December Snow on the North Shore Photo

Photographer’s Note

December Snow on the North Shore

Lake Superior
Brighton Beach
Gitchi Gami Park
Duluth, Minnesota

Happy new year and my best wishes to all ..

please indulge me in a little whining ..
When I grew up in the eastern part of South Dakota it was cold in the winter .. but Duluth Minnesota was known as a place to avoid during the winter months ..
and now I have moved here .. and we will see if I make it .. not only is it humid and cold (our temperatures this month have ranged from -22º to 32º F (-30º to 0ºC) .. we have had 36.9 inches (100.6 cm) of snow in December .. we are to get more today ..

They dump tons of chemicals on the roads here to melt the ice .. the sight of cars rusting from the bottom up is common (the locals call it "Minnesota Two Tone") .. but still driving is a bit of chaos given the city sits on a series of steep hills (1,100 feet) falling down into the lake ...

still at least I don't have to try to find things to photograph in the "winter brown" of the Colorado plains ...
there is always beautiful snow .. and if you are lucky enough to be able to get out on a day when the thick snow clouds break it is silent and wonderful

plimrn, ChrisJ, JCG, isabela_sor, kingurek, leo61, Buin, Dot2008, gunbud, vmf-214, bakes888, Cricri, Yffic, feather, robob, paololg, parbo, mvdisco, danos, gracious, xuaxo, AROBN54, saylan-cb, siolaw, adores, MLINES, BlueRaven, stego, fulvio52, MP-Moller, vbbreizh, angela926, asajernigan, Charo, jwmunro, Didi trouve(nt) cette note utile

Critiques | Translate

barni (14563) 2008-12-30 10:03

Hello John
Joli contraste entre la neige et l'eau.
Regards
Happy new year
Christophe

carper (65448) 2008-12-30 10:11

very beautiful shot here from 2003.
the landscape is very nice, good winter shot here, good balance and a fine quality.
regard. Jaap

kingurek (639) 2008-12-30 10:20

Hello,
Beautiful photo with wonderful point of view. I like lights and colours. Good sharpness and very nice composition. Happy New Year :)!!!

Greetings

Kinga

leo61 (43610) 2008-12-30 11:12

Hi John!
What a wonderful view!
I like a lot the light and shadows in the foreground and this endless depth.The many different blue tones are very nice too.
I wish you and your family a happy new year.
Regards,leo

Buin (38136) 2008-12-30 11:28

Hallo John!
A simple but very atmospheric photo! You used the inclined light skillfully to bring out the details of this rocky shore - in contrast to the wideness behind it. In combination with your personal note a wonderful contribution here.
All the best to you and yours for the beginning year, especially health and contentment!
Greetings from cold but sunny Germany!
Frank

Dot2008 (290) 2008-12-30 16:09

HI John
Usually what Minnesota gets weatherwise, we get it a day or so later. Perhaps that state should be part of cold Canada.
A well done shot it sends shivers just looking at it.
Dot
Happy New Year and no I am not leaving, I enjoy this site.

gunbud (28107) 2008-12-30 18:08

Hi John,
Lovely frozen landscape seen in fine light that lays tranquil shadows on the fresh snow and forze rocks that lead gracefully to the blue expanse of the great lake and the light pink on the horizon.
A Healthy Happy New Year To You and Your Family.
Regards, Tom

vmf-214 (1624) 2008-12-30 21:36

Hi John,

This photo makes me feel cold :-) Great POV and like the white snow against the water and sky. Nice sharpness and lighting. Great job John.

bakes888 (18327) 2008-12-30 22:50

Hi John. I must admit that I quite happily live without that much cold in the winters ;-). It is nice to look at though. You have timed this shot well to catch the soft warm light. Nice work. Thanks for sharing.
All the best for 2009, Paul.

danyy (69319) 2008-12-31 0:02

Bonjour mon ami,
une position dominante, cela donne cette profondeur infinie.
Une image qui se dessine bien en 1/3. J'aime ce soleil rasant avec les ombres qu'il provoque.

Une photo "solitude et liberté".

Mes meilleurs voeux pour 2009.

Daniel.

Nicou (45523) 2008-12-31 0:30

Hello,

superbe vue hivernale comme je les aimes, quelle douceur dans le teintes, ce blan cavec ce cailloux recouvert, cette immesité, qui coupe le plan d'un autre coueur, grandiose.

Bravoe et amitié

Nicou

Cricri (43560) 2008-12-31 1:37

Hi John
OH yes c'est trés joli avec la lumiére qui caresse doucement la neige et le silence qui en resort, mais -30 comment mes petits mains vont elle suporter ce froid, impossible alors de faire une photo....
Happy new year for you and your family
cricri

Yffic (6106) 2008-12-31 1:56

hi John,

Stunning picture !! Everything seems so wide on your picture.
Colors are great.
The freezing sensation is very present.

