Colors

Fall Colors

This photograph is not what many people would expect fall colors to be. These are colors or a fall harvest.

Day 258 Fall Flowers

Fall Flowers

I went out around the farm looking for photographs in the diminishing light. I found a few neat things to photograph that were new or different. One of them were these bunches of flowers. I made a few photos focusing on the petals but liked this one which I made at the last minute best. I like the complex pattern in the green leading out to the delicate white flowers.

Day 257 Golden Sawmill Dome

Golden Sawmill Dome

I have been returning home from work right when the sunlight turns golden. I get to drive along wishing I was not in a car and photographing away. But I am also tired after a long day of work and have Laura to pick up and errands to do. I do usually manage to make a few photos this being one of them. I just love the golden ridge named Sawmill Dome framed by the light sky above and the shadowy trees below.

Day 256 Lantern Light

Lantern Light

Remember the days when a lantern like this was all you had for light once the sun went down. Well I'm not really old enough to really be able to say that but I did, and still do, have to use a lantern like this whenever there was an electrical storm. This oil lamp is one of the artifacts in the restored keepers home at Split Rock Lighthouse. I have photographed it extensively patly because I love the way the evening light comes through the oil turning it brilliant orange/red.

Day 255 Storm-light Lighthouse

Storm-light Lighthouse

Some nice storms rolled by today and after one more rainy spell the sun peaked out. I looked up at Split Rock Lighthouse and it was bathed in a beautiful crisp light. I managed to make a few photographs before the clouds moved on and the sun was hidden again. I like the details of the lighthouse that this light enhances.

Day 254 Remembering 9/11

Remembering 9/11

Today is the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the USA. All over the country there was a moment of silence taken at noon. At Split Rock Lighthouse we participated in that silence starting it with the ringing of an old ship-bell and closing it with another ringing. This photograph is of two guides in the uniforms that the Keepers of the lighthouse wore ringing the bell to start the silence. I do wish the moment of silence was not at noon simply for photographers benefit, the light was very harsh.

Day 253 Water Takeoff

Water Takeoff

I was working at Split Rock Lighthouse keeping busy in the restored house when I hear this extremely loud plane fly by then it got louder and came closer again. We get planes flying by somewhat regularly but this sounded different. I grabbed my camera and got out in time to see this huge float plane that had landed just off the cliff from the lighthouse. I got to watch it cruise around on the water for a few minutes before is started revving up and took off. This photograph is from when it was just lining up. I continued photographing in burst mode for most of the planes long takeoff. It was a very neat thing to watch and photograph, and not something you get to see every day.

Day 252 It was THIS Big

It was THIS Big

I was at a welcoming party for the new naturalists for Wolf Ridge ELC and was also on photo duty. It was at a house right on the shore of Lax Lake. It was a nice evening but the light disappeared fast meaning I had to use flash a lot. I did get this photograph well there was still enough light to get by. I like the intensity in the girls eyes and it is fun to try and imagen what she was talking about.

Day 251 Fiery Sunset

Fiery Sunset

Many of you have probably heard about the huge fire in the BWCAW in northern Minnesota. It was smokey where I lived very early on in the fires life even before it got crazy big. I live just south of the fire, around 20 miles. There was A LOT of smoke and it made for some beautiful sunsets. This photograph shows what was a common view for a good week. I like the gradient of color with the dark smoke cloud cutting across the top. I also like the stacks of trees silhouetted in the front.

Day 250 House Keys

House Keys

This is the key ring with all the keys to the restored keepers home at Split Rock Lighthouse. I was closing up the house in the evening and looking around for photo opportunities. I tried a few different photographs using the keys as a prop. I liked this one best partly because of its simplicity. The background is very simple and not distracting but textured. That allows the keys to dominate the scene. Then the final element that makes this photograph work is having the brass clip balance with the silver keys.

Day 249 Mountain Ash, In Fruit

Mountain Ash, In Fruit

There is this good sized Mountain Ash tree standing all by itself at split rock lighthouse. It has been very beautiful recently with large bunches of red berries hanging all over. The berries also attracted a huge flock of birds feasting. I spent a nice chunk up time standing under the tree photographing the birds eating. I did make some okay shots or the birds eating but I liked this photograph better because of the great contrast of the red berries and the green leaves.

Day 248 Dancing High

Dancing High

There is a high ropes challenge course at the Environmental Learning Center near my house. It is a very great ropes course way better then any I have seen or done elsewhere. You walk along different challenges hanging 10 meters(30 feet) off the ground. It is very scary for many people but I have done it so many times that I have gotten used to it. This photograph is of Laura starting out on the longest and arguably most difficult event on the course. I liked the crossed legs and how it reminded me of balay.

Day 247 Star Silhouette

Star Silhouette

I was out one night watching the stars and got the idea for this photograph. I wanted to combine the water windmill with I think is very photogenic with one of my favorite types of photography which is at night. This was one of my more planned photographs and it worked out great.

Day 246 Home Sweet Home

Home Sweet Home

Home is the most wonderful place but it is hard to photograph well because I have so much personal connections that is interferes with creating the art. So how well did I do?

Day 245 Sunset Windmill

Sunset Windmill

The windmill we have for pumping water out of the well is an old style one that is very neat. On this occasion the setting sun was adding a touch of golden light to the windmill backdropped by spotty clouds.

Day 244 Fall Fog

Fall Fog

Fall is moving in cold and fast. Along with that comes the fog. Fog makes Lake Superior beautiful and photogenic. I liked how the trees in the foreground help to frame the mist creeping over the island and hills.