Previous Featured Prints

Featured Image Number 5 for 2010 “Como Dreamy” The Como Ordway Memorial Japanese Garden in St. Paul is a true urban landscape jewel. The Garden memorializes the sister city relationship between Saint Paul and Nagasaki, Japan. Nagasaki landscape designer Masami Matsuda created the garden, and it has become a key feature of the Como Park Zoo Conservatory. This image presents the waterfall that splashes into the lovely pond in the Garden. I’ve photographed this scene on numerous occasions, but never been satisfied with the results. This Summer, the Garden has been opened on three days for artists with easels and photographers with tripods. Being able to work from the stable platform of a tripod let me shift to a longer telephoto lens than I could hand-hold, and this composition was the happy result. I’ve worked the shot into a dreamy black-and-white image that expresses my view of the Garden as a special, mystical place. Featured Image Number 4 for 2010 “Tettegouche Fog” In 1898, the Alger-Smith Lumber Company began cutting the virgin pine forests of northeastern Minnesota. The company established a logging camp on the shore of Lake Superior, and named it Tettegouche. The loggers moved on, and stewardship of the area passed through several private hands before the State of Minnesota established Tettegouche as a state park in 1979. The 9000+ acres of Tettegouche State Park include a mile of Lake Superior shoreline, with some of the best rock climbing areas in the state. This secluded cove sits below the body of the Park, and features a rocky beach and this sea arch in the spit of land jutting into Lake Superior. I’ve often photographed this site, and I love how the feel of the cove changes completely with the weather. On this cool, foggy June morning, the sun could not burn off the heavy clouds, and Shovel Point in the background was a mysterious form in the grey. Featured Image Number 3 for 2010: “Towering Clouds” In 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed Devils Tower the first national monument. The monument grounds are about 80 miles northwest of the Black Hills in eastern Wyoming. It’s one of the amazing sites we’ll visit this Fall on my “Dramatic Visions: Growing in the Black Hills” Photo Vision Expedition. On the October afternoon when I made this image, the impressive bulk of the Tower rising about the pines was balanced by the huge cloud formation. I used my HDR-Black + White process (outlined here) to capture the intensity of the scene. The tower itself stands 867 feet above the its base. At its base, the tower is almost a mile around. The summit is about 200 ft. by 400 ft - not nearly large enough for a spaceship landing! The name “Devils Tower” may arise from a mistranslation done for Col. Richard I. Dodge in 1875. It is believed his interpreter misinterpreted the name Bear Lodge (Mateo Teepee) to mean Bad God's Tower, later shortened to Devil’s Tower. When the proclamation establishing Devils Tower was published, the apostrophe was unintentionally dropped from “Devil’s”—and this clerical error has never been officially corrected. Featured Image Number 2 for 2010: “All Ablaze” Interstate Park, located along both banks of the St. Croix River that forms 125 miles of the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin, is an unusual park in that it is actually two separate state parks, one on the east banks and one on the West. Both are Minnesota and Wisconsin state parks. On the Minnesota side, Interstate Park was the second state park created by the Legislature (in 1895), and on the Wisconsin it was the first state park (created in 1900). As a result, it became the first interstate park collaboration in the US! The St. Croix is designated as a National Scenic Riverway, and it flows through a twisting, scenic gorge located as it bisects the Park. On the Minnesota side, the steep banks of the Park are home to white pines, basswoods, and maples. In the Fall, the maples — sitting a micro-climate formed by the gorge— turn brilliant colors and glow in the shallow light of the season. I found these fiery maples along a trail on the Minnesota side, and was struck by the contrast of color, form, and texture between the scarlet leaves and the twisted pine roots and basalt nearby. Featured Image Number 1 for 2010: “Delicate Arch Glow” Delicate Arch is a Utah landmark, even appearing on the state’s license plates for the last several years. Nevertheless, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to hike up to see the arch while in Arches National Park in the Fall of 2009. The hike up to Delicate Arch is described in guidebooks as “moderately strenuous.” In fact, it’s a mile and half trek that starts in rugged brush, then turns into wildly tilted slickrock where the “trail” is only defined by small rock cairns, and concludes in a steep, narrow catwalk around the edge of a cliff! It’s a definite challenge, but the view at the end is truly worth the effort: you round the last bend, not having seen the arch at all along the entire trail, and there it suddenly is, separated only by a deep bowl. The arch really isn’t that large - only 52 feet tall - but its complete separation from the underlying strata and the striking contrast with the La Sal Mountains in the background make it a powerful and unique vista. This shot was taken in the midst of a long, lovely sunset, and the glow of the fading light has emphasized the wonderful colors of the