A few weeks ago I decided it would be a fun photography project to take a picture of every ship which was locked in the Duluth/Superior harbor ice for the winter. I set some parameters which included the day had to be sunny, and each photo had to be taken on the same day. In this manner I hoped to expand my photography skills while enjoying the Northland’s winter. It took almost three weeks for the forecast to include a 24 hour period of partly cloudy to clear skies. This morning was my first opportunity. I set off an hour before dawn such that I might arrive on location at my first “ship location” 40 minutes before sunrise. I finished an hour after sunset (with time off in-between).

Now that I have taken my last image, I have learned … while ships are big and motionlesss subjects while locked in the thick harbor ice, it can still be hard to get the desired light and compositions. Access to the docks is sometimes restricted, and I needed to “make do” at times with views which were not sometimes my first choice. In addition, a ship without something else in the photograph can be boring. Thus, figuring out other items to add into the composition is useful.

Here is the end result! (learn more about Great Lakes Shipping)

The Meteor … an old whaleback iron ore carrier (1896: 380 feet)

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The American Victory (1943: 730 feet)

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The Indiana Harbor (1981: 1000 feet)

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The Herbert Jackson at the Fraser Shipyards (1959: 690 feet)

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The Kaye Baker at the Fraser Shipyards (1952: 767 feet)

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The Edward Ryerson (1960: 730 feet)

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The J.A.W. Iglehart (1936: 501 feet)

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The Paul Tregurtha at Midwest Energy (1981: 1013 feet)

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The Sundew (decommissioned US Coast Guard Cutter) (1943: 180 feet)

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The American Century (1981: 1000 feet)

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The J.B. Ford (1904: 440 feet)

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The USCG Alder (2004: 225 feet)

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The William Irvin (1937: 610 feet)

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The Philip Clarke (1952: 767 feet)

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The Edwin Gott (1979: 1004 feet)

Ice Pack Snowstorm Goldeneye leads off day #1 of my 7 Day Nature Photography Challenge and edges out Sleeping Snowy Owl in the Snow!

Here in northern Minnesota fellow photographers are challenging each other to the 7 Day Nature Photography Challenge which requires one to post an nature image every day (current or old picture). I have tweaked the 7 Day Nature Photography Challenge in that I am requiring all my images to be from the current day. The challenge was actually welcome as I was bemoaning the weather forecast which has 7+ days straight of cloudy, snowy weather … not a photographer’s friend. Now I look at the forecast as a challenge and fun activity!

Thus, here are today’s winner and loser … as selected & photographed by me during today’s snowstorm. Both birds were cooperative both in terms of being almost motionless which was a major plus given the low light, and that they stayed in place long enough for me to use manual focus (auto focus might have bounced off the snowflakes).

Ice Pack Goldeneye in a Snowstorm

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Sleeping Snowy in a Snowstorm