B&W
Keeper of the Lighthouse
This view of the Algoma, WI lighthouse was taken early in the morning. I believe the bird is a cormorant.
This was taken a good distance from the subject. To make the cormorant the focus of the shot required a pretty aggressive crop. There’s quite a bit of digital noise in the image. I decided I liked it and did nothing to diminish it.
The Beeline
Beeline (noun) 1. direct, straight course. 2. To move swiftly in a direct, straight course.
One of my “quests” this summer was to capture a bee in flight. They’re small, quick and errattic. Hard to catch in focus. So far, none of my efforts have come close to what I would deem, “successful.”
The image above is the best I’ve managed…so far…and it was by accident. (That happens more than I might like to admit.)
I was taking photos around a flower bed beside our house. While I was changing camera settings, I accidentally pressed the shutter button. A that exact moment, a bee happened to be zipping into the frame…and voilá.
If I were trying for it, I wouldn’t try in black and white, but looking at this, I really like the intensity it creates. The bee – with his straight antennae, trailing legs and blurred wings – looks like he is on a do-or-die mission and will not be denied.
To see a larger version of this image, just click on it.
To see more bee photos, check out the Bugs & Spiders gallery.
Kewaunee Lighthouse Fly By
Gazing Beyond
It’s all in the eyes. This ring-tailed lemur obviously had his mind on other things. This is one picture, I think , is worth a thousand or so words.
What do you imagine he’s thinking about? Is he working calculus problems in his head? Fondly remembering a long lost love? Thinking ahead of an upcoming vacation on a secluded, tropical island? Fresh bananas?
I don’t know exactly what he was thinking about. Your guess is as good as mine.
For a better view, click the image to be taken to a larger version.
Anglers in the Grey
These anglers were at it early on a Saturday morning – fishing from the end of the Kewaunee, WI pier.
I’ve posted several other images taken on this same morning – in color and B&W. See Early Amber Rising, Gold Rush, Compelling Clouds over Kewaunee and Summertime Sunrise.
To get a better view of the fishermen, click the photo to see a larger image.
Watch Out for the Duck
Power from On High
A month ago I managed to snag a number of striking B&W images of the Algoma, WI lighthouse. I posted a few of them and moved on to other subjects. Yesterday’s interaction on this blog – comparing color and b&w images (Thank You, to all who commented) – reminded me of the bunch I had neglected. This image is from that forgotten bunch.
The powerful contrast between the upper right-hand corner and the lower left-hand corner, and the range of monochrome tones between, make this a favorite for me.
Fell free to share your own thoughts below and if you like what you see, by all means, share it with others.
To see a larger version of this image, simply click on it.
Cloudy Water
It was an overcast Saturday morning and, on my way from Kewaunee to Algoma, I stopped at one of the twin lakes of Alaska, WI. My goal was to find a picturesque scene and capture the reflection of the clouds off the calm water.
This is West Alaska Lake. I took several shots – both B&W and color. I’m not sure which I like best. (I’ll post a color version in a few days.)
Click the image to view a larger version.
St. Paul’s Spire
Here’s the church, and here’s the steeple
Open the door and see all the people.
Here’s the parson going upstairs,
And here he is saying his prayers.
The tallest points in Algoma, WI are the steeples of its churches. (I suspect that would be the case in most small towns.)
This is St. Paul’s Lutheran church – the tallest structure in the downtown area.
The highest point in town would be the steeple of the Catholic church, towering above the city from its location on a hill in a more residential area, north of the downtown.
Click on the steeple image above for a larger view.
Return to Port
A small fishing boat returns to the Algoma, WI harbor after an early morning on Lake Michigan.
This was the first morning of the Kewaunee/Door County Salmon Tournament. You can still see remnants of the heavy fog that kept a lot of boats from venturing out early this day.
The K/D Tournament is a big, big deal in these parts. According to their Facebook page…
The KD Salmon Tournament is an amateur sport fishing tournament that runs for 9 consecutive days each summer. Approximately 2,300 to 2,800 contestants participate each year and over $40,000 in prizes are awarded. The largest fish caught will win the lucky fisherman $10,000 CASH. Most years the prize payout reaches 200 or more places.
The Tournament wraps up today. For information about it, visit http://www.kdsalmon.com/. Results for the tournament are posted to their Facebook page.
(For a larger view of this image on a black background, simply click on the photo.)