I love the textures in this image. The grass in the foreground, the reflected clouds and the sunlight capping it off at the top. Also, the shape of the clouds gives the illusion of depth to the center of the image, making it seem almost three dimensional.
I recently spent a couple days at a northern Minnesota lake doing a bit of fishing and, of course, a bit of photography. There’s something about early morning and late afternoon light on water that is hard to resist. Especially when the water is smooth and the clouds contribute to the composition.
On May 11th, I joined a group of birders at the Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center in northern Minnesota as part of the Document Spring project. The group had started out earlier to identify as many birds as possible, I believe it was around 70, before the Document spring group arrived. We went on a short hike during which I tried to take photos of birds that are not willing models. I also offered advice to the group on camera settings and technique. I also spotted what I thought were interesting subjects.
For those who enjoy a good hike, there is a trail that takes you from the visitor’s center at the Gooseberry Falls rest area to the falls, then down the Gooseberry River where you can cross the bridge over the river, followed by a climb back up the other side to complete the circle back to the visitor’s center. The entire hike is less than two miles, but does involve navigating a lot of stairs, If you want to see more before returning to the visitor’s center, you can also follow the trials to the upper falls area and beyond, or take the trail to Lake Superior.
Visitors do not need a state park pass to visit the falls as long as you park at the rest area.
Cold, so very cold. Not the kind of day anyone should venture out without proper preparation. It goes beyond being uncomfortable, it’s not just that you can harm your body, it’s the kind of cold that can kill the unprepared. Take it seriously.
