N'Ice Ice Baby

As a 25 year Michigander, I often get the question when traveling "Where are you from?"  I already know their response when I say with a smile "Michigan".  Usually it's one of these:

"Wow, it's cold up there!" 

"Too cold and gray for me in the winter"                          

                                                             "I hear the summers are beautiful, but short."

Who needs a movie when we have more than 50 shades of gray between November and April?  Let's start by saying, yes it's cold in the winter in Michigan.  We have winters that you can sink your teeth in to. 

Blue Ice in Mackinaw City, Michigan by Sheen Watkins

Our ice is nice.  Actually, it's more than nice.  Our ice rivals abstract sculptures.  Our ice is rich with color, texture and depth. 

A trip to Mackinaw City, Michigan during the ice breaking season offered caverns of rich, blue ice formations and blocks.

I grew up in the sunbelt in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas.  I happily thrived in the sunshine and heat.  When I moved to Michigan to marry my husband, neither of us realized if or how I would adapt to the cold and gray. 

Icy Slates at Sunrise in Northport, Michigan by Sheen Watkins

What I learned is with that the right gear and initiative, I see how Mother Nature adorns Michigan winters with works of art. 

You just have to go and explore.  

The iced tiles at sunrise in Northport, Michigan on the bay side of Lake Michigan lasted one day.

The evening before it was one big ice plate. 

Anticipating a potential shift from the forecast gale force winds, the alarm was set for oh-dark-thirty. 

Overnight, the winds picked up and the waves and conditions turned plates into formations that looked like slate tiles.  The sunrise brought a  color convergence of warm and cool.  24 hours later, they were gone.

Look for the less ventured view. 

Iced Cactus, Frankfort, Michigan by Sheen Watkins

On land, ice lasts a little bit longer in a given state. 

One of our most famous lighthouses, Point Betsie gets a lot of paparazzi with her stoic stance in the face of Michigan winters. 

I initially went to shoot the iconic beauty. 

Instead, a hike around the lighthouse uncovered a field of glistening iced 'cactus'. 

Don't let the gray get in the way!

For the many days that we don't see the sun, ice still  floats through the elements.

Frazil Ice by Sheen Watkins

Frazil ice, is a collection of soft, needle shaped ice crystals that form when the mist and water cool quickly.  From afar, the water looked like a film was on the surface.  A closer look revealed iced pancakes floating and shifting in the wavy waters.

Ice blocks by  Sheen Watkins

Note:  When photographing icy conditions, always use caution. 

Ice is slippery, sharp, can be thin in unexpected places. 

Take a partner.

Wear warm clothes.

Have the right foot gear (spikes are good!) and be careful. 

Carry your gear in a backpack when hiking.  If you fall with your gear you may be more worried about protecting your camera than you. 

No shot is worth putting yourself in danger.

Venturing out in the lower part of Northern Michigan in winter is definitely worth donning layers of clothing in winter. 

Oh yes, our summers are lovely too.

Happy shooting!

Eating "Michigan's" Fire for Breakfast

Fire in the Sky - Omena, Michigan by Sheen Watkins

Over the course of time, I've experienced many of Michigan's finest sights from behind the lens.  My idea of a good breakfast?  A fiery, Michigan sunrise!

I've taken thousands of images trying to reflect the diversity that's commonly known as "Pure Michigan."

With a vivid, intense sunrise glistening over our Great Lakes, it's an easy and energizing way to start the day.

If rising and shining is a bit of a challenge, get a jump start with a rich cup of coffee from Coffee Beanery, one of Michigan's finest businesses operating since 1976.  Or it may be the habitat friendly Birds and Beans Coffee or a cup of hot tea with a squeeze of citrus.

Norhport's Harbor by Sheen Watkins

From late fall to mid spring, Michigan is infamous for our grey, chilly winters.

For those who live (and photograph) here, we also know that gray is just a temporary state.   All you need is an early wake up call to go outside.  There...our breakfast may be served sunny-side up with a little fire mixed in. 

North of Omena on M22 by Sheen Watkins

There are those mornings where the sky's rosy red consumes land and water.   Skies go from twilight, shades of rich rose only to layer Grand Traverse Bay with glistening orange.

If red's not your taste, just wait a few minutes.  The red shifts to tints of oranges and yellows, adding a hint of warmth to the morning's chill.

A Door to Sunrise by Sheen Watkins

When the sun crests the horizon, don't rush the moment.  Just wait.

With a little local knowledge, you can find many interesting little unique treasures for the sun to peak through.

Some of my favorite spots?

Just head up Michigan's M22 on the east side of the Leelanau Peninsula.  Quaint towns of Sutton's Bay and Omena rest on the Grand Traverse Bay's shoreline. Then the veer up onto 201 along Northport's harbor and North Shore drive.

Along the way, savor the moment and let the sun rise to greet you.

Happy Shooting!
Sheen
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Time to "Eat Crow"

Rough-legged hawk by Sheen Watkins

Mother Nature, in all of her beauty, is not always kind or gentle.

We live part time near a remote small town on the Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan.

Outside of Northport it's quite common to see porcupines, bobcats, skunks, many species of birds and coyotes.

This week, I witnessed the brutal dependency of nature's food chain.
I initially thought I was seeing an injured hawk being attacked by crows.

