Most people visit Lake Superior's north shore during the heat of summer and the brilliance of autumn, but those who can tolerate a little bit of arctic air and snow get to experience a truly exquisite winter treat! All of the images featured here were captured within about a 24 hour period.

"Stoney Point Gold"

The image above was captured on Stoney Point, just south of the village of Knife River. This little fishing cabin on Stoney Point has withstood the test of time, having been exposed to Lake Superior's elements for many decades. It is a testament to the rustic nature of Lake Superior's fishing past.

I've been to this location a few times and have always wanted to capture this historic cabin in the right conditions. All of the elements I was seeking came together last weekend.

 "Stoney Point Dusk"

This image was captured about 15 minutes later that evening as the sun set and the clouds took on magical pink and purple hues. You can even see a sun pillar and snow shower in the distance toward Duluth.

One important lesson I've learned over the years regarding photographing sunrises or sunsets is to stay around until it's completely over (or arrive early enough in the case of sunrises). Sometimes, you just don't know what will transpire!


When it gets bitter cold, Lake Superior gives off steam — literally. On calm, subzero nights, this steam rises from the lake and hovers there until it is burned off by the sun's heat or wind carries it away. The steam occurs when the surface temperature of the lake is much warmer than the temperature of the ambient air above it. This is analogous to how boiling water creates steam by being much warmer than the air above.

It was around -10°F when I captured this image on the shore of Lake Superior at Brighton Beach in Duluth. The lake was a bit too calm for my liking, but with a little luck, one relatively large wave rolled in and allowed me to make the image I wanted.

Split Rock Lighthouse is both an easy and difficult subject to photograph well. Its ease comes from the fact that there are numerous vantage points along the shore that make for obviously appealing compositions. On the other hand, given the sheer number of photographs made here, it can be challenging to capture something fresh.

This image from last September is the result of a very deliberate effort of combining 18 individual frames into one seamless panoramic image with enhanced tonal range (meaning that no detail is lost, from the brightest highlights near the sun to darkest shadows in the rock crevices). The panorama blend allows for the image to be printed as large as 30"x90" (if I were feeling a little adventurous) without a significant reduction in detail, while the enhanced tonal range gives the image a "real world" appearance that would be impossible to capture with a single exposure. The result is an image depicting the first light of day, as I remember it, with exquisite detail throughout.

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There is something special about a sunrise. In our human view of the world, it marks the beginning of a new day and evokes thoughts of new opportunities. Viewing the sunrise from the edge of a calm Lake Superior strongly amplifies this experience. This image was made near the mouth of the Temperance River in Temperance River State Park, located approximately midway between Duluth and the Canadian border on Lake Superior's North Shore. The park contains some of Lake Superior's most scenic shoreline in Minnesota.

Winter Moonrise Over Lake Superior

Moonrises over Lake Superior are also quite a treat. This image was created near Brighton Beach in Duluth in February.

I originally posted it only on my Facebook page to get some feedback before posting it here, as I wasn't completely sold on the image at the time. The response was affirmative, so I decided to add it to my online gallery.

The many random designs in the ice and embedded driftwood log serving as a leading line to the moon are the key elements that, I think, make this image a keeper.

I am very lucky to be able to live relatively near one of the most beautiful regions in the country. Up and down the North Shore lie impressive and charming locations too numerable to mention. I have visited (and photographed!) many of them and still have much to explore. Yet, my North Shore excursions often seem to bring me back to this iconic landmark - Split Rock Lighthouse.

This cliff-top lighthouse has attracted the eyes of photographers since its construction 101 years ago and has become the most photographed lighthouse on the Great Lakes and perhaps one of the most photographed in the world. It's not hard to imagine why it is so alluring. Not merely a historic lighthouse upon a cliff, it also stands in the midst of a relatively remote and scenic location on Lake Superior's North Shore. The lighthouse is strikingly visible from most of the half-mile of shoreline to the immediate south, providing innumerable viewpoints. Minnesota's four seasons and the ever-changing Lake Superior provide even further opportunities to witness the various moods of this icon.

