Finally....

It all came together and culminated in this image.

 

About five hours from where I live is a stretch of road with water on both sides that I had noticed several years ago.

 

 

I thought I may be able to make some decent images if I could ever be there at sunrise or sunset on a calm day with a few clouds.

 

 

The problem was, I very rarely traveled to that location and never specifically for photos. So several years passed and the opportunity never presented itself.

 

 

Until just the other day. The whole world conspired so I happened to be within a few miles of that place with a camera on Wednesday evening. There were clouds to the south and I was feeling optimistic.

 

 

I realized I didn't have a tripod once I got there. Hopefully it wouldn't be a deal breaker. I'd just shoot with a higher ISO and shallower depth of field.

 

 

The clouds were moving from east to the west, the water stayed calm, and I kept shooting.

 

 

I couldn't believe my luck. The fact I was standing there making these images made me smile. A common loon flew overhead and then landed nearby. Two trumpeter swan fed along the shore.

 

 

As the sun neared the horizon clouds crowded in.

 

 

I thought I may loose the light and the colors would disappear. Lucky for me I didn't and it all worked in my favor.

 

 

I kept a close eye on the camera settings and used good technique to ensure sharp images.

 

 

I worked on composition and color.

 

 

 

Then I just kept on shooting until the light faded and the colors were gone.

 

 

 

The fact that I was at that particular spot, on that particular day, at just the right time, was such an unlikely event it made me laugh. Being lucky can be a lot better than being good.

 

Black Hills sunset....

The kids and I climbed a hill in the Black Hills at sunset and they had some fun as the light disappeared.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was only a few minutes, but made for some cool pics.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One lucky maple tree....

 

Lucky for me anyway. The tree was located in a industrial area and right near the front of a building, but by laying on the ground and being vigilant about the backgrounds I was able to make it work.

 

I really like the patterns and shapes and colors of these photos.

 

 

 

 

 

I used a couple of different lenses and felt good about the images I made so I put my gear away and headed back to the cemetery.

 

 

 

When I got there I was just looking for color and light. I found it with this maple tree.

 

 

 

I love the shapes and structure of its branches along with the light through its canopy.

 

 

 

I spent some time reading names and dates on various headstones and sat with my back against a maple tree as the sun dropped below the horizon. It was a peaceful, beautiful night.











I took my camera.....

and spent a little time in northern Wisconsin.

 

I stopped near Pattison State Park to photograph these pumpkins for sale along the road.



 

For years I had been noticing this type of ornamental grass along Wisconsin roadways. Today I took the time to make a few images of what I think is feather reed grass.

 



 

 

 

Then I made my way to Little Manitou Falls in Pattison State Park.



 

Capturing the falls with some fall colors behind.

 

 



 

I took the scenic route via highway 13 along Lake Superior towards Bayfield. It was windy and overcast along the lake so I turned south at Cornucopia hoping for some light before sunset.

 

 

Lucky for me, the sun made it through somewhere near Siskiwit Lake and I was able to capture some colorful maple trees near the road.

 

 

 

 

 

As I continued south towards Washburn I stopped one last time to capture the well lit leaves just before sunset.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a day well spent.

A little fall color...

I was up in the Clam Lake area looking for elk about a week ago. I didn't find too many elk, but I did find a little fall color.

 

Like these oak leaves in good evening light against a blue sky. 

 

And these beautiful maple leaves.

 

 

Here's a little more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even a wood thrush showed up to hunt small insects amid the fall color. 



 

 

I went back and lucked out with a beautiful sunrise, 

 

 

and sunset. All in all I found quite a bit of fall on what seems to be not the best year for fall color in northern Wisconsin.