Superior and Stone Before Dawn Photo

Photographer’s Note

Superior and Stone Before Dawn

Lake Superior
Brighton Beach
Gitchi Gami Park
Duluth, Minnesota
ISO 50

One of the nice things about this time of year is how one can sleep in and still get pre dawn images. A quick drive down the hill from my house to one of the Duluth's most popular lakeside areas .. Gitchi Gami Park's Brighton Beach.

I will be singing a different tune once it gets cold. I am sure .

The bluffs of the far side of the bay .. the state of Wisconsin .. are barely visible on the far right edge of the image. .. maybe not at this size ..

One of the interesting and maddening things I have found since moving .. is it is not finding the big things .. I know that photographing Superior is a pretty decent plan .. it is finding foreground in a new place .. finding all those little things to try to make the image succeed has been driving me crazy .. I didn't realize how instinctual that had gotten for me down my well worn paths in Colorado ..

from some previous posts
This particular place has a legendary role in our family history .. during a family vacation here when I was a small child my younger brother leapt out of the car picked up a stone and threw it .. and himself .. into the water .. my father dived in fully clothed and fished him out ...

Superior is the largest of the great lakes .. the largest lake by surface area in the world ... it is 350 miles across and is 160 miles wide at its widest moment. The city of Duluth is linked to the Atlantic (a couple thousand miles distant) via the seaway through the Great Lakes .. Duluth advertises itself as the the Atlantic's westernmost deep water port city.

parbo, paura, gracious, bakes888, papagolf21, danos, feather, gunbud, Atousa, riclopes, fulvio52, emjleclercq, plimrn, Waylim has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

kodiak11 (527) 2008-10-23 16:34

John,

I, too, am a great fan of sunsets.....as a matter of fact, I have a 5 minute video on youtube of just sunsets over Lake Huron, a wee bit downstream from you.

This is a wonderful shot, and I agree, when winter comes, being lakeside will be a different story.

Nice job,

buscape (3423) 2008-10-23 16:42

Hello John,
beautiful sunset image with amazing colors.
I like the black silhouettes of the rocks in the dark blue sea and the reflections on it.
And I love the wonderful sky above with lovely clouds and great colors. Congratulations.
Helmut

parbo (10964) 2008-10-23 17:42

Hello John,

Fantastic effect of long exposure on water surface as same enviably paint by sunrise at horizon. Congratulations.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

paura (37872) 2008-10-23 18:10

John,
Very beautiful image in this photo. Lighting management are really nice. well done!

regards

Paulo

zeca (20026) 2008-10-23 18:15

Very nice colours, John! I also like the silk texture on the waters. Its a beautiful view, very well exposed.
Regards,
Zeca

gracious (20017) 2008-10-23 21:05

Hello John,
How are you!
I loved this quality of Dawn well captured with great depth, especially the effect that caused from f/22, brilliant!
the colour is beautiful with nice details in it
well done
take good care and sincere regards
Tony

bakes888 (18055) 2008-10-23 21:56

Hi John. I pleased you enjoy getting up for the dawn, we here on TE benefit from your photographic sojourns. Well captured, you have handled the light well to have good colour and a little details on the rocks. Thanks for sharing.
Have a good weekend, Paul. And take care of you and yours ;-).

papagolf21 (55990) 2008-10-24 1:05

Bonjour, cher ami John,
Je reste sous le charme devant vos photographies réalisées avec le plus grand soin.
La beauté est palpable ! Cette composition s'apparente à un très beau rêve.
Magnifique composition.
Très heureux de vous revoir mon ami John.
Excellente journée.
Amitiés.
Philippe

danos (31740) 2008-10-24 8:09

Hello John,
impressive this velvet surface of the water with this mauve color to cover almost the whole scene.The morning subdued light,make it so attractive,as your informative note about the largest lake in the world..Well done.

