Shovel Point - Wide View with Contrasting Colors

Of course the whole reason for going up to Minnesota when we did (late September/early October) was to capture the fall colors.  And though the colors hadn't yet reached their peak, our gracious hosts did everything they could to take us to places that would showcase the awesome beauty of their part of the country.  We were supremely thankful for this, and I did my best to justify their time and work with pictures on a macro-scale, such as the one above, and closer up such as those that will be featured in the next two posts.

Shovel Point - Reed Stand

Took a bit of work to get them to stand out against a very busy background, but managed to capture the essence of what these reeds looked like alongside our path.

Shovel Point - Reed

As stated yesterday I don't do much with landscapes, preferring to focus on the smaller objects at hand such as this reed-thing.  Because of its shape, even as the photo was snapped out in the field I knew this would end up being a bookmark:

 

Shovel Point - Landscape Over Water

One of the finest places in Minnesota - and among our favorite stops while there - is Tettegouche State Park.  Whoever heard of Tettegouche State Park?  Don't think it's a secret with Minnesotans but we'd never dreamed we'd go to a place called Tettegouche State Park.

Which goes to show that there is so much to see in this great nation!  During pre-pandemic times, as we were going through the hassle of international travel, Chenjean and I would occasionally look at each other and say Never again!  There are GREAT places to see and visit right on our home turf in the United States!  And this is a case in point.

Within the park we went on two hikes - the first to the spit of land after which that section is named, Shovel Point.  Looking at this landscape one can see why it is called Shovel Point.  Though not much of a landscape photographer, I did manage to pull a few stops to make this one a keeper.

Minneapolis - Neat Houseplant

I was very intrigued by this houseplant in the home of our hosts just outside of Minneapolis...never seen anything like it.  Even more interesting was the fact that every evening they closed up as if asleep, only to "awaken" again the following morning:

Minneapolis - Fallen Leaves

This was captured where we parked adjacent to the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, featuring the iconic multi-colored maple leaves of a typical fall in northern latitudes.  The pic was taken on October 2nd...just in time to grab the beginnings of the fall colors.  We learned that every year is different in terms of the timing, and even the intensity of the colors, as the trees prepare to shed their leaves.

Minneapolis - Downtown Panorama

Towards the end of our time in Minnesota we spent a couple of days in Minneapolis.  It's a very nice city but unfortunately it was raining on our designated day to go into town.  Still, we were able to explore enough to capture this 4-shot panorama, as well as the fall leaves featured in tomorrow's post.

Duluth - Harbor Boats

The last of what was captured in Duluth, with wider shot below.

What might they do with their boats when this all freezes over?  Winterizing is a survival chore in places like this, because the cold will definitely get you if it's not respected.

I had an uncle in Iowa that owned a miniature sports car, and every winter he had to prepare it by draining fluids here and there, then putting it up on blocks under a tarp.  And there it stayed until April or so.  Their brutal winters had a bright spot, however, providing unlimited freezer space; to keep meat he would simply set it out on the porch during those months.

Duluth - Family on Bridge

One of those times when I stayed in one place and told my family to get into position for a good shot in the distance somewhere.  Worked out nicely in this case.  Didn't think to change the sign until post-capture...original below:

Duluth - Safety Light on Water's Edge

Once we got back into town from our walk on the pier it was just a matter of taking a look around and capturing what I found interesting.  Every frame was bracketed with at least three exposures, which provided a choice during post-capture.  The pic above was chosen based on the contrast of the light against a much darker background.

Duluth - Elevated Bridge Up Close

The same bridge featured in the silhouette posted a few days ago.  Then, swinging the Bigger Cahoona to the left and zooming in, the pic below was captured:

Duluth - Twin Towers

Another scene of the town from the pier, snapped as we got closer to the elevated bridge.  I was intrigued by those twin towers, and took lots of pictures of them as we explored downtown Duluth.  Some were interesting enough, but the frame below was chosen to post because the shot was taken of the towers through the bare-limbed trees:

 

Duluth - Hilly Street

...and speaking of town - about halfway down the dike found this opportunity to zoom in and capture these streets leading into central Duluth.

Duluth - Crashing Waves

This is the scene that greeted us as we walked back down the dike toward the streets of town.  The same angle of the sun that gave us the silhouettes from yesterday's post provided good back-lighting for these waves crashing against the rocks.  I must have taken 40 or more pics (including brackets) until settling for this one...

Different angle of same below:

Duluth - Aerial Lift Bridge Silhouette

At times a photographer will quickly snap a photo "on the run", as they say, not thinking much of it.  Then later, during post-capture work, discovers an unexpected gem.  This is such a photo.  While silhouettes are a favorite subject, I did not expect the sun with its reflection over the semi-choppy water to enhance the composition as much as it did.  The happy result is that we come away with a keeper!  Another photo with similar results was posted here from a cruise in the Caribbean.

