Tag Archives: Photography

Inspiration Returns

September 7, 2019 Troy

I don’t remember when I was this excited to be holding a camera. It was probably early this year out photographing winter scenes and snowflakes. While in Utah early this spring I had fun photographing some of the incredible landscapes but the excitement and motivation wasn’t as strong as it typically is when out with a camera. Most of the time, for the last four months or so, the camera stayed in its case. When I did pull it out, the batteries were usually low. That’s very unusual. As soon as a battery is running out of power I immediately put it on the charger so it’s ready to go the next time there’s an opportunity to go out. Even on this trip to Northern Minnesota I felt a lack of inspiration. I was extremely excited for this adventure to the Gunflint Trail since I’d never been to that part of Minnesota but photographing it didn’t really interest me. For the first couple of days I couldn’t see much I really wanted to capture with the camera. I knew it was a lack of inspiration because there had to be many, many opportunities of things to photograph. That all passed in a matter of minutes on this morning.

All of a sudden there were so many things to capture with the camera. I couldn’t get them all fast enough. There were so many ideas running through my mind. So many pictures I wanted to try. And to think, I was wrestling with myself to even get out of bed to see the mornings sunrise. A portion of that was only getting a little over 4 hours of sleep. Also the sunrise the previous morning was nice but lacked the spectacular features of a stunning sunrise, adding to my lack of interest in getting up. Thankfully I did trade my nice warm bed for the cool, Northern Minnesota air on this day. In the previous post I wrote about the early portion of the sunrise but once the sun broke above the fog, I moved on to other subjects all around me. I had just moved from my original spot near a canoe launch back to the waters’ edge by our cabin when overhead flew a small flock of ducks which landed near the canoe launch.

I watched them for a short time before deciding to try and sneak back to the canoe launch and capture these unfamiliar ducks to me. They cooperated and stayed put while I set up the tripod as quietly as possible and began to photograph them. After awhile of swimming back and forth beyond my view I noticed they seem to be making their way towards me so I got the camera ready and stayed still. Success! They swam right in front of me before realizing something was there they didn’t recognize causing them to slowly move away back towards my cabin area. I hustled to get over there but they had swam faster than I could walk and were just leaving the area when I arrived. Unfortunately I was experiencing difficulties in getting my camera to focus and take pictures so the photo above is the best one I managed to get. Several other opportunities were missed because of my technical issues but it was fun nun the less. (These issues were due to a dirty shutter button which I fixed right after this trip)

As the sun continued its climb I noticed my shoes were quite wet. While that’s not very comfortable it also means a lot of dew clinging to everything providing more photo opportunities. One of my challenges has been to isolate these drops and get a clear shot of the reflections coming through them. In the photo above of equisetum I felt like I accomplished that. In addition, the lines running up and down this stem really stand out against a blurry background. It took me a little bit to get all of this set up but worth the outcome. At this point the dew drops were beginning to disappear under the warming sunlight so I needed to hurry a little. I tried a few different plants, attempting to find an interesting perspective highlighting these drops of water when the leaves of these Marsh Marigolds stood out. I love how the sunlight highlights the ridges and valleys of this leaf created by the veins and leaf shape. Adding in the water droplets makes it even more interesting to me because they really highlight the iridescence contained in the leaf surface and contrast nicely with the lines. So much fun!

As the dew continued to fade I moved on again to other subjects as they shined in the beautiful morning sun. Below is the partial flower of a Marsh Marigold with a fly warming itself up in the rising sun while beginning it’s day of moving from one flower to the next. Even though half of the petals had already fallen off I liked this particular one because the anthers and stigmas were visible with a few petals behind them. It was like a cross section of the flower with the lines created flowing to the fly for an interesting composition. I then moved on to the Blue Bead Lilies which I wanted to capture before needing to leave this campground. The yellow, bell shaped flower in the second picture above is of a Blue Bead Lily. I eventually had to stop to grab some breakfast and pack up the campsite but what an invigorating day. My excitement to get out with the camera has remained every since.

