Keewenaw Dawn

Dawn breaks at the tip of the Keewenaw Penninsula in Michigan. The Keewenaw juts out into Lake Superior. Early one morning a group of friends from Michigan Photo Adventures hiked up through the dark to witness and photograph the dawn…It was a beautiful morning and highlight of the early autumn trip up north!

Magical Dawn

Lake of the Clouds Overlook in Porcupine Mountains State Park is one of my favorite early morning photo locations in Michigan. The iconic shot of the lake itself is almost always amazing, but sometimes the shot of the day is not where you expect it. It is always a good idea to look beyond the obvious. This shot was only possible for a brief moment as the sun broke through the cloud cover and very briefly back lit the mist and fall foliage at the edge of the cliffs. A moment after tripping the shutter the light and the shot disappeared. The "Porkies" are located in the western Upper Peninsula.

Mineral Seeps and Rust

This first shot is a close-up from a rusty old car I spotted on the side of the road this summer in rural Wisconsin. A few months later I was kayaking along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan and was struck by the beauty of the mineral seeps. The similarities are obvious. Here are a few from that trip:

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse

Known as the Great Lake State, Michigan has 3126 miles of freshwater coastline and 116 lighthouses, more than any other state. There is history and beauty associated with each and every lighthouse. Most of these lighthouses no longer serve as navigational aids but many are maintained by historical associations eager to share their history. Eagle Harbor Lighthouse is located in the Keewenaw Peninsula of Michigans' UP.

Over My Shoulder

There is a roadside park in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan near the tiny village of L'Anse that serves as the trailhead of a short and easy hike to view the very beautiful Canyon Falls. I was there leading a group from Michigan Photo Adventures on a workshop through the western Upper Peninsula and into the Keewenaw Peninsula. On my way down the trail toward the falls I looked back over my shoulder and spotted this beautiful scene. 

Lake of the Clouds Dawn

The lookout at Lake of the Clouds in Porcupine Mountains State Park is one of my favorite spots to visit whenever I'm in the Michigan Upper Penunsula. It's especially magical at dawn. The anticipation on-site of a spectacular sunrise is palpable. Sometimes the magic happens and sometimes it doesn't. Whether it happens or not the experience of witnessing a dawn at a spectacular location is worth the effort. This is where a golf analogy is appropriate...In golf one good shot is enough to keep bringing you back for more...Same thing applies for sunrises (and sunsets)...If you happen to be there just once for a magical experience, you'll keep coming back for more! 

Raindrops Galore!

It was a rainy day in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...I was out exploring the backroads between Munising and Marquette with some friends and I found this scene at a roadside park. The overcast, rainy and cool conditions made it less than ideal for most activities...But perfect for exploring intimate scenics with my camera!

Rainy Day at Bond Falls

Came up a little bit short on the fall color this year in the western UP of Michigan. But I still found plenty of beauty to shoot! I was leading an intrepid group of folks from Michigan Photo Adventures on a tour of the western UP and Keewenaw Peninsula and we stopped by Bond Falls on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Rain or shine Bond Falls is very beautiful and easy to photograph. Here's a close-up:

Down the Road and Off the Tracks

Exploring the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan this autumn with a friend (fellow Michigan Photo Adventures member Mark Patterson), we discovered this interesting site. We were several miles down an old mining road and stopped to explore the scene with our cameras. According to local hunters we met nearby, this rail car was intentionally pushed off the tracks a few years ago by the adjacent property owner so as to dissuade train traffic through his land. Seems to have worked. The sky in the pic was pretty boring so I added a texture overlay in Photoshop to add some visual interest. Just goes to show you never know what you'll find down the back roads of Michigan.