Month: December 2014

Doggy Snow Day
Posted by Heather on in Pet Photography, Portraiture

Doggy Snow Day

northern-Michigan-pet-photography-winter
One of my favorite things about dogs is how they live in the moment. Watching them romp joyously through the fresh snow reminds us to appreciate the simple, clean beauty around us – even if we’re not frolicking quite like they are. Photographing dogs can be tricky, and I find it’s best to let them explore their new surroundings before asking them to settle in for portraits. On this day, the pups bounded through the deep snow for a bit, and then snuggled in on the bridge over the Rapid River for some photos. As they leaped off for some more snow racing, Mom and Dad huddled for a few portraits of their own. We all marveled at the perfect Michigan winter scenery, the dogs had a blast playing in the fresh air, and we captured some marvelous memories!

Stars Over Alden
Posted by Heather on in Landscape Photography

Stars Over Alden

Photo: Alden, Michigan, night sky
Stars shine above Alden, Michigan

We ventured out the other night in search of the rumored aurora borealis. Unfortunately, it was early – meaning that the aurora was best visible farther east on the planet where it was later in the night – and the full moon was quickly rising. Though no photos of the northern lights were forthcoming, the cold, clear night made for great star viewing, despite the moon’s bright light. Plus, the moonlight illuminated some of the ice lining Torch Lake, as well as this peeling paper birch. I used my flashlight to help my camera find focus on the tree, and then switched it back off. I love how the moon highlights the white edge of the tree while still preserving the silhouette framing the lake and the Alden Marina in the distance. Thanks to the moon’s light, I was able to shoot this one at a low ISO for 30 seconds at f/2.8.
Find more starry images in the Night Sky gallery.

Posted by Heather on in Landscape Photography

Chapel Beach Waterfalls

Upper Peninsula paradise. This beach waterfalls/cascade is at the end of Section Creek on Chapel Beach. You have a few options for your hike. They’re all beautiful, but they all include over 6 miles of hiking: plan accordingly, and plan to go!

This photo was made a little southwest of Chapel Rock (seen in the distance), where Section Creek cascades down a little waterfall into Lake Superior. The light was dazzlingly bright, but I used a CPL to cut reflection and give me a bit of wiggle room with my shutter speed. At 1/6 of a second, I was able to capture the movement in the water without getting much motion blur in the fall trees.

Peaceful Harbor Sunset – Elk Rapids
Posted by Heather on in Landscape Photography

Peaceful Harbor Sunset – Elk Rapids

Photo: sunset reflections, Elk Rapids harbor
A peaceful sunset reflects in the Elk Rapids harbor

We haven’t seen much of the sun lately, which has sent me back through the photo archives in search of images to develop that suit my mood. This is good; some nice stuff gets lost with the progression of time as I make more images. Yesterday, though, the sun flitted in and out of the clouds. It wasn’t sunny, but there was enough interesting light for me to grab my camera. About ten minutes after astronomical sunset, the remaining light of the day painted few clouds in the sky pink. Because of their angle, I dashed over to the arching breakwater (which I knew would compliment the clouds above and their reflection in the water) in the Elk Rapids Harbor to set up my tripod. The water was already pretty smooth, but I wanted to ensure I captured the serene mood. I set my aperture as small as I could (f/22), and reduced my shutter speed to two seconds – slow enough to smooth out the water while maintaining most of the detail in the clouds.