365 Photos In 365 Days: A Yearlong Photojournal

The 365 Day Photo Project Goes Public

2010-09-07T12:51:00.003-05:00

A six week exhibit consisting mainly of photos taken during the 365 day photo project gets a 6 week showing in Green Bay at the Brown County Central Library.

PLEASE VISIT MY NEW BLOG!

2010-04-20T08:28:00.003-05:00

All new photos posted here:

http://wishyouwerehere-tditzgb.blogspot.com/

Thanks,

Tim

Post-Project News!

2010-03-27T13:19:00.004-05:00

I'm happy to report that I've just secured a spot to exhibit selected photos from this project beginning in September of 2010 for a 6 week run in the central library's art gallery! The showing will be relatively small, highlighting just a handful of the 365 images I produced but it feels really great to have the opportunity to publicly show even a little of what I work so hard on. I'll have the summer to ready the display pieces and in the meantime continue to add new photos to my new blog. I've just added new photos from last weekends outing. Have you joined it yet??? http://wishyouwerehere-tditzgb.blogspot.com/

Day 365 > One Year Later...

2009-12-31T12:34:00.005-06:00

IT. IS. DONE.
My friends, here you have it...the 365th photo on this 365th day of 2009.
I'd spent the last couple of weeks contemplating how I'd end this project but only in the last day or two it has become clear to me that there was really nothing I could do that wouldn't seem anti-climactic. In a year filled with photos, just one more pretty picture hardly seemed like the answer.
So instead you get this self-portait of your humble photographer. Still, it's only fitting that I took this final shot in one of the places that has offered me so much over the past year. Fonferek Glen was one of my greatest local discoveries of 2009 and it has proven to be a worthwhile subject in all seasons.
For me, this photo documents myself at the end of one of the most ambitious undertakings I have ever or likely will ever attempt in my lifetime. I present it with a mix of emotions...a bit of sadness, certainly relief, a few regrets, and of course great pride in my accomplishment. But most of all I feel thankfulness that my life is such that I was able to make this journey. It has shown me so many amazing things, tested my resolve, at times pushing me beyond my limits, and has certainly made me an all-around better photographer than I was 365 days ago.
At this writing 80 people around the world have felt this project worthwhile enough that they chose to follow my progress and to all of you, both my personal friends and those I may never know, I say thank you. I have read every comment and word of encouragement posted to this blog and they have made all the difference. Without your support I am not sure I would have reached this day for without others to appreciate the things I see, this endeavor would have seemed rather pointless.
So this is it. The end. I look forward to waking up tomorrow without having to think about photos or new subject matter, or weather predictions or travel conditions or time constraints..tomorrow I have the day off! :)
But I will not forget one of the most important lessons this project has taught me...and that is that the world is full of amazing things and it's only those who are willing to make an extrordinary effort to be there who will have the pleasure of seeing it with their own two eyes.

Thank you all again!
I hope you'll join me at my new blog Wish You Where Here.

I'll see you again somewhere down the road...

Tim

Day 364 > Icy Kewaunee Pier

2009-12-30T11:13:00.003-06:00

I just can't stay away from the lake these days. The reason for this, however, is NOT the balmy temperatures. Take my word for it, conditions here were (even) colder that they "a pier". brrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!

Day 363 > Algoma Morning Light

2009-12-29T09:48:00.008-06:00

7:30 am.
7 degrees F.
Sunrise on Lake Michi gan.
I fell in love with photography all over again at this moment...

Day 362 > Snowburst

2009-12-28T10:00:00.004-06:00

I raced to the east shore of the bay this morning to try to catch a snow shower I'd noticed moving across the horizon just after sunrise this morning. I arrived in time to grab several shots before the scene changed and the shower began to dissipate and was quite happy with the resulting images. Then, just as I was retreating from the shore and the icy north wind that had been blowing in my face, I noticed the sunlight begin to creep across the iced over bay... first as a thin band of light along the west shore, then growing wider and wider. Suddenly, the still rising sun fully burst through low scattered clouds and cast long shadows over bay from the trees directly behind me. I had just set up the camera again when this happened. The effect through the lens was stunning.

Day 361> Icy Aftermath

2009-12-27T16:42:00.003-06:00

I went back to Cave Point this morning to see the icy aftermath of yesterday's wild waves and weather...

Day 360 > Wild Winter Waves / Lake Michigan

2009-12-26T19:55:00.005-06:00

Oceans-sized waves. Just one of the reasons the Great Lakes feel more like an inland sea than mere lakes.
I awoke feeling discouraged and uninspired this morning despite the fact that I had just six days left to complete this project. With no new ideas for a subject and after wasting an hour or two trying in vain to come up with something, I finally grabbed my coat and gear and headed off, having decided to let fate guide me. An hour or so later I found myself once again on the shore of Lake Michigan at Cave Point. If fate was indeed what led me there, then perhaps I should put more faith in it in the future. Cave Point had not been among the places I had even considered before setting out but this visit turned out to be yet another of those amazing "right place, right time" moments.
I arrived there to find the lake a churning cauldron of massive storm spawned waves. My last visit to the Point had offered some impressive surf but this...this was like nothing I've seen since I last stood on the edge of an ocean. Unquestionably, these were the largest waves I've ever seen on Lake Michigan. These were scary big!
The waves crashed into the cliff and submerged cave below with such forced I could actually feel the ground shake beneath me and in places the water was flung 25 feet into the air, showering the shoreline trees and one unlucky photographer (namely ME) with the spray.
Just as I began shooting this morning, another visitor reconfirmed for me just how impressive the show the lake was putting on really was when she glanced my way, gestured toward the wild waves and commented " This is the most wonderful day I have ever seen in my life". I definitely know how she felt at that moment...

