Pops Photos
Lighthouse Bling

The early morning sky and it’s reflection off the Algoma, WI harbor make this one of my favorites. The lighthouse gets a bit of bling from the sun rising directly behind it. (Technically, it’s not a lighthouse. It’s a “pier light,” but everyone refers to it as the Algoma Lighthouse.)
The close up image on the left, gives you a better view of the effect created by the star filter I used.
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To see a larger version of either of these images, click the photos.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
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.)
Fireworks Watercolor

I wouldn’t consider the fireworks burst the best of the bunch I took, but I find the reflection on the water awesomely spectacular. The purples, the reds, the greens…a literal watercolor painting in the harbor. The full moon is showing off a bit, too.
Tiny Feet

Even though hummingbirds are very tiny birds, their very tiny feet seem to be too small for their size. When you have the opportunity to actually look at a hummingbirds feet (not an easy feat, in itself) they look like tiny strands of wire.
According to worldofhummingbirds.com…
Hummingbird’s feet are not for walking. Hummingbirds do not use their feet for launching upward in flight, They let their wings do all of this work. Hummingbirds use their feet for scratching and perching. They will perch for most of their lives. Hummingbirds have four (4) toes. Three (3) toes in the front and one (1) toe, also called the hallux in the back of the foot. The hallux works much the same way a human’s thumb does and allows the hummingbird to hang on to a branch or wire.
Hummingbird legs are extremely small, short, and stubby to reduce weight. They are also quite weak. Because of this, hummingbirds do not hop.
To take a closer look at those tiny feet, click on the photo.
Somewhere Out There

When you look at this image, does it evoke feelings of hopeful expectation or foreboding…or some of both? The unknown can be both exciting and unsettling.The morning of this photo shoot started out with thick fog but, eventually, the sun had it’s way. This image portrays the epic battle. The field of battle was a Lake Michigan harbor at Algoma, WI.
To see a larger version of this image, simply click on it.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Lighting Up the Harbor

Those familiar with the Kewaunee harbor will recognize the historic tug, Ludington, on the right side of the photo. The little bright dot beyond the point where the fireworks were launched is the light of Kewaunee’s lighthouse. On the left side is the Coast Guard station. The orange streak reflecting on the water (near the middle of the channel) is from the flashing lights of the Coast Guard boat – positioned to keep boats clear of the fireworks launch area.
Point of Inspiration

I made a special point of getting up early and heading to the harbor in Algoma, WI in hopes of capturing a beautiful sunrise. The sky looked promising as I drove, however, when I got to the harbor, it was enveloped by fog. There wasn’t going to be a sunrise to photograph. I decided to stick around anyway and capture some images of the lighthouse in the fog. Since fog has a way of draining everything of color, I switched to shooting in black and white.
Eventually the fog lifted some, the sun got higher and I kept snapping. This is the first of several images I’ll be sharing from that morning. Check back often.
I haven’t done much in black and white but after this series of photos, I think I’ll be doing more.
(To see a larger version of this image, click on the photo.)
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Petunias

There is uncommon beauty all around us that we often miss because we fail to “stop and smell the roses.” These aren’t roses, but petunias that Sara has in a planter by the back door. I pass by them several times a day with hardly a notice.
Well, I stopped for a moment to notice…with a camera in my hand, of course.
For me, that’s one of the great benefits of photography. It increases the awareness of my surroundings. With a camera in my hands, my eye becomes acutely sensitive to beauty, symmetry, bold colors, subtle hues, the dramatic, the sublime. It is a good thing for my soul.
In your all-to-busy life, every once in awhile, pick up a camera and take some time to stop and smell (and snap) the roses.
(To see a larger version of this image, click on it.)
The Calm of Sunset
I always have an eye to the sky at sunrise and sunset. As you can tell from browsing the post on this blog, I capture a lot of dawn and dusk sunlight.
Even though I have a lot of sunrise/sunset photos, they are all unique.
The panorama image below is of the same sunset, taken a little after the above shot.
Clicking on either image should bring up a larger view.
Conspicuous Display

Again, the firework’s bold burst, the reflection off the water, the full moon and the detail of the harbor at night combine to make this one of my favorites.
I have a hand full of other images of the Trout Fest fireworks that I will be posting now and then. Check back regularly. And, by all means, feel free to share the link to theses posts with others.
Depending on the size of your monitor, you may be able to see a larger version of this image by clicking on it.