Boy, am i in a rut!

It's now been one month since I turned out what I think is a quality photo. My "go to" spot (Governors island) located here in Madison is starting to get old. It's been impossible to get a decent sunset or sunrise shot when the landscape is scattered with ice fishing shacks. I have tried to get more interested in macro photography and have even tried out a fish eye lens but it's just not working for me. I need sprawling landscapes!!! What I really need is to get out of Madison and fast. I did the Devil's Lake trip twice this last month and that was great but I need to get out into some unfamiliar territory. Maybe I’ll head up north towards Spooner. Although I know the area like the back of my hand, there are always new photo opportunities. Last year at this time I spent 2 days on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Got some great shots but the cold winds and the 17 inches of snow that we got made it a little difficult to get around. Maybe it's time to take my chances with the weather and head back.
I have one month until my show season begins and that can become very busy so I need to take the time to get out and that's exactly what I am going to do.

Dog Days

Some people talk about the "dog days" of summer when it's to hot to do anything other than lay around. Well, it feels like I am going through the "dog days" of winter. I am well equipped to handle shooting in any kind of weather but sometimes it's just so damn difficult. If it's not the cold then it's trying to manipulate your camera controls under cover or with gloves on.....or knowing that a long hike IN means a long hike OUT which can be unpleasant in some weather conditions. There is nothing worse than being out in the (rough elements) and returning to find that none of your pictures live up to your standards or just didn't turn out how you envisioned them. I guess you need to be able to accept it for what it is and to just enjoy the journey. Like I have said before, I am not one to just shoot, shoot, shoot. I like to see and then think about how I am setting up to get the picture that i am envisioning. What are the alternative angles and how can I make the photo interesting. I want to see what others don't. I thrive on doing some of the difficult things that it takes to get interesting shots but sometimes second guess myself on whether it's going to be worth it. I have hiked an hour and a half into heavy wilderness only to find that there isn't much of anything interesting to shoot. The experience is great but the disappointment can be maddening especially knowing that time is limited.
I think that's what it all comes down to.......time and not having enough of it. This is not a casual hobby for me. I could spend 24 hours a day living this thing. The problem (that I am sure most of us experience) is the responsibility of everyday life. Jobs, monthly expenses for things you have but probably don't need and everything else that goes along with trying to survive in this world seem to take precedent. I am convinced that I could easily live in a cabin in the northern woods of Wisconsin. Having only food, electricity, heat and hot water would work just fine for me. Unlimited time to explore and photograph nature is what I am dying to have.
So, all that talk about dealing with the elements isn't really the issue, it's time. Time to be inspired, time to experience the wonders that nature has created, time to waste and not care about it, time to learn, time to do what you love and time to be who you really are. That is what I am looking for. Sounds simple.............right?

Devil's Lake

On December 31st of 2011 I took a trip to Devil's Lake state park. It would be my first of two consecutive trips to the park. The goal was to get there before sunrise, hike the bluffs in the dark and be set up and ready to shoot as dawn arrived. On my first trip I chose to hike the west bluff so that I could get the sun rising over the east bluff. Hiking in the dark and knowing that you are probably the only one in the park is a little unnerving but at the same time very exhilarating. The west bluff climb is moderately easy and doesn't require that you risk your life. I reached the top about 6:30, found a good place to set up and waited for the morning color to cover the horizon. It was a clear morning and not to cold so I was anticipating some nice opportunities. As the sun broke I could see a fog bank gathering over a valley at the base of the east bluff. This made for some great shots especially with the birds eye view that I had. I moved to several spots along the ridge during the next 45 minutes so that I could shoot different angles of the rocky bluff. I am not a religious guy but being alone on the ridge and overlooking the landscape as the sun rises is nothing short of a religious experience.
The crisp quiet morning, the white untouched snow, the different shades of blues, reds and oranges and the detachment from everyday life was an overwhelming experience. It's one that will stay with me for some time.
      About 7:45 the fog bank turned into a massive wall and filled the entire park within minutes. The big pines became shadows of grey and green and the lake disappeared. I took this as a sign that it was time to depart and head down to the lake front for another hour or two of shooting. As I hiked down the bluff I though about how lucky I was to be able to have these types of experiences. I have always loved the outdoors but having the ability to capture its beauty for others to enjoy has given me a second life and I will be forever grateful.
     A week later my middle son Jordan accompanied me on my trek up the east bluff. We arrived at the park around 6am, put on the headlamps and searched for the trail. This trail is a fairly steep hike and not for the faint of heart. It was probably a good thing that it was dark so that all I could see was the next rocky step and not the impending death that was two feet to my right or left. Both of us had recently seen the 60 minutes segment on a guy who climbs sheer cliff walls with just his hands and feet, no ropes, nothing. We laughed at our wimpiness of worrying about climbing a man made trail while this guy hangs by his fingers a mile above the ground. Jordan's a strong guy and very athletic so he brought up the rear in case I needed to be caught. I knew it was tough when he started to talk about how his calves were burning. He's a fitness trainer so you can imagine what my legs felt like. At this point all I could think of was what it would feel like to be dragged to the top. With the way my legs felt it was only a matter of minutes before that experience would come into play.
   Well, we finally reached the top and took a break. I enjoyed a bottle of water and a nutri grain bar that was in 7500 pieces. We found a spot and set up to shoot. As we waited for the sun to rise Jordan reverted back to his childhood and tossed stones over the side to see how long it would take before we heard them shatter against the rocks below. When we finished shooting we spent the next hour or so hiking off trail which usually led to "here, hold this while I jump from this rock". Finding the way back to the trail brought along a huge potential for ankle sprains and broken bones as we moved about the fallen rocks and dead trees. When we finally found the path you'd think that we had been out in the wilderness for 2 weeks. After the high fives and the water break we continued to the other side of the bluff and then down the icy path to the bottom.
   After some more childlike play of throwing big rocks on the icy lake and walking on thin ice we headed down the railroad tracks and back to the car. The shots I got on the first trip were 100 times better than this one but the company of my son was something I wouldn't trade for anything.