Snow Art by Mother Nature

For unknown reasons, I've always loved reading about adventures of polar explorers.  My favorite book on the subject was "Endurance" by Ernest Shackleton.  It's the story of a failed attempt to cross Antarctica by sledge and the struggle to survive during a two year period stranded by pack ice and remoteness.  It's worth a read.  I think part of my attraction to these stories are that I truly enjoy snow and winter and being outdoors doing just about anything.  Call me a bit crazy, but there are times I love the bite of below zero on my skin and the struggle to just traverse deep snow.  For myself, it makes me feel alive.

As I snowshoed yesterday, the wind was up pretty high, but temps were not terrible.  I knew after working my way through the woods, I'd end up out on an open windy field.  I shot a few frames, but there wasn't a lot that caught my eye.  Nearing sunset and cresting the top of a hill,  the forms of the snow drifts started to interest me.  We'd received some rain a week ago, which formed a crust, and more recently, powder snow on top.  The strong winds during the past day or two really sculpted it and made (for me) some interesting forms.  I also liked the warm colors of the late day sun reflecting off of it.  I stopped at the highest point of my hike and wondered if those polar explorers appreciated the same beauty provided by the rawness of nature.  Perhaps, or maybe it was just another hurdle in the way to achieve their goals.

Snow Crescent

Sunset on Snow and Crust

Track Stories

I probably post something similar to this every winter, but it's something I just need to do.  I enjoy tracks.  I like the stories they can tell or the stories I try to interpret and think about.  They stop me in my.....ahhh, tracks.  They make me consider the when and why and it's okay if I never figure it all out-that's part of wonder Iguess.

White Footed Mouse tracks

These Wild Turkey tracks I happened to cut several times during my snowshoe.  The first time was out on a crusty and windblown field, where they could barely break the surface, then later in the woods wandering around in search of food.  I saw them several more times and finally they wandered into the yard checking for bird feeder leftovers.

Wild Turkey track in snow

Tubbs Snowshoe Tracks  on Cliffs field

Lastly, I stopped and checked out my own tracks.  The 24" snowshoes struggle in the 2' of snow here...or maybe it's just me.  I did get a workout, breathed fresh cold air and enjoyed the quiet.

Nat Geo Photography links

I ran across some great photos this morning-published on National Geographic's site featuring the daily dozen from readers.  I mentioned to my class yesterday that if they don't like making pictures and looking at pictures, they should take a different class.  This site is a good start.
Nat Geo-your-shot/daily-dozen

(from the daily-dozen site)

Of course, one link leads to another and I did some surfing on other pages in the NatGeo photography pages.

NAT Geo Photogtaphy

(from the Adventure and Exploration page)

2010 Favs

In Laura Schmitt's latest blog post (http://lschmittphoto.blogspot.com/) I was reminded that maybe I should go back over the past year and take a second look at photographs I've made.  Some "get better" while others just.....don't....with age.  While scrolling though thousands of images I was struck not only by what I was seeing visually, but also what I was feeling as the past year scrolled by with a turn and click of the mouse.   I'd select this picture and that one and ......well, the another one just won't make the cut, even though I really like it.  There is always something in the back of my head that says "people are going to see these...and know they are supposed to be your best work!"  I found some are, and some are....for me.

I'll start with this image of Queen Annes Lace and Ruger.  When I wrote earlier of this photograph, I think I mentioned Ruger always getting involved with all the pictures I was trying to make-this one, of course, included.  It ended up being one of my favorites.  The old tracks, the new tracks, the quietness of the picture.  It does have some noise, but who cares.  I know in time, this image will be even more important, as we live through Ruger's illness, but this will always remind me of the happiness he has given us.

 

The first day of school-Not sure why this morning I had my camera in hand wandering the halls, but the excitement of the day was there and I just had to shoot a few images.  Of course, I know all these kids and their little personalities and wonder how much they will change as I watch them move through the grades.

The Snak Shak. Tucked away on a remote corner of Washington Island, this tiny snack stand just said so much of what it's like to live with simple pleasures.  The color, the gulls, hand painted signs and the friendliness of the woman here were things I just connected to.