My best wishes for you and your familly for 2009.

Best regards.

Yves

feather (50040) 2008-12-31 4:14

Whine away John! I would join your whine in these conditions as I hate the cold and the snow, although it makes pretty pictures. Like the previous one, the light on the snow in particular, is gorgeous, tinting it pink. There are some delicate hues in the sky and a sheen on the surface of the lake. Another excellent shot from your new home.
Happy New Year to you and your family
Kath

robob (3640) 2008-12-31 9:20

Hello John,
Cette très jolie vue hivernale bénéficie d’une excellente lumière,
Parfait cadrage !
Amicalement et au plaisir,
Joyeuse Année 2009 !
Robert

paololg (14083) 2008-12-31 10:11

Ciao John,
stupendous winter image with a beautiful horizontal light. Good sharp that allows us to appreciate the depth of this pleasant composition. Compliments!
I wish you and family a beautiful new year!
Ciao
Paolo

Waylim (11081) 2008-12-31 12:28

John,
Beautiful soft light, everything is so smooth and pastel like quality, Simple but clean and serene composition. I love the snow that is pure and no foot steps on it just infront of the lake that is calm and peaceful. Such a tranquil place. A place to reflect at the end of day. Well observed. Thanks for all the support. Have a wonderful 2009 and looking foward to many more wonderful shots from you.
Way

parbo (11004) 2008-12-31 20:06

Hello John,

I like narrow part for sky and your creative way reserving rest of scene for amazingly frozen sea and snowy land that its duplicates the beauty of your scene with long shadows on it.

The low angled lights are just speechless with overall capture quality of your frame as usual. Congratulations.

With my best new year wishes to you and your family.

Friendly Regards,

Ertugrul

mvdisco (11597) 2008-12-31 21:58

Hi John,
Very nice composition and presentation ,
Excellent POV. and seascape,
good colors and sharpness,
Very well taken and done.
Lovely and beautiful
*Happy New Year*
Michel

danos (33074) 2009-01-01 0:21

Good morning and Happy new Year,John
very nice and tranquil environment with the snow to have approached the edge of the coastline.The warm light and the infinity of the horizon, make the scene so great.Well done.

Ι wish to you and yours,a healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year.

gracious (20017) 2009-01-01 0:55

Hello John,
This is a true beauty of nature at it's best!
captured well with the depth here to include the best lighting over the coast!
perfection in exposure and focus with total sharpness, good colour and details
well done
have a good 2009, my dear friend
cheers
Tony

xuaxo (5815) 2009-01-01 7:19

Olá John
Very nice "warm" light in a cold landscape.
Cumprimentos
..-. .-. .- -. -.-. .. ... -.-. ---

Silvio1953 (42579) 2009-01-01 9:25

Hi John, wonderful winter view with fantastic light, how much snow!
I like a lot
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009,
Silvio

AROBN54 (10789) 2009-01-01 9:45

Hi, John,
what a beautiful shot. The light and shadow and those soft colors are fabulous. Marvelous depth, too. I smiled reading your note. Every time I think of cold weather, I think of Frostbite Falls, Minnesota, from a cartoon I watched as a child. :)) Maybe Rocky and Bullwinkle. It's a wonderful photo. Wishing you and yours all the very best in life for the coming year. Warmest regards,
Shelly

saylan-cb (12726) 2009-01-01 13:16

Hi john,
Super image!Great light and very nice POV.
Excellent work!
Happy new year too your and family.
Regards

isabela_sor (42349) 2009-01-01 13:31 [Comment]

Show Comment

ChrisJ (70419) 2009-01-01 14:09

Hello John

A wonderful, textured side lighting on the snow, that reveals the contours & patterns. Good sharpness, color & graphism. Happy New year!

plimrn (19688) 2009-01-01 18:10

Hi John,
I like this very interesting composition of reflected light and long shadows against the soft pastel twilight tones.
I've heard many jokes about the winter cold in Minnesota, but I suspect it's not quite so funny when you're there.
HLj, Pat

Miha2ou7 (4923) 2009-01-02 2:14

Hey Jim,

A beautiful photo and I read your note with delight. Well and thoughtfully composed, the ratio between the three elements is perfect. So are the colors and the warm lighting. Fine work. TFS.

Best regards.

Booz (13880) 2009-01-02 4:25

Happy New Year for you tooo :) - so, be it calm like this picture - beauty winter..
Best regards
tomek

JCG (25687) 2009-01-03 10:45

Hi John,

A pleasant feeling of infinite on this photograph, I like much your framing and the soft light on the foreground is very beautiful. A good photograph for Zen attitude, thank you John.

