Sony SLT-A55V
Smoldering Sunrise
The Christmas gift that keeps on giving… This is another image I captured at sunrise on Christmas morning, 2011. This lighthouse is positioned on the western shore of Lake Michigan – at the harbor opening of Algoma, WI.
Algoma has had some sort of structure providing light for navigational purposes since March 1st of 1893. This current version, standing more than 40 feet tall, has been in place since 1932.
If you’d like a better look, click the image for a larger version.
Kewaunee Lighthouse in B&W
A Christmas Story – Opening Act
This is the way the day started in Algoma, WI on Sunday, December 25, 2011 – Christmas morning. The sun had to force its way through a band of low clouds hugging the horizon over Lake Michigan.
Myself and another area photographer were there to witness and record it. Obviously, neither one of us had young children at home to open presents on this early Christmas morning. I was actually on my way to church to prepare for the morning’s service and stopped (as I often do) for a quick round of pics.
Click on the photo to see a larger version of it.
Harbor Slush
The harbor at Algoma, WI was busy making slush on the morning I snapped this image. There were chunks of ice undulating with minimal wave action. As they moved, ever so slightly, together and apart, the slush in the water created by the cold temperatures was pushed up between the chunks of ice, creating the ridges seen here.
This was taken right at sunrise on a Sunday morning. If you squint, you can see the first hint of the morning sun on the horizon, just to the right of the lighthouse.
If you have a large monitor, you may be able to see a larger version if you click on the photo.
View from Shore
I know most people prefer to sleep in on Saturday mornings. Not me. I’m up before the sun and scouting out potential, natural beauty. For me, another hour or two of sleep just isn’t worth what I might miss on a calm morning in the pre-sunrise glow.
This is one of my favorite Saturday morning locations. This was the scene just before the sun appeared over Lake Michigan and the lighthouse at Kewaunee, WI…as viewed from the beach.
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Morning Pastels
Look what I found! This is a pre-sunrise view of the Algoma, WI harbor and lighthouse. It was a cold December morning where the surface of the harbor looked like a giant, undulating slushie.
I had been feeling bad for myself because it had been awhile since I was able to get out and take some new photos. My last opportunities (usually early mornings on the weekend) didn’t work out – time wise, weather wise.
While fiddling with my camera, experimenting with a different setting, I found a group of images I had taken more than a week ago and forgotten about. This is the first of a few I will post in the near future.
Click the image to view a larger version.
Ending on a Sky Note
It is not uncommon for me to put an immediate halt to whatever I’m doing, grab my camera and bolt outside to catch a sunset. The sofa in our living room faces a western window where it’s hard to miss the warm glow illuminating the sheer curtains. There have been times, in the middle of a conversation, I’ll say, “Hold that thought. I’ll be right back.” I then dash for my camera and out the door. Thankfully my wife, Sara, is very understanding. I’m rarely out there for more than a few minutes and, when I return, life generally picks up where it left off. Sometime later, I’ll get around to reviewing the exquisite light captured from an earlier moment…and maybe post one or two.
Click the photo for a larger view.
Serenity Beach
Behind the Veil
I was looking forward to getting some photographs of a lunar eclipse last weekend. In our area, the effects of the eclipse might be visible just about the time the moon reached the horizon, early in the morning.
I got up early and checked the skies. The moon was full, bold and bright. I checked the outside temperature. It was around 10-degrees above zero. That was much colder than I wanted to deal with for the time I would be spending outside trying to capture the eclipse at is peak. I started our van and let it warm up. When it was time to shoot, I packed my camera bag and tripod into the back seat and drove to the end of our driveway…where I could open the side door and shoot in relative comfort.
Just as the moon was nearing the horizon, a band of clouds rose and obscured my view. If there was any eclipse effect, I didn’t see it. Of course, I took a lot of photos anyway and this is my favorite of the bunch.
To see a larger version, simply click the photo.
Morning Charms
This is a similar shot to one I posted last week. This is the upper part of the Kewaunee, WI lighthouse. The previous post (Wisps of Light) was cropped a little closer and left the lighthouse as a silhouette. This one offers a little more sky and a little more detail of the lighthouse.