The image above was made on an April morning in which the temperature was still cold enough to form a thin layer of ice in the small puddles within the rock. The warm hues of the sunrise were subtle, yet attractive. I found myself alone while photographing this scene, as I often do in the mornings here. At a busy place such as Split Rock, mornings can sometimes be the only time of day for the contemplative photographer to consider and compose a scene without distraction. And, mornings often contain the best light of the day, too. It is scenes like these that touch my inner spirit and keep me returning again and again.

Gooseberry Falls State Park is best known for its namesake falls on the Gooseberry River, but its rich Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) history is what distinguishes this park from others. The CCC was a public work relief program for unemployed young men during the Great Depression. Its mission provided for the conservation and development government-owned natural resources while putting unemployed young men to work for a modest wage. Gooseberry Falls had its very own CCC camp from 1933-1942.

The efforts of the CCC "boys" essentially helped bring Gooseberry Falls State Park into official existence in 1937. According to the Minnesota DNR, over 80 buildings, structures, or objects constructed during the CCC era are found within the park. Lakeview shelter, pictured above, is one of these CCC-era buildings. Its stonework, as also seen on many other structures, is a hallmark of CCC work.

Winter Sunrise

As you can see, with the reflection of the sunrise over Lake Superior, the shelter certainly lives up to its name! I can only imagine the innumerable spectacular Lake Superior sunrises that have been cast upon these windows. I will never tire of seeing another Lake Superior sunrise (although waking up early for them can sometimes be tiring!).

While I was photographing the shelter, I found this lone large pine next to it rather interesting with the placement of picnic tables around it. Of course, I aptly named this image, "Picnic Pine."

We've been truly spoiled for much of the last month here in Minnesota with beautiful warm sunny days in conjunction with spectacular fall color. But with last week's major storm system and its accompanying bout of snow, Mother Nature cast a powerful reminder that we are indeed entering late autumn and - love it or hate it - winter.

I find winter to be an especially peaceful time along the North Shore. Gone are the throngs of summer travelers that congest the roads and popular landmarks. The cold and snow that invades the region seems to slow the pace of life somewhat and quiet the landscape (fresh snow actually does absorb sound). Lake Superior's freezing waters can also sculpt stunning ice formations when cold waves solidify into intricate layers of ice upon the rugged shore. The steam that rises from the lake on early subzero mornings adds a visual dimension to conditions very well sensed by our fingers and toes. And, if Lake Superior freezes over, strong winds commonly blow monstrous ice sheets ashore where they may break up into shards larger than mattresses. Winter on the North Shore is a truly unique experience, without the crowds.

The photograph above was taken last winter along the Gooseberry Falls State Park shoreline. It will be a few months before the surface of Lake Superior starts to freeze as in the photo since it takes a lot of cold weather to freeze such a large body of water. Hence, shipping activity on the lake usually lasts into January. But, with night increasingly encroaching upon day, temperatures tumbling below freezing, and snow starting to color the landscape white, summer is starting to seem . . . well, very distant.

Sunrise at the Setting Arch

As many of you already know, the famous Tettegouche Sea Arch pictured above collapsed sometime this past August 20 or 21. Located on the shore of Lake Superior in Tettegouche State Park between Palisade Head and Shovel Point, it was shaped by and had survived countless violent Lake Superior storms and contrasting Minnesota seasons.

I took this picture at sunrise less than a month before its collapse. This sunrise was not particularly spectacular, so I was looking forward to photographing it again during a future sunrise; little did I know that the arch was in its sunset days and that this would be my final view of it. No unusual lake or weather conditions were present at the time of the collapse; it was just time for it to go. The unattached remains is now known as the Tettegouche Sea Stack.

Much like the arch, our lives are shaped by the storms of life. We are strengthened by many of them, but over time, they begin to wear on us. Eventually, we either succumb to a major storm or go quietly as in the case of the arch. The arch's fate serves as a reminder that everything comes to an end and we must be sure to make every day count.

Click here to see before and after photos of the Tettegouche Arch from the Duluth News-Tribune.