I rushed to 'rescue' the crow only to discover that a rough-legged hawk had a very live and soon-to-be dinner crow in his talons.

Had I interrupted the process, it would mean a suffering crow that probably wouldn't survive.    Then there would be another needed food target for the hawk if he didn't have this meal.

Protecting Dinner by Sheen Watkins

So,  I decided to photograph the episode.

From capture, to defending his meal, he was he was doing what he needed to do to survive.

As a bystander, I wanted to save the crow.  I also wanted the hawk to eat.

The balance of nature.  The balance of life.  Nature in all her beauty has a side that is uncomfortable and painful.

As a photographer,  I'm grateful to see and enjoy nature in her finest.  I'm also grateful that she shares her reality - it's up to us to ensure that the complete food chain, the balance, is protected.

Plucking before eating  by Sheen Watkins

I also appreciate that no matter how tough my week, or day may be - I'm not being eaten by a hawk.

Happy Shooting!

"Songbird Sung Blue"

It's spring time which means the woods and fields are filled with the delightful songs and colors of songbirds.  Birds are flocking together to nest, breed, have chicks and depending on the species, travel south for thousands of miles after their chicks have fledged the nest. 

Lazuli Bunting by Sheen Watkins

It's time to celebrate a few of our magnificent little birds of blue.

The Lazuli Bunting, taken in Arizona could almost be mistaken for a bluebird.  Their white wing bars are an immediate giveaway.  

There's something a little extra special about birds in blue.  

Maybe it's because there are not as many species in this color range. 

They are so striking with their azure plumage.  Their sweet songs carry through the distance with unique and brilliant trills, notes and screeches.

The Indigo Bunting is a common sighting in Michigan and the midwest.  Even though it's a bit more common, that doesn't make it any less special to see....and hear.  The melodious song carries a distance from their high perches.  

This little guy is a regular on the Leelanau Peninsula on a trail managed by the Leelanau Conservancy in Michigan.

Indigo Bunting by Sheen Watkins

What 'blue' posting would be complete without a favorite for many?  The eastern bluebird entertains us by using nesting boxes to build their nest and their family.

Eastern Bluebird by Sheen Watkins

And lastly, the common but yet so striking Blue Jay.  We hear the loud calls when they fly in flocks. We see them visit our feeders.  Their bold crest along with the bright blue patterns make them standout from the rest of their family - the crows.

Blue Jay, a member of the Crow Family by Sheen Watkins

The title of this blog was inspired by Neil Diamond's "Song Sung Blue".  This is the second blog title that he, along with mother nature inspired:  What do Neil Diamond & Northern Michigan Have in Common? Cherry, Cherry!

Happy Shooting!

It's A Small, Mushroom World in the Woods

Tall One by Sheen's Nature Photography

The sights and sounds of fall in the midwest build each day.  Days get shorter, nights grow longer.  Warm days are tinged with a hint of cool.

Ever changing greens merge into yellows.  Cool
mornings with floating mist melt into golden hour sunshine.

In the woods, there's another small world that's loaded with color, texture and purpose.

Mushrooms, fungi, toadstools emerge in a variety of shapes, colors and locations.  They glow, they hide, they cover and also stand alone.

A recent weekend spent up in the Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan was perfectly timed.   Mushrooms were everywhere!

Tall, short, skinny and stumpy. Bright, dull and somewhere in between.

Muted browns and vibrant oranges glowed against dark shades while tall brights popped out of nondescript ground cover.

Just Glow by Sheen's Nature Photography

When hiking in wooded areas, instead of looking up, look down along tree stumps, dry leaves and crevices in tree trunks.

It's a Small World by Sheen's Nature Photography

A tiny world awaits.

Happy Shooting!

You Can Capture the Moon....

Midnight Delight
Nikon 600, 24- 85mm, ISO 80, f/5.6, 20 sec, Lightroom

Silence


Simple sounds


Gentle light


The moon


The stars......


Even before photography, we've all experienced nightfalls that encouraged us to pause to mindlessly gaze at the moon and the stars.  Velvety hues of midnight blues fading to ebony illicit moods from romance to melancholy.  During the October timeframe, giggles of chilly delight emerge as children and adults participate in the Halloween season.

It's not every day we see the night in deep splendor.  When we photograph sunrises and sunsets, we typically research weather and sun patterns.  Moon photography requires the same intentional planning.

In the midwest, northern Michigan's Leelanau County and Northport, MI near the 45th Parallel has lingering summer days and short summer nights.  The land distance on the north end of the Leelanau Peninsula between Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay is just a few miles.  You can start and end your day with an array of rose and blue topaz tinted skies that fade into diverse moonscape views.

Moon photography captures the simple essence of bright and dark, texture and the lack thereof.  As a new photographer, it's a playground to test what you know.  It's also helpful to do research beforehand.

Nikon offers how-to tutorial articles.  Their  Photographing the Night Sky is filled with idea generating images along with artistic tips and camera settings.    Google searches of How to Shoot the Moon will provide you with a host of sites with tips, whether it is just a full moon or a desired moonscape image you are shooting for.

Midnight Moon
Nikon 7100, Sigma 150-500, f/6.3, 1/125 sec, Lightroom

Moon views and evenings are meant to be shared, so bring your partner or a friend.  A glass of wine to celebrate the evening before returning home to process your work is highly recommended.

Happy Shooting!