Every 10th of November, Split Rock Lighthouse's beacon, as most Split Rock aficionados know, is lighted in memorial of the loss of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the Great Lakes ore freighter that became a victim of Lake Superior's wrath on that day in 1975. All 29 aboard were never seen again.
I've stood on these shores on many a November 10th evenings in recent years and the weather on this year's anniversary most closely resembled what I imagine the conditions were like on that fateful day in 1975. Cold, wind-blown rain and mist accompanied several foot rollers crashing into the rocky shore.
Photographing in these conditions is, not surprisingly, also difficult. In between the inevitable episodes of cold mist gathering on the front of my lens, I managed to capture the rare combination of a lighted Split Rock and a rough Lake Superior.
Showing posts with label storm. Show all posts
Showing posts with label storm. Show all posts
Friday, November 23, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
October Gale
"October Gale"
When I am making photographs on the North Shore in early October, my usual and primary concern is capturing the ephemeral beauty of the northern autumn.
On the afternoon of October 4th, my attention was abruptly shifted to Lake Superior's rapidly changing mood. In a matter of hours, calm waters were transformed into a fury of several-foot rollers brought on by gale-force winds in the range of 40-50 miles per hour. Winds from the southwest meant areas near Grand Marais were experiencing the brunt of this force due to the southerly-facing shoreline. Standing on the rocky shore and pummeled by spray from the violent breakers crashing ashore, I felt an incredible amount of exhilaration, being so close to Superior's wrath, as I made several exposures with my mostly plastic bag-wrapped camera.
"Lighthouse Breaker"
A few of the breakers even reached heights above Grand Marais' breakwall lighthouse. On a typical day, people can be found standing next to this lighthouse. That was not an option that afternoon.
"Stormy Evening" - Artist's Point
The stormy conditions continued that evening and into the night. As evening approached, a bit of sunshine filtered through the clouds in the distance, making for one of the most memorable scenes of the day.
When I am making photographs on the North Shore in early October, my usual and primary concern is capturing the ephemeral beauty of the northern autumn.
On the afternoon of October 4th, my attention was abruptly shifted to Lake Superior's rapidly changing mood. In a matter of hours, calm waters were transformed into a fury of several-foot rollers brought on by gale-force winds in the range of 40-50 miles per hour. Winds from the southwest meant areas near Grand Marais were experiencing the brunt of this force due to the southerly-facing shoreline. Standing on the rocky shore and pummeled by spray from the violent breakers crashing ashore, I felt an incredible amount of exhilaration, being so close to Superior's wrath, as I made several exposures with my mostly plastic bag-wrapped camera.
"Lighthouse Breaker"
A few of the breakers even reached heights above Grand Marais' breakwall lighthouse. On a typical day, people can be found standing next to this lighthouse. That was not an option that afternoon.
"Stormy Evening" - Artist's Point
The stormy conditions continued that evening and into the night. As evening approached, a bit of sunshine filtered through the clouds in the distance, making for one of the most memorable scenes of the day.
Labels:
gale,
grand marais,
lake superior,
lighthouse,
storm,
waves
Location:
Grand Marais, MN, USA
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Before the Storm - Eagle Harbor Light
I've spent several years traversing seemingly every nook and cranny Lake Superior's North Shore has to offer (I'm far from done!). Superior's other shore always seemed to lurk on the distant horizon, both geographically and in my itinerary. Last month, I finally ventured into parts of this new (for me) territory: Lake Superior's South Shore.
Having spent so much time on the North Shore, I immediately took note of a difference in South Shore life. The South Shore seems to have more of a recreational atmosphere regarding the water with miles of white sand beaches and plenty of boats and kayaks to be found.
My brief survey of the South Shore took me from from Superior, Wisconsin to Copper Harbor in Upper Michigan. One of my most memorable moments from this excursion was standing along the shore below the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse on Upper Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula with a storm front moving in from the west. Perfect! Most photographers know that bad weather often results in the best photographs. As lightning flashed over the lake, I was carefully trying to capture, through a photograph, the mood of this place with a storm coming from behind. I made several exposures near the shore before the storm closed in and became too close for comfort. I then retreated to near the lighthouse to try a few more compositions. The storm seemed relatively tame until I noticed a very ominous-looking cloud deck racing toward the area. I finally gathered my gear and scurried to my car just as a fierce wind started blowing and rain started falling.
Labels:
Eagle Harbor,
keweenaw,
lighthouse,
Michigan,
storm
Location:
Eagle Harbor, MI, USA
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