Have a nice weekend,Danos

jemaflor (38871) 2008-10-24 8:58

Hi John,
Very lovely colours for this shot and sky, well made the blurry effect on the water with 30 s, good idea and result.

feather (49848) 2008-10-25 5:23

The pre-dawn light is beautiful allowing you to capture some lovely colours. The slow shutter has had just the kind of effect I love on water, making it shine like silk. I think you have just hit on the reason why images taken around home are often more satisfying compositionally that photos taken on trips. I was blaming not being able to always get the light one wants at the only time one is there. That is part of the story, but you're right that you neeed to visit and re-visit a place to see its full potential.
Kath
PS I have just whiled away some time admiring your new website. It's great to see not only work previously unseen, but to see familiar scenes at bigger size. I wish you success.
K

batalay (20704) 2008-10-25 6:52

Hello John,

An etherial view, complemented by one of the most engaging notes I've seen in weeks. Your information about Lake Superior, and then the personal recollections of your youth, your father diving in, stuff of indelible memories of our youth! As a musician, I would love to have you take a look at my last post regarding the birth of opera. If you have any corrections, please let me know. It was an impromptu note.

Warm regards,

Bulent

gunbud (27559) 2008-10-25 7:19

Hi John,
Lovely slow exposure technique gives this sunset a mystic dreamy feel.
The silhouetted rocks make a wonderful lead in to the beautiful gold and complimentary blue morning sky.
The wispy clouds add alot to this superb composition.
Regards, Tom
PS Really enjoyed your web site with so many familar photos that appear in much better quality compared to how they are seen on Trek. Good luck with your son. I worked for such an agency for about 5 years and noticed that the consumers benefited greatly the expanded horizon provided by getting out of the home and meeting friends.
Best Regards, Tom

Atousa (3434) 2008-10-25 21:51

Salam John,

Great colours n very good light management..I like its softness which has created a nice peaceful atmosphere..beautifully captured..thank you.
Greetings, A

riclopes (32865) 2008-10-26 1:23

So beautiful, John. Just love this surreal mood from the long exposure. The soft effect on the water is fantastic, the dark stones emerging like defeated soldiers from some ancient battle. Nice couple of clouds' line coming from both sides and the orange horizon makes one dream. Congrats.
have a nice sunday,
ric

fulvio52 (8314) 2008-10-26 1:50

Hi, John.
Stunning color in a wonderful dawn. Silky quality, perfect exposure, great depth of field. Those dark rocky silhouettes still retain the right amount of detail to make them look "alive". Excellent job, my friend!
Have a good sunday, I'll see you soon.
Hugs,
Fulvio.

bruce_wayne (1507) 2008-10-26 3:30

Hi John!!!
Wooow...great effect!!!! 30 seconds...yes, it's perfect for this image, very well done

Alessandro

emjleclercq (14133) 2008-10-26 23:24

A beautifull view, the rocks look like embedded in a solid material ratherr than emerging form the lake'swater.

All the best,

Emmanuel

plimrn (19558) 2008-10-27 9:32

Hi John,
I think your FG problems may be particularly hard at this time of year but you managed admirably here. Great light management gives you detail in the rocks without blowing out the lovely sky.
Flat lands will be a new expercience. We used to visit my grandparents in Wisconsin. It was simply beautiful in the summer.
HLJ, Pat

jrj (34779) 2008-10-28 8:05

Thank's John - all well here - hopes the same go for you.

A moody, posterlike and tranquilent motif by the lake. Set in a fine blue hour mood with the shutter adding the fine soft surface of the lake. Very nice this one.

ptibelo (2958) 2008-11-01 15:46

Vraiment superbe john , un paysage très reposant avec beaucoup de couleurs malgré la partie sombre.
amitiés
JMarie

Angshu (33324) 2008-11-12 0:35

Hello John
The surreal effect of the sloooow shutter speed, the silky sheen on the water. The pre-dawn light is beautiful allowing you to capture some lovely colours, especially in the horizon. Even those clouds in their slow motion appears lovely. Fine work!
Best Regards
Angshu

Waylim (10717) 2008-12-16 9:08

John,
I really like the silk like quality of this shot, the sunset color so brilliant and rich in tone. It really evoke sense of peace and tranquility. Composition is really clean and unclutter, very refreshing and pure. Thanks
Way