Winter is packing its things...

Almost as quickly as it came, winter is packing it's things to make way for spring as a result of the warm weather coming through the Arrowhead region.  Two weeks ago we had a blizzard that dumped nearly two feet of snow on us and yesterday it was 70F.  Odd weather indeed...

Although I feel slighted by the lack of winter weather this year, one of my favorite things to do in the spring is hit the local rivers/waterfalls to see the water rushing by.  Amity Creek was no exception yesterday, although I bet it will only get faster over the next couple days.  I hope to hit some larger/more well known areas this weekend, but this was fun for a short walk with the dogs after work.

More from this set can be see in my "Off the Beaten Path" gallery on the main Northern Captures website.

2012 Blizzard in Duluth, MN

What an odd winter this has been indeed.  Here I am living in Duluth, MN and I've seen very little snow even in the winter months that typically keep us buried in our homes.  But, at the end of February all of that changed with a blizzard that shut down the City of Duluth and kept coming back for more over several days.  The lake was so angry it threw waves at the shoreline hard enough to reach the top of the Canal Park breakwater lighthouses.

I drove down to Canal Park to see the waves from myself and I was amazed to see the surf throwing chunks of ice from the shoreline as far as 30 feet, well into the parking lot after big rollers.  The force behind the ice was strong enough to make me worry about my camera equipment and dodge it to avoid walking away with my own bruises.

Despite being a balmy 28 degrees outside, the wind (gusts up to 80 MPH) made my un-covered hands painfully cold within minutes.  But, luck was with me because the spray and fog settled down just long enough to take this image of the lighthouse before I had to get back to the truck to warm up.

Where have I been?

I was busy loading some pictures to my gallery pages and I had the unfortunate realization I've left this page without an update for several months!  Between learning to be a new dad and squeezing in a few hunting trips last fall, I guess I let things get away from me on my website.

But, even though I haven't been updating here, my camera has been busy the last couple months and the results are on my website.  Here are some of my favorites:

I went in search of some Fall color in early October, found it in the Lutsen area.  The rest of the set can be found "Off the Beaten Path", a gallery dedicated to my finds while hiking and hunting.

Another favorite of mine was taken just about a week ago at Stoney Point.  The waves were coming in at full force and I was surprised to find surfers out in the sub-zero temps riding the waves.  I didnt have a telephoto lens with me so I couldnt catch the action, but imagine being out here:

The rest of the set and many other updates can be found in my Lake Superior photo gallery.

Ill do a better job keeping the blog updated, make sure to check for any updates you may have missed at the Northern Captures website.

Brett

Storm Brewing

My wife and I were blessed with a baby girl, Addison (Addie) Mae, on 9/8/11.  We couldn't be more excited about here and I've been spending most of my time just staring at her while she explores her new world and learns to use her new body.  I can't get enough of her "Baby of 1000 Faces" routine she puts on when she is wide awake.

But, Dad found a little time to make it down to the Lake Superior shoreline as a storm was rolling in over the Big Lake.  I was able to grab a handful of shots before I had to run my gear back to the car and dry it off, one of them is here and the others can be seen in my Lake Superior photo gallery. 

Split Rock Lighthouse Sunrise

It's getting to be that time of year when the sunrises are coming late enough in the morning for me to be in a good spot at the right time without questioning my sanity for being up so early.  I set all of my gear and clothing for the day on the kitchen counter so I could get out of the house without rousing my wife or the dogs at this ungodly hour.  My alarm went off at 4:30 and I was on the road 20 minutes later.

I pulled into the parking lot at Split Rock Lighthouse right as the first light started to peek over the horizon - right around 5:45.  I would have loved to be there 10 minutes earlier so I wouldnt be so rushed to set up, but there was nothing I could do about it now except learn for next time.

Over the next 30 minutes or so, I was rewarded with a brilliant orange sunrise over Lake Superior that backlit the landmark beautifully.  I was a little disappointed with the lack of clouds in the sky because they usually make for a more colorful show, but it was still a great morning. 

See my North Shore Lighthouses Landmarks and History gallery for more images from this shoot.

New Images Added - French River Falls

I've visited the French River Falls just north of Highway 61 right outside of Duluth a couple times in the last couple weeks, however it wasnt until last night that I managed to get the image I was looking for.  As usual, it was kind of a rushed ordeal to get out there, but when all was said and done I was taking pictures by 7:30.  I like this time of day for pictures in the woods because the shadows that have been hanging around all day have disappeared for another night.  

This particular spot on the French River has an especially "natural" feel to it, despite it's proximity to the highway.  Climbing down in between the rock walls surrounding the river rewards you with a temperature drop of nearly 10 degrees.  The giant pine trees that loom over your head and the rushing sound of the river make you forget the Highway is less than 100 yards behind you.

Here's one of the images I made of the French River Falls that day - the rest can be found in my North Shore Waterfalls gallery.

Last Minute Decisions...

A couple nights ago I said to hell with working any more, I'd had enough.  It was almost 9PM and there wasn't much sunlight left so I needed a location close to my house.  I started to head down to the lake but decided a more secluded location would fit the bill a bit better for me that night and changed course for Seven Bridges Road instead.

I knew of a hidden, un-named, three fingered waterfall that was down a narrow and steep trail from the main road.  It was a bit of a treacherous trail, especially with a bunch of photo gear on my back and in my hands so by the time I got there I only had time for a few different compositions before it was  after dark.  Here's my favorite from the evening: