Uploads from Bryan Hansel, with geodata

Ice Out on Two Island Lake

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Wed, 15 May 2013 16:12:47 -0700

The first signs of ice out on Two Island Lake near Grand Marais, Minnesota in the Superior National Forest, Cook County. This is just a stone throw from the BWCA. Ice out is about 10 to 14 days late at this point.

Floating

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Tue, 14 May 2013 10:32:07 -0700

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

The rocky bottom of Lake Superior shows through its crystal clear water at Palisade Head, Minnesota. PH is part of Tettegouche State Park.

The Cascades

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:13:08 -0700

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

The Cascades of the Cascade River in Cascade State Park are the classic waterfalls in Cook County. This shot is the classic shot and this composition was used to make the park's signs and logo. Minnesota.

Explored! Thanks!

Smoky Mountain Sunset

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:27:59 -0700

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

Sunset from Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Ice Cave at Sunrise

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:40:54 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

An ice cave at sunrise on Lake Superior, Cook County, Minnesota.

I found this ice cave formed by ice chunks somehow glued together enough to form a cave the other day. I finally got back to it to get the sunrise through it.

Ice Movement

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:00:25 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

An ice formation on Lake Superior funnels the movement of the water and ice into a slot. Grand Marais, Cook County, Minnesota.

Taken with my new Sony Nex-6 that I picked up as a carry around/adventure camera. With adapters it shoots my Nikon lenses, so it's a nice light back up. The entire system also fits inside an Outdoor Research paddled cell that measures 6x5x4 inches. And that includes three lenses. I have two additional lenses that I can swap out, including an awesome Contax G 90 f/2.8.

Winter Tree

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 18:29:30 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

A birch and mountain ash trees stand watch over Lake Superior. Grand Marais, Cook County, Minnesota.

I love these trees and often take pictures of them. I took this one yesterday, but I didn't have a mid-range zoom with me, so I went back at sunset tonight to get another picture. Did I mention, I love this tree.

I've been thinking a lot about negative space in composition lately and trying to see negative space as shapes just as clearly as the shape formed by the tree. This has been a fun exercise that's letting me see in new ways. I'm not sure that it has had an impact on my composition yet, but at least I'm starting to see it. Betty Edwards' Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain has a great chapter on negative space that you should check out. It's worth the trip to the library and the hour read and the days of thinking about it.

Fire and Ice

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:45:54 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

A red sunrise under pack ice on Lake Superior, Cook County, Minnesota.

The condition on Lake Superior were the best of the year on Saturday. It was a sweet sunrise mixed with lots of pack ice. Right after this a storm wiped away most of the pack ice. Hopefully, it rebuilds this weekend as the temps drop below 0°F.

Sunset over Alligator Rock

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 12:01:18 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

Sunset turns the sky pink in Cascade River State Park. Alligator Rock sits on the horizon. Cook County, Minnesota.

It was cloudy all day yesterday, so I almost sat this one out, but at the last minute, I drove the 15 minutes down the Gunflint to Lake Superior and then another 10 minutes to this location. The sky was clearing, so I knew I had a chance at something good, but recently all the ice has melted off of Lake Superior's shore. I managed to find this pocket of ice, which required a 10-foot down climb on frozen basalt.

I was so lucky to find an ice shape that reflects the shape of the clouds. I had other options here, but this just worked out best.

Artist's Point Winter Sunrise

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 07:04:13 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

The dawn breaks the winter chill and lights up the sky over Lake Superior. Grand Marais, Minnesota.

We've had warm weather and southwest waves, which have cleared the shoreline of ice, but I knew of one place that sits behind a point that wouldn't have been hit with waves. Luckily, the cloud direction worked with my location. After spending morning photographing in -25°F temps, 25°F felt balmy.

Along the Winter Shore

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 09:05:58 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

A small ice-coated rocky basalt island sits just offshore on a Lake Superior winter morning. Cascade River State Park, Cook County, Minnesota.

It was -15°F when I got this one. I set up my composition and saw the cloud in the upper right moving in. At that point, it was about a 20 minute wait for it to get to the point in this photo. I really like how this forms a yin yang kind of thing or a nice reverse S-curve.

The shore on Lake Superior is getting really icy. I love these cold snaps!

Explored! Holy cow it's four in a row! Thanks everyone!!!!

Winter Sunbeam

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 11:37:07 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

The sun sets over frozen Lake Superior shoreline at Butterwort Cliffs SNA, Cook County, Minnesota.

This is one of my favorite winter locations to shoot at. All the rocks somehow seem to face into the sun, and when the wind blows from the southwest it pushes waves directly at this shore which coats it with ice.

Explored! Thank you!

Winter Tombolo

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 15:40:34 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

Ice coats a small island on the Superior HIking Trail lake walk section next to Lake Superior. Cook County, Minnesota.

When I left my house this morning, it was -24F. On the Lake Superior shore at my favorite tombolo/island, it was -17F. With the wind chill it was about -32F. The temp is dropping, too. It's now -27F with a wind chill of -54F.

This morning, I ventured to my favorite tombolo. It's east of Grand Marais by about 10 miles. To get to the point where I set up my tripod, I had to wade across a gap (water was flowing through it like a stream), slip across ice and then balance on an uneven surface of glare ice. I waited for twenty minutes tucked into my hood, while my glasses froze and my breath coated my collar with rime. Then the pink happened.

Explored! Thanks!

Basalt Point and Waves

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 09:51:53 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

A basalt point sticks out into Lake Superior at sunrise. Cook County, Minnesota.

Mississippi River Sunrise

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 09:51:54 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

The dawn lights the sky over the Mississippi River during the winter. River ice piles up on the shore.

In college, I built trails at this park and it's nice to go back and explore. If you visit Dubuque, Iowa, you should check out Mines of Spain. It's a really nice park.

A Light Dusting

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 09:29:36 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

Snow from brief snow flurries covers the basalt of Artist's Point. The sunrise creates a sun pilar and a pink sky. Grand Marais, Minnesota.

Cold Artist's Point Morning

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 08:16:48 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

A storm sends waves over the basalt of Artist's Point. Grand Marais, Minnesota.

I've shot pictures on Artist's Point for years. How is it that I never saw this composition before?

Hollow Rock Sunrise

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 20:46:27 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

The sun breaks through Hollow Rock, which is near Grand Portage, Minnesota.

I went up to Hollow Rock Resort this morning with a shot visualized in my mind, but the conditions I wanted didn't appear, so it took some work to get this shot to work for me. The thing that makes the shot for me is the sunbeam and that only occurred after the sun was up and started melting the ice off the rocks and turning it to mist. It was a surprise when it happened, and I just needed to take advantage of the surprise by composing so the light hit the boulder. Overall, I'm happy with the result.

Two filters: 9-stop ND, 3-stop ND grad.

Early Winter Blue Hour

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 09:59:07 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

Waves wash up the basalt shoreline near Grand Marais, Minnesota during the blue hour on an early winter day.

I've really had a stinker of sunrises, sunsets and locations. I'm a little out of my groove with the change from fall to winter, which essentially happened in one day. Everything here was coated in a thin layer of ice, and then a big set of waves would wash in, which got me wet a couple of times.

The Puddles

nobody@flickr.com (Bryan Hansel) — Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:17:35 -0800

Bryan Hansel posted a photo:

Puddles created by depressions in basalt near Lake Superior. Minnesota.