Tag Archives: sunrise

Exploring, fall, State Parks, Troy's Blog, Waterfalls

Searching For Fall Colors

October 15, 2022 Troy

With a few days off at the end of September, it was time to head to Northern Minnesota in search of fall colors. Getting on the road for our three hour road trip, my wife and I got going before sunrise to drop our dog off for the day with a family member allowing us to spend most of the day on the North Shore. While driving, the clouds above us sent out a flash of lighting with thunder quickly rumbling. We both looked around for the storm as there weren’t a lot of clouds above when rain began to land on our windshield. It must just be a small could burst that produced a crack of thunder also just above us. As daylight began to reach across the horizon, we could see areas of spotty showers interspersed with clear skies on this early fall morning. It was a fairly warm morning with sunny skies in the forecast for most of the day making for some bonus shorts weather. Soon the sky began to light up with amazing pinks, reds, and purples making it more difficult to concentrate on driving without staring off into the colorful rising sun.

Eventually the sun breached the horizon sending its warm rays across the sky. As I looked in the opposite direction, I noticed a bright rainbow arching across the sky from the small rain showers. What more could we ask for to start this beautiful fall day? A non-threatening thunderstorm followed by amazing sunrise colors only to be capped off by a gorgeous rainbow. The rain continued to move east and sun moved higher in the sky making way for a nice day to do a little hiking in hopes of finding some beautiful fall colors which are often making their way by now in the northern part of the state.

Reaching Duluth, there was the grandest of the Great Lakes – Lake Superior reaching out across the landscape. A quick stop to use the bathroom and look out at the scenery in front of us and we were back in the car continuing north. Gooseberry Falls State Park was coming up and we decided to make a brief visit since it had been awhile from our last time here. There was definitely less water crashing over the cliffs as dry weather from the summer kept the river lower than usual, but it was still a beautiful park on the shores of Lake Superior.

Now satisfied with seeing some North Shore waterfalls, we climbed back into the car and made a short drive to Split Rock State Park. We had been anticipating colorful foliage to start appearing for much of our travels north and really didn’t find much. The landscape appeared to be pretty green and vibrant as if it was in the middle of summer. A small shrub or tree here and there produced something other than the deep green leaves but that was it. We looked along the shores of this Great Lake hiking several miles and saw very little as far as colorful trees were concerned. Fortunately it was still a beautiful day with great scenery along our way.

With really no colors along the shore, we hiked up on top of some cliffs to see if there were any changing leaves further inland. Sometimes the large lake tends to moderate temperatures keeping these leaves green longer while the inland trees experience different conditions and change a bit earlier. With clear views for miles and miles inland, green prevailed everywhere we looked. A little defeated in our goal of finding some colorful scenery indicating that fall is making its way, we enjoyed our time together and the opportunity to do some hiking on quieter trails. The morning was nearing the end indicating it may be time to start making lunch plans. We had a few miles to hike to our car which would take a little time and then some additional time to drive to a place to grab some delicious food.

On our way back to the car we talked about the disappointing fall colors from this year and some of the spectacular views from the past two years around this same time. Who would have guessed the colorful portion of our journey was right away at sunrise? Still a great day to enjoy with my wife. Here’s a photo from a year ago in the same area.

Photos, Troy's Blog, Winter

Digging Into a Snow Drift

December 19, 2021 Troy

Recently we had several inches of snow in the forecast and I wanted to get some great photos of it. The next morning called for cold and clear skies so I headed out to a nearby park to capture images of the fresh snow before the days sunlight began to melt it away. The sky was less interesting than I’d hoped with clouds covering the horizon and clear skies above meaning no color in the clouds or sun at the horizon. Eventually the sun rose above the clouds to shower everything in warm, bright light. What I did find were patterns in snow from winds blowing strongly during the snowfall. It created some dramatic drifts carefully carved with each flake driven into the ground by forceful winds. Why does the snow remain in one streak while the rest of it was blown away?

What fascinates me is taking a closer look at these drifts and seeing the patterns and layers. Imagining what was happening while they’re being created. In this case, how did the snow go together in each layer? What I also find amazing is the same forces that create these drifts are also factors in how stone and sand are naturally carved – especially sandstone in the desert Southwest of the United States. Only snow drifts happen much faster so we can witness it in a matter of hours.