My motivation and inspiration returned on this morning. We just never know when or what will reignite our passion but I’m grateful it happens.

Adventures, Photos, Troy's Blog

A Sunrise Worth Waking Up For

September 1, 2019 Troy

Slowly opening my eyes, I could see a touch of light entering through the window. I grabbed my watch from the nearby floorboard I set it on before falling asleep and saw that it was 4:30. That’s 4:30 A.M.! Having stayed up enjoying a campfire the night before, it was a real struggle to keep from just rolling over and going back to sleep after only a little over 4 hours of rest. I got up the morning before and enjoyed the sunrise so I can just sleep through this one, right? Laying there a few more minutes, almost returning to dreamland, I finally decided to get up for the sunrise after which I would return to my bed for a few more hours of desired shut eye. Adding to the challenge of getting up was the cool temperatures outside while being nice and warm inside my sleeping bag. Besides, looking out my little window from the bed, the sky looked like it was completely clear. Typically a beautiful sunrise involves some clouds to capture some of the suns amazing colors reflecting off of them. Grumbling I slowly got out of the cozy sleeping bag, put on some clothes,and grabbed the camera.

Once outside my demeanor changed. I love the early mornings watching the sky grow brighter and brighter while birds begin to chirp. Arriving a few steps to the edge of the lake by our cabin I was immediately grateful for the motivation it required to get out of bed as the scene in front of me was breath taking. While there were very few clouds, fog rising off of the calm water made for an amazing view. My current camera set up would never do. I headed quickly back towards my car to get a different lens and a second camera with another lens along with the tripod. Rushing back towards the waters’ edge I set up the cameras and began shooting away. I just couldn’t believe how beautiful the landscape was in front of me. The pristine water reflecting this incredible light making its way through the fog and I was the only one awake to witness such a view. Part of me felt disappointed others were missing this sunrise and at the same time I was thankful for this solitary moment. My adrenaline was flowing and the lack of sleep was nowhere to be felt.

In a short time I discovered I was not alone. A curious beaver drifted near while eating a morning meal and watching as I switched between photographing with one camera and then the next while taking some time to just be in the moment and enjoy the spectacular surroundings. Everything so calm and beautiful. A moment that stops all that is going on in the world. A moment so beautiful you almost don’t want to take another breath for fear of it being gone. But you do and realize it’s all still there, and if possible, better than the previous moment. The sun starting to shine through the tree tops making it’s way through the fog casting a soft, yellow light over everything. It’s warmth now making its way to my cool face bringing the realization I was a little cold. Everything was so beautiful I didn’t even feel this cold penetrating through me. Closing my eyes for a second or two, I could feel the sun’s summer strength being absorbed inside of me. Opening my eyes once again I could see this beautiful sunrise beginning to fade.

Quickly the sun made it’s way above the trees, becoming brighter and brighter as the dawn gave way to day and this beautiful experience came to a close. This is one of the reasons I love photographing things. I can look back on these photos and return to this moment. Remembering the struggle to get out of bed, rushing around to gather my gear, and walking to different locations to find the spot to photograph from. All ending with this gorgeous moment of beauty and calmness not only on the water but within myself.

Rolling out of bed and experiencing this sunrise re-ignited my passion for photography. For the past several months before this, I didn’t really want to touch my camera. I couldn’t explain why because I didn’t understand why. And for the most part I was ok with that. There were moments where I took photos because I knew I should but my heart wasn’t really into it. They would sit on my memory card for weeks or more which is unlike me. I just didn’t want to even take the time to look over them. That’s how I know my inspiration is lacking. Typically I can’t wait to see pictures I’ve just taken. There’s always something I’m excited to look at. This morning’s sunrise brought back my passion and excitement. I continued to photograph for another couple of hours and never did return to my bed except to pack it up in order to move on to another campsite.

