"Surprise Sunset"

FRIDAY, AUGUST 3, 2018

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While tending my plot at the community garden this evening I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed the light around me increase. The sky had been very gray but when I looked up from the plants I was shocked to see this beautiful sky full of color. There must have been an opening in the clouds to the west. The sun poked through and lit up the clouds from below. The color only last a couple of minutes then it was gone.

Camera: Sony DSC-RX10M3
Focal Length: 24mm
Exposure Time: 1/80
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 200

"Celestial Alignment, Horseshoe Bay"

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4, 2018

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Mars, the Milky Way and Jupiter line up over the island on the Lake Superior shoreline at Horseshoe Bay in Hovland, Minnesota.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 14mm
Exposure Time: 30 seconds
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 6400

"Two pots of gold"

SUNDAY, AUGUST 5, 2018

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We had some pretty sweet thunderstorms roll through today. When the last of them moved through this evening they left us with a sweet double rainbow over the bay. Thunderstorms are awesome :-)

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 24-120mm f/4
Focal Length: 30mm
Exposure Time: 1/200
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 200

"Free Bird"

MONDAY, AUGUST 13, 2018

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I'm going through some SERIOUS Aurora withdrawals. The last good show I saw was back in early May. We're definitely due for a another good one! I've had this photo sitting on my computer desktop for quite a while with the intention of sharing it when I'm missing the northern lights. This was on June 23, 2015 at 12:23 AM over Lake Superior and Hollow Rock in Grand Portage, MN. I decided to title this one "Free Bird" because ever since I first looked at it I could see the shape of a large bird within the patterns of the lights.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 14mm
Exposure Time: 10 seconds
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 1000

"Road Trip to the Stars"

THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2018

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Last night after checking out the Dark Sky Caravan I went to a favorite spot on the Lake Superior shoreline to take in the view of the Milky Way. The University of Minnesota Duluth brought their GeoDome Mobile Planetarium to the Grand Portage Community Center and gave a super interesting presentation. The presentation was followed by some time gazing at the stars, moon and planets through telescopes. It was a super fun evening.

Spending some time on the shoreline taking in the view over the big lake and some islands was a perfect way to end the fun. In the photo the large, bright planet that you see reflecting in the lake over the right side of the island is Mars. The light that you see illuminating myself and some of the foreground rocks is coming from a yard light on the opposite side of the bay behind me.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 14mm
Exposure Time: 30 seconds
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 6400

"August Moon over the Pigeon River"

FRIDAY, AUGUST 17, 2018

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Last night's moon setting over the Pigeon River in Ontario, Canada. Sure was a peaceful evening!

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 24-120mm f/4
Focal Length: 58mm
Exposure Time: 30 seconds
Aperture: f/4
ISO: 1600

"A little slice of heaven"

MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2018

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Summer nights in the north woods of Minnesota are something special. On clear nights the sky is dominated by the Milky Way. As you sit beneath large pine trees on the shoreline, loons call from across the lake while billions of stars twinkle overhead. And it hits you: This is a little slice of heaven. And you never want to leave.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 14mm
Exposure Time: 30 seconds
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 6400

"Storms of August"

MONDAY, AUGUST 27, 2018

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We've finally had some weather moving through the past few days giving us some much needed moisture. This evening as I drove home from work the clouds over Lake Superior were quite impressive.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 14mm
Exposure Time: 1/13
Aperture: f/11
ISO: 200

"Cascade River Meditation"

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2018

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I spent 7 hours today hiking and meditating with the camera along Cascade River in Cascade River State Park, MN. It was a nice day to be on the river. The sky was very overcast and for most of the day there was a really fine mist falling from the sky. The conditions made for a nice moody atmosphere. I much prefer this kind of day to a sunny day when it comes to photographing rivers.

The normal trailside viewpoint of this waterfall is from high up, looking down on the falls. In order to get this viewpoint I was right in the river, wading upstream. I don't recommend doing this unless you are very experienced at walking in rivers. The rocks on the bottom are incredibly slippery and I actually wear my winter ice cleats which helps but it's still not easy.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 24-120mm f/4
Focal Length: 24mm
Exposure Time: 20 seconds
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 100

"The Cauldron"

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018

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Here's another photograph of the same waterfall that I posted last night, this time zoomed in on just the lower portion of the falls. The rocks around this waterfall are fascinating. So dark and full of texture.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 24-120mm f/4
Focal Length: 86mm
Exposure Time: 10 seconds
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 100

"Fire Tower Milky Way"

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, 2018

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A beautiful summer night. A fire tower converging with the Milky Way. From the top of the tower it feels like you can touch the stars.

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8
Focal Length: 16mm
Exposure Time: 25 seconds
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 6400

"Wash It All Away"

THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 2018

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My first time photographing this awesome waterfall on the Cascade River just south of Grand Marais, MN. I love how complex it is. It also has a very "cleansing" feel, how it is constantly washing the rock clean. That's why I decided to title it "Wash It All Away". Also happens to be a handy little metaphor. Wash it all away, wipe the slate clean, fresh start :-)

Camera: Nikon D750
Lens: Nikon 24-120mm f/4
Focal Length: 24mm
Exposure Time: 13 seconds
Aperture: f/16
ISO: 100