Different angle of same bridge below:

Minnesota - Duluth Lighthouse #2 and Bookmark

Shot of the second lighthouse, situated to the left as you enter the harbor.  Straight-on profile below, then bookmark at bottom...

Minnesota - Duluth Lighthouse #1 Bookmark

Space for lettering to the left in this little gem...

Minnesota - Duluth Light House

The lighthouse, with closer view below.  The waters look a little roiled, but this in fact is a calm sea when compared to the fierce storms that are known to blow into the area.

Minnesota Trip - Duluth Harbor Entrance

As posted yesterday, our first photo-intensive trip since the pandemic was a jaunt up to Minnesota, where our son's in-laws live.  A very nice AirB&B cabin was arranged a few hours north of Minneapolis at Two Harbors, so we hopped into a rental van from the airport and were on our way.

Much to the credit of our hosts, a full plan of activities was scheduled which included a stop by Duluth on our way up to the cabin.  I never thought Duluth, Minnesota, would ever be a vacation destination...the only impression being that it must be a mighty cold place 24/7, year round.  Whoever would enjoy visiting such a place?

As it turns out, we would!  In my older age I've grown to prefer winter over summer, cold over the oppressive heat of a Houston June or July or August.  And I fell in love with the place - it made the perfect stop to begin our journey into the fantastical land of Lake Superior's north shore.  I sensed that Duluth has a vibrant quality of life, with lots to do both outdoors and in.  And isn't cold a relative thing?  Indeed the summers are much shorter, as one would expect at that latitude, but the weather when we were there at the end of September was pleasant, albeit a little windy.

So this begins a series featuring the high points of our visit, made possible by great planning and the Bigger Cahoona, which naturally was in tow everywhere we went.  What is posted above is a single image that is highly-cropped into a panorama of the famous lighthouse leading into the harbor, one of the first pictures taken after we arrived.  Once let loose I was like a kid in a candy store...scurrying from here to there, climbing walls and hopping on rocks to capture the best angles.  As stated earlier, the perfect way to begin what turned out to be a fulfilling and recuperative trip with our daughter-in-law's very nice family.

Bookmark - Vertebral Eyes (Miscellaneous) / Last of Bookmark Series

Captured in Topsail, North Carolina, this I believe is one of the best pictures taken of our daughter Allison.  Focus was off a bit, landing at the center of the vertebral column (of a whale) instead of her eyes, but Photoshop was able to adequately compensate.

_______________

And this will end my year-long series on bookmarks.  The pandemic is mostly behind us, and travel is picking back up - locally as well as nationally and internationally.  In April we went to Austin, and made a trip to Dallas about a month ago.  But our first really big photo-intensive trip was to Minnesota last month, where we spent some time in Minneapolis and on the North Shore of Lake Superior.  Our son's in-laws, learning that I like to take pictures, invited us up to capture the fall colors, so off we went and had a great time.  Series starts tomorrow...

Bookmark - Bird House (Miscellaneous)

Took this while visiting my sister in North Carolina and decided that the angles made this a keeper bookmark.

Bookmark - Pink Glove (Miscellaneous)

One of those that you shoot on the fly as you're walking around, this whimsical pic, captured in Taipei, ended up becoming a bookmark...

Bookmarks - English Flowers (Miscellaneous)

 

Bookmark - Vintage Lamp Post (Miscellaneous)

Occasionally the wife takes in a brunch with a friend from church.  One of these times I gave her a ride to Vintage, along 249 northwest of Houston, with the Bigger Cahoona in tow.  This scene was captured, along with some springtime shots in the nearby Kickerillo reserve.

Unexpectedly, the bookmark version of one of those shots (the one at bottom in this post) ended up being featured on the website at work, which stayed up for a surprising length of time.  This was during the beginning of the pandemic, and they were soliciting happy activity and flower-type pictures.

Bookmark - Fire (Miscellaneous)

 

Bookmarks - Ceiling Shots (Miscellaneous)

 

Bookmark - Castle Spire at the Houston Zoo (Miscellaneous)

A fixture from the annual Zoo Lights event at the Houston Zoo.  Originally posted here on one of my first trips to the zoo with the Bigger Cahoona.  One day I'm going to show up at that event at night with a tripod and really do it justice.

Bookmark - Smokestack (Miscellaneous)

...and while in Taipei: This was an industrial smokestack that seemingly is in the countryside, but if you climbed the hill in the foreground (or looked at a satellite photograph, as I did) you'd see a vast industrial complex.  It was thoughtful of those guys to paint it for the enjoyment of zoo-goers just on the other side.

Bookmark - Panda Sign (Miscellaneous)

From the Taipei Zoo...think this means "Panda Bear".

Bookmark - Water Ball (Miscellaneous)

Another one from New Taipei.  As stated in the original post, there was nothing apparently holding the ball in place but the stream of water, yet it never wavered from its position...