Gnome fest Night Ride.  Our trail system has been lucky enough to host Gnomefest for the past couple years-a gathering of mountain bikers for a weekend of fun and festivities.  A great time and wonderful people.  While making the rounds visiting campsites on the first night, I noticed some riders returning from a night ride on singletrack-I swung my camera and was lucky enough to get this image-one I really liked a lot and says something about why I like to ride.

Ruger makes another cut and returns in this photo.  To be honest, it's one of the few photographs with Ruger in it, where it wasn't about him.  I just loved the light color and texture of the wheat field and how he just fit perfectly in the scene.

Shooting weddings is not my calling, but I've done a few and for people I know, they can be fun and entertaining...and pressure packed.  Some photographers live for that, I really don't.  I selected these two just because I think they really capture the personalities of all four people,and they were not a "say cheese" moment, but rather much more relaxed (the wedding ceremony is over-whew!) and candid.

Composition in Snow

I can't imagine not living in a place that has a change of seasons-for me it's like I can't wait for what is around the corner in the next progression of the year.  Some I'd like to spend a lot longer with (Fall) and others I'm starting to appreciate more (Spring).  Photography sure spurs my interest in what lies next, what I'll discover in the next season.  I love winter and snow, especially a new snow, and we've had our share this year.  Cross country skis and snowshoes provide the means to  explore and  snow provides the canvas.  The tracks provide the mystery of what was going on the previous night and day.

The long low light, even at mid-day, can bring out interest from patterns and lines in the snow or from the dark contrast of trunks on white.  I like the cleanness of these images compared to this shot if taken at another time of year.

Lines and Curves

The Crow and Eagle

There is a poignant painting by Georgia O'Keeffe completed after her husband, Alfred Stieglitz died in 1946, of a lone crow flying over a bare landscape, a metaphor of his death and her loneliness or

freedom afterwards.  Crows fascinate me, not that that has always been true-they sure seemed more of a pest than anything-loud and obnoxious but so intelligent and social.  They can usually give away a hunters hidden position or lead to a dead carcass.  I've come to respect them-their freedom, playfulness, smarts and carefree life.  There was a sick crow hanging around the woods here this fall-I felt bad for "him"...perhaps he had West Nile disease or some other injury that prevented him from flying.  He'd just appear  I'd see him hopping around for several weeks and never knew what became of him.

I decided to experiment a little after gun season when I moved a found yearling deer carcass to an open spot on a field.  There was good ground cover nearby and thought maybe I'd get some photographs of an eagle, coyote or wolf.  Well, the crow became the number one subject-I should have known.  This first photograph is just crazy with the silhouettes and wing position of the crows-you can almost hear their raucous calls.

In this second image, you can see the nervousness of the crows on the carcass as the eagle has his wings set and gliding in to claim his share of a meal.  In the far north, the wolf and the raven have a relationship-each benefit the other.  Here, I think the crow and the eagle likewise do.  It's common to find one bird or the other locating their next meal, which is grudgingly shared.  The eagle, gets first dibs and takes charge upon arrival though.

Eagles are still not that common around here, and I always appreciate it when I do see one.  For me, it is a good omen.  I marvel at their size and strength and in the image above-the size of their wingspan is amazing.  The lone crow in the distance doesn't stand a chance of feeding anytime soon.

A Favorite Photo

A year ago I had the chance to photograph some of my good friends performing at the Freighthouse in LaCrosse Wisconsin during Oktoberfest.  It was a self assigned job, part "roadie" and part photographer.  I do enjoy shooting people I know, and these guys have so much talent and I'm privileged to call them my friends.  It was a great night of music, fun and laughter.  The photography was a bit challenging to shoot in dark conditions, but the colored lights were just fun to work around.  I think I had about five hundred images by evenings end and then onto the editing.  This was one of my favorites-I like the reflections of the musicians and the feel of what was happening at that moment.  Even now, after some time has past, I still enjoy this picture.