Day 259 > Christmas Morning

2009-12-25T10:59:00.003-06:00

The last of my cats to be featured in the photo project, Isa saved me from having to venture out on a rainy, slushy Christmas morning.

Day 258 > St. Anthony Chapel / Christmas Eve

2009-12-24T13:00:00.003-06:00

Christmas Eve inside the tiny St. Anthony of Padua Chapel in the woods on the University of Green Bay campus. I packed in the candles to add a little atmosphere...

Day 257 > Old Rock Mill Winter

2009-12-23T12:21:00.003-06:00

Winter at the old Rock Mill.
I doubt I'll find a prettier or more suitable wintry image than this so let this be my holiday card to all of you. :)

Day 356 > Winter Storm Over Lake Michigan

2009-12-22T14:07:00.005-06:00

I drove up the penin sula today, and encoun tered first, pockets of heavy fog and then, further north, dark skies and intense snow showers. But as I approached my destination, the town of Bailey's Harbor, The sky suddenly cleared ahead of me. I had temporarily left the dark snow clouds behind me but as I arrived at Cana Island to begin my photo hunt, the clouds arrived too.
I crossed the dike and cut across the island past the lighthouse and came out on the backside facing Lake Michigan where I was immediately hit by the bone-chilling wind. Before me, ice chunks piled by the waves crowded the shore and beyond the ice, big waves generated by the wind churned the water. Yet further out to sea, the storm I had driven through half an hour before was now sweeping across the horizon back lit by open sky. It all lasted just five minutes before the whole scene changed.
And yes, it WAS as cold as it looks! As amazing as the view was, it felt great to get back to the warm car and get some feeling back in my face and hands.

Day 355 > Winter Solstice At Wequiock Falls

2009-12-21T13:49:00.003-06:00

Winter officially arrived today at 12:47pm but as always here in Wisconsin, Autumn seemed to have passed some time ago...

Day 354 > Church And State

2009-12-20T08:37:00.004-06:00

As the court house clock will attest, this was another late night/early morning shoot.
I'd been trying to find a way to capture both these buildings together for some time but never before saw it the way I did this night. The lighting was tricky due to the varying degrees of brightness of the spotlights illuminating the buildings but with some experimentation using exposure compensation, I was able to balance things as well as possible. I'm quite happy with the end result.

Day 353 BONUS > On Location At Cave Point

2009-12-19T18:44:00.004-06:00

I don't know exactly why I shot this with the camera bag and tripod in the frame but I did and now I sort of like it.
Be sure to check out yet another photo from the day at Cave Point on my new blog Wish You Were Here.
While visiting there, please consider becoming a follower of the new blog if you haven't already for the 365 day project will be ending very soon and all future submissions will be appearing over there. Thanks!

Day 353 > Cave Point Winter Wonderland

2009-12-19T13:42:00.002-06:00

A PERFECT winter's day at the shore...
The crashing waves of Lake Michigan.
Falling snow.
And amazing ice formations transforming the rocky shore and the trees.

Any questions why Cave Point is one of my most favorite place at this time of year????

Day 352 > Footbridge

2009-12-18T10:41:00.002-06:00

Yet another place I've never bothered to explore while out shooting. This long, gently arching footbridge spans a deep ravine on the university campus connecting the wooded hiking path around the campus. I had thought perhaps that arching shape seen through the trees might prove to be an interesting photo but I decided I liked the lines of this shot much better. I sort of regret not seeing this in Autumn when I think it would have been a really beautful shot. This is one to keep in mind for next year...

Day 351 > Cave View / Fonferek Glen Falls

2009-12-17T12:55:00.003-06:00

Back to Fonferek Glen this morning. Though I'd been here only days ago, the shot for that day showed nothing of the wintry scene within the river gorge so my aim today was to capture that and hopefully from a different viewpoint than anything I'd done there before. After trying this vantage point and that but seeing nothing that really wowed me, I decided to get dirty and climbed up into a small cave in the gorge wall to the right of the falls to see how the view was from there...