National Parks, Photos, Troy's Blog

Getting the Shot–Double Arch

June 29, 2019 Troy

One of my goals while in Moab, Utah enjoying the off road trails and incredible scenery was to photograph the numerous stars visible in the area. And what better way to do that than to include Double Arch in Arches National Park? Actually, after getting this shot I think it was more like photographing Double Arch at night with stars in the background. That was more of my intent was to get a beautiful picture of Double Arch. I’ve been fascinated with this humongous rock formation ever since I came across a picture of it. It takes just the right natural forces to create an arch but imagine what it takes to create a double arch? I know there’s even a triple arch but I haven’t seen that yet so my fascination will have to remain with this natural wonder at this time.

When I first spotted Double Arch it was from Turret Arch a little ways away. I was amazed at how large it actually was in person and how interesting the formations and colors are. Just look at how the wholes dwarf all of the people exploring it down below. Definitely a great subject to photograph.

In order to set up this shot I first began to imagine the shot and research it weeks before ever traveling to Moab. Once there I took some time to scout it during the daylight. It’s so much easier to figure out the composition when you can see where you’re going and can easily see the subject as well. If you look on the lower right side of the photo above you can see me crouched down looking towards the arches. I was told it appeared as though I was trying to sneak up on the arches. I can see that. What I’m actually doing was looking at different compositions. In the picture below you can see what it looked like from that spot.

I continued to move around taking pictures until I found what I thought would be a great place to set up once the sun went down. Eventually I settled on this location you see below. Now all that was left was to come back after dark and set up the camera with the correct settings. Once nightfall arrived a few days later, it was back to Arches for some nighttime photography. There were a few people here and there but almost everyone had left for the day leaving this beautiful rock structure all to ourselves. With the help of a friend to shine the flashlight around I setup the camera on a tripod with a remote shutter and began taking shots fine tuning my focus and composition. Once these were where I wanted them I extended the length of my shutter to take longer exposure pictures to capture as much of the night landscape as possible which led to the picture at the top. Many pictures that provide some great interest take time to put together.

Photos, Troy's Blog, Wildflowers

The Trillium Are In Bloom

June 15, 2019 Troy

I love spring! There’s so much life filling the landscape. One of my favorite wildflowers though are Trillium. Driving by a hillside before the leaves have fully covered the trees and seeing a hillside full of white blooms is a very calming sight. Those large, white flowers sitting a top of three leaves are often Trillium grandiflorum in the upper Midwest. The most common of the Trilliums in this area. Unfortunately that spring display doesn’t last very long so the timing has to be just right. But if you come across an area filled with Trillium at just the right time, you’ll know what I’m saying. A beautiful display worth taking some time to enjoy.

At the end of May I joined another photographer to see what was in bloom at the Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden in Minneapolis. Having been there a few times before I knew they had Trillium and I was hoping I wasn’t too late to see their beautiful flowers. First walking in I saw a couple of these plants displaying flowers that had already turned mostly brown and was a little disappointed fearing I was already too late. Fortunately as we walked further into the gardens there were others in peak bloom allowing me to get a few nice photographs to begin the summer. Exploring further revealed other types of Trillium also in bloom such as the red flowered Trillium in the photo above.

A few other kinds of these beautiful flowered plants were also in bloom. The nodding Trillium seen above has the flowers bent towards the ground instead of displayed above its leaves and there’s a yellow blooming type also in flower. These yellow and red flowered Trillium have smaller blooms than the white ones but also have unique, mottled leaves for added interest. Often when first showing people Trillium plants they first step back. They think of the rule of three leaved plants – leaves of three, leave it be. That’s because Poison Ivy has three leaves and they don’t want to get near it for fear of an allergic reaction. When I explain the difference between Poison Ivy and Trillium (and if I’m lucky I can show the difference), they relax and begin to enjoy these beautiful mid-spring flowers. Maybe this would be a good plant to add into my own landscape at home?

