Layne Kennedy

Nikon SB-900 Speedlight

2012-02-06T21:39:00.004-06:00

Creating photographs in winter brings its own set of challenges. Its a good thing photographers are capable problem solvers or this season could easily get the best of you.

The first obstacle, the most common one, can be overcome with desire and proper clothing. Let's face it, when its really biting cold it takes a compelling reason to get out and shoot. I see this more than anything else in winter months with shooters. They resist pulling the camera out of the bag and shooting. Its easy to stay bundled up and warm. Yet, the moment you activate your imagination and start creating, you overcome the chill and walk away with images only a handful of people are willing to capture.

The second winter hurdle? Light.

All photographers understand that light is everything. A bright, sunny winter day can be a tough working situation with contrast and exposure. Yet, capturing good winter light can really make a photograph electric and lively. And, the quality of light in the high arctic, with its pink hues and soft texture is some of the most gorgeous light found anywhere on the planet. Seeing deep blues against a snowy scene is a marriage akin to peanut butter & jelly. It just works.

And technology has made some fancy advances to making our lives pleasant and more productive. Personally, I think the greatest innovation in the digtial age are those wonderful "blinkies" that instantly provide information about overexposed areas. I never use a histogram, but adore that flashing black light indicating I've lost data in the bright areas. What a great tool.

The flip side to sunny conditions is that limp light, dark and heavy that provides no contrast, miniscule inspiration, and its own nasty method of defiance. This really pushed the best shooters to a mode of creative options that while limited, can be very rewarding. The best way to think of this is bad light can be good light...........for some visual techniques.

I like implementing two techniques as soon as I see light go limp. That dark overcast light is actually quite good to use with panning for motion and also close-ups. The light is even, though dark, and along with a good exposure subjects come to life.

Panning is one of my favorite types of images to create. They are a nice break to the frozen still shot and offer the viewer a new way of seeing a moment in time. And, don't be afraid to break out that flash and use it with your long panning expsoures. This technique, which we used to define as "flash & slash" is a great way to add motion and sharp focus in a photograph.

Last week while dogsledding in Northern Minnesota, the weather pattern could be ID'd in the dictionary under the word GLOOMY. Holy darkness Batman, it was dark all day and did not fluctuate one f/stop the entire day until darkness set in. We missed shots like fresh wolf prints in the new snow because of the flat light to name one. But, when we broke out the Nikon SB 900's and kicked in Rear-Curtain Sync, we started having fun.

There is a secret to using the flash & slash technique that will dramatically improve your adventure
photography. This same skill set is popular in outdoor portraits as well so the technique has numerous valuable contributions to your personalized vision. Using dark conditions with digital is not something you should shy away from or put your camera away for the day. Use the darkness to experiment with new and exciting ways of shooting.

In the photo below, the light was already too dark capture action, even at very high ISO's. So, I put on the Nikon SB 900 Speedlight on my D3 and took a normal ambient exposure. My fastest reading was 1/6th of a second. Way too slow to stop action. But, I knew if I set my camera on Rear Curtain Sync (your camera by default is set to Front Curtain Sync) and flashed the dogs, I get get some movement and also some sharpness. The perfect combo in this conditions.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE

The key here is the ambient exposure.

Here's another photo taken just moments later using a faster shutter speed with the Rear Curtain Sync still set. You can see the difference. The ambient light has gone dark, like those terrible christmas party photos you've seen thousands of times. The subjects are brightly lite by the flash and the light fall off is extreme and your subject swims in a sea of blackness.

This is the reason for using the REAR CURTAIN SYNC. The flash fires at the end of the exposure as opposed to the beginning of the exposure. This technique "pops" the flash at the end freezing the action giving you a sharp split-second at the end of a long exposure. If you were set for front-curtain sync, the flash fires at the beginning and the remaining exposures washes over flash creating a blurring result.

In this photo, as dogs are returned to the dog yard after a day of running lakes and forests, the light has usually gone. But, its important to see the dog yard. A automatic photograph flashed with blackness wrapping the scene gives your audience little or no information about what's happening. They want to see what's going on. The dogs are so strong that its easier to lift their front feet off the ground to get them safely to their doghouse. Its part of the story and capturing it is integral to understanding the dynamics of the dog yard. This technique allows you to do that!

So, on the next nasty, dark day go out and give it a go. Practice with moving subjects, and your camera set at rear-curtain sync.

In this photo, a straight pan with no flash is another effective way to capture action with movement.
Just keep that thought in the back of your head when shooting in poor light;

Bad light is good light!

iArt with iPhone

2012-02-06T12:36:00.000-06:00

Editor Sarah McKenzie called with an idea to do a short article on the creative use of the iPhone camera. The number of creative app's for the iPhone have simply exploded on the market. Some are wonderful visual tools and others not so great.

I thought I'd share Sarah's article here.

Man Versus Nature

2012-01-13T10:04:00.006-06:00

Man Versus Nature

I'm stealing a few moments this morning editing images and jotting down notes for an upcoming presentation in Minneapolis, PHOTOGRAPHING THE WILD.

Staying focused on a project like this can be tough as the tendency to weave all over the place blossoms because the concept takes on many faces. It’s like going to a tile store picking out tile for kitchen remodeling effort....so many choices, where do you start?

Something happened during the edit that has found a voice in the program. I’m surprised at the number of images snapped on the edges of wilderness that are as strong as those created inside the wilderness.

I recall reading Roderick Nash’s famed book, WILDERNESS & THE AMERICAN MIND and one of his descriptions of wilderness.

“If paradise was early man’s greatest good, wilderness, as its antipode, was his greatest evil. In one condition the environment, garden-like, ministered to his every desire. In the other it was at best indifferent, frequently dangerous

and always beyond control.”

Author Edward Abbey offered this quip;

“Wilderness in not a luxury but a necessity of the human spirit.”

On a recent assignment covering moose on Isle Royale National Park, we didn’t see a moose in five days. In fact, we never saw one. We backpacked over 45 miles searching the shoreline of Lake Superior, the interior, back country ponds and lakes, nothing. Finally one night we heard one, bellowing for a mate. It was during a new moon phase so the blackness was heavy. The only light came from stars and a faint aurora trying to ignite over Canada. It was so still outside and every sound magnified over the lake as we sat at the edges of the water. When the bull moose entered the water to swim to his girlfriend, his each breath we could “see” in our minds. We he rose out, the water streaming off his back illuminated our brains. It was a wonderful wilderness moment, absent of light pollution, sounds of trucks, people and sirens. Certainly, this is one of the reasons why I gravitate towards the woods.

I fell asleep that evening with these images of sound dancing through my head. The next morning we awoke to wolves in our camp (more on this experience later) as we found ourselves in the middle of a pack separated in the early morning light. We were between pack members and they desperately wanted to regroup. During this 20 minute wilderness experience I was more alive than I’ve been in years. These are the rewards of wilderness.

But, photographing wilderness is getting to be more and more difficult. First, urban expansion, demands for energy, and accessibility creep in ever so slowly. Then, the record number of photographers out there wanting to capture that quintessential image. It used to be that getting up at 2:00 a.m., driving to the trailhead, hiking three hours to beat sunrise at a predetermined location was enough to secure the chance to see and document something special. Now, there’s lines at the trailhead, countless shooters lining the prime spots, and aggression (of which I detest) in not sharing the spot with kin folk who made the same trek to arrive there for the gold.

Personally, when I’m faced with these situations, I turn my lens on the crowds. That seems to be the story for me at. I've seen folks just go nuts over this, like something has been stolen from them. It is what it is and there's reasons for it and some will argue, we are our own contributors to the problem. Through our photographs, we popularize these locations.

It belongs to everyone. Its simply more challenging to have it all to yourself.

Keep your eyes open. Remember that often times the story of wilderness is on the edges of the wilderness. Wilderness means something different to everyone.

The visual scenes that document man’s encroachment, the crowds around an iconic landmark, nature fighting back, or simply something as whimsical as Carhenge, just outside of Alliance, Nebraska in the middle of the prairie can tell a story. How it’s interpreted is up to the viewer.

Visual Transparency

2012-01-10T13:05:00.004-06:00

Visual Transparency

There’s a word we don’t hear much anymore when discussions of photography arise, Transparency. I still like the word and the beauty it represents in my mind. Immediate thoughts of rich Kodachromes dance through my head. And, let’s face it, Transparency is way more romantic than saying RAW FILE.

What seems like thousands of years ago, in my college days, I was home in Austin, Texas where my parents lived at that time. Home on summer break and feeling the need to create something photographic, I found myself loading slides in Dad’s kodak carousal projector. Looking for a clean surface to project the images, an idea suddenly triggered.

I loaded a variety of images into the tray, took the projector outside and projected images onto a concrete stairway in front of the house. It looked pretty cool. Some images worked well and others became visually confusing. For the most part, I liked what I saw. The images were broken up with deep shadows between each step. I ran and got my camera and photographed the stairs with a number of different images.

Moving into my junior year of college, I had submitted one of those photographs of the stairs to a National Photo Contest. It got published!

It was my first published photograph. I recall how exciting that was. I felt like my canoe had slid into the mainstream and I was on my way. Poor stupid college kid....My Professor summed it up perfectly stating, “You're only good as your last photograph.” It took a while for that to make sense, but eventually it did.

Last year while teaching one of my 72HOURS Photo Workshops at the MPC (Minneapolis Photo Center) I broke into the visual bank and pulled this projection concept out of the vault once again. I incorporated the projection images in a workshop titled Environmental Nudes. As before, through trial and error, we came up with several images that really moved us. We repeated it again last week during another workshop.

It was a unique and creative way to photograph nudes. I’ve always thought photographing nudes was one of the most difficult subjects to photograph. Along with the stigma of nakedness in the U.S., there is a fine line between art and non-art nude photography. Creating successful images, not going over the top, not using the body for erotica, but as a canvas of light and form, exceptionally rewarding photographs can be obtained.

I hope you agree!

Looking Ahead-Hitting Home Runs

2011-12-31T12:35:00.003-06:00

I'm not much of a New Year's resolution kind a guy. I have enough projects to keep me busy for another 100 years. So, I don't dwell on such things. Some are bigger than others. My big job today, this last day of 2011 was making a huge batch of homemade chili.

Mission accomplished! And let me tell you, I pureed some jalepano peppers, spread them on cream cheese inside crescent rolls and baked them......oh my! So good with chili. My goodness, I get easily sidetracked.

Over the holiday season I had the pleasure of touching bases with several good friends. Many of which are peers in the field photography. Conversations rolled all over the place, with topics ranging from family, the stagnant economy, upcoming shoots, and my favorite, why we do what we do. That spiritual connection we have being photographers.

One of the things I cherish about my photo friends is we don't compete with each other. We do our own thing, exploring, creating, learning. Granted, our images are often in the same edit pool or assignment desk in which clients make choices, but in conversation we share ideas, bitch about stuff, and in the end marvel that we are doing what we do. In fact, when I'm unavailable for an assignment, I suggest these folks to the editor because it does both the client and these talented shooters good. And, they do the same for me.

I've always found it tough going around people I sense are hiding something from me. They give off the vibe they have something on you, then refuse to, share. Its such a waste. They fail to realize that blurting out ideas can allow those ideas to percolate and genuine thoughts from others can add depth. I see this both professionally and in some of the workshops I teach.

So, if I were to make any suggestions for rising & aspiring shooters looking ahead to 2012 it would be to put yourself on pace to hit a few home runs. Share ideas and images. Take on a visual project and push it to a conclusion. Talk to others about it. Share it. There are tons of good places on the internet to share these projects. Investigate a subject/theme and reap the benefits of all those lessons that will reward you on so many levels. It will make you a better photographer and a wiser person. And, invariably, you will find new themes within the one your are developing. I swear on every story I shoot, I find several mor

e within it worth pursuing. Its a win-win.

In a day where it feels like everything that can be photographed, has been photographed, its time to go hunting. I find new moments revealed at the click of my shutter all the time. Ya just gotta get out there with your lens.

A good example: I teach a series of workshops called 72HOURS at the Minneapolis Photo Center (MPC). I choose a different theme and for three days we go out and shoot that theme. In the end, produce a book of those efforts. Last Spring we did one called 72HOURS Stone-Steel-People. We went all over Minneapolis/St. Paul searching for subject matter that related to this topic. Many of the subjects we photographed we photograp

hed with fresh eyes because we were following a theme. Without that theme, the story line, we quite possibly on any other day, would've walked right past those moments.

Using the theme as a visual vehicle, we gave ourselves permission to create because they had relevance based on our theme. You can see where I'm going with this can't you? There's lots of photographic material out there! Attaching a theme steers you in a direction.

Consider following a theme. It is a great way to kick off your new photographic year. Don't be fooled that its a trivial way to create. Its not. You can pick a simple theme or one more involved.