Day 350 > At Wequiock Falls

2009-12-16T10:47:00.003-06:00

I had already settled on the image I wanted to capture when I set out again this morning for Wequiock Falls and upon arrival did, in fact, work for 30 minutes at doing this shoot exactly as I had planned.
However, I'd also brought the video cam on this trip and in the process of capturing the frozen falls and gorge from this perspective and that, I happened to walk down the old tunnel through which the creek flows and over which the nearby road passes. I walked through and back and as I returned to the side nearest the falls I suddenly saw the whole scene framed by the tunnel's opening. Oddly, I had been pondering this very idea from home one day, wondering if it could be an interesting composition being quite a different perspective on the scene. My test shots did indeed look interesting but still seemed to be missing something now that I had captured the falls with more of an urban feel. Enter ME.
I was hesitant at first to model but after promising myself that we could finally get out of the cold and enjoy a hot cup of coffee back in the car, I agreed and I have to say I'm quite happy with the result.

Day 349 > Anyone Up For A Picnic?

2009-12-15T15:53:00.005-06:00

The weather man lied to me this morning about the conditions saying that we'd have cloudy skies and snow flurries until later morning. An hour later, after I had blown off my road trip to the lake for sunrise based on that forecast, the day dawned partly cloudy and with a really pretty sky to the east. Grrr.
Irritated, and with a vow not to pay any further attention to weathermen in planning my shooting, I headed off anyway toward the lake. By luck I arrived at the shore at Kewaunee just in time to catch the last passing clouds that helped diffuse the bright sun. An impressive bank of clouds still hung over the water on toward the horizon adding drama to the scene. Within minutes the light changed and then so did the scene but I managed to grab this image in a rush before the good light was lost.

Day 348 > Wequiock Falls Reflecting Pool

2009-12-14T12:36:00.004-06:00

I scouted out this shot yesterday afternoon following the shoot at Devil's River and have been dying to reshoot and post it today. Freezing rain this morning made the trip out to the falls a bit more of a challenge than I had bargained for but wasn't I saying that the adventure in getting there is half the fun?

Day 347 > Devil's River Winter

2009-12-13T14:20:00.007-06:00

WHAT A MORN ING!! I had almost for gotten how much fun it is to be out shooting on a perfect winter's day. I strapped on my snowshoes this morning and walked down to Devil's River. The temperature was comfortable, the wind was light, the snow was deep and fresh...and as I passed into the cedar forest and into view of the river it was like walking directly into a Christmas card. This place is spectacular in ALL seasons! I had been hopeful to find "my" river and waterfall still free of ice and I had been encourage as I neared that I could hear the water still flowing...but as I feared, the subzero temps had done their worst in the past few days. I found the scene at the falls had been dramatically altered from that of a week or so ago. The water still flowed hard but invisibly now under a shell of ice that had formed over nearly the entire area of the cascades. Still, falling water escaped in a few places and gurgled through open spots in the ice. Above the falls, the river still held some water that reflected the snow covered trees around it and jutting out from the opposite bank, the old stone dam stood partially obscured by the snow. Just a wonderful scene.
It may take a little more preparation to enjoy the outdoors this time of year but it can be so worth it! There is a sense of adventure that I feel when I have to work a little harder to get where I'm going, especially those places that most people would never bother. And when the place I'm headed is as amazing as this, it makes for a special day that I won't soon forget.

Day 346 > Waterfall Still Life

2009-12-12T13:22:00.003-06:00

Behind the frozen waterfall at Fonferek Glen.

Day 345 > Feathers In Crystal

2009-12-11T10:44:00.005-06:00

I ventured out into the knee deep snow (should have worn the snowshoes) and subzero temperatures at Baird Creek this morning feeling like a project-worthy photo would be difficult to find under such conditions but I was quickly reminded as I trudged along the creek's edge that there are treasures to be found in nature even at minus 3 degrees F. Incredibly fine, feather-like crystals had formed in snowless pockets on the surface of the ice that now entirely covers the water.
The really amazing thing was that the crystals visibly grew just in the time I spent getting my shots.

Day 344 > Union Church Entry

2009-12-10T14:50:00.003-06:00

....

Day 343 > A Beacon In The Storm

2009-12-09T07:52:00.006-06:00

The first signi ficant snowfall of the winter arrived over night in the form of a furious blizzard. I'm snowed in this morning, roads are impassable, so its a very good thing I chose to venture out into the storm after midnight as Mother Nature was just beginning to get herself whipped into a frenzy. I had my shooting location in mind, saving me from the hunt but once there, 30 mile per hour wind gusts and wet snow made shooting a nightmare and I very nearly gave up before I ever got started. I finally managed to find an angle I liked and developed a wipe and shoot and wipe and shoot and wipe and shoot method for keeping the lens clear while using my body as a shield and somehow got the shot I was looking for. What a night...I am now officially a crazy person.

Day 342 > Falling Water, Falling Temperatures

2009-12-08T12:15:00.004-06:00

Our first major snowstorm of this winter began to move into the area as I ventured out this morning, quickly reminding me that shooting under heavy snow can be only slightly less difficult than in rain. The road conditions had already begun to deteriorate by 9am so I decided to play it safe and stick close to home and since I had not visited Baird Creek in a while, I headed over to check to see if the creek still flowed or if it had entirely frozen over by now. I found that much of the creek has indeed frozen but as with Devil's River yesterday, the little falls have still managed to keep moving...although they are rapidly losing that battle. Extreme cold following the storm will almost certainly bring the creek to a complete standstill.