arch and its setting. Here are all the Featured Prints from 2009 now available at regular prices Featured Image Number 8 for 2009: "Father of Colors" The Stone Arch Bridge in downtown Minneapolis was built in in 1883 by railroad tycoon James J. Hill, and spans the Mississippi River near the St. Anthony Falls lock and dam. This shot was taken under the east end of the Bridge, with the evening lights of the city and the Bridge itself reflecting in the Mississippi. It was the reflected colors of the skyline that drew me to work on this panorama, which stretches from the Stone Arch Bridge along the river to the new Guthrie Theatre building at the far left. I find the crisp, modern towers of the skyline, contrasting with the organic forms of the Bridge and set off by the rainbow of colors in the Mississippi, to be a delightful urban landscape. Featured Image Number 7 for 2009: "Sylvan Lake Island"  Sylvan Lake lies at the base of Harney Peak in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is circled by wonderful rock formations, and offers great opportunities for photography both early in the day and as sunset approaches. The geology around the Lake is similar to the nearby Needles - a mixture of igneous and metamorphic rocks that have been carved by wind and water. The Lake itself is artificial; it was created in 1881 when Theodore Reder built a dam across Sunday Gulch! Sylvan Lake is often called the "Crown Jewel" of Custer State Park, and I have to agree that it is a marvelously photogenic location. It’s an easy hike around the Lake, and the views change repeatedly as you complete the circle. This image of a small island in the Lake and the background rock buttress was shot near sunset, as the fading light added to the mystery of the location. Featured Image Number 6 for 2009: "Willow Divide" The Willow River runs through western Wisconsin, and cascades in a lovely series of wide, shallow falls in a state park just outside Hudson, Wisconsin. I spent a great afternoon shooting the falls on a grey, cloudy day when the light was soft and even - a perfect setting for capturing the details in the water! After getting some excellent shots of the whole falls, I started looking for smaller waterscapes within the large scene. This image is one of my favorites from the day: a close-up of the falls as they divide around a rock outcropping with small plants clinging to their precarious perch. Featured Image Number 5 for 2009: "Cove Ripples" Sugarloaf Cove is a beautiful oasis along the North Shore of Lake Superior, a quiet spot and a place to learn about the natural and human history of the North Shore, with a State Scientific and Natural Area at its core. I had taught a morning photography class at Sugarloaf, and went down to the shore of Lake Superior after the class. The sun was shining brightly, and making these wonderful patterns of light in the shallows. The colors of the lava flow and the shapes of the pebbles made a natural still life that I was pleased to capture.  Featured Image Number 4 for 2009: "Water’s Edge" McWay Falls tumbles into the Pacific Ocean in Monterey County, along California’s Big Sur coast. McWay Creek drops 80 ft. to the sand beach and waves below. The waterfall has no public access other than the overlook from which this image was made; the cliff in the area is too crumbly and dangerous to descend. Overcast skies on the afternoon I make this shot gave the rocks and waves a gentle beauty, and I think this is an image that benefits from a black-and-white treatment.  Featured Image Number 3 for 2009: “Last Wave” I captured this sunset on the leeward coast of O’ahu in February 2009. We had been chasing shore images all day along the north and west coasts, and I had almost given up finding a photogenic site for sunset. We stopped at Makaha Beach Park, where tents and booths were being set up for a surfing competition the next day. A walk down to the water’s edge led us to a smooth expanse of beach and several young men taking the last rides of the day. I was able to get in several shots before the light faded; this image is my favorite from that sunset series.  Featured Image Number 2 for 2009: "Big Sur Waves" The Pfeiffer Big Sur State park is a very small state park, right at the edge of the Pacific Ocean in northern California. Just offshore is a ridge of rock with a weathered hole that lets the waves pool into the shoreline, forming mystical patterns of froth and water. I made this image at sunset in February, using a very long exposure to emphasize the other-worldly nature of the swirling waves and rocks. The scene lent itself to a black-and-white treatment, and that is how I’m presenting it here.  Featured Image Number 1 for 2009:"Winter Birches" The forests of northern Minnesota change their colors and forms with the seasons. Winter reduces the forest to its essentials, and lets us see much more detail than we can during the rest of the year when leaves obscure the "bones" of the wood. This image was taken in January 2009 in Cook County, Minnesota, deep in the woods as the light was fading on a sunny afternoon. I was taken with the forms and colors of the nude birches, and the contrast between their white bark and the still-brilliant Fall leaves of the underbrush. I have applied an artistic hand to this image, trying to capture the beauty I saw that afternoon.Featured_Image.htmlPrevious_Featured_Images_files/Stone%20Arch-River%20Pano-crpooed%20%28II417X%29.jpg
 

