Wisconsin
Watchful Eye
Here’s a little touch of nature for you. I stopped to take some photos around the harbor at Algoma, Wisconsin. It wasn’t a foggy day elsewhere, but conditions were right to create a foggy area around the piers and lighthouse. I took a few photos (some I’ll be posting later) of the pier and a fisherman in the fog, and the lighthouse and boats.
As I finished and headed back to my vehicle, I noticed a few wildflowers growing near the water. I stopped to take a few random shots. Then I noticed a few bees – always a favorite photographic subject of mine – so I stopped to take a few photos of them. Then, as I started to leave again, I noticed a flash of yellow. An American Goldfinch landed in a nearby patch of thistles to enjoy a meal. It didn’t seem bothered by my presence, so I started taking photos. (Some I’ll post later.)
While concentrating on the Goldfinch, I happened to notice a bee in the foreground and refocused on the bee for awhile…as the bird continued to feast in the background.
The one thing I don’t like about this image (and others in the batch) is the background. I think it looks unnatural and fake. The background is simply the water of the harbor. I would have preferred something that had a little more color variation, instead of the flat blue, but I wasn’t able to change my position to create a different look. The thistles were only a foot or two from the water and I was shooting from a position higher than the bird.
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Big Red
This fireworks burst turned the water red. This was part of the 26th annual Shanty Days celebration in Algoma, Wisconsin – on the western shore of Lake Michigan.
The fireworks are launched from the pier and people line the shore to watch the fun. As you can see, I was positioned on the beach, at the waters edge. If you’re familiar with the area, you might recognize the Algoma lighthouse – it’s that little red dot on the far right of the photo, just above the water.
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Blooming in Black & White
I love fireworks. The climbing rockets, bursting into bright, streaming displays of color and light are an irresistible enticement for my photographic efforts.
I decided to try something unusual with this one. The shape of the bursts reminded me of flowers blooming. Rather than emphasize the color, I removed all color to accentuate the shape.
I wasn’t sure I’d like it without the color, but the more I look at it, the more it appeals to me. I really like the firework’s reflection in the water.
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Shroud of Clouds
On an early Sunday morning, I was able to snap a few interesting images. In this shot, an unusual cloud formation kept the sun from fully dominating this view of the Algoma, Wisconsin lighthouse and pier. And then again, maybe the sun held it’s own.
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Charming Glow
Two hot air balloons fire up the burners to create a colorful, charming glow in the early evening balloon rally that’s a favorite feature of the annual Hamburger Festival at Seymour, Wisconsin.
Everyone should make an effort to attend a hot air balloon “glow.” It’s a very cool experience. The only light illuminating these balloons and the ground around them is the flame from the powerful burners of the balloons.
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Morning Lace
Bright sunlight, muted by an early morning fog, created a nice silhouette effect on a stand of Queen Anne’s Lace. If you look closely, you can see strands of spider web stretched between the flower stems.
This image may seem familiar. It’s a cropped version of the photo I posted on August 2nd, entitled Queen’s Morning.
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Fireworks Abound
Algoma, Wisconsin celebrated their 26th Annual Shanty Days Festival last weekend. Every year, the festival concludes with a fireworks display over the Algoma harbor.
I was on the beach with my camera and this is one of my favorite shots from the evening. It’s the blue effect coming up from the pier that makes this my favorite.
As I thought about it, I’m not sure if they planned this. I think it’s possible the blue burst was a rocket that never left the launch pad. Of course, I could be entirely wrong. Whether it was intended or accidental, it turned out pretty cool.
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Summer Escape
Algoma, Wisconsin may be the perfect summer port. This is a view of the sun rising over Lake Michigan behind the lighthouse and piers that form the harbor at Algoma.
I snapped this photo the Sunday morning of Algoma’s 26th annual Shanty Days Festival weekend. Don’t miss the the fishing boat in the harbor, heading out for the morning’s catch.
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Sunny Disposition
This sunfower seemed to stand out from the crowd. I believe a full field of blooming sunflowers is a universal mood picker-upper.
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Aerial Ballet
Two female Ruby-throated hummingbirds perform a delicate dance by my window.
Well, actually…in the interest of full disclosure, they were both flying by my window – just as you see them here – but not at exactly the same time. I combined two different photos to make the scene more interesting. They only missed each other by a minute or two.
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