Andy and Al's Great Minnesota Adventure

[autzig]

Andy, his best friend Rich and I spent this past weekend on Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior. We had a great time. One of the places we visited was the Cascade River which is one of my all time favorite spots. Andy had seen my photo of one of the double falls on this river and wanted to photograph it. I showed him where he had to go to get the shot. When he got there, it wasn't there.

Here's what I mean. The photo below on the left is one I made there about four or five years ago. I took the one on the right from the same place this weekend. It is hard to believe what nature can do over time.

I'll post more photos as I can.

Al

[autzig]

On July 31,we Minnesotans celebrated the 100th anniversary of day Split Rock Lighthouse began service to mariners on Lake Superior. Here are a couple of photos of the lighthouse. The first was taken during the afternoon. The second during the fireworks celebration.

Al

[Andy]

Really good stuff, as always, Al! I have some that look awfully similar. But mine have this white triangle in the left background. I must have a hot pixel (or maybe a tent pixel??) [inside joke].

Seriously, what an evening! We went to this lighthouse expecting to photograph the light as it was lighted for the centennial. When we arrived, we learned that it would not only be lit, but there would be fireworks. What a photo op. I'll try get a couple of mine posted this week. I stood shoulder to shoulder with Al, but we may have gotten some variations.

[autzig]

What a dramatic difference between those two waterfall shots Al. Are you having a drier than normal year in Minnesota?

Carol, this wasn't because of low water. It appears that the ledge that created the waterfall collapsed and the rock was carried downstream creating all the rubble in the river. The waterfall is now around the corner to the left.

Al

[Andy]

Carol: If you look to the lower left of the lighthouse you will see a white triange. That is the "hot pixel" I am referring to. There was a white "event" tent set up by the base of the Light which we really didn't want in the photo. Thank god for Photoshop and cloning.

[Andy]

I wanted to post some of my shots here. But here's a RANT. Last year, I opened up a Flickr account so I could do html links here. About a month ago, they decided we users needed an "enhanced" experience. Like AOL previously and Facebook for the past two years, I have learned that "enhanced" really means screwed up. As soon as you get something set up to work smoothly, they decide to "enhance" and then nothing works! Short story long -- I cannot link here directly. My website has my Weekend adventure shots:

http://lightcentricphotography.com/2/ab ... additions/

Sorry - best I can do for now.

[Andy]

Where there's a will,there's a way:

I figured out that I can link from my WordPress Blog site. Here's the best I could do with the fireworks:

[Andy]

We arrived before sunrise and thought maybe our mostly cloudy morning was a bust. It wasn't:

[Andy]

The Fireworks were very cool:

[ctyanky]

Andy: Loved these! Especially the fireworks. So beautiful! Thanks for putting them up and your photos on your website are spectacular! Glad you all had such a great time!

P.S. Still waiting for my photo that Rich is supposed to send you!

[ixl]

Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun!

And I love the fireworks pix.

[Andy]

Carol: You can see that in my "Finale" shot I forget to clone it out. On the others, its gone. One thing Al showed me was the new "Content Aware Fill" (which is just really "intelligent" cloning) that has been added to CS5 (controversial in some "purist" circles, but a wonderful addition for the rest of us).

Just that ONE FEATURE made me go home and download the upgrade to CS5 on Monday. I many cases (where the area is not to "busy", you simple select around the offending item and use the Content Aware Fill and viola, its "fixed")

(Speaking of "viola," can somebody tell CT its "ciao"??? ).

BTW, Al, there IS a way to get to the content aware by menu. Its in the "Fill" menu. Of course the keystroke is much quicker.

[deaner1971]

Andy, those fireworks photos are wonderful. Would it be rude to ask what lense you used to grab those?

[Andy]

Deaner: No, not rude at all. My photography is an open book .

I used a Nikkor 70-300 zoom. I set the camera to manual and most were shot at an f8 aperture, adjusting the speed to get the exposure I sought.

Focal length for most was set right at 100mm. Obviously, that will depend on your distance from the subject.

[autzig]

I've now posted my photos at http://www.goldimagesphoto.com/new/index.html

Hope you enjoy them.

Al