Revisiting Last October

Last October I captured an image of a row of birch trees that I really liked, but when I got home and viewed the image on my computer, I noticed a wire running through the image.  The updated Adobe Photoshop 2019 has an improved “Content Aware Fill” feature that seems to work much better than past versions and I gave it a try on the image.  I came away pleasantly surprised by the end result.  Is it absolutely perfect? No, but it’s pretty darn good and I would be willing to print the result.  My plan is to print it on canvas which should aid in softening any residual effects of the process.

Canon 5D Mk ll, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM, ISO 50, 70mm, f/16, 1/30 sec.

Broken and Abandoned

Discovered on an abandoned property along Highway 23 south of Duluth.  It’s hauled it’s last load.

Looking Up River

Early morning along the St. Louis River.

Corona

All the research I did leading up to the eclipse mentioned a few key elements to try and capture while photographing totality.  Obviously the corona, but also the diamond ring, solar prominences  and Bailey’s beads.  It’s difficult to say if I captured Bailey’s beads, but I think I have the other three, with the diamond in a previous image.  Although cliche, I’m hoping to assemble a panorama of the entire eclipse one of these days.

Diamond Ring

Shot from John Neal Memorial County Park in Lyons, Oregon, where we shared the event with hundreds of other eclipse watchers.  It was a phenomenal experience, made all the more so being with so many others.  Certainly not something I will ever forget.  By the way, photos do not do it justice, it’s so much more intense in person.  I can see why people become eclipse chasers, I’m already thinking about the next total eclipse in 2024, and possibly the annular eclipse in 2023.

Canon 5D Mk2, Canon 70-200mm 2.8 lens, Tamron-F AF 2X Tele-Converter,

ISO 100, 400mm, f/11, 1/30 sec.

Western Sunset

Memory of a trip west.  The sun may have set, but the memory lives on.

Wind and Water

We have very strong winds in Minnesota today which is causing some serious wave action on Lake Superior.  I took a short drive to a spot just up the shore from Duluth called Stoney Point to see if there was a possible photo op, yep!  Stoney Point is also the location of an old fishing shack, which has probably been photographed by every photographer in the area and beyond.  Everyone has there own take on the relic, I’ve included one of mine.

Pt. 5, Parting shot

Nice clean lines, an almost cathedral like effect.  Lines drawing the eye up and over.  I came, I saw, I crossed.  I am satisfied with the journey.

Pt. 4, Breaking Rules

Click on image to enlarge.

When I started working with this image, I almost passed it by.  But, something about it kept calling me back.  I realized that it breaks some of the traditional rules I’ve learned in photography.  It’s heavily weighted to one side, making it awkward and out of balance.  It sort of follows the rules of thirds, maybe.  But the texture of the concrete is intriguing and adds its own value to the composition.  Compared to the metal support moving to the right, the concrete actually appears soft.  The metal erupting out of the concrete is well defined and rigid, and giving a sense of launching into space.  But, that’s just my interpretation, you may see it very differently.

More of my images can be seen at Northern Visions Media.

Pt. 3, Swerves and Curves

Click on image to enlarge.

Line, shape, texture, leading lines, geometry, it’s all here!  Hard for me to say which version I like best, they both work.  Perhaps there’s a bit more drama in the black and white image, and the lines seem a bit more pronounced.  If I were to frame one, it would be the B&W version.

More of my images can be seen at Northern Visions Media.