Camping, Photos, Troy's Blog

A Spring Camping Preview

June 9, 2019 Troy

With Memorial Day weekend quickly approaching, the camping itch began to get worse. In addition I had some new camping gear I wanted to try as there was a string of camping trips coming soon. I thought it would be a good idea to try this gear and make sure it was going to work as I wanted it to before these trips just in case there were some adjustments to make. Also, I was looking into deep space photography and wanted to give it a try. Try and find a campground on Memorial Day weekend just a few days beforehand. And find one with dark enough skies to photograph the night sky. All of the State Parks close to me were of course booked up but fortunately Minnesota’s State Forests are first come, first serve. I located Birch Lake State Forest. Far enough away from the Twin Cities to be dark enough but close enough to drive to for one night of camping.

Arriving late afternoon I strolled through the camp ground hoping for at least one spot to set my tent on and as luck had it, there was one. And only one! I got the last open campsite for the night. What luck! The excitement and anticipation of beginning the camping season set in. I quickly filled out the required permit, paid my fees, and set up my tent and sleeping gear. There was several hours before nightfall so what else to do? I had heard of a retention pond about 20 minutes away housing several different types of birds on their migration north. So off I went to see if I could find this pond. Fortunately it was relatively easy to locate and get to. Finding a spot along the dirt road next to this pond I pulled over and got out my camera equipment as there was movement on the water in different areas. One of the species that I’ve never seen before were these Phalaropes. They had some interesting colors and patterns along with an entertaining method for finding food. They swim in small circles while plucking food coming to the surface inside of this circle. A lot of fun to watch multiple birds doing this all at the same time. Another bird I’ve not photographed before was the Black Tern in the top picture.

As the sun set, I packed up and headed back towards camp to prepare for some nighttime photography and see if it is indeed possible to actually photograph a nebula or galaxy without a telescope. Taking some time to eat while the sky continued to grow darker I was beginning to feel the effects of the day and becoming comfortable in my chair with a small fire going. Eventually shaking that off it was time to grab the camera and head to nice clearing to check out the night sky. As my eyes continued to adjust to the dark sky above, I set the camera on a tripod with my long lens usually reserved for close ups of wildlife. Will this work? I zoomed in on a star and adjusted the focus and camera settings to begin testing deep space photography. No matter what I tried I could not get a sharp image of the stars. There was always movement which is likely from the rotation of the Earth. I didn’t have a skytracker which was a debate before heading north. That will have to be an addition to my equipment if I want to continue trying to capture deep space objects like the Orion Nebula.

Since the deep space thing was a bust, I focused more on spring flowers, plants, and migratory birds. I decided to call it a night, albeit a little disappointed about the deep space attempt and lack of success, as the sun would be rising in a little over 3 hours. Waking up with light already beginning to illuminate the sky, it was time to get up if I wanted to capture the sunrise coming up over Birch Lake. It almost appeared cloudy at first but as I studied the sky a bit more I could see that it was clear. There was no sunlight on the trees above so I figured there was a few minutes more as I was moving a bit slow on this morning after a cold night of trying to get some sleep. I just never warmed up allowing me to drift off into a deep sleep making me quite a bit less energetic this morning. Finally beginning to move towards the lake, it was obvious I was too late as the sun was already above the horizon. It would have been a great sunrise to capture too as there was some nice fog covering the horizon.

Well now I’m really irritated and about to call this first camping trip of the summer a failure as I failed at deep space photography and now missing the sunrise. At least there are some spring blooms and plenty of birds to add to my collection of photos. Before leaving the lake, a beautiful Baltimore Oriole flew into a nearby tree and began singing for me which helped to lighten my mood. Also a Loon swam close by and began calling out across the lake while a white Pelican was spotted swimming off in the distance. Those were enjoyable sights to watch and sounds to hear welcoming the suns warmth to begin a new day.

Walking along one of the trails, the bright and colorful seeds hanging from a nearby tree caught my attention and could make for a beautiful photograph. I spent a few minutes trying to capture this subject before moving on. You can see one of those shots above with the red, young seeds dangling from a branch. With the sun continuing to move higher in the sky, I returned to the retention pond from the evening before to see if I could capture a few more types of birds. While watching for a little while a Yellow Headed Blackbird came walking up along the shoreline. They are supposedly plentiful but I had never seen one before so this was a nice treat. Photographing as it moved in and out of rocks near the water searching for food was quite enjoyable. Occasionally seeing it reach down to grab something and moving on.