Along with the several I have on tap already, I'm determined to spend more time photographing Gaea here in Minneapolis whose face intrigues me to no end. She is someone I really want to photograph. Its a theme. Its one of my plans. And, she's right here in the neighborhood. I have no economic reasons to photograph her. I feel a calling to do so.

Minor White once said when referring to making photographs, "Listen to the Messages." This is an obvious message to me and I will pursue it as I can.

Grab that camera and lens and hit some home runs with your efforts. Its like that party you didn't want to go to and once you got there, had buckets of fun.

Happy New Year!

layne & gang

Winter Blues-NO WAY!

2011-12-07T15:41:00.005-06:00

When asked what's my favorite time of year to photograph, I usually say winter. Oh man, the looks I got! I've had to think about that response once the words left my lips, but when narrowing it down, I know why I make this claim.

Its the quiet, less people around, fresh tracks in the snow, shorter days (so I don't have to work

18 hour days) that are so appealing. So maybe its more accurate if I say winter & wilderness. The same nuances seem to apply to both. I'm comfortable there.

I love the peacefulness of winter. The sounds outside are different, the light is different too. And the unique challenges that accompany winter activities keeps many inside. All I can say is this; If you are prepared to be outside in the cold, you'll have a rewarding experience in a season that so many put on hold.

One prime example for a winter excuse is a wonderful workshop coming up in March in the Canadian Rockies at Banff National Park. See the flyer below. The idea of photographing winter at it's peak, the ice fully formed, the longer days of late February and warmer temps, puts you in position to photograph one of the most legendary winter locations in North America. Contact the Mentor Series for more information.

Mentor Series Photo Workshops www.mentorseries.com

What keeps folks from embracing winter? The cold!

How you dress is the key to staying warm and enjoying yourself. Remember, cotton kills. Stay away from cotton. And think layers. Dress in layers. In cold, the moment you feel a sweat coming on, take a layer off. When you stop, pull that layer back on, it'll hold in the heat. Wearing clothing with a wicking layer, from your long johns to your jacket are key to staying warm for the active shooter. Always have a hat and wear it! Most of your body heat escapes from your noggin, so keep it warm. Again, when you start cookin' take it off, but keep it handy.

And in my opinion, the most overlooked piece of clothing is that all important wind layer. A warm fleece or down jacket is warm until that wind cuts through you like a hawk. Pulling that all important wind layer will keep you snug and toasty. When it comes to your hands, mittens are far warmer than gloves. I wear a thin pair of poly gloves inside my mittens so I can pull them off, snap off a few frames, and slide my hands back inside those warm mittens.

For my wind layer, I wear something that is also water resistant or waterproof. Living in Minnesota and doing a lot of work in the arctic, the conditions of the snow are very cold. So, the snow just glides off my gear. But, in places like the Rockies, especially in Spring, the snow can be wet and cling to you. Remember, STAY DRY. This is key to a safe and enjoyable trip outdoors in winter.

Batteries....oh my, the big worry isn't it for shooters? If I'm on assignment and gone for days, I carry several spares. But, I also carry those little "heat packets" you buy at the store and once opened stay warm for eight hours. I'll keep one wrapped around my spare each day just in case my in-camera battery dies. And, if I have a warm place to sleep at night, I recharge.

Bringing gear in from the cold. If you are staying out all day in the cold and then return to a warm cabin at the end of the day, be careful with your gear. That temp change will cause rapid

condensation on your very electronic equipment. I keep mine inside my bag, under my big jacket and allow it to slowly warm to room temp. Often times this takes several hours so be patient. If you plan on any addt'l night shooting once you've come in, just leave the gear outside and out of the wind.

What is there to photograph in winter? The subject matter is as endless as any other season.

Take a look at some of these images to kick start the mind. Get out and shoot. Winter can offer the photographer a collection of imagery that sets them apart from most shooters. Explore, take risks with light and lens. The air is crisp and clean and the magic of that temporary fossil called ice, offers the artist endless options in a sea of translucence.

Holiday Photography Sale

2011-11-14T07:59:00.001-06:00

When you look around our home and my office, it's filled with photographs. Not mine, but important images captured by other photographers. I still lose myself in these images and continue to collect more.

I adore these photographs. I'm such a fan of the medium. And, I'm never angry that others captured such great photographs. I'm so jealous..... that I missed the experience they witnessed. Being there has always been my favorite part of creating photographs. Sharing them is a close second.

There's basically two types of photographers; those who with huge egos and a competitive spirit, and those comfortable within themselves, sharing info, ideas, and their art. This is not to say both personality types aren't producing extraordinary works, they are. Its just different styles.

Recently, a local Minneapolis fundraising event for the Minneapolis Photo Center auctioned off artwork from photographers all around the nation who donated their works. I donated my BISON STAMPEDE photograph and thankfully it sold for a handsome amount. I found myself bidding on local shooter Douglas Beasley's photograph of a White Horse & Clouds taken in the Badlands. I loved the image! I'm called to the badlands annually and am consistently rewarded with spiritually filled visual moments. But with Doug's print, dog-gone-it, I was outbid.

While my works appear in several galleries, we also sell prints right out of our office. I rarely advertise for sales, because with so much work, and the constant renewal of recently created images, I have no idea where to start. I dunno, maybe its because I'd rather shoot than print and frame? It seems to work out naturally, and I guess I adhere to the concept of "if it ain't broken, don't fix it."

This last year, for whatever reason, we saw a small collection of images sell more than others. We have no idea why these particular photographs caught on? Many of these images have been around for a long time, so why now? I can't predict this sort of thing, but we can respond to it.

We've decided to offer a sale of these images for the remainder of this holiday season.

All prints will be printed as acid free, fine art archival giclee' prints on radiant white Somerset Velvet watercolor museum quality 505 gsm weight paper. Please allow at least one week for printing. Please email us with any questions. lk@laynekennedy.com.

cheers,
layne & gang

Snap-Volume One

2011-10-19T12:46:00.003-05:00

A brief continuation from the last post, this idea of shooting instinctively has been such a pleasure that the idea of spitting out a book quickly emerged.

Thus, SNAP-VOLUME ONE has been published. You can find it on the Blurb.com website. Here's the link;http://www.blurb.com/books/2608153

The simplicity of merely aiming the iPhone at the subject, the visual that called out, is immensely
gratifying. While this style of photography can work in certain visual arena's, it works well in this one.

I think this spells out one of the early reasons I was attracted to photography. There was always something magical about it. Remember (you old folks) the first time you saw a print develop in the tray? It blew my mind. I knew at that moment, I was hooked.

Shooting with the iPhone has brought joy back to shooting subject matter that I might not use my Nikon's for. This iPhone shooting combined with the Hipstamatic app, generates a unique visual flavor that I adore. The grunge borders, the garage band feel, all lend itself to images that look like snapshots. And, for this subject matter, that's a perfect fit.

While I could never substitute the iPhone for my regular camera gear, its a treat to play with and the creative forces that come with it are no different than a classically trained guitarist picking up a ukelele and having fun. It still takes a connection with the medium to make it resonate, but it can be done.

Don't be afraid to experiment and express yourself anyway you can.

Experiment

2011-08-02T15:31:00.003-05:00

Part of the joy in creating photographs is aligning a technique to match the mood. Are cameras costing thousands of dollars the answer for achieving visual success? Is having every focal length known to man inside your visual tool bag going to make you more creative? Of course not. Remember that old saying "It isn't the tools, it's the carpenter." Photography is no different. When it works, its magical.

In my last two workshops, we've spent considerable time playing with a variety of basic photographic processes and post processing techniques to reach a visual goal. Its been fun, inspiring and amazingly simple. One of the biggest surprises was using the Hipstamatic iPhone app. So easy to use and its off the wall look really brought out the qualities in the subjects appeal.

For example, this old truck along the Gunflint Trail in N.E. Minnesota. This area is the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and an area that remains relatively unchanged over time. The scene was a perfect fit with the iPhone Hipstamatic app, then converted to B/W using Nik Software's Silver Efex Pro 2. The photograph seemed to be a marriage with this style. From an iPhone!

Below, a forest scene with it's rows of planted tree's usually attracts a photographers eye. But, in most cases unless there is fantastic light, fog, or some amazing light quality, we keep on driving. But we hiked in, pulled out our $8 flashlights and went back to the woods just before darkness set in and painted with light during long exposures. A simple, organized scene using a slice of light gave it enhanced interest when the patterns were interrupted.

Photo gadgets have never been my thing. Yet, in my photo arsenal (which is very small) I've carried around filters specifically used for creating infared images. These filters are so dark you cannot see through them and the exposures are 20 seconds even in the brightest light. So, there are some complications that need attention when using them. There are easier ways. In today's digital world you can take those old digital cameras to a dealer who can convert your camera to shoot only digital infared! Pretty slick.

This was a scene that was pretty, but basic. It was easy to frame up a cute shot of an old church that has been shot a million times. Yet, adding the infared look seemed to breath a little extra life into the photograph. It took us someplace else visually. The image became dramatic, healthy and interesting.

In another situation, I taught a environmental nude workshop locally and we searched for locations where the idea of creating dream like scenario's could be accomplished. Finding a local creek played the significant role in this, but the post processing, softening, adding contrast and over exposing areas of the photograph really brought the concept to life. A simple prop like the long piece of silky material contributed in ways we didn't expect.....but did plan for. It was marvelous.

Think out of the box. Try new things, alternative processes, old techniques. There's a good chance your work will jump to new levels of visual communication and match the concept floating around inside your head.

To catch a fun interview about photography during one of our recent workshops at the
North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Minnesota listen the fun at WTIP Radio in Grand Marais on the Roadhouse Show.

http://www.wtip.org/drupal/content/photographer-layne-kennedy-storytelling-pictures

Thirty Minutes

2011-07-18T15:55:00.000-05:00

We've all been there. Wondering silently in our head, why am I not inspired to get up off my ass and create photographs?

The responses are too many to address here. Why does a relationship end? Why didn't the Vikings make the play-offs? Why is the Minnesota Govt. currently shut-down? Short answer, it's complicated.

I had gone with my wife and two of our three kids to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, (BWCA) last week. I love this place. We camped on Saganaga, famous for it's wind and border personality. Its my first visit since my last book, PADDLE NORTH came out last Fall and more than a year since I've been inside the wilderness there. It felt good to return. I felt like I was going home. The familiarity of the surroundings was comforting, like visiting old friends.

Yet, I felt no compulsion to raise my lens. I enjoyed the swimming, fishing, and cooking fancy dinners with family. I was not on assignment. There was no pressure to bring home strong images and work the 15 plus hours of daylight. This was family time and I cherish this time with my wife and kids.

After about four days of camp activities and the current windy conditions, I found myself alone in camp. Everyone else was off taking in a mid-day nap. Too windy to fish alone, too hot to make a fire or gather firewood, I quickly got bored. I really didn't need to go and photograph, but suddenly the urge to explore was ignited.

I didn't want to work....and good photography is more hard work than simply "being there." So, I grabbed a camera and one lens, my 105mm macro lens. I thought I'd go explore the close-up world around our island.

I followed the normal trails that lead campers around campsites and then ventured beyond. Within minutes I found ripe blueberries. But, the ripe blueberries were always bunched together with unripened ones. And, I loved the color of those berries still a few days from picking, with that exquisite pink color. I dropped to my belly and found a bunch to photograph.

Amazing. I had lost myself in a patch of blueberries and felt a soothing transition taking hold. This is what I needed. To get away and photograph. After the blueberries, I moved along to a grove of red pines, attractive in their placement, with a look like they had been planted. But, it was nature's design. Looking for close-ups, the bark patterns of red pine take on a Van Gogh canvas. I found heart shapes, a monk, a ghost, and pine needles stuck in the gaps. My entire world was within a six square inch area.

The dead, still standing had lost their bark but the grooves of insect highways were revealed. I spent some time investigating, looking for the right composition to photograph, but it never happened. It made me think of something Ansel Adams once said that has always stuck with me.
Adams was photographing a mountain scene in the Sierra's. He set up his 8x10 view camera, picked a lens, focused but didn't like it. He chose another location, another lens, didn't like it either. In the end, no photos. He stated, "Sometimes a subject just won't bend to visualization." Wow, well said. I too moved on.

My attention moved back towards the ground. The juniper berries were ripe too and when pinched, smelled like gin. Now, I wanted a beer. I know, that makes no sense but it triggered that
reaction. And, then more blueberries. Feeling satisfied with the images I made earlier, I succumbed to picking. I went on a tear, keeping focused on the ripe berries, scanning the ground for specific colors. It reminded me of agate hunting. Once you develop the eye, its easy to spot them.

