Duluth and the North Shore

Like many photo enthusiasts, the area surrounding Lake Superior is a periodic subject of my photographic interest.  I've visited these same areas several times over the years and although I sometimes feel I'm repeating myself, I am often able to find a new take on a familiar location.

A few days ago I made my latest visit on an unusually warm mid-November day, overcast and very calm.  I don't know if I've ever seen Gitchi-Gami this still.  That would change in the coming overnight hours, but I was home by then.

I started my photo adventure at the Duluth Aerial Lift Bridge at about 7:30am.  (This means I left home before 5:30am.  The things I do for my art...)  Yes, jillions of Lift Bridge photos are out there but here are a few more.  After this, I worked down Minnesota Point (a.k.a Park Point), the 5000 year old sand bar Duluth neighborhood south of the bridge, to Park Point Beach to snap a few shots on the mostly vacant beach.  I then worked up shore toward Gooseberry Falls Park for some waterfall photos.  Again, it seemed like I was nearly alone in the park, few cars in the lot and never any competition for photo vantage points.  After a dry summer, the Gooseberry River was running low but this provided an open view of the rocky riverbed which carved up the flow of the water.  I feel this makes for a very interesting waterfall photo.

All photos captured with a Pentax K-3 camera and Pentax 18-135mm lens.  Editing was in Photoshop CS5.  The waterfall photos were taken with an F/22 lens aperture and a polarizing filter to cut down the light into the lens, allowing a long open shutter time (.5 to 1.5 seconds, a tripod is required), resulting in the creamy appearance of the flowing water.

Clicking on a photo will show a larger format slideshow of all the images from this posting.

A few random photos

So, I bought a new motorcycle.  Yep, once you go Italian, you'll never look back.  It's an incurable virus.  My new 2016 Moto Guzzi V7 II Stone, my second Moto Guzzi (I sold the last one in 2007).  Mid-sized, lightweight, modest power.  Pretty tame and a lot of fun to ride.  I won't do very much to this motorcycle.  A small windshield was added, and as I write, the seat is at an upholstery shop getting re-worked for a human hind-end to sit upon it.  Of the five motorcycles I've owned, I've yet to have a seat be long distance comfortable.  To me, comfort on a bike is the most important feature and rarely does this mean accepting how the factory delivered it.  At least this time I think I can leave the handlebar system alone, unlike the last two.

Speaking of Italian... just a few blocks down the street from home is one of the best pizza joints in town.  "THE" best?  I don't have a favorite pizza restaurant, instead I have a fluid list of about ten or so high quality pizzas that can be found across the Twin Cities, so no matter where I am, I know I'm just a short drive from spicy, cheesy goodness whenever I have a pizza emergency.  And no, not one of them is a chain pizza.

This one is the "Supreme" (altered to hold the olives and add banana peppers) at Parkway Pizza, Johnson St NE near 29th Ave NE, in Minneapolis.  Okay, this one is regularly up near the very top of that list of pizza restaurants.  And they serve Sebastian Joe's ice cream, too.  How can you go wrong?

This last snapshot was taken at the front door of a house that I was visiting to perform a building permit inspection.  At least I was asked to come to the house.  I wonder where I could get one of these?

Silverwood Park

I spent some time yesterday at Silverwood Park in St. Anthony.  I visited with a couple folks from the camera club, met a new park patron with a camera, so I told her about the club and she signed up, and enjoyed a nice lunch in their cafe.  And I even got a few shots.  Macro with the big camera and tripod but it was too breezy for macro with a slow shooting cell phone.

Welcome

Welcome to my new blog.  This is where I'll show random faces, places, and things from the world around me, typically using my camera phone.  Enjoy, and let's get started!

Last fall, Christine and I went to the Ural sidecar motorcycle dealer in New Richmond, WI, for a test ride.  What a hoot!

More recently I tested a new Italian-made Moto Guzzi V7 Stone.  I owned a Moto Guzzi about 10 years ago.  Once that Italian motorcycle bug gets in your system, it's with you forever.  Stay tuned...