Sunset No. 7

SUNSET OVER LAKE SUPERIOR, GREEN, MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

Pentax K10D
Sigma DC 17-70 at 26mm
1/1000 sec. f4.5
ISO 400

This is the last sunset of 2010 at the Writer's Lair I'll take before the Lady Friend and I head into winter exile this weekend. Note that the sun is going down over land while it dipped into the lake in Sunsets No. 1 through 6. The nights are noticeably longer and colder now, often falling below 32 degrees. Click the photo for larger version.

Rainbow

RAINBOW OVER LAKE SUPERIOR, GREEN, MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 27, 2010

Pentax K10D
Sigma DC 17-70 at 17mm
1/350 sec. f8
ISO 400

The Lady Friend says she's seen lots of rainbows on Lake Superior, but though we've been an item for 43 years, this is the first one I've seen at the Writer's Lair. It appeared about an hour before sunset and hung around for about ten minutes before the angle of the sun diminished and caused it to disappear. Click for a desktop-sized version.

Western sky at morning

MORNING ON LAKE SUPERIOR, GREEN, MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 24, 2010

Pentax K20D
Sigma 17-70 at 37mm
1/750 sec. f9.5
ISO 1600

It's cold and windy, and the last remnants of an overnight rain are moving out from western Lake Superior at 8 in the morning on the second day of autumn. Following close behind is another storm cell that will hold the area in its wet and gray grip all day. It's almost time to board up the Writer's Lair and go into winter exile in Illinois.

Chickadees

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES (POECILE ATRICAPILLUS), 
GREEN, MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 22, 2010

All photos Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-DA 55-300 at 300mm
1/350 sec. f6.7
ISO 1600

These acrobatic birds are hit-and-run artists, flocking at our feeders for just a few seconds before flitting for the trees to dine on their swag. People in Upper Michigan tell me they enjoy entire conversations ("Dee-dee?" "Dee!" "Dee?") with these friendly little fellows.

Chipmunk

EASTERN CHIPMUNK (TAMIAS STRIATUS), GREEN, MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 21, 2010

Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-DA 55-300 at 300mm
1/350 sec. f8
ISO 1600

Common as this rodent may be, it's not all that easy to photograph up close. One creeps up on it and composes the photograph in the viewfinder, and -- where'd it go? This one hangs out under the bird feeders, harvesting seed scattered by chickadees, and is carefully watched by our half-Lab Hogan, who long ago gave up trying to catch it.

Fall colors

LOOKING SOUTH FROM HIGHWAY M26 NEAR WINONA, MICHIGAN,  SEPTEMBER 20, 2010

Pentax K10D
Sigma 10-20 DC EX at 10mm
1/1500 sec. f8
ISO 400

The turning of the autumn leaves in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan typically occurs two to three weeks ahead of most of the rest of the country, thanks to a short growing season and near-freezing nights after Labor Day.  Another week and the colors will be at their height. I stopped on the highway between Houghton and Ontonagon to capture this view.  Click the photo for a larger view.

Sunset No. 6

SUNSET ON LAKE SUPERIOR, GREEN, MICHIGAN, SEPTEMBER 12, 2010

Pentax K20D
SMC Pentax-F* 300mm f4.5 ED (IF)
1/2000 sec. f13
ISO 2200

Sometimes a setting sun captured with a long lens can be as striking as one taken with a wide-angle lens. I mistakenly set the camera's ISO sensitivity to a ridiculously high 2200 instead of the customary 400, resulting in a photograph full of noise. Lightroom 3's noise reducing feature took care of most of the noise, and Photoshop Elements' clone tool removed several orange artifacts in the blue of the lake. The result, I think, is OK.

Sunset No. 5

SUNSET ON LAKE SUPERIOR, GREEN, MICHIGAN, AUGUST 31, 2010

Pentax K10D
Sigma 17-70 DC at 70mm
1/250 sec. f9.5
ISO 400

I was composing a shot of an oncoming storm in the Lake Superior sky in front of our cabin on a late August evening when a flight of Canada geese suddenly and unexpectedly swept into the frame. Very considerate of them, wouldn't you say? Click on the photo for a desktop-sized version.