As the snow was falling, I took some time to capture a few of these and photograph them. It was a challenge for several reasons – the temperatures were near freezing so they melted quickly once under the camera, they were small as far as snowflakes go, and the crystals formed in all directions which is unusual.

In the picture above the blurry bright area on the lower right is a toothpick. This gives you something to compare how small these individual snow flakes were. Knowing how small these were makes me question what impact that had on the drifts created? If these ice crystals had been bigger, as they often are, the drifts would have formed differently with different patterns and shapes. In the top pictures there’s a very narrow drift. I’m certain it would not have been possible with larger snowflakes as they can get picked up easier by the wind, whereas these smaller ones are probably more aerodynamic allowing them to stay in place. What protected that little strip of snow? I didn’t look at that at the time of photographing the imagine so I’m not sure.

During the snowfall, these were the types of flakes falling. With each crystal appearing to be in a random direction, there were lots of interesting shapes to look at as they began to melt. One of the pieces that amazed me was how thick each of these crystals were compared to their overall size which is easier to see with larger images. One of the questions I had was did each of these snowflakes form this way or were there many small crystals that collided together to form these? It’s intriguing to think about and try to solve this question in an effort to learn what conditions are needed for such a ice crystal to be made.

Adventure, Camping, Minnesota, Sunrise, Troy's Blog

Catching a Beautiful Summer Sunrise

October 24, 2021 Troy

There are days when photographing the beautiful landscape around you comes at a cost. Often that cost is sleep. On this particular morning I wanted to capture the sunrise over Hayes Lake. A manmade lake surrounded by forest created from a small river flowing in that has been damned off. The challenge with being awake for the sunrise was that I had spent much of the night photographing the Milkyway rising from the horizon over this calm lake. And before that, the day included searching for Minnesota’s native orchids of which several were found, but that meant little rest during the day (and night). The conditions just presented the opportunity I was looking for for each of these possible photographs.

During the day, several orchids were in bloom and there was no rain expected (although passing showers popped up) making it a good opportunity to search for them. Along with spending hours in search of as many orchids as I could find, there were other native plants in bloom along with areas to explore all day long. Food? Not sure how important that really is. A few bites of something should be enough and on to the next area needing to be seen. After a day of adventure it was time to return to the campsite for a brief meal. Once this was complete, the sky continued to clear so out to do a little scouting for nighttime photos. An advantage of giving myself time was being able to enjoy the beautiful sunset. With just a few clouds floating across the sky, the colors provided a great end to the day.

With a little time before it would be dark enough to capture the night sky and a few potential places to set up the camera, I returned to the campsite and enjoyed an evening fire. As I started to relax I began to question if I really wanted to go back with the camera. My pillow was started to really call after a day of exploring and the time nearing midnight. As darkness engulfed the landscape, the stars shown brightly with not a cloud to hide them. A great situation to photograph the night sky with very little light pollution. One of the darkest skies I’ve had the chance to spend the night under. How could I possibly pass up this situation? Dragging myself into the car I returned to the lake where I was earlier and set up the camera. As those first pictures lit up on the screen I was re-energized and kept shooting away trying different things and different compositions. As the night wore on, fog began to develop across the lake making it more challenging to capture sharp pictures.

It was now after 3am and the sun would begin filling the horizon in just a few hours and this fog could make for some great sunrise photos. Do I just stay awake and enjoy the quiet morning hours? I decided to go back to the vehicle, turn on the heat to at least warm my hands and feet which were now pretty cold and see if I could get in a brief nap. Sleep could come back at the campsite once the sun made it’s way higher in the sky. At least that’s what I convinced myself of. I woke to a small amount of light entering the area and a few minutes later was back out at the lake setting up for the imminent sunrise. Just as I had hoped, the fog continued to float across the glass like surface I had left a short time before. Continuing to shoot away, I was enjoying the world waking up around me welcoming a new summer day and eventually capturing the image at the top. Returning to get some sleep? A new day had arrived and there was more exploring to do. Maybe an early night to catch up…..

Photos, Troy's Blog

Enjoying a Beautiful Fall Sunrise

October 10, 2021 Troy

The trees may not have been showing their vibrant colors for the first weekend of fall but the sunrise did. The night before local forecasters were hinting at morning fog under partly cloudy skies. Waking up this first Saturday morning of fall I hesitated going out to a nearby lake, but the fog had blanketed calm waters several days earlier in the week so this would be my opportunity to capture a few pictures of an amazing fall morning. Deciding to get dressed and grab the camera gear, I began heading towards a nearby lake. On the way, I soon realized the wind was blowing telling me there’s no chance of a foggy early morning sunrise.