Hunched over for at least 15 minutes picking berries and loading berries into my ball cap, I raised up and stretched. Then, I laughed. I recalled a black bear I was photographing on Stockton Island in the Apostle Islands when shooting my book, JEWELS ON THE WATER-LAKE SUPERIOR'S APOSTLE ISLANDS. This bear was 30 yards away was munching down blueberries....just like I was. The bear was so intent on eating it never raised it's head or realized I was right in it's tongue landing path. I kept shooting and the bear kept coming closer and closer. Finally, I got worried it would see my shoes next and freak out. Then I would freak out. So, I made a noise loud enough to get his attention. He saw me, got spooked and ran off. I was concentrating hard in my berry picking, I laughed that I could've done the same thing. We're all animals aren't we? And, sometimes not the sharpest knife in the drawer!

Thirty minutes. That's all it took for me to enter a new world. I felt invigorated and refreshed. Great images don't have to happen when on assignment, on a workshop or personal project. But, they have to happen when you go out and shoot. Its the old saying, "F/8 and be there."

Pleasure came from the spiritual connection the lens offered me. This visual instrument, allowed me, like a pianist tickling the keys for joy, a moment to reconnect with the land. Isn't it always this way? Less is more. It need not be complicated to be rewarding.

If you feel you need such an escape, and want to find the coals to relight your visual fires, I am teaching a photography workshop in the BWCA in mid-August. Jason Zabokrtsky's outfitting company (http://www.boundarywatersguideservice.com/Boundary-Waters-Photo-Workshop-with-Layne-Kennedy.html) is running this session. Jason is an amazing guide, outfitter and enthusiastic photographer in his own right. He's perfect for this adventure. Please feel free to contact Jason with any thoughts or questions about this special wilderness workshop. His number is 218-343-7951. His website is; www.boundarywatersguideservice.com

WHY

2011-04-21T09:27:00.002-05:00

The past several weeks have been hectic and I have been delinquent in keeping up with entries on the blog. New entries are coming, but priorities surface and demands shift the focus of time. Thanks for the patience.

Last evening I caught the News and learned two photojournalists, Tim Hetherington and Chris Hondros were killed in Libya while covering stories. Condolences to their families and each and every family, everywhere, who have lost loved ones in theses senseless conflicts.

For reasons unexplained, it just made less sense to me today than usual.

Multiple Exposure

2011-03-05T12:51:00.005-06:00

CROWDS CROWDS CROWDS!

There's not a photographer out there that hasn't experienced the pain of waking well before dawn, trek by headlamp, and huddle for hours breaking off the morning chill waiting for that magical first light only to find dozens, even hundreds, of people with the same idea milling about. It can break your spirit. Paying the price of early rise and careful planning no longer assures us shooters of having a destination all to ourselves.

I've run into this nightmare numerous times and one of the techniques I like to incorporate to ease the pain of crowds in my frame is utilizing the MULTIPLE EXPOSURE capability in my NIKON cameras. The process is pretty simple and actually diminishes the unsightly look of crowds.

Recently, while teaching a workshop in Vietnam/Cambodia for the MENTOR SERIES WORLDWIDE PHOTO TREKS, we woke at 4:30 a.m. to ensure a primo spot to photograph the temples of Angkor Watt at first light. We got there a good hour before dawn and already people had beaten us to the punch. It seemed hopeless we'd capture images of this World Heritage site without throngs of tourists in each and every frame.

I felt robbed. I wanted of a clean photograph of this wonderful historical site. I wanted it to myself. But, that ain't gonna happen in such popular destinations like Angkor Watt. So, let's turn our attention to making the situation work for us with the built in tools inside our visual instruments.

NIKON's Multiple Exposure selection allows us to shoot up to 10 frames (in most models - 3 frames in others) to overlap on a single photograph. It can be a wonderful creative tool in any number of visual situations.

At Angkor Watt, I chose to make 8 multiple exposures of the entrance to the temples. Crowds were pouring out of the temple entrance like water out of a faucet. Each time I tripped the cable release, with the camera on a tripod, I allowed a period of several seconds to pass before I tripped the shutter for each of the eight exposures. By the time I had completed the photograph, more than a minute had passed. I had eight frames overlapping one another giving me ghosts of the people moving about. The crowds, ugly in their original positions, now blended together, overlapped, created new colors, and gave my image a softness that brought the attention back to the temple and not the crowds.

Use this technique to add motion to your photographs. An example; You find a waterfall you want to photograph during mid-day light. Its impossible to get a shutter speed slow enough to give you that "cotton candy" effect you want. So, simply choose 5,6,7 or 8 multiple exposures. You'll find your image now has motion in the noon day sun! Using a tripod and cable release is a must in these situations. And, the beauty of Nikon's internal brain, it calculates all the exposures for you. It allows you to just be creative.

Ok, let's quickly look at a few other methods to bring home our vision in overcrowded locations. When I see there's no hope for clean images, I do one of two things. I move in tighter, like the detail of the carving in the wall, or utilize an alternative process to bring home the flavor of a scene. This can be done with a fish-eye, B/W, sepia, filtered, lensbaby, flash, night, ect., anything to make the photograph unique.

Don't get frustrated or give up when faced with unsightly crowds that pollute your scene. Find a way to make it work. Sometimes, you simply use the crowd as part of the shot. After all, its real. Be creative. Don't be discouraged by obstacles when your travels take you inspiring locations.

Secrets of Rejection

2011-02-09T09:47:00.003-06:00

WHAT? Who wants to talk about rejection?

Ok, I hear you thinking..."He's lost it, gone over the edge, flown the coup, not the sharpest knife in the drawer"...... Ha!

The truth? In this business of editorial photography, the marketing of ideas to magazines and publishers is riddled with rejection. You learn early on its not a personal thing. There are so many reasons why a project is rejected. It could be that the topic had been visited within five years and the editors didn't want a new take on that topic just yet. It could be the subject is timeless and the publication needs something more newsworthy. Its all a timing thing. If you take rejection personally, as if your ideas don't have merit, you will needlessly suffer. If your ideas are sound and fresh, don't give up. More often than not, the hardest part of this job is finding a home for good ideas.

"An ounce of action is worth a ton of theory."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

I love this quote by Emerson. A gifted writer, his words carry meaning through many layers and are most appropriate here. As mentioned in the previous post, I am going to walk through the process of developing a book idea here. I am thoroughly convinced this idea has merit. I've presented the concept to numerous peers and friends and the feedback has been positive. And, I know outright, I'm setting my self up for rejection.

So, let's dive into the deep end and see if we can swim.

I've never entertained the thought of doing a book for kids. Over a decade ago I wrote and photographed an article for the National Wildlife Federation's kids' magazine, RANGER RICK. It was on a subject I knew very well. Wolves and wolf research. I had wonderful images from numerous assignments and thought to myself, "the writing will be snap." I submitted the photographs and story. The photographs were accepted and the story was rejected. I was torn up. My first story for kids was rejected? How dumb could I be? Unable to write a simple article for little kids.

Bob Dunne, my editor called me to talk about it. He was so gracious and calming. He began the conversation with a story about a famous author who also penned a story for Ranger Rick. His story too, was rejected. Bob went on to say that writing for kids is very difficult. We can't write in adult language. We need to simplify our ideas. And, for adults used to writing for adults, this can be more difficult than we appreciate. We worked on the story together and the works were published. I learned firsthand one of the secrets of rejection.

This brings us to; CROIX AND THE MAGIC BURL.

A combination of many personal experiences forced this book idea to the surface. I'm a parent with three kids and my interests both personally and professionally exist in the natural world. Years and years of covering assignments on conservation and environmental topics have gifted me a wealth of insight into the wilds. My photographic collection has ample visuals to illustrate a variety of topics. But, still I never had an idea for a kids book. Until, I started turning bowls as a hobby. One afternoon in Northern Minnesota looking at a birch burl on a downed tree, the light bulb clicked on.

For woodworkers, the burl is a magical thing. Its grain patterns and irregular shapes are unique. Many think the burl is a diseased part of a tree when in fact, it is not. I see it more akin to the making of a pearl. Its a treasure created by nature. A burl holds a certain spiritual power with woodworkers and that feeling caught my attention. Perhaps the burl could be a vehicle to use in teaching kids about the value of trees in the forest?

The idea was born. Once an idea is recognizable, its easy to develop. The most difficult part for me was the science issue. I see the world in pretty factual terms. I became concerned if I made the magic burl a talking voice with a personality, could I keep both the imagination of fantasy and reality in tune? As I let my own walls down, the idea of a talking burl in the forest communicating with a young girl begin to really make sense. What a wonderful way to introduce the life of the forest, the value or trees, to kids. Certainly, in today's explosion of learning to "go green" understanding the value of the forest at such a young age in terms they can appreciate can benefit us all.

So, I'm off and running. The first major decision was how the photographs would be used. Again, drawing on personal experiences, I love those kids books that are illustrations, paintings, watercolors, etchings, ect. In fact, one of my favorite kids book is Betsy Bowen's woodcut's of northern life in her epic ANTLER BEAR CANOE book. Betsy teaches the alphabet through the use of her marvelous woodcuts illustrating a slice of life in the North for each letter. Stunning. Her woodcuts reached my soul instantly.

It was my opinion, and some have contested me on this, that I would convert my photographs to watercolors in photoshop. I gave this considerable attention. Of the images I shared with peers and friends, most agreed they like this approach. My gut feelings were that for a kids book, photographs were too defined. The clarity of a photograph made things quite exacting. In converting the photographs to watercolors, I felt reality was softened and there was more room for personal imagination to blossom i the minds of kids. Let them put themselves in those locations without such photographic definition.

Above are examples of the very first drafted pages. After these, the story and pages developed quite nicely. I'm thrilled with all the wonderful lessons Croix learned from the old burl. Her grasp on the value of the forest and the wilderness life surrounding it will surprise readers of the many uses the forest provides. It is my wishes of course, these lessons from the old burl will translate into conservation values and the need to protect and manage our forests for the future. We'll see those other lessons as this blog topic continues. The design, text and images will be refined as we inch forward. Right now, its getting the idea down so we can see and feel it.

I encourage any comments you wish to share on this.

Create Your Own Book

2011-02-01T09:55:00.007-06:00

I think its safe to say that every photographer dreams of having a book containing their creations. Its kind of the ultimate portfolio expressing a personalized vision. And, let's face it, the true rewards for a shooter don't come from money (although it helps). A shooters real passion comes from discovering the world around them with a lens. Whether a photog's outlet is a gallery exhibition, a blog, or a book, the realized joy is sharing the work.

I've been fortunate to have five published book titles under my belt on subject matter I feel passionate about. And certainly, that sense of worth is amplified when a publisher agrees to publish your work. But, the publishing industry is a state of flux these days. It scares me to think it might go away. I honestly don't believe the public is ready to give up on books. The iPad and Kindle have their place, but holding a book, looking at exquisitely reproduced photographs in a book, will always find a home on my bookshelves. And I know I'm not alone.

However, as the publishing industry finds it foothold in today's horrible economic climate and the volume of published titles dropping, there are alternatives for publishing a book. Technology has gifted writers, artists, poets, and photographers the opportunity to publish their work with minimal investment. You can publish a 80-page color hardcover book of photographs for example, for under fifty dollars. I'm not fooling. I can see you are shocked. But, it's true.

I've done several of these self-published books now. I initially set out to test the waters and more succinctly, the quality. Always a major consideration in such an endeavor. It wasn't until I had seen fellow shooter Dave Black's Book "THE WAY I SEE IT" (http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/765883). It was so beautifully done and printed so well. Instantly, I was hooked.

So, for my first book test, (http://www.blurb.com/books/1335316) 47º NORTH-Grand Marais & Beyond, I pulled together a collection of images from my favorite Minnesota town, Grand Marais. Grand Marais is a gem all in itself. It benefits from its mother figure, Lake Superior, and its population of around 1,500 fine folks. Its the foothills entrance to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and its summer population swells in numbers just like the mosquitos. Its the kind of town you fall in love with instantly. But, from a book publishing perspective, its too tiny to tickle the fancy of a publisher's investment. Can enough books be sold to warrant the expenditure? Its a tough sell to any sized publisher.

The availability of self-publishing, now a reality and easy to do, can become the vehicle to create a book on areas like Grand Marais that probably will never attract a big publishing effort. I combed through my files, located a collection of images that I felt reflected the area surrounding 47º North, limited the text, used wonderful quotes about photography, and splashed images together to form a collective mood of the Grand Marais area. Its been very popular and I'm thrilled with the quality of the book. And, customers can purchase the book directly online and preview the entire book with Blurb's slick website even before buying the book.

