Life in Mn... (Dialup Warning, 9 shots)

[davev]

You have a plan to go picture taking, you wake up and it's -16 F.
Perfect. We have a spot down stream from a power plant that has
hundreds of Trumpeter Swans.
The air needs to be below 0 to have the steam coming up from the river.
Today, there was a little more steam than I needed, but it worked out.

A few shots.

Before sun up.
http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245057982-L.jpg

http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245057990-L.jpg

One other person was foolish enough to be out there today.
http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245057977-L.jpg

After sun up.
http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245058055-XL.jpg

http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245057996-L.jpg

http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245058013-L.jpg

Finally the steam/fog started to die down.
http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245058034-L.jpg

The sing along.
http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245058049-L.jpg

The reason they're all here?
This gal started feeding the swans 21 years ago. At that time there were
I think she said 20. The estimates for this year are at 1200 swans.
http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245058062-L.jpg

[Awais Yaqub]

Dave ! Splendid photography

[PrescottPhotog]

You have a plan to go picture taking, you wake up and it's -16 F.

I agree.. beautiful photos and great narrative to go along with them..:clap :clap Thanks for sharing.

Question.. do you have any problem with your camera or gear at those temperatures and fog/mist.

[Maestro]

#4,5, and 6 are stunning. The rest are quite good but those were my favorites by far. That lady really has her hands full now! :D

[52Caddy]

Great shots Dave!
I miss MN since we moved to Milwaukee.
Didn't they have some sort of problem with the swans a year or so back?
Eric

[bkatz]

Awesome shots Dave.

Now I just have to find some lady willing to do that around here.....:huh

[JenGrace]

You have more guts than I do going out in cold like that. :D

[swintonphoto]

Wonderful. Stunning. The first two are simply fantastic.

[jeff lapoint]

Great series, but #2 is simply wonderful!

-j

[davev]

Thanks everyone.

PrescottPhotog, after I use my cameras and lenses in this kind of weather,
I do nothing special with it afterwards.
Many people put their cameras in bags before bringing them into the house,
I've never done that. Your milage may vary.

Today I used a Canon 30D with a Canon 400L f5.6 lens, a Canon XTi with a
Canon 28-300is lens, and a Panasonic DMC-TZ3 to get a couple of shots of
me standing in the cold for the Dgrin challenge.
They're all still working fine.

Now here's a odd bird.:D
http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245058068-L.jpg

[Elaine]

Wonderful series! Beautiful colors! I find that first one very unique - very well seen! I was not expecting to see such a large group at the end...amazing! :clap

[Izzy Garavito]

Hey Dave, great shots! Where do you go? I live in Woodbury and have been wanting to find a good sunrise spot by a river/lake. I'll try to get a good capture of the refinery here in the mississippi (i'll see how good the sun rise is above the trees). where do you usually go?

Izzy

[Giphsub]

Wow Dave! Gret set! :clap Thanks for sharing! I love #2 and #4 particularly :thumb Any Aussies on here might appreciate this: Thatguy in the picture you posted last must be Rex Hunt!

[Kezele]

Great Post!

[davev]

Thanks again everyone.

Izzy,These shots were in Monticello. Do a search for Swans in Monticello, Mn,
and you should get all kinds of info.

I looked through the shots again this morning and found a couple more that I think are good.

http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245058024-L.jpg

http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245356300-L.jpg

This one is a rare full frame shot.
http://davev.smugmug.com/photos/245356320-L.jpg

[Giphsub]

Wow! And that last one! :clap

[David L. Megahey]

INCREDIBLE !!! Those are the kind of pictures I'd love to take, in time I will.
These are a great motivator, thanks.:bow :barb

[Harryb]

Marvelous set Dave, gave me chills from the beauty of the shots and because it looks so damn cold.

[Ann McRae]

Gorgeous Dave!!!!
Several of the swans in mist shots look like they should be illustrations for a childrens book or maybe Swan Lake - they are really beautiful and surrealistic. Kinda like a Monet.

And I really love your self portrait - made me smile!

Were you at the Packers game today - dang, it was warmer here than it was there?!!!

ann

[davev]

Thanks again.

No Ann, no Packers game for me.
My 2 favorite teams are the Vikings and whoever is playing the Packers.:D

[Vycor]

Few words come to mind... and i quote billy madison:

"Stop looking at me swan!"

[Giphsub]

:rofl

[saurora]

Exquisite light in #2 and the last one!!! :lust

[Trish323]

Just stunning! You have truly captured the scenes as I ran to get a sweater while viewing!:clap:clap:clap:clap:clap

[Travis]

Awesome set! And now I feel like a wuss because I woke the other morning, saw that it was 20 degrees, and crawled back into bed. :roflIt looks like I'll be getting up this weekend.