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Lighthouse

Keeper of the Lighthouse

Monochrome, Algoma, 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.

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Panoramic Perspective

Kewaunee, Morning, Pano

The clouds and the early morning light created a magical panoramic view.  I snapped this yesterday morning from the beach in Kewaunee, WI.

I’m sorry the format of this blog is not conducive to getting a good view of panorama images.  You can get a better view by clicking on the image.

I really wanted a huge sailboat to glide into this photo. How cool would that look. I also managed to snagged a few black-and-white images from this morning that I’ll post in the future.

Sunrise Brushstrokes

Algoma, Lighthouse, SunriseThis was an image I snapped on my way to church Sunday morning, September 11, 2011.  The clouds reminded me of the strokes from an artist’s paintbrush.

These are is the piers and lighthouse of the Algoma, WI harbor.  The sun, rising above a calm Lake Michigan.

Early morning fishermen are starting to populate the piers as salmon begin their annual  to come in to spawn up river. I took this photo around 6:30 am.

If this image appeals to you – by all means – share it with your friends. (Thanks.)

Click the image to view a larger version.

Summertime Sunrise

Sunrise, Kewaunee, Lighthouse

Whether it’s a sunrise or a sunset, for me, it’s the clouds that make the scene worthwhile. This same setup with clear skies would be pretty bland.  If you can add the silhouette of a lighthouse and the sun’s reflection off the water, all the better.

Even though I’ve photographed the sunrise over Lake Michigan near the Kewaunee, WI lighthouse many times before, it has never looked quite like this. In every case, the clouds make the difference.

Compelling Clouds over Kewaunee

Monochrome, B&W, Kewaunee, Lighthouse, Lake Michigan
I was up early and on the beach one Saturday to catch the sunrise at Kewaunee, WI.

In addition to some nice sunlit images, (See Gold Rush and Early Amber Rising.) I also snapped a few in black & white mode. This one really captured the dynamic tonal range of the clouds above Lake Michigan, beyond the Kewaunee pier and lighthouse.

Click on the photo to see a larger version.

Bathed in Beams

Sunbeams, Lighthouse, Algoma, Lake Michigan, Clouds
On more than one occasion, I’ve heard or read Algoma, WI has one of the most photographed lighthouses (technically a “pier light”).  I always considered it more wishful thinking than fact.  But if I just count the number of pictures I’ve personally snapped and posted, I might have misjudged.

This magical scene was captured early on a Sunday morning while on my way to church. (As the pastor, I get to the church hours before the service to prepare.) Since I always have my camera with me, it’s not unusual for me to stop near the harbor and step out to take a few photos of the lighthouse if I see something I like.

On this morning, when I stopped, it was starting to sprinkle and I didn’t want to expose my camera or suit to the rain. So, instead of jumping out, I jumped in…to the backseat of our minivan. I set my tripod and camera up, slid the side door open and snapped away, staying comfortable and dry. As the sun continued to rise and the clouds shifted, changing the angle of the beams, I had jump back to the drivers seat and move my van 3 times.

I posted a B&W photo from the same morning a few days ago, entitled Too Wonderful for Me.

Here’s a panoramic scene, taken just a few minutes later the same morning, when the sunbeams weren’t so intense.

Panorama, Pano, Sunbeams, Algoma, Lake Michigan

Click on either image to see a larger version.

Power from On High

B&W, Monochrome, Lighthouse, Algoma, Lake Michigan, Clouds

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.