Ok, your asking, and I can hear you .....what is the downside? I said it was cheap, under $50. Yes, that is cheap to publish your own book. But, when you go to the bookstore and buy any book for $50 you are expecting it to be big and thick and full of surprises. You just published your own book for under $50. Cool. But, if you want to sell it, what price do you put on it? Hmm, that $50 at the bookstore gave me pretty good buying power. But, if I want to make any money on this book and it cost me $50 to publish it, will anyone buy it for say, $75? Good question. This is the downside to self publishing. Its basically, Books On Demand.

Books on demand is not a fatalistic approach to self-publishing. Its just a different way. In the case of 47º NORTH, there is never going to be a book like this unless someone self-publishes it. It will be more expensive, yes. I think I make about $5/book. But, my reasons for doing this (remember the first paragraph) was to share the images of an area so close to my heart. I'm not alone. I know many others cherish this area and its a treat to have such a collection of images tell the story of 47º NORTH. If lots of 47º NORTH sell, I make a few bucks.

The benefits of self-publishing are far reaching too. Let's not dwell on the downside. Creating your own title, and I have been using Blurb.com, and there are many others like My Publishing.com, MPix, ect,, the idea that only a few books are ordered at a time, save on paper being used, warehouse space taken up, shipping and transportation costs, and so on. You want a book-you order it and two weeks later its on your door step. How cool is that?

I bring this concept of self-publishing up for a reason. Over the course of the next month or so, I am going to create a Children's book on this blog. I'll show pages, images, and the reasoning behind the theme. And, I'll publish it. But, my end goal may surprise you with the publishing of this book called; CROIX AND THE MAGIC BURL.

Trigger Finger

2010-12-30T11:14:00.002-06:00

Chasing my way towards Central Iowa in brilliant sunshine in route to an assignment, my mindset was bent on arriving before sunset. Even though the assignment didn't start until morning, it's always nice to try to catch that warm light just in case you are not blessed with the clarity of today's light tomorrow. The weather forecast called for warmer conditions in the morning but a pesky low pressure system was pushing North and rain and even thunderstorms were in the forecast. In December! For those of us living here in the upper Midwest, that's just freaky. Its just wrong to rain in the end of December.

My alarm goes off an hour before sunrise. I peak out of the hotel window overlooking this small Iowa town of West Union, and a eery glow blankets the town. Snow depth here is well above average. The warm air mixing with the ample snow cover created a thick fog hovering over town like whipped cream on a latte. Perhaps it will burn off, perhaps it won't. If I had to guess, it won't.

Now, I'm thrilled I arrived at sunset and was able to fire off a few frames of Main Street. This foggy light was poor for what I needed to photograph. Sometimes fog can be mesmerizing. Other times, it can be f/dark. I needed shots of town, the surroundings, the town square as part of this coverage. Repeated storms had delayed this shoot several times. Now, with a deadline looming, it was do or die.

Long story short, coverage of town and the necessary portraits were accomplished as best could be done in this light. As the daytime hours faded new concerns arose. The drive home to Minneapolis.

The fog was so thick you could not see half a city block and the wet streets were accumulating freezing drizzle. A stressful drive lay ahead. The assignment under my belt, I decided to carefully inch my way home. With any luck maybe the fog would expose something magical for my lens on the drive back. Capturing a good photograph would no doubt ease the tension filled drive.

The Iowa landscape is beautifully simple. The fog was fascinating as it shielded rolling cropland, the occasional clump of tree's, barns and livestock. Struggling to find definition in these scenes, the subject's contrast fall off was immediate into the bright glow. Fences, barns, and cows, seen up close-up revealed sharpness, but anything more than a baseball toss away was glowing in the fog. And, the brightness of it was hard on the eyes.

Yet, I could felt if something just popped out at me, I could make a memorable image. This kind of light can do that. And, it doesn't come often, especially in winter with everything coated in white. This simplicity to the landscape, the foggy conditions, were all ingredients for something cool to record.

While I should have been calmed by the exciting conditions, I actually felt anxiety creeping in. How can I be offered this amazing light and I find nothing to photograph? Mile after mile I spotted potential photographs. But, something continuously kept me from firing off a frame. A errant fence or tree, a bad background that blended into the softness and disrupted the mood, the simplicity was becoming chaotic and ever opportunity seemed to infected by a visual intruder.

In today's photography world, its so easy for many to simply say, "I can take that out in Photoshop." I must be old school. I still cherish finding the moment LIVE. Even if it does give me an ulcer!

Time after time I slowed, stopped, got out the camera and pointed my camera at various landscapes. None captured my imagination as I had hoped. I kept hoping that next hill might produce the moment like the next bend bend in the river will yield a big fish. Daylight was waning and my hopes were fading. It felt like I had a basket of fresh Georgia peaches within reach but couldn't grab a single one. It was killing me.

My trigger finger was exercised. But, I missed my target. Some days its "just like that." Here's a few images I gave a whirl.

Listen To The Messages

2010-11-11T16:48:00.000-06:00

The joy of discussing photography has never been lost on me. I don't mean the technical jargon, like what shutter speed did you use, jpeg or tiff, Do you use Photoshop, ect. Its those explorations about living creatively. The hunt for an image and the emotional wrap we experience when the shutter opens and moment is captured.

In college during a photography lesson, a wonderful quote stuck to me like caramel on an apple. It came from the great photographer Minor White. He spoke of how we need to learn to "listen to the messages" while out seeking photographs. It really resonated with me and it's a disciplined practice I utilize daily and offer up the concept in workshops.

You know what I'm talking about. There's a chance however, you have not recognized or acknowledged it. It happens to us all. Listening to the messages? What does it mean? Here's an example; How many times have you been driving down a road, seen something and thought to yourself, Hmmm, that might be a shot? Yet, you continue driving, the image still dancing inside your head. I should stop, turn around and check that out....., but you keep driving. Finally, you are far enough away that you justify it's a lost cause, "it was nothing" and you drive on.

Well, my friend, that was a MESSAGE! Something spoke to you on a visual level. It called out your name and you kept driving.

As creative intuitions emerge, we need to do our part and listen to them and explore the message. I don't want to say that more often than not it turns out to be nothing, but give it chance. Miles Davis once said, "Everything matters, everything." If indeed you find the draw didn't produce a photograph, you made the move to look and see. You gained something regardless. At the very least, you practiced "seeing."

Recently, I was driving home from photographing BURNING MAN in the desert outside of Reno, Nevada. I had driven almost 1,600 miles on Interstates and hadn't pulled the camera out once. I specifically drove hoping to find random images along the way. I was going nuts. I felt like I was wasting time and felt depleted creatively. Usually, I don't travel Interstate's for such long distances. I prefer those local roads off the beaten track. But, I had to chase back for an assignment that came up and time became more critical. I couldn't stand it anymore.

Finally, I got to Bismarck, North Dakota and left the Interstate. Within minutes, I started seeing images. The first to catch my eye, this life-sized horse up a pole advertising a local Thrift Shop. I chuckled at it. Easy to pass up. But, I turned around and came back for a look. The quirkiness of the scene made me giggle. Seeing the horse, used for advertising, perfectly fitting in between those puffy summer clouds, made a fine image depicting Americana. I listened to the messages and found a fine photograph in the heart of the Midwest.

Last week photographing around Minneapolis/St. Paul, some images popped out. I listened here as well.

Capturing Wind

2010-10-27T10:45:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, the low barometric pressure in Minnesota, and throughout the Midwest, broke all sorts of weather records. This massive storm reflected low pressure readings similar in large destructive hurricanes over the oceans.

These type of weather events stimulate the motivated photographer. Storm chasing has become a business in of itself. Here in Minnesota, two gals, called the "Twister Sisters," guide people close to severe weather with hopes of getting a close-up glimpse of nature's fury. Its both risky and exciting.

Yesterday, I found myself calling & emailing all my pals and Govt. sources like the NOAA, seeking information on where the waves on Lake Superior might be kicking up a fuss. For me, Lake Superior is the place I go to shoot big storms like this. The combination of Superior's size, familiarity with it's shoreline, give me a chance to position myself in locations that offer a greater percentage for successfully capturing the wrath.

Unfortunately, my schedule didn't allow me to scoot North to hunt for wind images. I feel blessed that last year about this same time, I was gifted a Superior storm (see below images) that I was able to photograph. To date, those photographs are still my favorite images from this great lake.

With all the furious communications yesterday, a few discussions about capturing wind came up. I love shooting wind and the challenges to capturing it are easier than you think. And, you don't need low light and long exposures to define it. If your camera has multiple exposure capability, you can shoot wind in the middle of a bright sunny day and still seize the movement. Simply shoot several frames over the same frame, perhaps of blowing grasses in a field, to show the windy conditions. Like magic, you have a wind photograph in the middle of the day!

In the images seen below, you will see a variety of situations that capture wind. The pain of not being able to head North yesterday failed to keep me inside. The winds were still howling here in Minneapolis and at the end of the day I stole about an hour to head down to our local park to see what I could find at night.

I grabbed my heaviest tripod and went wind hunting. Most of the trees were stripped of their leaves from the stinging rain and wind throughout the day. Fortunately, I found a Maple that still, believe it or not, had it's leaves clinging to Fall unwilling to give up just yet. There was a streetlight behind the tree illuminating it with a freaky glow that attracted me. I stopped down to f/22 and got a 30 second exposure. This long exposure allowed the windy movement to blur. The solid trunk of the tree remaining sharp, gave me my foundation. I do like to have something sharp in the midst of all that blur.

While shooting an assignment in Iceland, I experienced wind like I've never seen before. It was so windy, it was spooky. It never let up. It relentlessly pounded and pounded. It was the kind of wind that if you stopped your car to grab a shot, you had better be pointed into the wind. If you parked with the wind behind you, it would rip the car doors right off it's hinges. Don't believe me? Check out the photo I snapped of the waterfall being blown right back up into the sky! Another image created that same day of the trees blowing, I used my rental vehicle as a wind break to take a long exposure to bring out the strength of these winds.

Shooting an assignment for Smithsonian Magazine on Wind Power, I was criss-crossing the Midwest where wind farms were finally getting a foothold capturing the blowing prairie winds. I noticed that most of my coverage happened during the day, when the winds typically blew the strongest. I quickly observed that while I was getting good images of the giant turbines, I had stopped the action of the blades. I wasn't showing the wind being harnessed. I looked for other ways to show the breeze. One option was using a dollar bill with a wind turbine in the distance. I knew the dollar bill would flap in the stiff wind, and I liked the visual metaphor of generating dollars from nature. I held the dollar against a 20mm lens and fired away. The second option was waiting until nightfall and using a powerful spotlight, I illuminated the blades as they slowly moved in the darkness.

Finally, a clearing storm in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) exposed a rainbow while the upper level clouds were still croaking. A long exposure allowed the clouds to show movement. The image was more complete for me. It exhibited a change in weather systems, not just a rainbow created by one.

Its still blowing today. So, I gotta run!

More Capturing Wind images

2010-10-27T09:06:00.004-05:00

PADDLE NORTH.......... is here!

2010-10-20T10:37:00.003-05:00

The privilege of having a pristine wilderness in my backyard is never lost on me. The pleasures of canoe travel go beyond it’s ease. I delight in the sensations of floating. Paddling close to shore is my favorite. Gliding over ancient rock atop gin clear water is like watching a movie created right before my eyes.

Enjoy this new book detailing a wonderful wilderness. Paddle on!
This is the Title page. The Cover can be seen in earlier posts on this blog.

Fabulous New York City

2010-10-19T15:34:00.006-05:00

Last week I was teaching a Mentor Series Worldwide Photography Trek along with New York based photographer Steve Simon and Atlanta shooter Mark Alberhasky in New York City. Its been several years since I've photographed in the Big Apple. And while teaching workshops, my efforts of shooting are usually centered around shooting examples for participants to peek at while out in the field. The beauty of digital photography allows us to show examples immediately. A valuable teaching tool for sure.

Nonetheless, creating photographs in NYC is always a thrilling and rewarding experience. We photographed in numerous locations around the city. Some of which included Central Park, Grand Central Station, Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center, the Brooklyn Bridge, skyline images, ect. Each location offered a unique set of situations to explore and test our visual concepts.

Here's a few examples I photographed during the Workshop session to share with the group. The skyline image, shot from Fulton Landing in Brooklyn, is a 8-image panoramic stitched together using Photoshop's Photo Merge feature. And, the image taken in Central Park of the mosaic called IMAGINE, after John Lennon's song, I converted most of the image to a watercolor in Photoshop after returning to the office here in Minneapolis. Only the center of the mosaic remains normal.

Sometimes its just fun to experiment with other techniques.

Enjoy!

Just Laugh Out Loud

2010-10-07T11:06:00.005-05:00

Last week, while up teaching my annual Fall Equinox Photography Workshop out of the famed NORTH HOUSE FOLK SCHOOL in Grand Marais, Minnesota something unexpectedly happened that caught me totally by surprise.

