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David Barthel

It's been some time since we've experienced an active showing of the northern lights in Minnesota. Therefore, when I received the alerts for possible auroral activity at 3:15 AM, I quickly dressed, bundled up, and headed out into the crisp -8F darkness, all while a seemingly more sensible side of me was being tugged back to the comfort of my bed.

I drove to a location about six miles north of where I live in Sauk Rapids. Immediately after exiting the light of the city, I saw the unmistakable lights dancing in the sky. With colors ranging from green to blue to purple to red, the show of light lasted right up to dawn. The emerging light of day gradually overpowered the continuing auroral show.

Of the four displays of aurora borealis I have seen in my life (all within the past 14 months), in my opinion, this one ranks at the very top of that list for color and second for overall activity and dynamics.

What luck it was to witness this magnificent green light in the northern sky during the wee hours of St. Patrick's Day. I wouldn't have traded it for a four-leafed clover!

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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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