A Special Portrait

More Bad Light

A quick trip North for a winter magazine assignment went wonderfully. New snow, bright yet diffused sunlight. Everything went off like clockwork.

Since I was already North, I decided to stay on a few extra days to explore the ice piling up along the shores of Lake Superior. This year the lake was more than 90% covered in ice. Normal twenty years ago, this is a rare winter event these days. Photographers follow such unusual natural events. The winds pile layers and layers of ice up to the shore. It can be a splendid visual experience for shooters.

Well, not this time.

Weather was stormy, cloudy and dark. The recent snow had covered the ice with a milky coating eliminating the desired gin clear ice. What does one do?

Driving for miles, I finally located a patch of ice that retained some of that gorgeous glacial blue coloration that attracts artists. But, the skies were dank and the ice almost featureless in this light. There was however a silver lining. I could photograph the blue ice without concern for the sky blowing it out. For all its bland appearance, this flat light was actually decent to work with.

Never give up. With a little luck, things might work out. Having a dramatic scene in such two-dimensional light was indeed a gift.

Lake Superior ice & clouds near Croftville, Minnesota

(CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE)

NIGHT LIFE

 The moon was edging slightly past half-moon phase. Not enough light I felt to warrant a night on the ice looking for new views of the ice shards piling up. But, some whispy clouds made things compelling enough to give it shot. Maybe with long exposures, the moving clouds will add some interest to a stark and simple scene. 

Inside an hour of darkness, a fabulous moon dog formed. It was huge, one of the biggest I've seen. The diffused light created an atmosphere that felt over worldly. Really strange light out over the ice fields. To add to the bizarre light and add drama to the scene, it was necessary to get the camera angle low giving the ice a larger appearance and see the moon dog. Yes, I did shoot a full moon dog. But, those have been done a million times. I was looking for something different. A look that mimicked the bizarre light cast over the frozen lake that night.

I spied a collection of ice shards, spread to tripod down to its lowest angle, framed the moon dog so it gave the impression or rising. I liked the results. I walked away with a new image, one that was different than any other winter moon dog photograph I've made prior. The effort to venture out that evening was totally worth it.

Moon Dog over Lake Superior ice shards.

EXPERIMENT

Sometimes you just have to take off that editorial cap and put on the creative cap. It allows you a sense of adventure and risk. Try something within the realm of photographic possibilities and see what the imagination can kick out.

Silver Bay, Minnesota

Iceland Photography Workshop

Once again, ICELAND is making the news. 

This recently posted news tidbit by ICELAND NATURALLY, 

from Iceland's Tourist Industry. There is no question this is the time to visit Iceland. 

Join Us late this summer for an incredible Photo Tour with Focus On Nature.

http://www.focusonnature.is/

We will be photographing some of the most spectacular locations

in Iceland. Be prepared to be amazed.

Digital Magic In Photography

One never knows when a photographic idea will hit you. One that hit me while returning from an assignment up North has finally come to fruit. CROIX AND THE MAGIC BURL.

Eight years ago I took a class at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais, Minnesota. It was called; Wood Bowl Turning-Norwegian Ale Bowls. Basically, I learned to turn wooden bowls using a centuries old technique using just a wooden pole and a rope.

I had a blast and still enjoy turning bowls as a hobby. But, I did switch over to a power lathe!

Such diversions for artists are a natural release. It's not uncommon for artists to find another creative adventure outside of their own creative passion. I took to wood turning like a squirrel to a bird feeder.
It served as a good source of creative therapy.

Driving home from an assignment up North a few years ago, I stopped for a short hike along the Cascade River along Minnesota's North Shore Drive. When I reached the first set of waterfalls, there was an impressive spruce burl just off the trail. It was huge. And, for woodturners, most burls are prized for their exceptional grain patterns. Not spruce.  But, the burl had a funny pattern on it that looked like a face. I fired off a few frames of the burl and moved on.

Back on the highway, that burl face kept gnawing on my brain. Then, it came to me. I should do a book on the forest using the face of old burl as the voice to teaching kids about the forest and trees. So, finally here it is;

Croix And The Magic Burl

A Young Girl Meets A Magic Burl In The Forest 

And Learns The Value Of The Woods.