Soon after arriving on this cool fall morning, I headed towards the spot I wanted to photograph from and began looking for just the right place to set up the tripod and camera. There were ducks and geese swimming back and forth watching as I explored the shoreline. Within a few minutes the clouds began to turn from a gray to pink with increasing light on the horizon. Clouds streaked across the morning sky making for a spectacular view welcoming in another day. Their reflections bouncing off the waters surface only enhanced this kaleidoscope of colors creating a beautiful landscape. Ducks began lifting from the water flying across this colorful scene to begin their day of searching for food. Then an eagle came out of nowhere and began circling the lake. All of this was happening with too little light to capture good photos. The only thing that showed up on any picture was a blur as they flew by.

As the sun rose higher, silhouettes of geese started to break up the golden reflections from the mornings rising sun. While trying to both capture this beautiful scene and take it in, the light continued to change minute by minute from pinks and purples to reds, and then amber with the sun peaking above tree tops bringing a finale to the days colorful sunrise.

At this point I changed my attention to some of the still blooming native flowers trying to find a composition using this nice early morning glow. While snapping a couple of pictures of the asters used as a foreground in the top photo, I noticed a bumblebee clinging to the underside of one of the leaves waiting for the suns warmth. At this time I needed to return home and begin my day of activities so I finished with another photo or two and it was back to the car to end my sunrise adventure.

Family Ramblings, Troy's Blog

Happy New Year!

January 10, 2021 Troy

Whenever possible I like to get up to see the sun rise on New Year’s Day. Thankfully that is later in the morning this time of year as typically the night before I welcome the New Year and then retire for the night. This year I awoke, grabbed my gear, something to eat, and headed to a nearby lake hoping for a beautiful start to the first day of the year. It was a cold morning with temperatures in the single digits Fahrenheit. I didn’t plan on staying out long so I didn’t put on all of my cold weather clothing, just enough to watch the sun come up and then head home. What I wasn’t anticipating was the frost covered landscape capturing my interest.

As daylight grew brighter on this cold morning, I began to notice the little white crystals forming on the trees around me. This winter landscape was becoming white with frost for a beautiful start to 2021. I began to examine the frost covered branches noticing how different it was on evergreens vs bare tree branches and old flower stems from the summer before. The evergreens seem to have little beads of frost while the other plants where forming larger pentagon shaped clear crystals. It was quite interesting to think about how a minor difference in conditions could lead to frost forming differently. Was there just enough difference in the temperature with the evergreens or humidity in the air? Amazing!

The cold was beginning to penetrate deeper and deeper into me reminding me I was only prepared to be there a short time. Heading back toward my car I kept getting distracted with these frost crystals. The sun began to peak out from behind the morning clouds casting some light onto these little ice formations. I had to stay and try to capture this. Heading towards some cattails I noticed the snow beneath me. It looked so soft with lots of glimmering ice covering it. That must be from snowflakes which had melted in the warm sun filled days before refreezing into clear globes of ice.

On closer inspection, I could see frost crystals everywhere on top of snow. This is something I haven’t noticed before but they were everywhere rising up from the snow covered ground. Looking just right they would glisten in the morning sunlight revealing their pentagon shapes, just like on the dried branches nearby. This was so interesting. Unfortunately it was getting more difficult to work the camera with the cold setting into my hands. It was time to go warm up, but hopefully there would be more opportunities to explore this miniature world of frost. I love experiencing something new and interesting. What a great way to begin the new year!

Happy New Year to each of you with hope for many enjoyable moments and memories!

Adventure, Photos, Troy's Blog

Getting the Shot–A Boundary Waters Sunrise

June 13, 2020 Troy

This photo is so mesmerizing to me. Well, actually it’s the picture below that really captures my attention but that doesn’t work very well as the post photo because it’s in the portrait orientation. Fortunately I really like them both. The overall scene just appears so relaxing and calm to me. You have the fog lifting from the warm water into the cool morning air dispersing the soft morning light as the sun nears the horizon. That fog separates this lone tree from the forest behind it allowing you to see the interesting shape of this silhouetted evergreen growing from a tiny island surrounded by boulders and water. I really begin to wonder how this tree is able to grow in that spot. You have the cool colors created by the early morning low light and fog separating it from the warm colors above the tree line behind producing yellows and oranges. Having all of the trees in silhouette creates a scene that my mind keeps wanting to watch expecting the sun to show illuminating these trees and water.