Eventually another bird I definitely have not photographed before came walking up on the shoreline also. This was a Sandpiper and was equally as interesting to watch as it searched to shoreline, stopping occasionally to pluck a morsel out of the water to eat, and then continuing on along the water. It continued to move closer towards me allowing me to watch it through my lens and see its every move. I enjoyed this opportunity to learn more about this shore bird. The Phalaropes were still in the area along with some Red Headed ducks and what I believe were Ruddy ducks but they were all pretty far away to get any decent shots of them. Along one of the trails in the area, several spring wildflowers where in bloom including the beautiful Bellwort in the photo above. This all made for a nice mid spring day before needed to get back to the campsite and pack up to go home. I look forward to my upcoming trips in the great outdoors of Northern Minnesota even more now.

Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

A May Morning Watching Migrating Birds

May 25, 2019 Troy

A beautiful early May morning was begging for my attention as the landscape around me was coming back to life with plants finally leafing out after a long, cold winter and birds returning from their southern hiatus seeming to finally relax a little as the sun continued to warm the air. I was hoping to find a few ducks stopping by a local pond to refuel before continuing North to find a good spot to nest however there were few to be found. In their place were many different types of birds. Some I’ve seen before and others were a new find.

Several of these Lessor Yellowlegs were combing the shoreline looking for their next meal. After initially taking off from the area they quickly returned once I was settled in a downed tree waiting for wildlife to begin moving again. In a short amount of time these shore birds continued on with their tasks with little concern for the new creature invading their temporary place allowing for some nice close up photos as they seemed to continually fight over this particular log jutting out into the shallow water. They were very entertaining!

Occasionally I would have visitors to nearby trees, at times even in the same tree I was perched in. The bird above is a Yellow Rumped Warbler in full breeding plumage. Several of these warblers visited my area, each one unique and beautiful. I would watch for the few seconds they would remain still as they returned my gaze attempting to figure out what I was doing before continuing on in their quest for food.

Throughout the morning a few other warblers flew by and stopped for a brief moment to say hello. At least that’s what it seemed like although the Palm Warbler above seems a bit confused while trying to figure out what this big eye was doing pointed right at it. I’m not sure if it could see it’s reflection in the lens or not. The Yellow Warbler below flew by me multiple times. Finally during one of those passes it decided to land in the tree I was crouched in and gave me an opportunity to get my camera in place capturing a few pictures of it and then it was gone.

After residing among tree branches for over four hours it was difficult to stand up and get walking again. Well worth the morning enjoying a spring day with all of this wildlife moving around me. Over the course of the morning there were some ducks, swans, eagles, a mink, and a deer swimming across the pond to add to all of these birds coming and going. A lot of fun!

Photos, Troy's Blog

The National Eagle Center

May 4, 2019 Troy

In late March I spent a day Eagle watching in Wabasha, Minnesota during their spring migration. The National Eagle Center has special events during this time of year making the trip there even more enjoyable. They always have Eagles for people to view up close. These have been injured at some point and are unable to survive in the wild, however they allow people to see these large, majestic birds of prey up close. They are impressive!

These ambassadors include both bald eagles and a golden eagle showing how these two species vary. I could have spent more time just observing these now captive birds as they scanned the area for food and preened releasing some of their winter feathers. Eagles are so enjoyable to watch floating in the air or even just perched in a tree. To be able to do that up close was such a treat.

As part of the migration festivities, the Wild Bird Sanctuary brought some other birds of prey to show which was really interesting. One of those birds was a falcon with beautiful colors and fun to watch as it flew across the auditorium from one handler to the next. In addition to the Wild Bird Sancutary, the National Eagle Center had displays which included beautiful photos in their art gallery, US Fish and Wildlife displays of some of the bugs found in that area, and even a little Saw-whet owl on display. What an amazing and friendly little owl.

There are a number of displays showing birds of prey and other features of the area landscape these animals live in. Definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in the area!

