Waterfalls

Waterfalls have become a favorite subject of mine to shoot, especially in the spring as there is more water volume and the soft green colors add a special light and touch. A cloudy or partly sunny day is perfect for getting the smooth, milky look of the water flowing. I prefer shutter speeds of 1.5 to 2 seconds as there is still some detail in the falling water left. Using a polarizer or neutral density filter is a necessity to slow down the shutter speed, and a tripod of course!

The first 2 photos are taken at Devil's Kettle in the Blue Hills (near Weyerhauser). The next 2 are at Houghton Falls near Washburn and the last are Morgan Falls - all in Wisconsin.

Enjoy, Susanne

Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, part 3

Part three of my visit to the Crex Meadows Wildlife area. Besides all the exciting animal encounters (see part 1 and 2) I also found many interesting landscape scenes and opportunities for some abstract images. The first one is a "multiple exposure" of some colorful willow branches. They looked like they were on fire! And for the ending of a beautiful day a perfect reflection of two trees in one of the many lakes. Enjoy, Susanne

Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, part 2

Part two of our visit to the Crex Meadows Wildlife area - we saw and heard several Sandhill Cranes, the one on the last picture was alone and wouldn't stop squaking... maybe he/she was looking for a companion. But the highlight were the beavers, especially the one we saw right at sunset that turned the whole scenery into a golden light, even the water. This guy was busy munching away on a cattail root. Once or twice he got upset and splashed his tail but I guess his hunger was greater and our presence less annoying. 

Enjoy! Susanne

Crex Meadows Wildlife Area, part 1

What a fantastic day (4.27.) we had at Crex Meadows Wildlife area near Grantsburg, Wisconsin. If you haven't been there yet - it's a paradise for birds and other wildlife. http://www.crexmeadows.org
And we are so fortunate to be able to watch it all. We saw several pairs of Trumpeter Swans and they were all very friendly and one pair did a little courtship "dance".
There was still ice on some of the lakes though we had temperatures around 73 F.
Lots of birds - geese, ducks, swans, cranes, loons... we missed the pelicans that passed through 2 days prior.
One of the highlights was a Blanding Turtle sitting in the middle of the road soaking up the sun's warmth. I have never seen one before. She was very friendly and let us take her picture from all angles.
More to come in the next post.
Enjoy, Susanne

Dreaming of Spring

As I look outside this morning and see all the new snow coming down - it would be easy to get depressed. It must be almost 6 months since we have seen anything in nature that isn't brown or white. Hmmm, are we living in an ice age??

I needed something to cheer me up and this little bird (a common Redpoll) always puts a smile on my face. Hope it does the same for you!!  And we can always dream of spring....

Cheers, Susanne

A very long Winter

This has been a very long winter and everybody is getting tired of the snow. I was hoping to post some spring like photos by now - maybe next time. I do like winter photography and enjoy it as long as I can.
Here are some tree images and the promise of spring after all with many geese returning home. 
Enjoy! Susanne

Sweet Remembrance - Valentine's creations

On Valentine's Day we remember our dear ones and sweethearts with flowers, chocolates, a special dinner or whatever surprise we can think of. Of course these loving gestures should not be limited to just that one day. Whenever your heart prompts you to express your gratitude and love - do it.
But what I like about Valentine's day is the fact that so many people think about their beloved and dearest friends. So I imagine the sweet earth being filled with love and who knows - if I could see the earth from outer space she might glow with a pink light....
So I took the time to create some Valentine's with my camera using some conversation hearts, pink roses and my creativity.
Wishing you all the sweetest and happiest Valentine's day!
Susanne

If you like any of my creations - they are available at my Etsy shop.