The main difference in these two pictures above is, of course, the orientation in which they were shot. Switching to portrait allows for the trees reflection to become visible showing off the calm water adding to the relaxing scene. However, this photo doesn’t highlight the small island with boulders around it like the top picture does. Notice I did not center the tree, the main focus of this image. Is it obvious that the tree is the main subject? As I studied the tree I noticed a lower branch, or second tree, coming off the right side angling up adding a little more overall mass to this side. Because of that, it needed to be situated to the left in pictures. If I had centered this photo it would feel off balance to the viewer as you can see below. It’s not bad but it not as relaxed as the picture above. You can also see that making the tree fill the entire shot does not allow the viewer to step into the scene as well.

Looking at the top photos, it’s easy to think I just rolled out of bed and five minutes later captured these amazing photographs. Let me take you through what was involved in getting this shot. I arrived at this cabin on East Bearskin Lake. An entry point into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Taking a short path from the cabin to the waters edge and you’re looking out into the deep wilderness of evergreens, birch, maple, granite, and water. It’s so quiet most of the time. If it weren’t for the multitude of mosquitos, biting flies, and gnats it would feel like you’re in a dream. While first peering out at the landscape in front of me I saw this one tree emerging from a small island. I wanted to concentrate on that one piece and find a way to capture it’s interest separate from all the other incredible and scenic pieces putting together this spectacular place. There was just something about it that spoke to me. Prior to this I was struggling to find any motivation to even pick up a camera. There was just no excitement in photography which had been going on for a couple of months by this time.

I walked back to the cabin to begin unloading the camping gear and arranging it inside. Once complete, a meal was prepared with the intent the rest of the day to just enjoy quiet time with my friend I made the journey with. As we sat down to eat, rain began to fall chasing us inside for awhile. Not exactly the start I was hoping for but weather is to be expected during the spring in Northern Minnesota. From time to time my mind would return to the lake in front of us trying to envision what type of photograph would really bring out this tree growing almost from just out of the water? I struggled once again to come up with an idea and decided it was time for a fire and to let this picture go. My mental photography block was still in place. Maybe there just wasn’t a shot suitable using this little island and I should concentrate on something else. The stars began to shine overhead and it was a long day of travel so off to bed I went expecting to awake before dawn and try again.

Light began to show through the window just above my head. I was still tired and unmotivated to get up. After a few minutes of fighting with myself I got out of my nice, warm sleeping bag, begrudgingly got dressed and headed outside. The camera was in the vehicle and that’s where I wanted it to stay. But what if there’s a moose down by the lake? I grabbed the camera, a tripod, and a couple of lenses and headed to the lake just outside of this cabin. NO MOOSE! I should go back to bed. I decided to stay and work with composition on this lonely tree. You can see the results in the two photos above. Nothing really outstanding. I just couldn’t isolate this tree the way I really wanted to. The next morning I did this again, not really expecting anything more than just trying to enjoy the day beginning over this beautiful place. The second day I did spend some time moving down the shoreline a ways and noticed the difference in how that island appeared. It still was blending into the background too much but at least I could see water all the way around it now. Before the background trees blended in too well with a portion of it. I tried a small lens and moved all the way up to my 200-500mm lens looking for different compositions. Still no really good shot like I wanted. And my motivation to keep holding this computer with glass would not return. I should also mention that the camera was not working properly and the shutter button worked intermittently which may have been much of my problem.

On my third and final morning I once again forced myself out of bed and went down the the lake. What I found was a gorgeous scene! My inspiration returned immediately. I wrote about this some time back. You can read it here. If you click on previous post at the very bottom from that one you can read my description of this morning. The fog on the lake was perfect to create separation between the tree and the background. I moved on down the shore to where I had noticed water visible around the tree and set up the camera. You can see the view in the picture above. This tree was quite a distance away requiring my longest lens, which is visible in the lower left hand corner of the above shot, to accomplish the task I wanted. There were moments I needed to wait as the fog drifted around the tree to show off it’s interesting shape but for the most part I snapped away. Every few minutes the light kept changing as the sun continued to rise creating a slightly different look to the photograph. I couldn’t believe the colors in these pictures as I was taking them. They were just so amazing and made these pictures even more spectacular.