Here's the links;
(COPY AND PASTE INTO YOUR BROWSER)

PRINT VERSION:  http://www.blurb.com/books/5049117-croix-and-the-magic-burl  

(Shows the entire book)

less expensive version;

eBook:  http://store.blurb.com/ebooks/460166-croix-and-the-magic-burl  

(only shows 11 pages)

 

One of the decisions in this book that once made, seemed to be a perfect fit, was the digital conversion of my photos to watercolors using Photoshop. I tried it with photographs right out of the gate. But, photographs seemed too definitive, too exacting. Converting to watercolors allowed some room for the imagination to wander. This felt like the appropriate technique for a young kids book.

Some images worked and others didn't. But, that's true with every story you shoot. Tough editing, even eliminating those you really want to share, is imperative for the collective good. Otherwise your project can travel down paths less focused on the theme. Stick to your guns and be a tough editor.

Using the available tools in today's digital climate can be a tremendous advantage for your creative outlet. I was amazed at the transformation of my images into another medium. I was very suspect and concerned it would fail horribly.  Instead, it served up just the right look. I got what I wanted and hope to tackle another one some day when the inspiration strikes.

Winter Dogsledding Photo Adventure

Dogsledding across frozen Baffin Bay with Greenland's Polar Inuit
for Smithsonian Magazine.

 Growing up in Alaska and making the move to tropical Minnesota was no big deal. We still had winter, still had mosquitoes. I thought for sure I'd miss the immense natural scale that is Alaska. But, here at 47º North, we have the Great Lake Superior and the big pond suited me just fine for exploring natural landscapes bigger than life. No matter how much I try, I'll never complete my journey exploring that lake.

When it comes to winter up here, it's best to laugh at the cold rather than be laughed at. In fact, by participating in the cold, you find it can be quite intoxicating. I like it because less people are out, and if you venture into wilderness, you see a virgin winter others will never experience. 

I love this quote by Sinclair Lewis;

"Winter is not a season, it's an occupation."

New Canadian Inuit pups watch the action, waiting for their turn in the future.

So, every year I get my winter fix by going dogsledding. I've been lucky over the years to have dogsledded in many places around the world. Years ago, shooting an assignment for Smithsonian Magazine I traveled with Arctic Explorer Paul Schurke in Greenland with the Polar Inuit. It was a magnificent story to work on documenting these remote people. And, traveling with such experienced polar personalities cemented my desire to partake in a dogsledding trek each and every year since.

Polar Explorer Paul Schurke at his Ely, Minnesota Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge

I've been running photo adventure dogsledding workshops with Paul at his Ely, Minnesota WINTERGREEN DOGSLED LODGE (http://www.dogsledding.com/) for over twenty years now. It never gets old. As soon as the first snowflakes fly and lake ice firms up, it reminds me its getting close. And, there's good reason to be excited. Look at some of the accolades Wintergreen has gotten;

What the Experts Say About Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge!

-Flash News! We're featured in National Geographic Traveler Nov '1

-National Geographic.com says: 'Mush with the best' at Wintergreen

-DigitalCity: Selected us among "coolest alternatives to skiing!

-Outside magazine: Ranked us in "Top 10" small outdoor businesses

-SmarterTravel.com: Ranked us in "10 Best Adventure Travel Bargains

-PBS-TV: Selected us among Top 6 "Adventure Lodges"

-Good Morning America: Rated us "perfect destination" for dogsledding

-Travel Channel: Featured us on the "Samantha Brown Show

-National Geographic Traveler: Featured us as a 2009 top destination

-Minnesota Monthly: Selected us among state's "Top Ten" lodge

-NBC Today Show: Featured us in it's January 2013 Inaugural Event coverage

I believe there's a common misconception about winter for most folks. That it's freezing cold, your fingers and toes will fall off, snot will freeze on my nose, ect. It's not that bad!

The staff at Wintergreen educates everyone on how to stay warm. Your gear is examined and if you don't have what you need, it's provided. The guides, well I call them thoroughbreds, are amazing. You'll be lucky in your lifetime to witness people who can cross country ski like these folks. Quite frankly, it's simply inspirational.

Mushing across a frozen wilderness lake in N.E. Minnesota

All dogsledding outfits run things in their own unique way. The history of dogsledding is not lost in the culture of mushing at Wintergreen. Using mostly Canadian Inuit Dogs, they are big, strong and fun to work with. Animals this size normally freak out the normal Joe walking down the street. But, these creatures are gentle with people and wonderful to work with. One of the reasons why is something that happens right at birth. The newborn pups are handled by staff immediately after birth to etch in the pup's mind that people are good to be around. Kinda like a extra Mom so to speak. Its all part of the Wintergreen vibe and it works!

