Field Notes:
I visited this stretch of shoreline earlier that afternoon. I walked the basalt ledges looking for possible compositions, where the rocks gently dipped into clear Lake Superior water. Before heading back to our cabin, I checked the moon’s path on the app. If the forecast held, I knew when and how its reflection would eventually interact with this shoreline.
So after supper I returned, early enough to not be in a hurry. The tripod was set where I wanted it. I composed the image while there was still twilight and carefully set manual focus before darkness settled over the scene.
Then I poured a cup of coffee from the thermos. And for quite some time I hardly touched the camera.
Lake Superior was settling in for the night. A few gulls and a Loon hurried past silently on their way to sheltered waters. Cool air drifted off the lake, mingling with the warmth that still lingered among the rocks and pines.
When it felt like the right moment, when air, water, light and stone seemed in harmony, I made the first image.
I had set up on this basalt shoreline with one photograph in mind. And I liked it.
But before packing up, I looked around. Something I’ve learned to do over the years of landscape and travel photography. Another image was waiting in the opposite direction. I’ve learned not to become so attached to the photograph I planned that I miss the one the universe is offering instead.
I recomposed the shot in both horizontal and vertical perspectives, mindful not to miss the sense of sublime that had settled over the little cove.
Stars were becoming more numerous now. On the tip of Breezy Point, the cabin’s lights glowed softly through pines, a warm beacon against the deepening blue of night.
About This Stay
I stayed at Breezy Point Cabins on Minnesota’s North Shore while making the photographs for this Field Notes essay. If you’re looking for a quiet place to experience Lake Superior, you can learn more here.
Breezy Point Cabins on Lake Superior
This blog is a place for stories and conversations. Add your voice below – I'd love to hear it.