Another photo from Steel Bridge SongFest 3 and probably my personal favorite. Why? Because it was backstage. Mr. Browne was enjoying a quiet moment listening to the incredible talent that was on stage. Songwriters from all over the country attended and even Jackson Browne was tempted to sit and listen awhile. Add the Steel Bridge in the background, the setting sun and the empty chair next to Jackson and I believe this picture tells the story of what SongFest is all about. Not to mention my reflection in the glasses of one of my idols when I was an up and coming (still am) songwriter.

 

Last weekend was Steel Bridge SongFest 3 which drew record crowds, for good reason. The talent that appeared on stage was incredible. And it was for a good cause. To save the old steel bridge in Sturgeon Bay. Pictured here at sunset the night of the SongFest with onlookers watching the performances from the bridge.

I photographed this old barn and lilacs on County A near Jacksonport in Door County Wisconsin. It was at sunset and it just goes to show how important the quality of the light is to the photograph. The barn appears to be glowing (the only subject that the light is shining on direct).

WOW!

Another example of the spring bloom in Door County.

Door County is in full bloom right now. Apple trees, cherry trees, flowers and deciduous trees are all at peak for the spring bloom. Even saw some dwarf lake iris which seem to be a bit earlier then usual.

We had a nice period of warm weather in Door County a couple of weeks ago. So warm that the birds arrived earlier then usual, the Highway Department took down the snow fences and everyone including me were getting ready for summer. But as usual winter wasn’t ready to give up just yet and I got some more nice wintery pictures of Door County like this one of a Northern Cardinal in the snow. Now if only spring would get here.

We got hit with yet another April snowstorm on Wednesday and Thursday. I took this picture of a Junco feeding in the snow during the storm. You can see how he is backed up against a snowbank on the right. I like this photo because it is a different view then what we are used to seeing. I hope you enjoy it as well.

Anderson Dock in Ephraim, Door County Wisconsin, is one of the most often photographed subjects in Door County and one of my favorites. One look at this scene and you’ll know why. Sailors and visitors have been carving or painting on the walls for years and the dock has become a landmark because of it.  Another photographer was standing next to me as I took this shot. He questioned whether or not the wall in shadow would show up, being so much darker then the rest of the scene. I told him that I usually shoot 2 photos in these situations, one exposed for the highlights and one exposed for the shadows. Then I combined the two in the darkroom. But as it turned out it was fine as shot. This is the actual exposure. There was enough reflected light from the snow to fill in the shadows. Awesome.

This photo was taken along Cave Point Drive after the storm. It was a tough photo to expose properly because of the extreme range from dark to light. To much to record perfectly. This is the straight photo as shot. To improve the final print I would combine two exposures one for the highlights (snow at left) and one for the shadows (trees at right). But under the circumstances I really like this photo and will add it to my favorites.

Traveling to exotic locations to find great photographs isn’t always necessary. Especially when you call Door County home. Exceptional photos are as close as someone's backyard (with permission of coarse).

The snow was wet and heavy and coated tree branches with a blanket of white which can be tricky with exposure. Your cameras light meter will want to make the snow grey instead of white. I overexposed slightly, here by 1 stop to get the snow close to white but still have some detail.

Another photo taken during the recent snow storm.

Door County got hit with a heavy snowfall last weekend. Over 15” of snow fall on parts of the Peninsula and I was out photographing as much as possible. It was a wet and heavy snow which left the trees covered in the white powder. Branches sagging from the weight of the heavy snow. These are the kind of conditions photographers dream of and that this particular photographer has been waiting for for a long time. Recent mild winters left very little photo opportunities but this storm was a winner. Check out the photos and enjoy.