With all my friendships, I present to you like with all your family all my best wishes for the New Year's Day,

Jean-Charles

siolaw (25800) 2009-01-03 20:33

Hi John,
A simple view, but with great side light with low sun which gave these fantastic, soft pastel colors. Strong sense of depth between FG and BG too!
Wish you a happy 2009
Laurent

adores (15713) 2009-01-04 13:27

Hi John!
I also like this one a lot! The rocks covered with snow in foreground and then the sea - very good composition. I also like the sunlight reflecting on the white snow. beautiful winter photo!

MLINES (10934) 2009-01-04 20:21

Hi John, This is an interesting winter scene. Your notes make it clearer what we are seeing. Well cropped with good vertical split and also, the rocks sticking out of the snow are effective. Keep up the good work. Tripods seem to help a lot. TFS. Murray.

BlueRaven (35) 2009-01-05 3:15

Hi John,

Wonderful shot, I love the subtle pastel colours and the beautiful soft light. I can almost feel the cold... And you're right, in today's "civilized" world it's hard to find some nice clean snow... It's the same over here in Europe.

Thanks for sharing and all the best for 2009
Claudia

jemaflor (39675) 2009-01-05 11:14

Hi John,
Nice effect with this lateral light on this beautiful snowy landscape, good shrapness ... et happy new year !

stego (22376) 2009-01-05 16:06

Hi John,
You became very good on these minimalist compos, in which minimalism is more apparent than real, because there is so much subtle details to appreciate - the gradients of colours and light, the shadows, the very smooth pattern of the thin clouds and the water surface, the symmetry between the clouds and the piece of snowed coast...
A very relaxing, wonderful photo.
Regards, José.

Angshu (33995) 2009-01-05 20:04

Hello John
This shot, I presume, is taken a few paces up left from your previous shot & before a few hours, as it seems from the light that the sun was higher up. Like the long shadows of the stones on the snow & the hue as the sunlight hits the stones from the right. Beautiful shot..but I started shivering even reading in your note, the temperatures in your place...brrr. Great shot!
Best Regards
Angshu

fulvio52 (8314) 2009-01-06 12:52

Hi, John.
A lonesome, dreamy landscape featuring wonderful light management (never an easy task with snow around) and some of the most delicate hues I've seen for quite a while. Empty, meditative, absolutely lovely. Happy New Year to you and your family, my friend! I've been out of town & working throughout these past holidays and got back home only yesterday night. See ya soon,
Fulvio.

MP-Moller (592) 2009-01-06 13:47

Hi john,
very meditative photo with a wonderful light.
I guess you can stand there and look forever.
I like the humoristic note:-)

vbbreizh (2622) 2009-01-07 4:58

Hello John,
A really nice one...amazing view of this peaceful place, with beautiful light and shadows.
I wish you the best my friend for this new year.
Best regards, Gilles

angela926 (1882) 2009-01-13 16:16

Hello John,
Very nice shot, beautiful winter colors, excellent sharpness, depth of filed and clarity, excellent texures in the snow and lovely light.
TFS
Angela

cdmonson (2757) 2009-01-17 22:23

Hi John:

I guess we all need a bit of whining--I've sure done my share on this site. ;) Nice light here. It's hard to make something of just a shot of snow, in my opinion, but you've done a good job here with those rocks. It doesn't say whether you used a polarizer--if not, it would have helped a bit with the sky to darken the blue. But lovely image overall.

Clark

P.S. If you think it's hard to find something to shoot in the winter on the Colorado plains, try the Texas plains. :)

asajernigan (14246) 2009-01-23 3:36

John,
This is a nice peaceful scene with the calm water and snow covered foreground. The lighting and colors are great with excellent sharpness and DOF. The angle of the sunlight creates nice shadows and warm lighting. The colors are great as is the sharpness and DOF.
TFS,
Asa

Charo (31677) 2009-02-12 14:35

Hello John,
Impressive perspective on this large lake surrounded by snow. Beautiful light and great details.
Best regards,
Charo

bosskokoss (1942) 2009-02-15 12:19

Hello John. Very good winter photo. Fantastic view, nice colours and good sharpness. Regards Piotr.

jwmunro (6375) 2009-03-03 21:47

Hello John -

How could you leave Colorado for such a cold environment as Duluth? God, this image makes me so cold just looking at it. Well, I guess the image is a success since you were able to get a strong reaction. The light is the key to this image and makes it work. With out the warming side light I think the image would fail. Well done!

Thank you for sharing.

John

Didi (36364) 2009-06-21 12:43

Hi John
Very nice winter picture with good lights on the snow.
I am waiting for your next summer ones.
Best regards.

fserajian (4541) 2009-06-28 0:10

Hi John,

What a beautiful view, wonderfully composed.. I love the warm colour variation you have maintained even in this light, excellent shot .. wonderful image..

Regards,

Fara