The sun began to peak through the tree tops behind this little island and the fog began to be disappearing causing me to believe my time capturing this scene, I had been trying for days to figure out, was over. And then it returned as the sun was rising above the trees casting a beautiful warm glow once again. I now switched the tree to the right side as it was no longer the main feature of the photograph. The sun and it’s rays going through the fog changed the scene. The brightness of the sun shining through this thick fog casting rays which protruded to the left of the tree now dominated the scene requiring me to adjust my composition slightly. The rays are subtle in this picture but are there which your eye picks up. It would feel out of proportion if the tree was still to the left of center now. It took three days and a lot of luck that the fog emerged for this picture to work. If I had not been focused on getting a photograph of this tree and the small island it was growing on, I would not have been prepared to capture this moment which only lasted a short time. These pictures have become inspirational to me whenever I go out to capture a scene now as they remind me a it becomes spectacular under the right circumstances as long as I’m prepared to photograph them.

Photos, Troy's Blog

A Cold Mid May Morning

May 17, 2020 Troy

The forecast called for temperatures reaching the freezing level overnight which meant a possible foggy sunrise with the water temperatures well over freezing now. Waking up to catch the sunrise now means 5am or earlier. Just before 5 I woke up and looked outside. No clouds in the sky so likely a normal sunrise. No need to rush to get out of the house. Gathering up the camera, batteries, and some food for a morning out at the park I eventually made it to the car. Opening up the garage door and pulling out I could see the horizon lit up with deep red colors hanging on the few clouds low in the sky. Frustration entered as I was missing a beautiful sunrise. I quickly headed for a park closer than I planned to see if I could capture some of these colors but failed. By the time I got there the deep colors had faded. Well, on to my original destination. Of course I could not seem to get there as I passed the first turn, and then the second forcing me to drive most of the way around a lake to finally arrive at the park I was headed for.

Walking to an area I scouted out the day before I noticed some fog and a little frost on the ground here and there. The photo at the top shows the best I could come up with as the sun rose above the trees. While I like the picture, it’s not what I had in mind or was hoping for. Being able to watch a sunrise is still a soothing start to any day though. There were some interesting frost covered plants to enjoy briefly before temperatures rose. I spent a little time taking in some of the interesting patterns created by these little ice crystals before heading to a water side perch to see what wildlife was out and about. Most of the wildlife consisted of Red-Winged Blackbirds and a pair of Canadian Geese. After an hour I decided to move and scout some other areas for Showy Orchis habitat. Minnesota’s earliest native orchids to bloom which use to be much more plentiful but now a bit more challenging to locate.

As I left my waterside hideout and began walking a Great Blue Heron came flying by and landed in a great spot if I was still settled in my original spot. Another missed opportunity! Feeling even more defeated now I decided to hit a trail. This trail winds around this area of water with a nice open spot to see the surroundings since plants are not fully grown yet. I decided to walk off trail a little and check out the water to see if I could find this heron. Maybe there would be a photo opportunity yet. As I approached I scanned the waters edge for this large bird. About to give up I spotted it not more than 20 feet away. They never let people get that close without flying away. I decided to back away and find a place to sit. Maybe it would move on down the shoreline towards me for some nice pictures. No such luck. It moved a little towards my direction and then snagged a good size fish out of the water. The camera would not focus on the bird as it was behind quite a bit of grass and a tree branch. Soon after a boat came drifting into the area forcing this heron to move away further. Disappointed I continued on my search for Orchis habitat. Unfortunately I didn’t find that either. It really felt like a bit of a bust for the morning. I’m still glad I got out for a few hours to enjoy a bit of nature. Some outings are like that while others provide several opportunities. You just never know.

