Treasure Hunting in the Minnesota Woods

As a kid growing up in southern Minnesota, I had two things in abundance:  close proximity to the woods and a vivid imagination.  I took advantage of both.

I made forts to protect me from the bad guys that I just knew were out there, searching for me with clearly nefarious intentions. I climbed trees to survey the land in case anyone was in distress and needed the assistance of a skinny, nine-year-old, self-proclaimed Master Of The Woods.  I skipped rocks on the river, practicing up for that big rock-skipping-contest that I was certain would happen any day now in the ravine behind my house.  Sometimes, things got heated and I had no choice but to take matters into my own hands, shooting the bad guys -- who bore an uncanny resemblance to glass bottles -- with my slingshot, grinning ear to ear when the bad guys smashed nicely into little pieces.  And, it goes without saying that I regularly searched for and found hidden treasures scattered throughout the woods.

This, of course, should not come as a surprise.  Any self-respecting kid simply knows that there is treasure in the woods.  It's just a matter of finding it.  Which was always an adrenaline rush because, for me at least, the treasure was actually real.  

Every spring, my family would grab some pillow cases, hit the woods and hunt for marvelous Morel mushrooms.  Morels are an easily identifiable, edible delight that can be found in the woods across the entire Midwest, New England and parts of the South.  Fried in butter, they are a tasty treat indeed.

Even better than the eating was the finding.  There's just something about tromping through the woods, knowing that just around the bend might be a treasure trove of goodies waiting to be found.  Or not.  Sometimes, we'd spend an entire day scouring the countryside and not find a thing.  Other days, it seemed we'd see Morels everywhere we looked.  Regardless, it was the thrill of the hunt that kept us addicted.  Much like how a slot machine keeps you playing with the promise that the next pull might be the jackpot, the woods keeps you hunting for that next delicious score.

Just over a week ago, for the first time in over twenty years, I decided to fuel my addiction once more and entered the woods just outside my hometown of Mankato, Minnesota. This time, I had a Morel virgin with me and I really wanted a successful hunt so that she would understand what all the fuss was about.  Literally within three minutes we struck gold.  There, like a diamond in the rough, was a cluster of three Morels poking through the leaves.  For the next hour, we weren't treasure hunters, we were treasure finders.

And another Morel mushroom addict was born. ^_^

Marvelous Morel Mushrooms

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Mushroom Hunter

(Click HERE for original version.)

Wind, water, waves... and yoga.

During my stay at Kalani as the Artist-In-Residence, one of the things they assigned me with was making images of people doing yoga.  Kalani is renowned for their yoga, both for their many excellent instructors and for the wide variety of yoga styles that they teach.  As such, they wanted dynamic image of people practicing the craft.

While scouting, I found an area on the coast where the waves regularly slammed hard into the rocks, shooting high into the air.  The power of it was astounding!  Thinking that it would be a perfect spot to bond with nature and practice yoga, I set about creating an image of someone practicing yoga with the thundering waves as a backdrop.  After many days conceptualizing and then shooting, I came away with some great images.

Below are a couple images from the yoga shoots.  The first one was shot in the afternoon, and the next one was shot at sunrise the very next morning.  As you can see, the wind completely died during the night allowing for a perfectly still tidepool complete with reflections.  The end result are two images with similar concepts, but very different outcomes.  I want to give a shout out to my friend Lynn for posing for these shots for me.  She was very patient and resilient -- standing still for hours while being pummeled by high winds and waves is not easy.

I will have more images from the trip posted soon.  Until then, take care!

"Arise!" 

"Sorceress"

Time for a teaser.

Aloha!  After an incredible month, my time here in Hawaii is coming to an end.  To say I've gotten some great shots here would be an understatement.  This has been one of the most productive trips I've ever had, both professionally and personally.

Next month, once I've had time to edit them, I will have more images from the trip to show you.  For now, I have a little teaser image for you.  It's an image from my first lava shoot.  Witnessing the ocean and lava battle it out was awe-inspiring.  It truly was.

Until next time, Mahalo.

"Creation Meets Destruction"

Click HERE for large version.

I found Hawaii hidden under my couch.

Ever found money hidden away in an old pants pocket or book?  Or under the couch cushions?  A hidden treasure you did not expect!  Awesome, right?  I know the feeling.

Earlier today, in preparation for my trip to Hawaii tomorrow, I went through some of my decade-old Hawaiian images and found a couple keepers that I hadn't noticed before.  I'll call them my Images From Under The Couch.

As I'm quite busy today, I'm going to keep this photoblog post short.  Suffice it to say that next month, I should have a bounty of tropical images for you to get you through the rest of the winter.  Until then, take care.  And keep warm! ^_^

A Long Way Down

(Click HERE for large version.)

Sunbathing Seaturtle

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Some sick photos from a sick photographer.

sick

adj. sick-er, sick-est

     1.  In poor health.

               He was sick all day with the flu.

     2.  Mentally unstable, disturbed.

     3.  In bad taste.

               That's a sick joke.

     4.  Having an urge to vomit.

     5.  (slang)  Very good, excellent, awesome.

               This photograph is sick!

Happy New Year from the Caribbean!

