The Michigan Hurricane

Had some interesting days last week here in Michigan. Several people I talked to said that the only other day that they experienced winds that strong was on November 10, 1975 — the day the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in Lake Superior. I had to get out a couple times and experience it myself. There was an interesting prelude to the storm as alternating "waves" of rain and wind and sunny skies passed through. The most striking moment was when a beautiful double rainbow formed as a storm passed while I was at the state park in Petoskey — late afternoon.
I decided to head down to The Charlevoix area and visited the beaches at Fisherman's Island and Norwood. Norwood was a last minute alternate as I found that the road to Fisherman's was blocked due to a power line down. At the Norwood beach I was struck by the rainbows formed in the blowing spray from the waves (see below). Eventually I was able to get into Fisherman's Island where the show was all about the the giant plumes of spray kicked up as the waves crested. The island, a natural barrier that juts out into the lake, causes the wave action to curl around it so on the north side of the island the waves approach the beach heading south — directly into the wind in this case. Just as the waves would crest the wind gust would blow the wave backward in large arcs. With the background of late autumn trees on the island it presented a wonderful place for picture making.
Hope you enjoy these images from the Michigan Hurricane.

Sky Islands

Returned from Green Valley (just South of Tucson Arizona) last week . Really enjoyed visiting with my sister-in-law and brother-in-law — great people and gracious hosts. It was a visit where we just kicked back and relaxed. The only thing on my agenda was to do a workshop at the Green Valley Camera Club, and that was really a pleasure because I met all sorts of enthusiastic photographers who shared their experiences and encouraged me in my work as an artist. If you’re into photography and looking for a great place to ride out the winter — Green Valley is the place. They have a fantasstic photo club with great facilities (large computer lab and matting and framing facilities) and lots of field trips.
My lovely wife and I did get away for one day trip that included Kirtchner Caverns and Chiricahua National monument. Unfortunately, you can’t take a camera into the caverns, but experiencing the cavern’s forms and textures is inspiring and well worth it.
Chiricahua was beautiful. The National Monument is refered to as a sky island — a place where a series of mountainous peaks rise from the Arizona flatlands. The distinguishing feature of this region are the stone columns or hoodoos that appear to be the ruins of some great lost civilization but are only the result of the forces of nature. We spent too little time there to really get any images that are a meaningful representation of the area but we did sneak in a short hike that we enjoyed thoroughly and I’ll share a couple images with you here.

Hiking the Natural Bridge trail

Opposites

I've always been intrigued by how often nature seems to show contradictory behavior. Years ago, the US Forest Service used to jump to the rescue of the great forests by taking extraordinary measures to put out all forest fires. Now there are times when they let some sections burn or even set forest fires (controlled burns) Why? Because they discovered that some trees and plants only regenerate if they have been through a fire. So something as destructive as fire causes new life — doesn't seem right.
Lots of people nowadays are turning to vegetarian diets (and I can see the wisdom of that choice) but I find it somewhat humorous that the Good Lord created some plants that eat animals — as in the pitcher plant that traps insects and slowly dissolves them into food.
I captured this image the other day on the beach near Petoskey State Park. I was struck by the contrast. The sand was smooth and sculptural while the water was textural and flat. The lighting seemed soft on one and harsh on the other. These results were both caused by the same force — the wind, but with very different results.
It's pretty obvious to me that the Lord loves diversity — well some diversity. He obviously doesn't like both good and evil — so I guess there is diversity about diversity. I think I better stop now.

Grand Marais

Grand Marais

Grand Marais — the name sounds intriguing and colorful unless you know French and understand that Marais means swamp or marsh. I spent a couple days camping with my wife and daughter up at Grand Marais, Michigan (not Minnesota), a quiet little town. There is no longer a marsh or swamp as there probably was when the French voyageurs first visited in the 1600's. It's a nice little harbor — a safe haven between Munising and Sault Saint Marie on Superior's south shore. A cold front was moving through on the days we were there which makes for some "iffy" weather — a real concern for tent campers, as we are, but the positive side is that it can make for some dramatic "atmosphere" for the image maker. So I'll share a little of the drama.

The Green Wave

Big Surf at Miner's Castle Beach (Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore)

Mix It Up

I feel like I've been heavy on "grand landscapes" of late so I'm giving myself some assignments to help break the trend. I told myself that I was just going to take some walks in the back yard (the woods surrounding our house) and just use my 80mm macro. It's one of those contradictory things in life. When you lay out rules it forces you to try new things that in turn boosts your creativity and, over time, broadens the scope of your work. So rules help you break through barriers — interesting.
And lately I've been getting kinda loose with my image making -- more impressionist/soft. So I thought I'd also be a little more hard edged. The result is the image below. A very formal, arranged, sharp, typical camera frame dimensions, type of piece. And I really like it! Just remember rules can be good for you.

Sorry my posts have been few and far between. The upcoming exhibit of my work down in Grand Haven has kinda been a consuming thing. I did sneek up to Waugoshance Point a couple times in the last two weeks. It is a very curious place. A windswept, stony, peninsula that sticks out into Lake Michigan just west of the Mackinac Bridge — part of Wilderness State Park. I think a lot of people drive out there just to see what it's like but not many stick around for any length of time. With a short visit you pretty much get the idea that it's primarily a collection of stone piles, marsh, and small stands of cedar and other scrub trees that have, by some miracle, been able to withstand this harsh environment. But like with many places, if you stay awhile you begin to see it's unique beauty. There are lots of flowering plants (like the Lobelia covered with dew)-- but because of the winds they tend to be small and keep close to the ground. The pools of water are filled with frogs and water skeeters and plenty of other tiny critters.

I'm drawn to places like this — places you have to stay awhile to really get to appreciate. Our culture seems all about the loud, the "in-your-face" type of life — that's how you get your fifteen minutes of fame, right? Well, there are plenty of people out there that are quietly going about their work, serving others, doing it with little complaint, and loving those who aren't very lovable. Those are this world's real heroes — people you have to hang around and really get to know to appreciate. Thanks, Manette, for being a prime example — you are my hero!

Endangered

Michigan Monkey Flower and Forget-me-nots

I went to small piece of land that the Little Traverse Conservancy has set aside, looking for the rare and endangered Michigan Monkey Flower. Seems it only grows in mucky soil and sand that is saturated or covered by cold, flowing spring water. Conservationists only know of 12 sites in Michigan where the plant grows.
I don't know about you but I can relate to the Michigan Monkey Flower. I feel endangered — in the sense that I often feel like there aren't many folks out there that can relate to how I see the world. I'm really not trying to be "artsy" or "different", I'm just trying to do what feels natural to me.
Sorry I'm in a bit of a self pity mode — got to shake it off.
But I tell you what really keeps me going is that cool spring water I'm growing in. You know, that one thing I can always count on making sense in my life — "but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” I'm very thankful for that water!