Kristen, a Wintergreen Guide, stands near the WALL OF FAME
honoring dogs that have passed away but made their mark.

There's such a exceptional variety of visual material on a dogsledding trip. Naturally, its mostly about the dogs, but there's also everything surrounding the mushing experience. Capturing imagery of the guides, the night skies, the pups, and infamous dogyard, make for a rewarding an image packed winter experience.

Tossing a ladle of hot water instantly vaporizes in the frigid air making
winter a laboratory for both nature and science.

Gliding along the frozen expanse of White Iron Lake, Minnesota
near Wintergreen Lodge

Shooting in winter can be challenging, there's no gettin' around that. The secret is stopping when you need too and getting the photos. It's that simple! If you keep waiting, it never happens. By varying your angles, how you capture the action, the portraits, and the locations you visit, slowly you will realize you've captured an extraordinary winter experience. There's more to winter than you thought.

Warming tent in the woods at Wintergreen Dogsled Lodge

Overcast days and late afternoon light can be perfect opportunities to capture motion
while zipping through the forest.

Portraits are always important on any assignment. Whether its people or pooches!

If you feel like winter is a slow time for your photography outings, consider taking a winter trek. I promise you will not be disappointed. A dogsledding trip at places like Wintergreen will definately check that box off your bucket list and offer you a whole new perspective on the joys of winter.

Fine Tuning Your Vision

On a blustery Iceland day along the south coast, the light was fading fast. I spotted a glistening chunk of ice in the waves and wanted to try to create something out of it. Its was a tough photographic challenge. The sea, if captured with a fast shutter speed, made for a confusing image. There was no separation between the ice and the waves. It all blended together and looked awful. The only answer was a long exposure to smooth out the sea water as waves poured around the ice. I was lucky that the ice block was heavy enough that it didn't move during the long exposure. If the ice lost its sharpness, I had no photograph. Initially, I had previsualized this image as a B/W photograph. Then, the guy next to me on the beach was shining a green laser on the ice. The light was so bright and colorful, it completely changed my perspective on the drab scene. I asked for a quick blast of light on my ice chunk and magic just appeared.

How many times have you heard, "Geez, you've got a good eye?"

That's a rewarding compliment for any shooter. It makes the photographer feel like they've tapped into something special, unique, and personal. It's why we do what we do. Half the fun of being a photographer is getting out and exploring, putting ourselves in a position to capture a moment that is definitively ours. The second half is being successful at communicating our vision inside a single frame. Lets face it, content is everything. It requires timing, good exposure, and more often than not, luck. But, I've always defined luck using that old photojournalism slogan,  "F/8 And Be There!" Ya can't win if you don't enter, right? You have to be out there making photographs, searching for subject matter, refining your craft to create great photographs. A musician can't get better without practicing. And, neither can a photographer.

The great photographer Henri Cartier Bresson once said, "Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." It takes time to polish your vision. There are many layers to understanding the depths of photographic communication. Following your own instincts is the most important step. When subject matter calls out to you, that's a message. Listen to it. This is the first step in defining your own style. It came from you, not someone else. Set aside what you've seen done before on similar subject matter. Ask yourself, "what is it that drew me in?" Was it the color, texture, or composition? Were there visual relationships between the clouds and waves? Was a monochromatic scene interrupted with subtle colors in the moss in the foreground? Whatever it was, find that answer.

Once you understand what it was that called out to you, the next step is capturing it. Sounds easy, right? This is where photography is challenging and requires work. How one records that message is the difference between a snapshot and a photograph. The right ingredients of lens, aperture, perspective and exposure all combine to fine tune your vision. Exploring your subject thoroughly often reveals little secrets that further stimulate your imagination. You get to know your subject intimately. Sometimes giving your subject a 360º walk around provokes you to seeing it in a new way. Maybe from behind is the best side? By the time your done following your instincts, examining your subject, you know it so well that chances are pretty good you'll walk away with the essence of that moment. If nothing else, you leave with enough material that in your edit, one image will speaks louder than the others. Suddenly, your style is developing.

Giving yourself options during an edit forces you to become a better photographer. Too many photographers just show everything. They are afraid to make choices. And consequently, they bore

their audiences with repetition. When you ween through images, asking yourself why one frame is better than the other, even though they are similar, you learn more about your own images. There is a reason one frame is stronger than the other. Image by image, you eliminate the weakest in the herd. By the time you make a final select, you have the strongest image..........and you know why! 