Day 341 > Devil's River Winter Cascades

2009-12-07T12:06:00.003-06:00

Back to Devil's River. (I should just move here...put up a tent)
Winter has finally begun to claim my favorite river and falls. Following just a week's worth of freezing temperatures, sections of the river have already entirely frozen over. For now the fastest moving sections remain in motion but given another couple weeks I expect even the falls themselves will succumb to Old Man Winter's touch, remaining in suspended animation until the Spring thaw.

Day 340 > Blue Morning

2009-12-06T09:08:00.004-06:00

I was up at 5am...ok 5:10 am....and on down the road to the lake shore once again in hopes of capturing a few first rays of sunshine sneaking under the cloud cover at dawn but no luck. Instead I was greeted by steadily falling snow and a moody blue lake with only the red signal light of the lighthouse to interrupt the gloom. Still...not such a bad morning...

Day 339 > Cairo, Wisconsin

2009-12-05T12:33:00.003-06:00

I know nothing of the reason for the Egyptian theme of this Two River Cemetery mausoleum but it is undoubtedly the most unique (and out of place!) I have ever come across.

Day 338 > The Dead Season

2009-12-04T13:37:00.003-06:00

Back to the Two Rivers Cemetery today.
A dull, lifeless morning with a dusting of freshly fallen snow blanketing the headstones and monuments. I was struck by the starkness of the scene and found it strangely beautiful.

Day 337 > The Face Of An Angel

2009-12-03T18:33:00.003-06:00

One of my favorite cemeteries to shoot is in the little lakeside town of Two Rivers. Some cemeteries, even in large cities, can be quite boring...completely devoid of large old monuments and statues. But this place is graced with many, many large crosses, an Egyptian-styled mausoleum (appearing here very soon) and a nearly life-sized angel statue, who's face you see here, located centrally on the grounds.

Day 336 > Once Upon A Time...

2009-12-02T13:31:00.003-06:00

What was once almost certainly a fairy tale scene...the little wooden house...the pretty yard full of apple trees...now fallen into complete ruin. Even the trees seem dead. Perhaps not such a happy ending to this story...

Day 335 > At The Center Of The Water Wheel

2009-12-01T17:14:00.004-06:00

I set out with the intention to highlight the whole of the water wheel of this mid 1800's mill and I did get the shots I had intended but my eye was drawn again and again to lines and shadows at the center. The other photos where nice but sort of standard stuff and in the end I found the lines of this shot much more interesting.

Day 334 > Devil's River Lower Falls

2009-11-30T11:25:00.005-06:00

If asked to chose one place, one new discovery with which I've become completely enthralled during the course of my yearlong daily photo expeditions I would not hesitate ...it's the Devil's River Gorge, no question. I love this place. And as one of the most beautiful river ways I've seen in my time spent traveling around the state (and the midwest for that matter) I am stunned that it has not become a much more visited attraction. Yet none of the people to whom I have mentioned it had ever heard of it (admittedly they are few..this is MY place!). Maybe it's best to keep it that way. It's nice to go there and almost always have the place to myself.
Today's scene was captured a bit farther down river from the main falls. I had been so enamored with that part of the river that I had failed to notice the beauty of the lower part of the gorge. But on my recent shoot I did notice the possibilities there and so today brought boots and waded into the river, around a rocky outcropping and came upon this amazing view.
I hope now to avoid shooting this river until the first snowfall...wish me luck!

Day 333 > Mute Swans

2009-11-29T14:02:00.006-06:00

I took a long drive up the peninsula this morning with lighthouses in mind but halfway to my destination I ran into a steady rain. The rain persisted upon my arrival at Peninsula State Park and ruined all the shots I'd had in mind when I set out. Just as I had sort of given up hope of finding today's photo in this place under such miserable conditions, I spotted these swans feeding just off shore. I was already wet so the soggy trudge through the marsh to the water's edge nearest the birds didn't really phase me.
When I first saw them I had hope they might be migrating Tundra Swans but they are in fact Mute Swans, an introduced Eurasian species. But native or non-native they saved me a much longer day of hunting.

332 > Rock Collection

2009-11-28T12:15:00.002-06:00

Wandering down the railroad tracks this morning I came across this...small pebbles trapped in the cracks of one of the old wooden ties. To me it looked a little like a rock collection displayed on shelves.

Day 331 > Late Night Black and White

2009-11-27T09:43:00.004-06:00

Another late night/ early morning for the Nikon and I. However, this night of shooting differed from others before this due to the C-C-C-C-C-O-O-O-L-D.

Day 330 > The Ultimate Goal

2009-11-26T15:45:00.007-06:00

These words are really part of a longer slogan painted long ago on the broad side of this old downtown building. The advertisement may have been in full view at one time but now, decades later, additional buildings partially obscure the view for the passerby. From the vantage point of a back alleyway where I first noticed it, only the words BE HAPPY could be seen.
Read alone, they seemed less like the last words in a slogan for chewing gum and more like words to (try to) live up to.

