Wisconsin
Clump of Springtime
Some of the first bloomers in early spring, the Hepatica is a delightful wildflower find. This clump was photographed along a Wisconsin woodland path in April.
The Hepatica is in the buttercup family. It’s also known by some other odd names (at least, to me) such as liverleaf, liverwort and squirrel cups. I’ve read the “liver” names have to do with the shape of the leaves, which some believe resemble a human liver. I’ve also read some Cherokee and Chippewa tribes used Hepatica as a treatment for liver disorders and it’s still harvested for its medicinal values today.
You can view all the detail in this collection of Hepatica full-screen by simply clicking on the photo.
Bluebird Family Outing
These are Eastern Bluebirds perched on a stump in our backyard. We have bluebird nest boxes at several locations around our rural home. Each spring we watch, expectantly, for them to return, build their nests and raise their young.
The three birds with the speckled plumage are the young ones. They were attracted to the stump by a treat of mealworms we offered on a regular basis. We love watching them and their progress from hatchlings to fledglings…until they head south for the winter.
Feeding them mealworms on a regular basis creates a location where I can set up my camera and capture some good images. This photo was taken with my camera on a tripod ten to 15 feet away from the stump. I was actually in my house, watching out the window, snapping the photos with a wireless remote.
You can enjoy more of the detail in this image by viewing the full-screen version. Simply click on the photo.
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Morning Rolls In
The waves were rolling in, just before the sun was to rise over Lake Michigan. I captured this view of the lighthouse and pier from the beach at Kewaunee, Wisconsin.
Most mornings the lake is calm, but recent windy conditions kicked up a bit of surf. This was taken last Sunday morning.
You can view a full-screen version of this image by clicking 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.
Violet in the Wild
These, very tiny, delicate beauties are common blue violets. I photographed this set while hiking along a woodland path in northeast Wisconsin.
According to my Audubon Wildflower Guide, common blue violets can be found in damp woods, moist meadows, roadsides and even lawns. The violet leaves are high in vitamins A and C and can be used in salads or cooked as greens. The flowers can be candied.
You can view more of the beautiful detail in this flower by clicking on the photo. When you do, a larger version will open in a new browser tab.
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.
Not Ready to Wake
With the sun trying to break through in the background, the Algoma lighthouse and piers seem content to sleep in a little longer. Lake Michigan seemed just as reluctant to rise and greet the day. (Algoma, Wisconsin is located on the western shore of Lake Michigan.)
Take in more of the beauty by clicking on the photo. When you do, a larger, full-screen version will open in a new browser window.
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.
Icing On the Lake
When temperatures drop on Lake Michigan, the ice begins to form and coat anything it contacts.
This is a sunrise view of the lighthouse and pier at Kewaunee, WI – on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
That rock in the foreground isn’t actually a rock. It is an ice formation created by snow/ice breaking away from the shore and being trapped in the ice a few feet from shore.
You can view the detail in this image by clicking on the photo. When you do, a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
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.
Orange Plush
The sky looked more like soft, flowing fabric above the Kewaunee, Wisconsin lighthouse, on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
This image was captured in early December of last year. (2014) I stumbled upon it while looking for another image in my archives. I thought it was worth sharing.
This is a slightly different perspective of the Kewaunee lighthouse than you’ll normally see in my posts. This is from the north side of the pier. Most of the time, I’m shooting from the south side.
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.
Sudden Outburst
I had the opportunity to capture a sunrise in Algoma last Saturday. Low clouds couldn’t hold back the morning sun as it rose over Lake Michigan, beyond the lighthouse and pier.
There have been few days, recently, where the sky hasn’t been overcast and grey. There have been fewer days when I’ve had the time to get out and shoot.
This is an HDR image – where I combined five different exposures of the same shot to provide a greater dynamic range.
You can view this image in a larger, more detailed version by clicking 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.
Streaking Past the Avalon
The Avalon Theatre is alive, again, in Milwaukee’s Bay View neighborhood. This historic landmark theater was completely renovated and refitted to offer patrons a unique entertainment experience. The traditional movie theater seating has been replaced by leather chairs with a table between them where movie goers can order and enjoy a meal – with their movie – prepared on site and served by the wait staff.
The Avalon is a distinctive example of the Mediterranean Revival architectural style. The lobby features Moorish arches, twisting Mediterranean columns, figures that resemble gargoyles and a statue of Athena, a Greek goddess — all from the original building. It is the first Wisconsin theater built for movies with sound
I happened to be there (and created this image) on the night of their Grand Opening celebration in March of 2015. The place was full of young professionals enjoying drinks in the lobby and touring the theater. I was hanging out with a photography friend from the area who took me to a few spots in Milwaukee to shoot some night scenes. He, rightfully, thought this would be a promising location.
The photo, itself, is a long exposure (20 seconds). The white and red lines were created by the lights from the vehicles that passed by while the camera shutter was open. Those spots in the upper left of the photo, I believe, are the result of dust that must have been on my lens. Normally they wouldn’t be so prominent. I think the mercury street lights and the aperture setting of f/22 I used for this shot brought them out. Normally, I would work to remove those from an image…but in this case, I liked the effect and left them in.
You can learn more about the Avalon’s renovation, amenities they offer and its interesting history simply by Googling it.
You can view more of the details in this image by clicking on the photo. When you do, a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
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.
Blush of Fall
The last leaves of autumn provide a colorful contrast to their bleak, forest background.
For me, the colorful contrast and moody nature make this a worthwhile image. I think the leaves, with their smattering of red on orange, are beautiful. Take those quintessential autumn leaves and set them before a shadowy, bluish background and I think the eye-appeal soars. It’s a contrast of light and dark – bright and moody.
You can view a larger, full-screen version of this image by clicking 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.