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Returning to the Rookery

April 21, 2019 Troy

This past winter I was talking to some photographers who mentioned a Great Blue Heron rookery (nesting site) relatively close to me and that no matter what the weather, herons begin to return in March. One nice early spring day, the first day of spring in fact, I took some time to stop by and see where this place was and if the herons were indeed returning yet. To my surprise there were many birds already there squabbling over which nest they wanted. There were several nests still unoccupied so I expect there will be more birds migrating to the area as spring progresses.

While watching several pairs of Great Blue Herons it was interesting to observe how they interacted with each other and with other herons in the area. Each checking different nests trying to pick just the right one to raise new little herons and defending that nest from others. I focused on one pair for awhile, watching and photographing some of their behaviors, as I continued to learn more about these larger birds. After checking a few nests thoroughly, they seemed to settle on one. However, that one nest still required some work before it would be suitable to lay eggs into.

At one point there seemed to be a discussion and disagreement over an aspect of this nest which you can see from the photo above. I couldn’t tell what the issue was but the result was one of the herons flying away from the nest to find solitude in the river banks below. The picture below shows the Great Blue Heron taking off from the nest while the other one continues to inspect parts of the potential nest. While away, the remaining bird made some adjustments to the sticks improving this chosen nesting site.

Five minutes later this heron returned to the nest and the pair seemed to make up and act as though they missed one another. For a couple of minutes they spent time kind of cuddling with one another before returning to the task of re-enforcing their nest. In the picture below you can see them with their heads crossed almost as if they were hugging. Maybe this is just some sort of method of checking out if they had been near another bird or reconnecting their bond. Whatever it was it was interesting to witness.

Part of reconstructing their nest involved flying to another vacant nest, and stealing branches that could be used on their own nest showing why getting to the rookery earlier in the year was beneficial and worth risking exposure to bad weather which could include snow. And lots of it!

It’s interesting to watch as they would check several branches for just to right one for their own nest. Once the branch was chosen they would, not so carefully remove it from the nest and fly back with it in mouth.

After several sticks added and repairs were made, the nest was deemed suitable allowing for some rest before the real work of raising young arrived.

New Experiences, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Spring Eagle Migration

April 7, 2019 Troy

A couple of weeks ago I spent a Saturday in Wabasha, Minnesota photographing Bald Eagles as they return north after the cold winter. The National Eagle Center in Wabasha tracks Eagle numbers throughout March and the count for this weekend looked really good provided many opportunities to watch these magnificent birds of prey. After finishing my commitments on Friday night I quickly ran around the house gathering equipment and gear I might need for a day along the Mighty Mississippi tracking and photographing Eagles.

Awaking well before dawn, on a short nights rest, I got my remaining gear and some food together and headed out the door. It was just after 4:45am which would give me enough time to make the nearly 2 hour drive to Wabasha and arrive there to see the sun rise above the horizon as Eagles begin to take to the sky for the day. It was a nice day for an adventure with temperatures reaching above freezing making for a comfortable day outside without excessive layers of clothes. The drive went by quickly with the horizon beginning to cast light into drifting clouds as I got closer bringing out some beautiful pinks in the sky. Reaching the first stop for the day at Reeds Landing, the sun was only moments from breaking above the trees across the river. Getting set up to take some pictures of the sunrise, Eagles were already flying above distracting me from the first mornings’ light.

While the sun continued to rise I attempted to capture an Eagle in the photo as they flew overhead but was unsuccessful as it was still too dark and the Eagles turned out blurry so I returned to focus only on the sunrise for the time being. One of the nice things about Eagle watching at that time of year is if you see a large bird, it’s likely an Eagle. During much of the summer I’m often fooled by larger birds that turn out to be Turkey Vultures and then disappointed. In a short time the light from the rising sun increased enough to begin capturing birds in flight. Just at that time a young one flew into view heading right in my direction. Focusing the camera on it I began to snap away getting some beautiful photos as it got closer. The result is the picture at the top of this post.