Day 329 > Courthouse Foyer

2009-11-25T11:19:00.003-06:00

The Foyer area of the Brown County Courthouse in downtown Green Bay. A beautiful place to get a good shot on a rainy day :)

Day 328 > Point Beach Feather

2009-11-24T12:35:00.004-06:00

I went to the Lake Michigan shore at Point Beach State Park this morning hoping for something I bit more grand but the beads of condensation on this gull feather sort of stole my attention.

Day 327 > A Well Worn Porch

2009-11-23T21:53:00.002-06:00

The front porch of an old homestead built in mid 1800's, now part of the historic Rock Mill site near the Devil's River.

Day 326 > November Dawn / Kewaunee Light

2009-11-22T12:06:00.008-06:00

I was on the road this morning by 5:45am driving cross country through a pea soup fog on my way to the Lake Michigan shore. Upon arrival I was at first discouraged to find that the fog in the harbor was so thick that it obscured any view of the lighthouse I had intended to capture with the sunrise which now also seemed in doubt. My only hope was to walk the pier and get closer to the lighthouse. Halfway down the pier the light came into view shrouded in fog giving it a really eerie feel (see my Wish You Where Here blog). 15 minutes later the sun finally fought it's way up through the mist and crawled into the sky appearing as a great orange ball. At that moment the memory of my way too early morning start became a whole lot less painful.

Day 325 > A Late November Surprise

2009-11-21T13:35:00.003-06:00

I can't say for sure that this find is entirely unprecedented but it certainly was a big surprise this morning to find fresh mushrooms this late in the year sprouting from the trunk of a tree along the trail. There is no doubt that there have been many years when winter has been in full swing by this date so these unseasonably warm November days spent exploring wearing only a light jacket definitely feel like stolen time.

Day 324 > Devil's River Gorge

2009-11-20T13:24:00.002-06:00

I've presented several photos from this river and waterfall over the course of the year but for whatever reason had not yet captured the gorge from this amazing vantage point.

Day 323 > The Mourner

2009-11-19T11:46:00.005-06:00

The forecast for today said scatter showers. Riiiight. The rain has been falling steadily and by the bucketful since I rolled out of bed making for an absolutely lovely day of shooting. Ai, ai, ai. I can't think of a day with less perfect conditions for photography. Please be gentle when considering today's submission....

Day 322 > Deep In The Parkway

2009-11-18T11:36:00.003-06:00

Sometimes wandering aimlessly can prove fruitful. A simple scene but something about the sunlight streaming through the trees and illuminating the creek just caught my eye this morning.
It was a tricky shot to capture with the sun shining directly toward the lens but with a little messing around I managed to avoid a lens flare and the combination of light and dark somehow balanced out for a perfectly lit exposure.

Day 321 > Holding On For Dear Life

2009-11-17T13:49:00.003-06:00

In the lowland White Cedar forest of the Baird Creek Parkway, the old, old trees try to maintain a perilous grip on the earth, their very lives depending on it, as natural erosion slowly carries away the soil beneath exposing their roots. Inevitably, these trees will one day topple, unable to hold on any longer.

Day 320 > Pear-Shaped Puffball Mushrooms

2009-11-16T13:46:00.003-06:00

No, an alien life form has not invaded the Baird Creek Parkway. These odd looking "pods" are actually the dried remains of the Pear-Shaped Puffball Mushroom. When they first appear they have a mottled white appearance but now, like nearly everything else in their surroundings, they have taken on the typical gold or brownish cast so prevalent throughout the forest in late Autumn. The mushrooms may no longer be living but they continue to do the job for which they were intended. Even a slight disturbance of one of the pods releases a little puff of spores through the hole at the top which is quickly carried away on the breeze...an action that, when witnessed, may indeed seem like something out of a bad alien invasion flick.

Day 319 > A Fluff Piece

2009-11-15T10:20:00.003-06:00

My 9am arrival at the milkweed patch that I'd had in mind for this morning's shoot could not have been more perfectly timed. The sun had not quite peeked over a the nearby hill leaving the patch in shade during which time I looked over the many seed pods bursting with tufts of fluff. Just as I found the one I wanted, sunlight began streaming through the branches of the oak trees on the hill and bathed the dead plants in a perfect dappled light, highlighting the color of the pods and adding a shimmer to the tufts which will soon take flight and carry the seeds away.

Day 318 > Oak Hill Cemetery

2009-11-14T16:36:00.005-06:00

Oak Hill Ceme tery; Neenah, WI

Day 317 > Friday Night Lights

2009-11-13T21:59:00.004-06:00

I had a little fun painting with light tonight on Monroe St where a passing city bus helped to add a sense of motion to this night scene.

Day 316 > Darkness There And Nothing More

2009-11-12T10:01:00.004-06:00

I spent my evening last night, no not "pondering, weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore" but searching the internet for interesting raven images that could be used as a tattoo design. I was disappointed to find so little that caught my eye and I wondered if perhaps I should just forget about it. But first thing this morning, upon raising the shade on an upstairs window I was surprised to see three large, black crows perched just outside. When I went out several more sat in the trees.
Is it a sign?