I sure as hell hope that 2013 goes a lot better for me than 2012 is ending. I've recently come down with Dengue Fever, a mosquito-borne illness that's sort of like the flu on steroids.  I'm not a doctor, but my personal opinion of this tropical malady is this:  IT SUCKS ASS. On top of the physical symptoms, the psychological horror of being cooped up while it's beautiful outside is a veritable hell.  Ugh.

Venting aside, I do actually have some new photographic sweetness to demonstrate. Last month, I entered the prestigious Ocean Views Photo Contest. It's an annual contest focusing on all things ocean related, from wildlife, to weather, to recreation. I entered almost 50 images, many of which you've seen here before. There were, however, some images from the Caribbean I entered that have never seen the "light of day" here, so I thought I'd share them with you. None of them have titles, but I wrote a small description below each.

That does it for this entry and for 2012 as a whole.  As always, thanks for your continued readership.  Wish me luck in the contest.  And Happy New Year!

Bachelor party hijinks.

The sun rises in the wee hours of an all-night beach party.

A man floats lazily in a rain shower.

One of many boats in the annual Christmas Boat Parade.

People relax on a yacht at Buck Island National Monument.

Mother Nature Always Bats Last

Like death and taxes, one thing you can always count on is that both the canyon country of Utah and the mountain country of Colorado will always show you a damn good time.  

We had some extra adventure thrown in this go-around, courtesy of Mother Nature.  A rare and powerful thunderstorm pummeled Canyonlands National Park on our third day, complete with tarp-tearing winds, drenching downpours and hail aplenty.  Ironically, the storm day ended up being the favorite day of the trip for most of our nine-man expedition, myself included.  The weather brought with it stunning clouds and good light.

On our very last day, we got one last smack by the weather gods, as the road out of the canyon was completely washed away and unpassable for cars.  All the bikers went on ahead, but for myself and the other truck driver (we had two SAG vehicles to carry the group's gear), it meant turning around and retracing 100+ tough, 4X4 miles back to where we had entered the park days earlier.  It was a grim prospect, because we didn't have enough fuel and the daylight was at a premium.  No way did we want to be stuck on the treacherous canyon roads after dark.  We only had about six hours of light left, and the ranger at the roadblock said it'd take at least seven hours to drive out.

I drove it in four and a half.

Yep, the desire not to be stranded in the wilderness alone was, shall we say, a powerful motivator.  I put the pedal to the metal, bought gas along the way from another camp, and was back in Moab with time to spare.  I met with the rest of the group and we all went out for a fun Saturday night on the town.  The other driver?  He didn't have my... enthusiasm, and ended up stranded in the wilderness for one more night before finally returning to civilization the next day.

I'm still not completely sure if he wasn't the smartest one of us all.

Canyon Gloaming

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High Adventure

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 The Way

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Canyon Canvas

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Stormy Desert

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 Harmonious

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Lobster

(Click HERE for larger version.)

Time to get leid.

They say everyone deserves a second chance.  I think that's a bunch of crap.  I say everyone deserves a fourth chance... at least that's what I keep telling myself lately. How else can I explain my good fortune at landing a fourth trip to Hawaii?

That's right:  this winter, after a five-year hiatus, I'll be packing up my lenses and returning to the Big Island of Hawaii.  Like before, I'll be exploring every corner of this magnificent island in search of beautiful images.  Only this time, I will have an additional role to play.

I'm proud to announce that, after a lengthy application process, I have been selected to be the Artist-In-Residence for the month of February at the renowned Kalani Oceanside Retreat on Hawaii.

Kalani is like nothing I've ever heard of before.  It's a combination retreat/sanctuary/wellness-center located in the remote Puna region of Hawaii. Situated on a lush, 100+ acre plot, Kalani is a place for people to come and unwind, recharge, connect with nature and leave the hectic pace of the modern world behind.

But, Kalani is much more than just a retreat.  It's a non-profit, thriving eco-village that practices sustainable agriculture and places great importance on concepts of family and community.  You can stay there as a paying guest, or you can volunteer there for months at a time, joining over 100 others in helping out with the many different things needed to make Kalani run smoothly.

Or, if you're lucky like me, you can be the monthly Artist-In-Residence (AIR).  As AIR, my primary job is to use my photographic skills to make a beneficial contribution to the Kalani community.  As such, I have been charged with creating works of art for use both on Kalani's website and throughout the property.  I will also be teaching photography classes both in the field and in the classroom.

In exchange, I will be given room and board in a special VIP section of the compound with free access to healthy, chef-prepared meals and world-class facilities.  There's even a large clothing-optional pool. (You know, in case your swimsuit gets too, um, constricting.)

Of course, the best part will be the community and island itself.  Living and working in one of the most amazing places on Earth meeting friendly folks from all around the world isn't exactly the worst way I could think of to spend my time.

In celebration, I have posted some of my favorite Hawaii images from the past below.  Hawaii has always been very good to me, and I have no doubt that this time that trend will continue.  I can not WAIT to get back out there!

That about does it for this month.  Next time, I will have the images from my recent trip to Utah and Colorado.  Until then, thanks for reading as always.  And Happy Halloween! ^_^