I learned how to create artificial geomagnetic storms! My goodness, could this be a new form of global travel opportunities and fill buckets of money?

Of course not. But, it was sure a hoot discovering how it happened.

It all started when we doing light-painting up on nearby Maple Hill. At the top of the hill is a small wooden church and more importantly, no lights anywhere close by. We need the blackness of night to selectively shine our flashlights and spotlights where we choose to "paint" with light the areas we want to show up. Long exposures are necessary so we can also include the stars in the photograph. It was working quite well and everyone was creating wonderful images.

After we completed our tasks of night shooting and learning to paint with light, it was time to call it an evening. Or was it?

I offered the idea of driving a little further down the Gunflint Trail to the Elbow Lake road where within 15 minutes we could shoot more stars over a calm lake. The idea of capturing reflections of the Big Dipper on the lake surface, since it was so calm, was appealing. Three hardy folks, Steve, Gredo and Carly took me up on the proposition.

We drove down the dirt road to the lake, headlights illuminating a dark narrow road, and after several twists and rises, the lake broke into view. The high beams shined over the dark water. And, at the same time we all commented, "Oooooh, look at the fog on the lake!"

The headlights illuminated a wispy, three foot thick blanket of fog steaming over the lake. Evening temps were cooler than normal, and a frost was imminent. We entertained the fog might thicken as temps dropped. We grabbed our tripods and cameras, lined the shoreline, attached the cable releases and begin opening shutters for 30-second exposures. We shoot 30 seconds because its the amount of time needed to expose stars. Any more time and the stars start streaking. Thirty seconds at 3200 ISO/ASA also allows the Milky Way to come alive. The reflections were nice, even through the fog. It was fun to be out.

With head lamps and flashlights cutting through the night, the fog illuminated like shining a pen light through campfire smoke. Wonderful beams of light danced around the foggy lake. We were way too excited about this fog coming to life. I grabbed my spotlight and during the next series of exposures, held the spotlight next to water level to lite up the fog. The results were awesome! We shot more and more, changing the direction of the light, coloring the light, hitting only portions of the lake, the distant shore, the dock, ect. We milked it as best we could.

Just about the time the chilly air was starting to bite and we calmed down a bit, the last set of exposures I pointed the spotlight up into the sky over my camera to see if it might show up. OMG! There it was. Beams of light were exposed in the misty air creating near aurora like images.

We all laughed out loud! How cool was this?

So, our science experiment begins. The chill was broken with excitement. We did several more exposures shining the bright beam towards the heavens, Each time a new and magical light painting appeared on our L.E.D. screens. Holy smokes, we were creating artificial aurora borealis. This night, the northern lights belonged to us.

It didn't take long for the discovery to turn to reality. We can't use these images. They are not real and we would never pass them off as real. But, for those 15-20 minutes, seeing what light can do was magical. It sets in motion a whole new way of seeing. Its one more item in our visual tool bag to utilize when the right time comes along. A new light discovery for sure.

So, we concluded our evening with some fine wolf howling over the stillness and listened to ten echo's bounce through the darkness. I wondered if the Space Station caught our light show? If they did, I'm sure they laughed out loud too.

Magic of Stillness

2010-08-17T13:59:00.005-05:00

I am often times introduced when giving presentations or lectures as a
"Wildlife Photographer." I am never offended, or feel the need to correct. Actually, I consider the title quite prestigious. I feel it is one of the specialties within the medium of photography that requires the greatest sacrifice of time. And, it is with their great intuitions that talented photographers like Jim Brandenburg and Daniel Cox are able to share with us visual moments in nature we easily take for granted.

If I had to define my work, I guess in many ways I'm kind of a Heinz 57 variety. In other words, I'm an editorial photographer. I shoot as many types of assignments as an actor plays roles. I love this aspect of being a magazine photographer. Its keeps me educated, fresh and motivated.

That said, I do lean towards outdoors conservation/ecology related stories. I feel at ease outside. To experience the gifts nature provides, one learns about themselves and in many ways improve on basic lessons in common sense. Those rewarding experiences can be found in natural disasters or something as simple as a pond reflection. There is tragedy and beauty in both.

One morning on Grey Lake in Quetico, while seeking images for PADDLE NORTH, we spent the previous two days portaging tough trails. We found a beautiful campsite and had the entire lake to ourselves. This gorgeous lake spoke to each of us in unified terms. Let's take a day off and just stay here!

With that decision, a sense of relief sparkled on everyone's faces. Sleep in a little, swim, fish, and just let our bodies heal from the unaccustomed muscle strain of carrying heavy packs and canoes over difficult terrain. We were in for a wilderness treat. And, isn't this what we came here for anyway? To soak up the wildness. I was certainly feeling the pressure of stopping and getting in some work. Day in and day out of nothing but traveling lake to lake, curtailed the coverage I was seeking. I needed to stop and smell the rose hips.

The payoff was worth it. I was taking in the morning fog as sunrise quickly replaced it with crisp, sharp light over the exposed Canadian Shield across from camp. Out of nowhere, like they commonly do, a loon appears from the depths to watch me. The water was glass and my lens quickly trained itself on the loon. The reflections were so perfect that at times I could not find the loon breaking the mirrored image. But, I knew if the bird stayed on the surface, with luck, I might be gifted a memorable photograph.

For those precious few moments, I was a wildlife photographer. Concentrating intensely on the loon's glide as it broke the surface tension creating its own wake, the sunlight hitting it's eyes intermittently, I make tense decisions to snap the shutter just as the red eyes are revealed, when this bird of the most perfect of black and white colors, scooted into part of the reflection that lifted it from the visual chaos, I made my frames. All in all, it lasted only a minute or two and the loon disappeared just as it entered my world. Quietly, and with purpose.

For those few moments, I was a wildlife photographer. An observer of movement, wilderness life, ecology, and a foreign world. Like I said earlier in this post, it felt quite prestigious.

I so totally get what those wildlife photographers feel.

PADDLE NORTH is due out in November 2010.

Gunflint Trail

2010-08-17T13:06:00.004-05:00

A nice video clip produced by writer/producer Lisa Wagner on the Gunflint Trail. This clip is an excerpt from her more complete video for the Gunflint Trail Association.

Click on the title above: GUNFLINT TRAIL

Many of the areas discussed in this video will be part of our new book, PADDLE NORTH due out November 2010.

Enjoy!

PADDLE NORTH-ORDER NOW!

2010-07-23T07:32:00.002-05:00

The new book, PADDLE NORTH, featuring the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Quetico Provincial Park is now available for pre-orders. The book will be released November 1st, 2010.

In The End

2010-07-08T14:41:00.003-05:00

Every once in a while I hear actors telling interviewers that they never or rarely watch their performances on TV or film.
I always thought this was just hogwash and an attempt to humble themselves in public view. But, I have also learned
over the years that they make a good point too.

I once read about a photographer, an accomplished one, who prints his work, then hides it for a year before looking at it again.
This, I understand. Its no different than the actor really. One needs to step away from work sometimes to allow it to settle. Its not a question of whether the work is good, strong, or significant. Those moments surrounding the capturing of time can affect how we view an image. Putting it away, allowing new experiences to build layers on top allows us to see it in fresh terms.

Today I met with the MHS Press Production Manager, Daniel Leary. He called to inform me the page proofs were in. This is always the exciting part for me. I've stepped away from the project long enough now that I was looking forward to reviewing the pages fresh and hopefully, with less than a overly critical eye.

My job today was to see the pages, examine color, errant marks, ect. and make notes of those for correction. 95% was in good form. The scant few color transparencies seemed to give the separator the most difficulty. I'm concerned, but confident these will all be fixed. Dan Leary was on the same page and had already made notations on those. I feel my back is covered. Amazing how transparencies, now throw the wrench into the machinery. These times, they are a'changin.

My favorite part of the book is no question the Chapter openers. Such a wonderful mixture of image, layout and fonts. I got pumped up to dive into each chapter. I did experience concern over several images that were used too small to be effective. This is true with a lot of photography and one of the worst practices I see in visual communication.

Demands for layout space, other images, type, ect, all play a role in how a page can be designed. Still, the power of a photograph can be killed by using too small or too large. Thankfully, it was minimal in this book.

You'll find when you see the book (due out in October 2010) the images are laid out playing a role in telling the story of each chapter page by page. Greg Breinings' text tickles the imagination and hopefully you'll find the images build on that. I enjoyed the flow and build up of imagery with double spread spreads knocking your socks off with images that begged you to load the canoe on the car and go. See, I stepped away long enough to get excited!

A few weeks ago I was a guest speaker at the North House Folk School (http://www.northhouse.org/) annual Wooden Boat Festival. A great event and perfect for me to shamelessly plug the new canoeing book. I focused my talk on the making of a book on canoe country. The biggest point was the discussion on the cover choice. It brought out lots of comments and I think the choice of these canoe enthusiasts confirmed my gut reaction (see earlier posts here). I found it enlightening and educational to listen to those people whose lives are centered around paddling. I showed them the entire book on the big screen and the flyers given to me by MHS Press marketing guru Alison Aten at the were all but snatched up. A smile ran across my face. What I considered to be the toughest crowd, gave it their thumbs up!

Aside from the glow of their acknowledgement, and fear they might not like it, the moment I will remember most came from a 93 year old man in the crowd. This gentleman came up to me and gave me a hug before we spoke. He pulls back and tells me he also was caught in the Ham Lake Fire. He said he was putting the sprinklers on the roof of his home on Seagull Lake when the DNR came by issuing mandatory evacuations. He had to leave in ten minutes.

I stopped him from going on. "Are you the man who was in tears on NBC being interviewed about not having enough time to put the sprinklers on your neighbors cabin?"

He told me that was him. I remember the TV News that night. I had just returned to the Twin Cities from the Gunflint Trail where Gus Axelson, Lee Frelich and I were also trapped by the BWCA fire. I watched this sweet old man cry as he told the story of how he was able to save his cabin but didn't have time to set the sprinklers on his neighbors. His neighbors cabin burned and it was torturing him. He cried. And I cried watching him tell this story.

It had been three years, almost to the day that fire started when I gave my presentation. It meant so much to me to meet him. We chatted about the BWCA, the fire, and life. The moment had nothing to do with the book. It had everything to do with what we shared, unknown to each other at the time it occurred. Do I dare expect I'll be lucky enough to hear from others as they share their BWCA/Quetico experiences through PADDLE NORTH?

Finally, a COVER!

2010-06-03T11:07:00.002-05:00

When, after all the battles, creative conversations back and forth, a Cover emerges, its a true sign of relief.
The PADDLE NORTH-CANOEING THE BOUNDARY WATERS/QUETICO WILDERNESS project finally feels like
a book now. Its coming to a close. It is a wonderful overview of the BWCA/Quetico wilderness with chapters on
topics like canoe history, forest fires, winter, rock and portages.

For anyone who has visited this wilderness, this book will find its way into your heart. Greg Breinings' words are descriptive and alive. He makes you want to toss the canoe on the car and head North. From my side, it is my hope the photographs will offer you new insights and familiar moments while cruising the visual poetry of this amazing wilderness.

So, here it is! I'm happy with it. The back cover will be a photograph of a star studded night scape with
the Milky Way glowing over La La Croix.

I understand the book is already available on Amazon.com, but I'm not sure if the cover is even uploaded there yet.
The PADDLE NORTH project gets sent to the printer in the second week of June and will be available sometime in late
October or early November. Hey, just in time for the Holidays!

It will be widely available here in the Midwest and you can always contact the Minnesota Historical Society Press
(http://discussions.mnhs.org/10000books/) or me directly for signed copies.

More later..........

PADDLE NORTH

2010-04-06T15:07:00.002-05:00

Its been awhile since making a post. My apologies. If I have nothing to say I see no reason to bore anyone with dribble.

But, now I have some exciting news. A cover has been chosen and finalized. The title is now etched in stone as well. What a relief to have these important hurdles behind us.

PADDLE NORTH-Canoeing The Boundary Waters-Quetico Wilderness

I'll have a copy of the cover soon and will post it. I'm pleased with the Title and the cover. It was quite a battle. Lots of thoughts & concerns thrown out on to the table and too many cooks in the kitchen at times. It never got ugly, but such an important detail needs the banter. All the bugs need to get worked out and everyone involved needs to be able to live with it. Its a huge and lasting mark.

Mind you, choosing a cover is no simple task. The artist needs to be happy, the editors, the marketing dept, book sellers, ect. To get all the planets to align, it takes time and open discussions.

The photograph I wanted for the cover didn't make the cut. After months of lobbying hard for this image, it came up short. However, from the early stages of designing and presenting cover ideas, I was never opposed to a cover that was better than the one I had pushed for. It just had to be better.