You are a better photographer for plowing through that process.

Other considerations for fine tuning personal vision include preference for color or black & white. My roots are in black & white. The intense tonal relationships that beckon my camera

based on tonal values alone still reach me. At times, I only see in B/W. It's a different way of seeing, more organic perhaps. I say that because my past (film days) dealt with light sensitive silver halide crystals that become excited when exposed to light and came alive when processed in chemicals. Digital is different, but nonetheless part of seeing in B/W for many photographers is a way of seeing, period. For them, its reality. Color can at times infect content with color alone. A case where color dominates the photograph first, overriding content. However, isn't that just the flip side to allowing B/W tonal values define the image? There is no right answer to this. Its a personal choice based on the individual situation. Choosing the right medium to allow your voice to be heard is just good decision making. It's a question of personal style fine tuning your vision.

We spotted the well known black & white church in Budir along the western fjords and knew immediately this scene demanded representation in B/W.  The clouds, the stone wall and grasses simply blended in tonal magic. There was never any question of using this in color. Use of a wide angle lens added drama to the scene. But, I was careful not to go too wide. I didn't want to lose the connection with the white crosses to the right in the cemetery.

In the case of the "Blue Door" at Skogar Folk Museum, I watched everyone walk passed the door. The blue had me so excited. It was like glacial blue. Perfect for Iceland, right? I had to wait for everyone to leave the room so I could huddle into a corner and aim my wide angle at the door. The hues of blue in the corners confirmed my stop. The image had balance and color that electrified my vision of this simple yet complicated scene.

Along the coast I spotted a cliff with marvelous columnar geology, relatively common in Iceland. It was another overcast, dreary day and perfect for this type of photograph. Using a telephoto lens, I framed the subject and using a long exposure, waited for the wave action to provide me with a highlight in a fairly grey scene. I choose B/W over color for two reasons; One, the rocks were a lovely tone a gray, and secondly, the lower portion of the rocks had a green algae growth to competed with the geology. By choosing not to go with color, you don't see this distraction and the power of the volcanic action moves forward.

Costa Rica Photo Tour

Sometimes ya just gotta do what needs to be done to get the photo.

While scouting locations for an upcoming October 2014 Costa Rica Photo Tour, the clouds begin to clear over dinner at the Smithsonian Observatory Lodge near Mt. Arenal, one of Costa Rico's more active volcano's. Almost always shrouded in cloud's, it's rare to see the volcano. So, it was a treat to see it at night, backlite by the resorts on the opposite side of the mountain and stars ablaze all around. The real kicker, she was smoking! A photo had to be made of this.

So, why was I mad?  Well, I was kicking myself because I brought a minimal amount of gear for this trip. I knew if I brought my normal assortment I'd be working the whole time and miss scouting opportunities because I'd run outta time. But, this was too good to miss.

The elevated deck overlooking the jungle beneath offers a lovely panoramic view of the volcano just steps from the dining room. It's a large deck with a skinny walkway that runs the parameter of the dining area. I knew a night shot of the mountain would require me to move as far away from the dining area as possible. The light streaming on the jungle below would surely be overexposed during a 30 second exposure. Getting ground level was useless because the canopy would hide the mountain.

And adding to the complictions, I had no tripod!  I left it home with lots of other gear. The thin metal railing would not support a camera and tables and chairs were the wrong height to clear the middle railing. However, there was opening near the bottom of the railings approx. three feet up. I went back to my room to find objects I could use to make a sturdy makeshift tripod. I grabbed the end table next to the bed, my flips-flops, and an extra sock and returned to the deck.

I went all the way to end of the walkway away from the open deck area. It was darker over there and not many people ventured over that way. This was good because vibrations of people walking during an exposure could ruin the shot. I set the camera down, used the flip-flops to elevate the 14-24mm so it would point slightly upward giving me more sky and stars, and then slipped the dirty sock underneath to hold the lens snug. Focusing on infinity, I shot wide-open for thirty seconds. The shutter clicks, exposes. I bent over and glanced at the monitor....WOW!  You could even see steam rising from the volcano. Thirty seconds was perfect. I tend to start there when I want to see stars and not star streaks. To get stars streaking you need to go at least two minutes. Thirty seconds will get you stars.

I snapped a few more frames, people would look over and wonder what in the heck is that freaky dude up to over there. Then, the clouds moved in and I adjourned for the evening with a grin.

Equipment?  Naw, A dirty sock will do.