Day 315 > Autumn Berries

2009-11-11T11:18:00.003-06:00

Brilliant red berries hang before the drab late autumn landscape of the Baird Creek Parkway. These are sure to become a meal for a hungry bird once the snow arrives.

Day 314 > Ornaments

2009-11-10T12:27:00.003-06:00

A lonely old apple tree somewhere in the Baird Creek Parkway.
The intense red of these apples lit by the early morning sunlight made them stand out like glowing Christmas ornaments against the blue sky and the drab shades of the now dormant land.

Day 313 > Hickory Leaves

2009-11-09T20:20:00.003-06:00

The large Hickory nut tree to which these leaves belong was broken at the midpoint of it's trunk in late summer by high winds. I recall finding the upper half of this tree blocking the trail one morning, with the leaves still fresh and green. Now they are indistinguishable from the remaining leaves on still living but dormant trees. These leaves however have seen their last Autumn.

Day 312 > Midnight On The Waterfront

2009-11-08T00:40:00.006-06:00

I've always con sidered the draw bridges that connect East and West Green Bay to be relatively uninteresting from a design perspective but tonight I developed a new appreciation for one of them...the Ray Nitschke bridge over the Fox River. I took a late night walk along the waterfront and when I saw the bridge from this low angle with it's lights all aglow....wow. Quite the transformation.

Day 311 >

2009-11-07T15:36:00.001-06:00

...

Day 310 > Mausoleum

2009-11-06T14:02:00.004-06:00

One of the things I find really interesting about photography is the way that I am able to control the atmosphere present in an image simply with the angle of view or the details I choose to include or omit or by choosing to present it in color or black and white. This photo is an accurate representation of the basic scene but the feel of it is far from reality. Sort of dark and spooky, no?

Day 309 > Lonely Station

2009-11-05T12:10:00.004-06:00

At first glance this photo felt too much like a postcard but there was something about this place this morning - the sky maybe- that caused me to take note of the emptiness surrounding the old train station and liked it. It's almost unbelievable now to think that this was once the hub for travel in and out of the city. Passenger rail service between Green Bay and Chicago ended decades ago and despite higher gas prices and some talk of re-establishing a new high speed passenger rail system in Wisconsin, it still seems like a pipe dream that I could ever experience what once was the only way to go.

Day 308 > What Lies Beyond?

2009-11-04T13:45:00.005-06:00

A different look at the old chapel in the Allouez Cemetery.

Day 307 > A Surprising Encounter

2009-11-03T12:17:00.006-06:00

I dis tinctly remem ber thinking to myself as I walked through the fast fading autumn woods a week or so ago that opportunities to capture photos of many of the small creatures that had been so prevalent throughout the spring and summer were more or less coming to an end. With this realization I felt rather disappointed not to have included in the project things like snakes or frogs which I had so frequently seen during the warmer months.
With that in mind, it was a welcome surprise today to happen upon this Leopard Frog soaking up a few last rays of dappled November sunlight while resting on an old washed up timber on the bank of the Fox River. Like so many other encounters with frogs in the past, I expected it would quickly leap away but it stayed put and seemed to regard me not warily but in a sort of matter of fact way, as if to say "What, ya never seen a frog before?"
My intention in stopping by the river this morning was to capture a large ship about to pass under the tall bridge at its mouth and not expecting the frog to stick around, my mind stayed on the original subject. Frog continued to bask and since I had a few minutes before the ship was in position, I said hello and sat down beside my new friend, expecting Frog to flee finally, with me so close but still it stayed. Realizing at that point that a photo opportunity was quite literally staring me in the face, I carefully moved to Frog's sunny side and fire off a few shots.
Once again I post my daily photo completely surprised at what I've encountered...

Day 306 > Shine On

2009-11-02T00:52:00.006-06:00

Halloween may be over but that doesn't mean I can't have a little midnight fun with the Jack o' Lanterns!
I have always been fascinated by everything to do with this pagan celebration, from it's history to it's traditions, and at no other time of year do I feel such a deep connection to my childhood. I often say that Halloween is my Christmas and like a kid who doesn't want to pack up the toys Santa brought and go to bed, I try to prolong my favorite holiday for as long as possible.

Day 305 > Wind Farm

2009-11-01T15:11:00.003-06:00

I've had this shot in mind for the entire year but have repeatedly passed the turn off of the highway in favor of other locations. I finally made that turn today, not wanting to quit shooting on the most perfect Fall day I've seen in weeks. Beautiful Autumn light lent a warm glow to everything. And though I was happy with the shots I'd taken earlier in the day at Lake Michigan I found the clean white lines of the windmills set against this brilliant blue sky irresistible.

Day 304 > Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T11:36:00.003-05:00

A reshoot of last year's Halloween composition with wider framing and an alternative photoshop edit. I quite like the resulting mood so I'm feeling ok about this shameless act of self-plagiarism.