I still feel my instincts for the cover choice I pushed for are solid. But, there were reasons why it wouldn't work and as disappointing as that was, I can appreciate the logic behind kicking it off the table.

In-depth discussions about a photograph, it's content, message and appeal, are some of the discoveries made only by climbing the mountains of various perceptions. A photograph after all, is worth a thousand words...and each of those words can be seen differenty.

Through this effort, a cover was designed by Susan Binkley, Breeze Publishing Arts, that fit the bill. Its beautiful, informative and offers a sense of place. Susan is designing the entire book.

There is more to say about the topic of photography and publishers, but not today.
Seeing the cover for PADDLE NORTH and a few sample pages have calmed my nerves. I feel more at ease now. Its going to be an elegant and beautifully informative book on a special wilderness. It is filled with details, textures and spirit. Author Greg Breining has tied it all together with his thoughtful essays.

Nothing would please me more than finding there might be readers who have paddled this wilderness for 30 years or more, who will retrieve something from this book that ignites a spirit within them.

I'll be sure to get that cover posted soon. In the meantime, here's a photograph from the book on still, clear night on Agnes Lake in the BWCA. From across the lake I had spotted paddlers making their evening campfire. It was a beautiful scene. Can you hear the stillness?

One Man's Treasure......

2010-02-01T09:32:00.002-06:00

It never seems to fail as soon as a book project gets put to bed, new visuals that would've worked perfectly for that project are dropped in your lap just a week too late. Its like trying to keep up with technology, you just struggle to stay on top. Well, I came to terms with that a long time ago. It just happens and I'm delighted I'm still able to be in a position to experience the thrills of new visual discoveries.

Last week, I went North to Ely, Minnesota where I conducted my 16th Annual Wintergreen Dogsledding Photography Workshop. We have a blast dogsledding in and out of the BWCA and Superior National Forest telling stories with our cameras. The maze of trails through black spruce bogs, dense forest and across frozen lakes offer numerous peeks at life in the North. Wolf tracks imprinted in the snow were everywhere and the treat of a full moon Saturday provided the icing on the cake. I'm told through some unusual moon orbit, the moon was 30,000 miles closer to earth this full moon phase than other months. It certainly looked larger! We had a very cold week with morning temps each day at minus -25 F and only warming to minus -10 F. Only on our last day the temps rose to 7 above zero and it felt like Spring! Funny how that works.

The day before arriving in Ely, the area was truly void of snow pack and new snow was desirable....and necessary for most winter activities. Well, they got smacked with a substantial snowfall. The problem was freezing rain came first before turning over to snow. It looked like a winter wonderland and post card picture perfect everywhere you turned. Tree's were coated in snowfall, globs of at least eight inches of snow clinging to everything. And, with the rain beforehand, like an ice storm, everything was leaning or bending over with all that weight.

What became so beautiful to witness blocked access to our dogsledding trails. Trees were splitting and breaking, and new buds were torn off with the weight of the icy snow. Indeed there was a price for this beauty. The area's woods were crippled. The rain had literally glued the snow to the trees. Even the winds that normally blow off fresh snowfall too quick for photographers to capture it remained frozen to everything.

Ever the creative genius, arctic explorer Paul Schurke, owner of Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge, Paul designed a snowmobile equipped with sled runners shaped like a dune buggy frame. It was designed to protect his face and arms from the icy branches hanging over the trails as he inched his way down normally open dogsled trails. I can't think of anything more stinging that getting whipped in the face with a thin branch when its minus -25 F outside. New cuss words find their origin in times like this. When I arrived at Wintergreen, Paul already had a bloodied face, evidence of a tree whipping. I immediately understood his reason for building this unusual snowmo spaceship. He also installed cut birch trees attached to the sled behind to knock off snow from the trees with hopes they might respond by reaching for the sky once relieved from the weight of the ice and snow. Most trees do not so it will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Such is life in the northland. We continued to take photographs and capture the results of snow and ice, below zero temps, and the dogs loving the cold weather. We were forced to travel over open lakes on the ice with only a few short cuts through the forest cleared by Schurke and his expert staffers.

I had thought several times, Ohhhh, that image would be great for the winter chapter in the PADDLE NORTH book coming out next Fall. That one would be too, and that one!!

Enjoy the included pix from last week in Ely. One, guide Kate Ford's beautiful new stain glass window installed in the new Wintergreen sauna.

Chapter on Cold

2010-01-07T09:03:00.003-06:00

Last night I was able to read author Greg Breinings' chapter on cold for our upcoming book,

"Paddle North."

Great timing!

Today we will be experiencing another arctic outbreak here in the upper midwest. Failing to address the issue of extreme cold in our neck of the woods would be a mistake when covering the BWCA. Breining has brought home the concept of cold in his words and descriptions. You'll enjoy his musings. Since I spend a great deal of my winter out in the wilderness cold, selecting images for this chapter will be a treat.

Some of my fondest winter moments seem to happen after a fresh snowfall. The reasons are obvious I think. There's a softness and calmness that comes with a fresh, cleansing snowfall.

Making fresh tracks in the snow make you feel like you are the first to leave your mark on winter. Observing tracks of wildlife, like fresh wolf tracks is exhilarating. A story seems to unfold right in front you. When were they here? What did they see? Were they chasing something? Or, just traveling by?

Getting a glance of a wolf is akin to a celebrity sighting. Its pretty rare and almost always memorable. In an earlier blog here, I had spotted a cluster of five wolf pups when my daughter, Austin and I were looking for Erik Simula completing the last leg of his epic journey last summer along the Grand Portage. Austin and I still talk about that thrilling moment in the woods.

Winter can warm your soul.

-38 F Below Zero

2010-01-04T09:10:00.003-06:00

Winter has returned and with it those cold temps that seemed to elude us in past years. Those of you who reside in geographic locations outside of the upper Midwest will no doubt cringe at the thought of below zero temps. Of course, as a photographer, these weather situations offer visual opportunities unseen in warmer weather.

Ah, that feeling of fingers hurting so badly when the gloves had to come off to change the media card in the camera, or that sliver of wind cutting into your skin through that tiny little opening the wind found (and it finds it every time) in your jacket. Yeah, good times!

Amy Voytilla, a guide at Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge in Ely, Minnesota wrote of guiding her winter camping trips last week with temp.s hovering the minus -30's F. It reminded me of a magazine assignment I had a few years back where we were covering winter camping in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area. That year too, was very cold and every day was in the Minus -30's. I snapped the photo below of polar explorer Paul Schurke, owner of Wintergreen, on a crisp morning. While making breakfast, tossing up a ladle of hot water from our oatmeal water, into the air hot water vaporizes instantly into powder. Now, you can't get that image on those warmer days like -5 minus F!! This is part of winter magic.

Such is life in the northern wilderness in winter. A chapter in our book will be dedicated to cold and those activities that transpire when canoes are put to bed for the winter. Motorized vehicles are not permitted in the BWCA in winter. So, the landscape of snow covered lakes are

etched with tracks of wildlife. Wolf tracks dot the lake, criss-crossing back and forth, perhaps in pursuit of a moose or deer, imprints of raptors softly detail wing patterns in soft snow, and deep shadows of black spruce covered in snow appear as bubbles in the snow cover. Dogsled teams break through deep snow and snowshoe tracks leave frozen fossils of their journey.

Winter can be a marvelous time to enjoy the Boundary Waters. Today is minus -26 F up North.

All I want to do is get out in it! And, of course, take a sauna when I come back in.....

2010-01-03T09:36:00.003-06:00

The Visual Weave

2009-12-31T09:01:00.003-06:00

Last week a good friend and exceptional writer, Jeff Rennicke, posted some new photographs he had taken of seagulls in his hometown of Bayfield, Wisconsin. The images were some of the best seagull images I've even seen. I know, you are thinking seagull photos? Well, Jeff had elevated a common subject to a new and exciting level. I wish I had one of those images here to share with you. I'll contact Jeff to see if I can't obtain one to post here later. But, I do have a comment that Jeff had written about his seagull images;

"One thing I love about photography is how it forces me to "re-look" at common things. Living in Bayfield, I've seen gulls probably every day for 20 years and they always seemed pretty common but my camera gives me a chance to "re-look" and see beyond my own ignorance."

Jeff has always had an interest in photography and has become quite an accomplished shooter.

That's a little scary for folks like myself since now he can photograph his own stories! As Jeff's vision has improved so has his excitement and motivation to carry his camera everywhere. I wrote back to Jeff responding to the quote on his posting with that photograph of seagulls;

"Hey Jeff, You've made that wonderful and important transition with your photography. The camera is no longer an instrument of recording. It has become an extension of your mind and soul. The path you take now needs to be a personal one absent of influence to reach that goal of developing a style. You are clearly on your way."

Its so exciting to see Jeff reach that level of developing a style. Photographing not only what he see's but what he feels. Like the strings on a guitar making music, his camera is now a vehicle for self expression.

So many beginning shooters are looking for the "pretty picture" and often times miss those simple details that can communicate a mood instantly right in front of them. Mark Twain's quote "You can't depend on your eyes if your imagination is out of focus" has always been a favorite. As visual communicators its our mission to examine the environment around us and make choices about what and how to photograph to communicate our thoughts to an audience. Different photographers choose assorted ways to express their visions. Some focus on the broad picture, others search inside the macro approach while others might simply seek quality of light to express their visions. One of the greatest photographers living today, William Albert Allard, comments about he likes to photograph on the edge of situations. I've always found this area to rich in material as well.

Creating images for this new book, tentatively titled "PADDLE NORTH-Canoeing Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Quetico Wilderness" its been my mission to create a series of moods and informational imagery surrounding text exploring various aspects of the BWCA wilderness. First goal; not to be repetitive in any of the images. This is a difficult task considering everything takes place on and around the water. But, its those little things that bring home the BWCA experience to the reader. Sitting at a portage resting and seeing a tiny clump of water grasses reflecting on the lake, muddy footprints on the portage, fabulous clouds

competing with the tops of radical Jackpines are all ingredients for a diverse examination of this wilderness. This tiny details are the BWCA experience. Not just the pretty sunrise and sunsets. In fact, I doubt you'll see one image like that in this book. I often tell participants in my photoworkshops that at sunrise and sunsets turn your back on the sun. That's where the great light lives! Yet, another example of photographing on the edges.

Jeff and I collaborated on a wonderful book several years ago detailing life in the Apostle Islands. The book, "Jewels On The Water-Lake Superior's Apostle Islands" is a definitive

look at the Apostles and island life. I've enclosed a photo of the cover here along with a

image or two from the book. Jeff's words bring to life the Lake Superior experience that is the Apostles. Its a good example to see that those little details and moods are such an integral part of photographic coverage on any project.

I'm thrilled to have worked on this book with Jeff. Especially now that his photography

has reached new plateaus. Heck, he'll be doing his own books now!

Lastly, there are moments in a photographers journey within a project that a particular moment just cries out with relevance. So much time photographing the area in all seasons, one would thing that a cover image would emerge. Yet for me, one had not surfaced. I've shot hundreds and hundreds of fine images, all strong in their respective form of communication, but not cover worthy. Then, on my last shoot of season, sitting at a portage off the Gunflint Trail, the ground was frozen, small puddles were already icing over, one of our paddling partners was preparing to load his canoe and head out across the lake. His boat was a beautiful birch bark canoe, he was stepping towards his vessel with gorgeous light bathing the side of such a classic canoe. It was a contrasty and low light scene. I grabbed my camera and instantly knew this was a cover. The combination of light, gear, the birch bark, the angle of the lens, all spoke volumes to me about the BWCA experience. It was that romance we all seek when we go there. Seeing this scence unfold in front me completed the project for me. In 1/30th of a second I felt I had captured both the history and mood that is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Now,

I need to convince others who were less receptive to the richness in this visual moment.

Ah, the beat goes on!

Winter's Beauty

2009-12-28T11:30:00.002-06:00

There's no question that I really enjoy the winter season. I grew up in Alaska so winter is nothing new to me. In fact, I embrace the winter season and feel privileged to see a full four seasons here in Minnesota.

What is it about winter that stirs something deep inside us? For me, it's a number of tiny treasures that light the soul. I think at the top of the list would be the silence that comes with winter. Snowshoeing into the BWCA on a crisp February day you can stop and hear only your heartbeat. The insulation of the snow traps the normal sounds. There are no leaves, no waves,

and few voices. Its a real treat.

Second for me is the ice. I love ice. Perhaps its a photographic thing. That translucent quality and visual pleasure that ice brings to the eyes is mesmerizing. Assorted hues and colors dance while playing off the light. That gem like sheen and softness begged to be touched. I see a broken sheet of ice sticking on a lake or shore and I make tracks right to it.