Photos, Troy's Blog

Getting the Shot–A Beautiful Foggy Sunrise

October 26, 2019 Troy

Each time I view the picture above I am continually amazed at how much I enjoy it. The colors of the rising sun along with the stream flowing through the middle of it. And of course the fog. Without the fog this photo is just a nice picture of the sunrise. I never imagined capturing this shot on this morning. I was in search of another of Minnesota’s native orchids which I wrote about here. Since I was already coming to this park to find an orchid, I decided to get there earlier to enjoy the night sky which I was missing because the year has been so cloudy. While driving around under the star filled sky I eventually stopped at this spot to photograph the stars. Soon there was light on the horizon and I could see a heavier fog developing near the ground. Setting up a few different compositions I decided that this would be the shot I wanted to work with. Cameras see things differently than our eyes do and capturing a sunrise or sunset can be difficult as either the foreground becomes only a silhouette or the sky is to bright losing much of the beautiful color.

Anticipating this I knew I had to take different exposures to capture all of the different elements in the shot. Fortunately the camera was already set up for this from taking photos of the night sky. It was attached to a tripod and had a remote shutter release plugged in so as to not disturb the camera to get a sharper image. In this shot above I overexpose the scene to capture the color of the plants in the foreground. These portions where then blending with the underexposed photo, which is the second from the bottom, to bring out more detail in the plants at the bottom instead of keeping them as a silhouette. This is closer to what I was seeing that morning.

This next photo, above, is still overexposed but not as much. It reveals the fog in a more realistic fashion. Because of this I used the foggy portions of the photo to blend together with the underexposed picture below. The next picture below is what the camera considers properly exposed. This was not how everything looked to me at that time. There is no detail in the foreground and the sky is mostly blown out appearing white. There’s nothing that can really be done about this in a photo editing program using only the one picture. You can see why multiple photos are needed with different exposures to capture a more realistic scene at this time of day. Another solution to create a more realistic picture is to use specialized filters on the camera lens. I don’t have the necessary filters for my camera so blending multiple exposures in photo software is how I handle these situations. From this properly exposed shot I used the tree line next to the sky for the final photograph.

This next picture below is underexposed to bring out the colors of the sky before the sun rose above the horizon. Everything else basically became a silhouette. Often times I like that look but not for this photograph. I wanted the fog, which is so crucial to the whole scene, to be visible in the final picture. Below is the photo that I used as the foundation for the final picture at the top. From this I blending the different pieces from three other pictures of different exposures to create a photo that more realistically resembles the scene that morning.

Most of the time the best photos come from planning, preparing, and waiting for just the right moment to capture the scene with the right lighting. There can be a lot of time involved to set up a beautiful picture such as scouting out an area, trying different compositions, watching the weather forecasts, and possibly long hikes with all of the heavy camera equipment and suitable clothing for the conditions. This was a case of being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes you just get lucky and rewarded for waking up earlier than would be considered sane and getting to a location with plenty of time. I did drive around much of the area earlier in the morning and had to drive around a second time once I decided this was the spot I wanted to shoot from due to the stream and direction of the brightening sky in relation to that stream. There was some planning and scouting but not much.

What is even more amazing to me is you could go by this spot almost any other time and it looks very plain and lacks a great photographic quality. Ordinarily a place where you wouldn’t expect to capture a great picture. But a late summer sunrise combined with a beautiful fog makes the shot. The picture below shows the same location after the sun has risen above the horizon. The fog became even heavier for a short time but quickly disappeared once the sun warming rays penetrated through it. The water looks mucky and brown. There are a scattering of trees, some if which are dead. A variety of wetland plants which, typically don’t make nice pictures, are everywhere throughout the scene. Really nothing except the stream appears as though it would make a good picture. It really proves the importance light, timing, and composition make. I could have used the composition in this picture below and it would have made an interesting photo. By zooming into the scene a little more like I did, I feel like I’m taken into the landscape. I become a part of the scene enjoying the twilight as fog develops and water trickles by. You can almost here the morning birds beginning to chirp and feel the cool foggy air causing you to reach for the warm coffee nearby while waiting for the sun’s rays to reach above the trees and the day to begin.

Adventures, Photos, Troy's Blog

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.

Gaining Life Experience

Tag Archives: sunrise

Searching For Fall Colors

Digging Into a Snow Drift

Catching a Beautiful Summer Sunrise

Enjoying a Beautiful Fall Sunrise

Happy New Year!

Getting the Shot–A Boundary Waters Sunrise

A Cold Mid May Morning

Getting the Shot–A Beautiful Foggy Sunrise

Inspiration Returns

A Sunrise Worth Waking Up For

Your Board of Adventure