The biggest challenge of photographing these Eagles is to find a spot to get close enough for some great photos. Often times they will fly away from you or land on the other side of the river where they are too far away to get great shots. Even with that, opportunities did become available from time to time. The trick was to be ready and have the camera settings right for the situation. Sometimes it works out and other times I was frustrated with a blurry shot wanting to slam the camera and lens to the ground. All in all it was a lot of fun to photograph these beautiful birds and watch as they interacted with each other and flew overhead. Listening to their calls, which sounds very little like the sounds you hear on TV shows, wondering what they’re saying to each other. Sometimes they called one another to the tree they’re in and other times it was letting anther Eagle know they are not welcome to land in that tree. But many of the calls I couldn’t figure out the purpose of.

After awhile the Eagles seem to move away from an area requiring getting back into the vehicle to search for more elsewhere along the river. There are several nests in this area also. These are quite impressive to see as they’re so large. Almost like a tree fort. All of this just for an little Eagle or two. These nests are constructed over several years, increasing in size each time. There was one nest being guarded by an Eagle giving some perspective on how large the nest is.

Throughout the day there were many Eagles soaring in the warming sun. Every once in awhile there would be a couple of birds arguing over a particular fishing spot or certain territory in a tree or on the remaining ice along the river making for some interesting and entertaining behavior. Several times I attempted to capture this with the camera but often it was over before I could capture the event. There were a few that I managed to photograph but they were often far away allowing the Eagles to avoid a close-up shot. The picture below is one of the best shots I managed to capture. These two were arguing over this location on the ice. It lasted for less than a minute.

As the day got later I continued to work on capturing an Eagle swooping down to catch a fish. Unfortunately I had little success. The bird, captured below, has a fish in it’s talons while heading to a tree away from all the other birds to feast without being disturbed by another Eagle trying to steal the fresh meal. I watched this one gliding over the water and then circle around before plucking a fish out of the river all the while snapping away. Unfortunately those pictures are all a little blurry and the actual moment of catching the fish was missed. I have a photo of the Eagle touching the water and another one just after it caught the fish. While it’s nice to see those shots, it’s also disappointing as they are not great compositionally or completely in focus. Something to continue to work on. Even after this bird caught the fish I didn’t stop tracking it and luckily I didn’t. It ended up flying almost overhead as it headed towards the hills behind me giving me more opportunities to grab a picture with a fish in the talons.

Near the end of the day the light was getting too low for good picture taking of the Eagles so I headed to a spot to enjoy the last rays of the sun for the day before making the trek back home. Thankfully it was a beautiful sunset over the vast Mississippi River as you can see in the small Panorama below.

Exploring, Photos, Troy's Blog, wildlife

Playing with the Deer

March 30, 2019 Troy

Decided to go and explore Fort Snelling State Park hoping to see an owl or some other type of wildlife to photograph on a mid-February Saturday. The park was quite busy as many others were taking in the day snowshoeing, skiing, or just hiking like I was. As the day came closer to an end deer began showing up scrounging in the snow for food. It was fun to watch as they dug around slowly pushing aside snow here and there and then moved on to the next spot. I didn’t seem to really bother them which gave me the opportunity to photograph them on their journey.

There wasn’t much in the way of color besides the brown of the deer and trees against the white snow. This seemed like a great opportunity to play with black and white photography. It really seems to bring out the snow on the nose of this deer and the texture of the bark in the trees in the background. Amazing how small the deer appears when compared to the large trees behind it. You can tell there is a fair amount of snow on the ground as it goes up around the deer’s legs making it more challenging to get from place to place.

Turning behind me I happened to catch this deer chewing on a stick which was entertaining for me. It seemed like the deer wanted to break the stick off but was unsuccessful in doing so. Still an interesting look on it’s face. While deer tend to be pretty common at this Minnesota State Park it was still fun to see them and photograph a few working on different techniques and compositions while they slowly meandered by on a nice winter afternoon. Temperatures rose into the 20’s Fahrenheit which felt really nice after weeks of much colder weather. The deer seemed to be enjoying a warmer day also.

Gaining Life Experience