And lastly, the primeval aspects of winter stir the mind in ways non-winter climates will never showcase. Winter camping in the BWCA touches the considerations of survival. Things like wind play a huge factor in many daily decisions. The thickness of lake ice, depth of snow, and carrying of gear all contribute to how a trip will be endured. Tackling a winter camping experience is rewarding and educational on so many levels.

It would be shame if a book on the BWCA excluded the frozen season. We decided early on that a chapter on winter will part of this BWCA/Quetico book experience. We'll be focusing on dogsledding as the vehicle to take us there. With that will come excitement, silence, and textures only winter can bring on. Here's a few examples. More winter discussions to follow soon.

Fall Moves Into Winter

2009-12-17T17:10:00.002-06:00

We experienced an unusually warm November this year. I had planned on photographing someone paddling in a snowstorm but the warm and usually snowy November produced little or no snow. Then, when we did get snow but it came at night. Dang!

Right after the snows, the arctic clipper arrived, ice formed and my chance was gone. This is the way of photography. You want to be everywhere for everything. Its just not reality. Sometimes one gets away.

One that didn't get away was capturing the art of netting Whitefish in the BWCA. A practice I did not know anyone still did. After some research I found that Erik Simula still nets. I hooked up with Erik and spent two nights in the BWCA photographing the process of netting. It was great to observe and the size of the whitefish was impressive. Erik had mentioned if he got 5-6 fish he'd be really happy. I had no idea what to expect. I felt 5-6 would be a bad day. Then, I saw the size of the fish and it all made sense. Many more and it would have been difficult to haul out!

Whitefish I'm told is a rather fatty fish thus is very good for smoking the fish. Erik uses the fish he nets for food over the course of the winter. As a photographer, I couldn't have been happier to see Erik using a traditional birch bark canoe for this. It simply made the images more romantic and captured the mood of days gone by.

"The Negative is the Score, the Print the Performance"

2009-10-14T07:46:00.004-05:00

Isn't that a fabulous quote from photographer Ansel Adams? Adam's of course was revealing the process of creating a photograph. But, this wonderful thought is applicable to so many aspects in our busy lives. It is also an appropriate phrase for producing a book. I've been asked numerous times how a book like this is put together.

Wow, that's a loaded question.

There's a lot that goes into creating a book that is never seen. And, that's a good thing. Being on this side of the fence and seeing all that goes into the process of gathering materials, research, trips, camera, lens & digital costs, preproduction, postproduction, design, editing, ect. is overwhelming at times. All I can say is the price you pay for most books is truly a bargain.

Producing a book is akin to a musician creating an album. Think of all the musicians, song writers, sound engineers, promotion people, concerts, instruments, all combining to put out an album. And, when in the hands of dedicated people who love their respective jobs, a fine product is born. I feel this comfort and dedication with those I work with at Borealis Books, a publishing division of the Minnesota Historical Society Press.

For photographing a book on canoe country we are rapidly closing out the season for visual coverage as fall leaves continue to drop and snow has landed in the northern reaches of the State. I'm comfortable with the summer coverage but like most shooters I know, I wish I could be everywhere all the time. I feel I am always missing great images because I am not there when wonderful moments happen.

Its just the way it is. We can't be everywhere all the time.

So, we pick our spots and work within the economic timetable allowed. I try to peek under every stone and obtain visual coverage of everything I feel is significant whenever possible. The most frustrating part of creating images for a book like this is leaving the area knowing there will be be situations we want to experience and capture with our lenses. It stresses me to miss

opportunities.

Basically, all books begin with an idea. Writer Greg Breining and I have chatted about a book on canoe country for years. The same was true with our recent book on the culture on ice fishing, "A HARD WATER WORLD." There are lots of books on the how-to aspects of ice fishing. Greg and I were more interested in the cultural nature of the sport. Report on the wild and whacky, those dedicated folks who live in the boreal ring of ice and why do they do it. The book has been a wonderful success and we're using that same approach with this book on canoe country.

First, we look for publications on the subject of canoeing already out there. We needed to come up with an idea that was fresh and would not compete with existing titles. We've broken down the theme into chapters that will explore the myriad of life in canoe country. For example, we'll look at things like mood, history, seasons, and ecology. And, we've kept the effort close to home. This will be a regional book. Can you imagine the costs and time necessary for a book on canoeing with a national scope? You'd need to travel so many places spending what would seem like seconds in one area only to move on to another in order to finish all the locations where people love to paddle. Coverage would be thin and much lost in missing those experiences in such famed and historical areas like the Adirondacks, Arkansas, and Alaska to name a few. There's not a publisher out there who could afford to produce such a book. It makes more sense to stay regional. We are blessed in our region with the likes of the famed Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and Quetico Provincial Park. The rich voyageur history and over a quarter million annual visitors make this area a compelling reason to do a book.

Coverage? Another loaded question. What do you cover when examining a region like this? One could take on any number of pursuits. It could be focused simply on plant life or fishing, old resorts, camping, wilderness, ect. A tremendous amount of time could be spent investigating all of these topics and each could actually prove to be a book all on its own. Our approach is an overview of personal experiences, usage, history and mood. It will blend a fine mix of informational and emotional themes.

Most books projects I've worked on there's been a strong connection with the writer and myself. We seek to have words and images form a marriage. We want different personalities and perspectives merging without repetition. We seek fresh insights coming from both words and images. This effort has been a bit different than others. I've not heard from writer Greg Breining all summer on what he's covering. This of course might make me a bit nervous since this is my key season for creating visuals. However, Greg and I have worked together enough on varied projects around the planet for two decades that we carry a sixth sense between us. Still, we are excited when we see each others work melt together to carry a topic to new heights. We still enjoy learning from each others work. And ultimately, this is our goal for readers.

I've still got some time left before the lakes freeze over and I plan on shooting addt'l images

during the seasonal transition. Rest assured we'll not forget winter. We'll have a chapter on dogsledding in this book too. After all, we use our frozen canoe country in very exciting and richly rewarding fashion too.

In the meantime, a glance back at a few treasures in canoe country.

Winter Visits Today

2009-10-12T14:56:00.003-05:00

Today, I awoke to our first snow of the season. Its October 12th. Yikes.

Fear not, its only a temporary peek at life in the Northland. It'll all be gone tomorrow.

What it did for me was kick-start my excitement towards the new season. And my anxiety.

I have this photograph dancing in my mind that I have not exposed yet. I want to capture a canoer on the water paddling in an all out near white-out snowfall. Its glued to my brain and I can't get it out.

Timing is everything.

You need to be at the right place at the right time. I'll keep seeking the right time. In the meantime, I couldn't resist going out this morning and playing with lens and light with the first flakes of the year.

Goodbye Summer-Hello Fall

2009-09-23T11:58:00.005-05:00

The defined seasons we experience here in canoe country are always a treat. At times the transition is slow and others the change is overnight. I'll miss wearing the Teva's for the summer. But, strapping on warm boots is in itself a treat too.

One of my biggest goals this Fall season for the book coverage is acquire an image I've always wanted; A canoe in a snowstorm. Not just a few flakes but a full fledged white out. How cool would that be to bring the transition to our chapter on winter in this region? Plan on a exciting look at dogsledding in canoe country for the winter coverage of life in canoe country's frozen season.

f/8 And Be There

2009-09-21T10:32:00.005-05:00

Early in my photographic journey there was a saying; "f/8 And Be There."

It had relevance to us shooters because at that time f/8 was considered to be the critical aperture for all our lenses. In other words, the lens setting that gave us the sharpest image.

"Be There" was easy. Great photographs happen when you're out there looking for them.

I hear on occasion shooters complain that they are in a rut. Ideas for subjects are not flowing and their minds feel visually empty. My response has always been the same. "GO OUT AND SHOOT." Its amazing how quickly the brain clicks back in creative mode and everything else forgotten and the joys of creating, of seeing, are renewed. It's f/8 and be there!

Last week I was on assignment for a magazine article on the PMA (Primitive Mgt. Area)

areas of the BWCA. Much of the PMA area we paddled and bushwhacked in to was badly burned in the two most recent fires in the BWCA. I cannot share those images at this time but the devastation and most recent fire, the Ham Lake Fire, was an event I can share.

I was in the BWCA early May 2007 along with writer Gus Axelson and renowned scientist Lee Frelich working a story on the effects of global warming in the boreal forest. We entered Seagull Lake at the end of the Gunflint Trail in N.E. Minnesota two days after the ice had gone out. Water temps were dangerously cold yet strong winds coming out of the South were unusually warm. Nearly 75 degrees. This is rare and a bit unnerving this time of year. Even though the air temps felt warm capsizing in these waters meant the quick onslaught of hypothermia. A life threatening situation in waters close to 38 degrees F. Staying close to shores and not taking senseless risks were on our minds.

The winds howled hard all night. We pitched tents on North sloping hills to block the winds on Three Mile Island. We awoke the next morning to continued winds and a small plume of smoke just to our south. We were surprised to see the smoke since we felt we were the only ones in this area of the BWCA at this time. After all, the ice had just gone out a few days earlier. We kept an eye on the smoke and within hours it had grown to one quarter of the sky. By evening, the smoke overtook the skies.

We had moved our camp away from Three Mile Island to the North side of Seagull Lake. The winds never abated and with the fires approaching and cold water conditions keeping us in camp, we were trapped. It lasted for three more days before we could finally paddle out. All of the area around us, those areas we paddled past to begin the trip, were now either burnt or still burning. I just couldn't wrap my brain around what was happening. Gus and I hiked to the top of a ridge on the second evening to scan the horizon at midnight. The landscape was so bright from the flame lite smoke we didn't even need headlamps. The views were both exciting and terrifying at the same time. Its a moment I won't soon forget.

It wasn't until we left Seagull Lake, met by Forest Service employees about ready to paddle in to get us, who then escorted us out and down the Gunflint Trail that we began to realize the impact of the fire. The homes of friends & outfitters, were burned to ground. We came across a fox on the side of the road unable to move because it's foot pads were so badly burnt. We tend to forget about the wildlife that suffers in fires too. I doubt this fox survived the day.

Our minds were so wrapped up in the daily fire issues, the wind observations, evac plans, and at times covering our faces to keep the acrid smoke from burning our throats, we lost track of any emotions surrounding the days and nights. It was'nt until we were out, under escort, that suddenly the realization of the magnitude of this fire and the consequences of such fires hit. I checked messages once I got a signal again and so many messages awaited concerning our fate. Family and friends 300 miles away in Minneapolis knew we were in that area. They hadn't heard from any of us for days. This provided more fuel for the emotions and realization that this was a big, very big fire. So large, that satelite images picked it up as well.

The fire continued to burn for another month jumping back and forth across the Minnesota/Canada border. Many areas were burnt down to the bedrock and will take centuries to recover. Most of the BWCA does not have soil. The areas where trees and plants cling to life against the Saganga batholith granite comes from decayed organic material that took hundreds of years to build even the shallowest depth. Its still too early to know, but the landscape could be changed forever. This new sight is beautiful in a new way, but certainly changed from the way we knew it.

Wild fires are such a integral part of wilderness ecosystems that we will feature the
destroy/renew aspects of this natural beast in a chapter in the book.

Nature at work. F/8 and be there.

Quetico Provincial Park, Ontario

2009-09-13T15:45:00.004-05:00

Paddling and portaging through 13 lakes to reach our destination, Kahshahpiwi Lake, in Quetico (Canada's extension of the BWCA) was no easy task. Even in Bob Beymer's book "A Paddling Guide To Quetico Provincial Park" he describes this route as challenging. If you single portage this trip (carrying all your gear and canoes across rocky, hilly paths through the forest that connects lakes) you are looking at 13 in and 13 out. That's hard to do with photography equipment. If you double portage, that's 26 in and 26 out. If you triple portage, plan for an exhausting 39 portages in and 39 portages out. Yes, that's correct, it would be 78 portages. Yikes!

I won't say which count we fell into but I'm pretty sure I'm 2 inches shorter today than I was two weeks ago.

This lake has always been a personal destination for me. Its long narrow stretch running

North-South with steep topographical lines adjacent to the shore present a real beauty on the map. The real Kahshahpiwi doesn't disappoint.

Campsites were tough to find due to the steepness of the shore's pink granite walls and only a few gentle slopes allowed good camp spots. Recent fires had burned the eastern cliffs down to bare stone and one odd, clump of green trees caught our eye. We got lucky. This clump was a five star campsite elevated about 20 feet up from the lake but with flat tent spots and ample tree cover. Even the fire pit was a piece of art. I think this spot is visited frequently and kept up to higher standards by serious canoeists.