Day 303 >

2009-10-30T16:16:00.003-05:00

I've always, always got an eye out for the next photo subject and yesterday was lucky enough to spot this large mushroom growing halfway up a tree's trunk a little way back in the woods off Baird Creek Parkway road. I returned today once the rain let up and grabbed an easy image which makes up for the days when so much more hunting has been needed.

Day 302 > Birches

2009-10-29T10:32:00.002-05:00

...

Day 301 > They're Baaaaack....

2009-10-28T16:08:00.003-05:00

Yes, the fungi are back and it seems these friends of mine are going to be with me until the bitter end...or at least until winter sets in for good. A large group of these pinkish, almost skin colored mushrooms -some nearly dinner plate sized- formed 3/4 of a large fairy ring in a loamy area of a Baird Creek lowland.

Day 300 > Castaways

2009-10-27T11:33:00.003-05:00

I noticed an interesting similarity today between Man and Nature. As I've made my way around the city the past several days, I've seen a much greater volume of unwanted items left on the curb for the trash collectors by people cleaning up their yards, garages and basements in preparation for Winter.
In the forest something very similar is happening. All around, the unwanted leaves and pine needles, twigs and branches and anything else no longer of use are being cast off. The forest however, unlike the people, has a much better disposal plan. Whereas the broken and discarded plastic lawn chair I saw today will remain a broken plastic lawn chair for ages to come, the forest's castaways will quickly break down and once again become a part of the system from whence it came.

Day 299 > Bridge Over Baird Creek

2009-10-26T11:39:00.007-05:00

I've visited the banks of Baird Creek hundreds of times over the past decade and yet, until today, had never been to its mouth in the inner city where it pours into the East River and then carried on to the bay. For me, Baird Creek has always been a natural place separate from the nearby city so I've avoided the urban areas it flows through perhaps just to keep that wild illusion intact in my mind. However, I recently noticed this little bridge, barely visible across a field from a nearby street, and today decided to investigate. To my surprise, I found a very pleasant setting of old oak trees near the bridge and on down the creek that reflected in the calm water and blotted out the surrounding city.

Day 298 > Meandering Through Autumn

2009-10-25T12:21:00.005-05:00

An ab solutely stunning morning in the Baird Creek woods as Autumn's climax continues...

Day 297 > Autumn Flow / Fonferek Glen Falls

2009-10-24T17:00:00.004-05:00

The upper Falls of Fonferek Glen has been featured in this project a number of times this year. It appeared first as a massive frozen sculpture and not long after as a rushing spring torrent seen looking out from the cave behind. Now, after a long dry period, thin ribbons of water brought by sustained Autumn rains fall into the pool below.

Day 296 >

2009-10-23T15:36:00.003-05:00

I stood on a rock in the middle of a creek in a steady rain, clothes soaked, trying to set up the camera while keeping it as dry as possible. My dedication to this project is unquestionable.

Day 295 > Baird Creek / Autumn Gold

2009-10-22T12:20:00.003-05:00

There's GOLD in them hills!

A bonus:

Day 294 > Mt. Olivet Cemetery

2009-10-21T12:34:00.006-05:00

A heavily overcast sky, intermittent rain and golden fall color combined to create a strange atmosphere in this old cemetery this morning. Beautifully gloomy, no?

Day 293 > Fern's Autumn Glow

2009-10-20T10:47:00.003-05:00

...

Day 292 >

2009-10-19T13:13:00.004-05:00

A lichen-covered cross in the Fort Howard Cemetery

Day 291 > Fort Howard Cemetery Autumn

2009-10-18T10:41:00.003-05:00

A great place to wander and enjoy the Fall colors only minutes from home.

Day 290 > I'll Just Fade Away...

2009-10-17T12:53:00.005-05:00

Day 289 > Treeshells

2009-10-16T12:26:00.002-05:00

These fungi looked to me just like seashells growing from the tree's trunk, thus the title.

Day 288 > Six Steps

2009-10-15T10:46:00.005-05:00

I've shot this steps in the Fort Howard Cemetery many times over the years and therefore have avoided returning to it this year so as to not repeat my past works. But as one of my favorite graveyard subjects I decided I wanted it to be included in this project so I attempted to see it with fresh eyes this morning.

Day 287 Pick Me! Pick Me!

2009-10-14T10:19:00.003-05:00

Pumpkins wait patiently in a field hoping they'll be chosen as this year's Halloween Jack O' Lantern.

Day 286 > Cold Day Fungus

2009-10-13T14:52:00.003-05:00

The huge snow flakes which fell for half an hour yesterday afternoon were followed by temperatures that plummeted well below freezing last night so it was with great surprise that I discovered this fresh looking beauty sprouted from the side of a tree this morning in the university campus arboretum.

Day 285 > Cascade Of Color

2009-10-12T11:18:00.003-05:00

The Autumn color show should be reaching the its peak very soon now...

Day 284 > Cave Point

2009-10-11T20:13:00.003-05:00

On the rocky shore of Lake Michigan at Cave Point County Park.