Here are all the Featured Prints for 2008. These are all back "into rotation" as generally-available prints.

 

Eighth Featured Print for 2008: "Bosque Sunrise." 

 

Bosque del Apache is Spanish for "woods of the Apache," and relates back to the time when Spanish explorers observed the Apache routinely camped in the riverside forest. Since then the name has come to mean one of the most spectacular national wildlife refuges in North America. Here, tens of thousands of birds--including sandhill cranes, Arctic geese, and many kinds of ducks--gather each autumn and stay through the winter. Feeding snow geese erupt in explosions of wings when frightened by a stalking coyote, and at dusk, flight after flight of geese and cranes return to roost in the marshes.

This image was taken in November 2008, shortly before sunrise, as the geese and cranes were stretching their feet and thinking about heading out for breakfast. The sky is caught between the deep blues of night and the pastels of dawn. This was a long exposure, in order to gather enough light to capture the feel of that early morning moment, and the geese closest to the camera became ghostly blurs as they walked and paddled through the shot.

 

Seventh Featured Print for 2008: "Intimate Cascade." 


 

 

The Cascade River flows into Lake Superior near the Canadian border. The River drops about 120 feet into the Lake, through seven separate cascades. The area is rich in moss and ferns that grow on black volcanic rocks, and the forest in dominated by birch, spruce and white cedar.

This image was taken in late September, as Fall was creeping into the area. It had been a dry Summer, and the deciduous trees had turned mostly brown, without adding a great deal of color to the forest. The evergreens were also stressed by the dry weather, and they showed patches of red and orange that became the framing color for this shot of the main falls.

 

 

 

 

Sixth Featured Print for 2008: "White Wall."


The Rio Chama valley in northern New Mexico hides many amazing landscapes, including Plaza Blanca - the White Place. The sandstone cliffs and wind-carved hoodoos of the Plaza are otherworldly, powerful monuments to the power of nature.  Plaza Blanca was first painted by Georgia O’Keeffe in 1940, as she explored and recorded the beauty of the land of enchantment.

I was able to spend a little time (not nearly enough) in the Abiquiu area in the Summer of 2008, and drove out to the Plaza. My hike through the cliffs and spires was inspiring and a bit humbling. The rocks are so old and tell such stories that a small human seems rather insignificant. I paid my respects, and took away a few images that just scratch the surface of this amazing valley.

 

 

Fifth Featured Print for 2008: "Old and New" 



Split Rock Lighthouse is one of the most photographed sites on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The lighthouse, set far above the waves of the Lake, is an icon of the North Shore, and one I enjoy returning to.

This image started on a clear Summer day, but with the unexpected addition of bright color at the Lake's edge in the form of the red flowers on the deep green bush. There is usually little color on the shore, just the slight variation in tone of the rocks scattered there. That bush gave me a great local point for the shot. But when I got home, I started thinking about the classic travel photos - the sepia toned prints with hand coloring - that predated color photography. That gave me a new perspective on how to process the image, and I ended up trying to capture the look and feel of those classic photos.

Order No. 15772.

 

 

 


 

Fourth Featured Print for 2008: "In the Flow"

 

I took this shot at one of my favorite locations on the North Shore of Lake Superior - Gooseberry Falls State Park.  Gooseberry has a series of waterfalls that cascade down into Lake Superior, turning as they flow to their destination.

The day of this shot, the Middle Falls were running moderately, which let me place my tripod a ways into the flow of the Gooseberry River as it tumbled down the rocky gorge. This set up a vantage point that I think captures both the power of the Falls and their delicate aspects. I was also very pleased with the range of colors in the riverbed that day.

Order No. 12692.

 

 

 

 

 

Featured Print Number 3 for 2008: "Zabriskie Solo"


This Featured Print is an image is from Death Valley National Park in southeastern California. Death Valley contains the lowest elevation within the continental Unites States, and boasts sand dunes, snow-capped mountains, canyons with multicolored rock layers, mud flats, three million acres of wilderness, and some of the most starkly beautiful landscapes in the far West.

Zabriskie Point is one of those landscapes, with folded layers of colors rising and falling in waves that remind the viewer of the lake that covered the Park nine million years ago. The darker layers are lava; the other layers include saline muds, gravels from the adjacent mountains, and volcanic ash. This sunrise shot catches the folds of the Point, the shadows of the morning, and a solitary human figure overlooking the severe landscape.

Order No. 14791.

 



Featured Print Number 2 for 2008:

"A Day at the Races"

 

This Featured Print is an image from Death Valley National Park in southeastern California. The area of Death Valley captured in this Print is Racetrack Playa, at the northern end of the Park. It is a huge. flat dry (usually) lake bed. The name for the has arisen due to the strange rock feature found there. Across the southern end of the Playa, rocks ranging from softball to basketball size lie embedded in the hardened mud, with distinct trails showing that the rocks have traveled across the lake bed!

While no visitors have reported being present to see the rocks move, there is no doubt that they have slid quite a long way, and gouged their trails into the mud. The prevailing theory is that, after a rain turns the surface of the Playa to slick mud, the prevailing winds are able to push the rocks along; as the mud dries and hardens, the rocks are caught in place, with the depressions left in their wake. It is an amazing sight; I came across quite a few rocks late in the afternoon, each with its trail to the north, each glued in place where the trail stopped. One group of four rocks looked as though they were heading for a photo finish at some invisible circuit. This solo traveler had a beautiful, fine blue finish that contrasted in every way with the dull and broken surface of the playa.

Order No. 14764.

 



 

Featured Print Number 1 for 2008: "Virgin Gold"

 

This Featured Print captured a golden sunrise over the Virgin River in Zion National Park. The Virgin has cut its path through the main canyon in the Park, and here it flows in front of the Court of the Patriarchs. The monolith framed in this shot is named for the biblical figure Abraham.

November was taking its toll on Zion the morning I took this shot, leaving some gold on the trees to mirror the gold in the flowing river. It was a crisp sunrise, and the rapids at this bend in the Virgin echoed in the canyon. This late in the season, there was no one else around to share the scene.

Order No. 14211.