Working so hard to get to such beautiful places quickly brings to the surface those simple things that really bring pleasure. One, after a long day of stepping in and out of mucky water and having wet feet for 6-8 hours, dry socks plant a smile on one's face when finally at camp. Also, drinking clear, cold water from the lakes quenches the thirst. We did filter all our water with MSR's wonderful pump filter, and drinking this cold water and feeling secure no micro organisms would take us down added to the intake and smiles. And, before I forget, the simplest of all pleasures on the portage was that site of a bright light beaming through the forest providing that glimpse of the lake you were carrying your canoe towards. You realized you were only a few steps away from putting the beast down.

Out of 11 days we only ate dinner three times during daylight hours. We were either finding our camps late, out fishing or photographing. One thing was constant. We always ended each day around the campfire. I must say I enjoyed the discussions. I learned new details about each paddler and invariably with these conversations past memories located deep in your own mind

rose back to the surface and funny stories would be exchanged. It really builds a unified camp to know each other had unique wilderness experiences.

Putting the physical and mechanical portions of the trip aside, the real joy spending time deep in the wild is what wilderness brings. Twice we heard wolf packs howling in the dark hours. We enjoyed a full moon rising over our campfire early in the trip only to see darkness slowly arrive a little later each night allowing the stars a chance to speak too. The iconic calls of the loons heard day and night, and the tiny northern pike swimming in the shallows that look a lot like alligators without legs all made their own impressions. The hundreds of mushroom species

lighting up the portage trails with their unique color and forms, the emerald green color of the lake water. One highlight was the black bear. Whenever you mention black bear to someone who camps in the BWCA/Quetico thoughts immediately dance inside a campsite. Well, I'm pleased to say that this sighting was just that. A black bear wandered the burned hillside adjacent to our camp on Kahshahpiwi. The bear walked along grabbing berry bushes and pulling them towards his face with his paws. He'd go up, then down and at a slow pace. All this time he never noticed that four men were watching his every move with great excitement. finally, he spotted us. He slowly climbed to the top of the ridge, stopped, turned around and plopped down like a hound dog on the porch waiting for his master to come home. He watched us for almost an hour before either hunger or watching us break camp bored him. It was such a treat to not have an encounter but to enjoy such a wonderful wildlife observation. All these simple moments combined were the perfect ingredients for a damn good canoe trip.

When shooting on trips like this I use my Lowe Nature Trekker II camera pack because I can carry it on my back and its nearly waterproof. An important asset on these water based trips. Its so easy to carry lots of gear and using it as a small backpack I was able to carry both canoe and cameras on each portage. I tried to jump on the portages first with hopes of catching wildlife on the trail or at the end of the portages. Its not uncommon to see moose or bear on portage trails.

The Quetico portion of this coverage for the canoeing book writer Greg Breining and I are working on will be published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press is about complete from my end. I may squeeze in one more trip to the Lac La Croix area but its touch and go at this point. I still have other areas in the BWCA to photograph and will continue to shoot until the first ice closes off the lakes.

Here's a few images from the last two weeks in beautiful Quetico Provincial Park. More images and thoughts later. I need to repack for another morning departure.

Quetico & Toast

2009-08-29T09:44:00.004-05:00

Off for a 12 day canoe trip into Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park. Quetico is Minnesota's BWCA northern extension. Regulations are the same, no cans or bottles, no live bait of any kind, and surprisingly, its mostly U.S. folks paddling here. I asked a Canadian why this is and the response was well put; "why would we go here?.....Canada has so much to offer with her multitude of exceptional natural resources and beauty in easier places to get to." Point well taken. Canada is fabulous and I have always been a fan of this great land to our North. A neighbor I'm glad to have. And yes, I like the Red Green Show too! And, what about "Slapshot?" Canadian treasures for sure.

I'm excited to paddle this thin strip of water etched out of the bedrock with lots of lakes spawning off like flowers. Plenty to explore and experience. And, on the first starry night I will raise my cup in honor of a fallen friend.

Life Ain't Fair-A Terrible Loss

2009-08-27T07:59:00.008-05:00

I have always approached life with two thoughts in mind; "You can't win if you don't enter" and "Life ain't fair." It keeps me grounded and puts things in perspective.

A communication to my office yesterday caused my heart to sink.

Will Powers, the Minnesota Historical Society Press Design and Production Manager died unexpectedly while vacationing at a family cabin in Canada.

I first met Will when he worked on my last book "A HARD WATER WORLD." A book that peeked into the whacky culture of ice fishing in North America and Russia. Within minutes of meeting with Will I knew this project was in good hands. I've never met anyone who could multi-task like this man, still smile and offer appreciations for the projects he was overseeing. He loved to talk about the photography and we engaged in conversations well beyond production lingo. Quite simply, he got it. It made me feel secure and I think he truly enjoyed participating in the works managed.

At the risk of revealing emotions so immediate after the news of this loss, I can't hold back. I liked Will. I feel like I need to call him today and ask him "what the heck are you doing?"

I can't believe he's gone. My frequent phone and email communications with Will allowed

an advance look into a relationship I believe was on a lifelong track. A valued friendship. I've tried to hold back the tears but the loss is real. I will miss him.

Working on a book project is no easy task. The pressure to find time, be in the right place at the right time, capturing the essence of your topic can be stressful. I want a perfect book. One that presents the topic in precise fashion. I don't photograph books for myself. I think I photograph them for the audience. I want to share these experiences with people. However, working with Will at the MHS Press, I think I was working hardest to please him. I knew if he liked what was coming in, I had done a good job. That inspired me in a quiet and fullfilling way.

There is no question in my heart to whom this book will be dedicated. Each and every image I create on this effort from here on out I will think of Will.

I wish like hell I could call and tell him this. I'm still in shock. Our know our paths will once again meet. Our common journey splits off here but will continue later.

I'll gaze into the night sky to say hello often. Safe travels my friend.

Ely, Minnesota

2009-08-26T12:44:00.009-05:00

There is no question in your mind when you drive into Ely, Minnesota during the summer months you are in canoe country. Canoes are everywhere! On cars, next to buildings, outfitter after outfitter line Main Street. There's an energy bubbling over with excitement of folks beginning or ending canoe adventures that seeps into you.

I was driving down the Echo Trail, a long, long road North out of town where I was going to

visit some popular portage sites to photograph and I had WELY tuned in on the radio. The DJ was using a slogan that had me smiling each time I heard it; "In Ely, where every car has a canoe on top, every woman has a dog, and every man has a past." Too dang funny! Even the slogan for WELY is great: END OF THE ROAD RADIO. Fabulous!

I had stopped into PIRAGIS NORTHWOODS COMPANY store to purchase a few items and as always, am impressed with the quality of their wares. Their buyers sure know what they are doing there. A fine retail store and bookstore to browse and wet the northwoods appetite. Next door, the Chocolate Moose has incredible fresh pie. A real weakness of mine.

I had shot aerials over the Ely area this week, something I try to do on most stories, and I was surprised at the size of some of the bogs. As the prairie rolls eastward and meets the bedrock of the north and east the lowlands mix with the highlands. Its makes for lots of small rivers and boggy areas. Wildlife is abundant in these areas and one can see why this region is home to many of the State's wolf population. An amazing wilderness region rich with green and peat. I spotted the Little Indian Souix River from the airplane and snapped off a few frames. A beautiful meandering river filled with wild rice. One or two of the aerials will no doubt make the cut for the book.

Next, off to Quetico for addt'l coverage on the BWCA's neighbor to the North. There were already hints of Fall in some of the deciduous trees this week and a slight bite in the air at sunrise indicates that these times they are a'changin.

Erik Simula's Great Adventure

2009-08-20T16:49:00.009-05:00

Once in a while on this job you meet someone who launches a project you wish you could join in on. Minnesota has so many talented and inspirational explorers. Polar trekkers Paul Schurke, Will Steeger, and Lonnie Dupre immediately come to mind. I've been lucky to have been part of some of those. In the course of developing this book on canoe country there are many historical and significant areas that demand coverage to offer the reader a complete perspective. Minnesota's GRAND PORTAGE in one of them.

Called the Voyageurs Highway, this string of lakes and rivers connecting inland waters to Lake Superior was a main travel route for trappers selling their wares. I spoke with friend Erik Simula last year as he worked on a birch bark canoe at the Grand Portage National Monument in Grand Portage, Minnesota. A skilled craftsman, Erik told me of a solo journey he was undertaking starting this Spring using one of his birch bark canoes. He was going to retrace routes taken by Voyageurs. A nearly 1,200 mile trip by himself and his dog, Kitigan. I wanted badly to ask to join along but with three kids in college and nearly three months gone from home didn't seem like a good enough reason to present the idea to my wife. So rather than scaring Erik with such a request, I settled for finding Erik on part of his journey and recording this for a portion of the book detailing the famed GRAND PORTAGE.

You can read all about Erik's jounrey on his blogsite: http://arrowheadjourney.wordpress.com/

You'll be able to read all about some of Erik's adventure in this new book to be published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press in the Fall of 2010. Author Greg Breining, who also joined me for our last book, A HARD WATER WORLD, a humerous book on the culture of ice fishing in North American and Russia, will work his magic on the chapter detailing the Grand Portage as well as many others. Don't miss it!

One of the images posted here will never see ink, but was exciting nonetheless. While traveling to the back roads of Partridge Falls Road looking for Erik, my daughter and I stumbled upon five wolf pups playing with wild abandon on the dirt road. By the time I jumped out, grabbed the camera only two pups were still visible. We never found Erik that morning but the wolf pups made my day.

Take a moment and read some of his journal writing. He stumbled into some pretty incredible and frightening experiences.

Congrat's Erik! I'm proud of your efforts my friend.

Sourdough Paddling

2009-08-19T11:24:00.005-05:00

It was Sourdough Heaven on Lac La Croix this last week in the BWCA. Our guide Jason,

http://www.boundarywatersguideservice.com/, had been preparing a batch of 100 year old sourdough he split off from friends that originated from Judge Wickersham in Alaska. Since I grew up in Alaska and my mother used to make sourdough pancakes and breads all the time my ears and mouth opened wide. You can read more about his sourdough and its history by going to Jason's website, then over to his blog. Type in, sourdough, in the Search box and you'll easily find all about this wonderful century old batch of sourdough.

This trip was filled with lots of heat and humidity in the BWCA. In fact, most say it was the first week of summer. July was the coldest EVER on record. Swimming was part of everyday and the clear nights let us view amazing meteor showers. Thursday evening we saw at least 100 in just over an hour.

The bookproject is coming along piece by piece. This last week's visit to the famed pictographs on Lac La Croix's Canadian side of the the lake thrilled me. The cliff that the images are painted on is an iconic image in this region. Its been photographed, painted, and published hundreds of times. Rounding the corner of an island and getting that first glimpse of the cliff side, the immediate impact of something you've experience before was spectacular. It was comforting to see it and I can only imagine the early voyageurs felt the same way when this landmark came into view.

Wild rice was prevalent on this trip and should be able to harvest sometime in the next several weeks. It was flowering out now and with the tap of a finger, pollen dust would fly off the flowers.

Another hard fought trip in the books. Several more trips on the horizon. The real bonus on this trip, other than the fine company of my companions, was the trip to the Chocolate Moose in Ely for dinner on the way home. The fresh blueberry pie knocked my socks off. All the blueberries were picked from the area. Geez, I'm getting hungry again!

BWCA Photo Workshop

2009-07-31T10:04:00.002-05:00

The timing is perfect for a new BWCA Photography Workshop. Crowds are down and the warm days and cool nights are ideal for shooting in this fabulous wilderness. Contact Jason at;

http://www.boundarywatersguideservice.com/WorkshopsAndGroupTrips.html

for more info!

2009-07-30T08:11:00.002-05:00

The key to any book effort utilizing numerous images to help tell the story of a region is to keep the viewer interested in the subject matter. Wilderness images have a way of inviting readers into the scene. Photographs have that ability to remind us of past memorable trips and experiences and eliminating any repetitive visual moments is my goal. One wears a different hat in the woods than when driving to the ballpark in town. Observations and instincts are heightened, meals and weather are always on your mind, and watching nature interact can make one feel like a visitor.

The rewards are many.

2009-07-29T16:25:00.003-05:00

Blueberries are just on the edge of ready to pick. If you close yore eyes and take a deep
breath, you can almost smell the pie! Not surprising, most big berries are in the areas recently burned
by the Ham Lake fire where good exposure to the sun let them grow wild!

Photographing a book

2009-07-29T07:35:00.002-05:00

Moving into the second month of shooting a new book on the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness for Borealis Books, a publishing arm of the Minnesota Historical Society Press that also includes Canada's wonderful Quetico Wilderness. Time is running short on summer months in the North with so much more to experience and photograph. The MHSP also published my last book "A HARD WATER WORLD" a peek at the culture of ice fishing. St. Paul based writer Greg Breining provided excellent essay's for the book. The MHSP did an outstanding job on that book and I'm thrilled to work with them and Greg Breining once again.