Day 283 > Trinity Church 1878

2009-10-10T14:50:00.004-05:00

Trinity Church of Milwaukee, WI

Constructed in 1878. The building was designed by Fredrick Velguth in Victorian Gothic style.

Declared a Milwaukee landmark in 1967, a State Historical Landmark in 1979 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Day 282 > Devil's River Autumn

2009-10-09T12:08:00.002-05:00

I've looked forward to capturing this autumn shot since the Spring, just knowing it was going to be stunning. Indeed.

Day 281 > America...The Beautiful?

2009-10-08T11:27:00.003-05:00

Since the very beginning of this project I've had the idea for a photo of the day that would address an environmental issue. Today I was inspired..or perhaps infuriated enough...to finally go with it. This site, a badly neglected public access point to the Fox River, exists not far from the middle of downtown Green Bay where over the past few years, millions of dollars have been spent on a riverfront boardwalk and other improvements designed to draw people to the river and the newly "revitalized" downtown district.
Meanwhile, away from the shiny, renewed city center, there is this disgraceful mess. Trash and debris of every description litters the shore. But there is something far worse that isn't evident in a photograph...contamination from oil storage tanks just across the street. The stink of oil here is overpowering. A drainage pipe leads from the property of US OIL carrying with it residuals that end up going directly into the river just a few hundred yards from it's mouth and the bay beyond.
I suspect the Environmental Protection Agency will enjoy this photo of the day...

Day 280 > Baird Creek / Autumn Cascade

2009-10-07T11:03:00.002-05:00

Back to Baird Creek once again today. The morning started out sunny which is great but my plan to capture this image was contingent upon even lighting. Luckily, clouds began to move in just as I arrived and the shot went perfectly.

Day 279 > Into The Forest Ethereal

2009-10-06T12:32:00.003-05:00

It's been another cool, rainy autumn day but the light was nice and the wetness added color saturation and good contrast to the woods. I added a little atmosphere of my own by experimenting with a fogged lens which I accomplished by breathing on the lens a second or three before the timer ended and the shutter released. It tooks some time to get the effect just right but I think this turned out really well in the end.

Day 278 > Steeples

2009-10-05T12:23:00.004-05:00

The steeples of St. John's and St. Wille brord's churches as seen from the top of a downtown parking ramp.

Day 277 > Rail Bridge

2009-10-04T13:01:00.003-05:00

Well, maybe this photo works or maybe it doesn't but I had fun once again exploring where I've not been before...

Day 276 > A Forgotten Bridge

2009-10-03T11:25:00.003-05:00

Like so many people, I've driven past this old train bridge that parallels one of the busiest thoroughfares in my city a thousand times yet I had scarcely noticed it as I went by. It does take a bit of craning of the neck to see these stone arches below so it's understandable that it is so overlooked.
Recently I had begun to look more closely as I passed and today decided to see what it looked like from below. Arriving at the edge of the little river that passes under the bridge it became evident that few people ever go there judging by the lack of trash that visitors to anywhere tend to leave behind and the lack of much graffiti on the bridge. It's kind of nice to think there are places like this within the city that are rarely seen by anyone else...

Day 275 > On A Rainy Day Hike

2009-10-02T16:29:00.004-05:00

It was "raining cats and dogs" most of this morning but during a short respite I took a quick hike to shoot my favorite trail which I had saved as a subject for just this sort of day. The even light and the more vibrant colors of the wet surfaces made the scene absolutely perfect.

Day 274

2009-10-01T11:49:00.006-05:00

A quick one at a nearby church. I captured a similar image of this a few years ago and wanted to give it another try. It's wholly (or perhaps HOLY haha) different from what I came up with that first time and I'd say more interesting. You'll have to take my word for it on that.

Day 273 > Backyard Bounty

2009-09-30T14:48:00.002-05:00

....

272 > Decay And Renewal

2009-09-29T11:44:00.003-05:00

A paper birch forest stand in succession. Given time all will be replaced by the sugar and red maples which have already begun to take hold here.

Day 271 > Oh, The Things You'll See Down Here

2009-09-28T14:55:00.004-05:00

Autumn arrived "in person" this morning with cool temperatures, a sky threatening rain and a gusty forty-five mile per hour wind that blew away any doubt that summer has passed. I took refuge way back in the woods where the trees and deep ravines provided somewhat of a buffer from the gale. As I ventured into a section of the woods I had not visited in quite some time I discovered some interesting views I will revisit on a calm, brighter day for even with the windbreak behind me the trees shook and swayed making sharp photos a bit difficult. As a result I thought it best to find my subject down low today and as luck would have it, I had stumbled into what could only be described as a fungi garden! Throughout a crumbling section of forest in transition from pioneer species such as Paper Birch, grew multitudes of mushrooms or shelf fungi feasting on the decaying limbs and trunks of the fallen trees as well as around the longer lived trees that will carry on.

Day 270 > In A Wild Sunflower Patch

2009-09-27T12:28:00.003-05:00

A patch of wild sunflowers shine with everything they've got trying to hold Autumn at bay...