Waves of Georgian Bay pound the Bruce Peninsula coastline, in Bruce Peninsula National Park, Canada
It is no surprise I have a love for water and shorelines, and fortunately around the Great Lakes, we have an abundance of them in great variety. This, combined with a love for diving, I suppose I get a pretty healthy dose of being around water. However, it is quite rare for me to be around it when it is really rough. It certainly doesn’t make for a pleasant diving experience, and for whatever reason, I don’t encounter it that much when I am just out randomly shooting shorelines.
There have been a few times over the past few years where I have been witness to the raw power of the sea. The power where you are thankful you are just an observer and not a participant. You can just imagine being thrown around like a rag doll filled with hamburger given to a pack of wolves. But if it were not for these instances of raging seas, we would not have many of the picturesque coastlines that we do. Even in the face of rock, water always (or eventually) wins.
Little Cove harbors no “little” waves in Bruce Peninsula National Park, Canada
These observations over the past few years have really wet my appetite (no pun intended) for seeing more. It gives me something to think about during this time when I am exploring and reaching for ideas. The last time I experienced such turbulent seas was last year in the Bruce Peninsula when gale warnings were issued across the Great Lakes region, especially in northern Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.
I must say I was just mesmerized by watching the water pounding these cliffs. I watched how it smashed, sprayed, and trickled back down as if creating massive splatter paintings on a canvas larger than any artist could imagine. I think I spent 3 hours or so just watching the spray climb up these cliffs in the photo of Little Cove here.
That thought gave birth to a project of observing this force in nature, especially where it isn’t usually expected. Periods of time that may be relatively fleeting, yet may leave impressions that last for centuries or mere seconds. These are the types of themes that I can get excited about, but it may be awhile before I can actually act upon it. So here I am writing and dreaming about it going further instead! 🙂
It is a project that I am sure will take many years to accumulate a substantial amount of images since I get to observe it so infrequently. These large cliffs and rocky coastlines aren’t exactly in my backyard where I can run out whenever the weather turns nasty. However, it is something I will be watching for here as the seasons start to change, weather gets more volatile, and the closeted storm chaser in me starts to come out.
These few here are just a start to about a dozen I have accumulated so far.
Turbulent paintbrush strokes
Fantastic photos! I am longing to hit the trails with my camera sometime soon. All your photos are very inspiring!
That is very kind of you to say Leanne. I wish you great images in your future.
Thank you very much Leanne.
This is definitely a worthwhile project, and a really gorgeous set of images! I am looking forward to seeing it evolve…
Powerful images that will contribute to a great project, Mark. I am also quite fond of water and these images really speak volumes. I agree…image number two is amazing. Quite an experience.
Steve, thanks.
I agree, image 2 is impressive! I also really like image 3 – I’m a total sucker for water flow & texture, and I can shoot hundreds of frames, getting a different image each time…
— Jack
Thanks Jack. Yeah, I must have 200 frames or so of that wave crashing over that large pillar. Each and every one a bit different. The mist didn’t always carry so far up the hillside, so that is what made this particular one stand out for me. It had a big “amplification” effect.
I like all the movement and drama of these images. Energizing stuff.
Thank you David. Yes, energy is a very key element here. Imagine if we could capture and store such energy?
That sounds like a project that I can get into. I was just talking to a friend, the other day, about my time spent on Lake Erie fishing and how a sudden change in wind direction meant that you needed to get your butt off the lake, and quickly. I remember riding a small 3-man boat back between the swells of 4-6 ft waves, which by Lake Erie standards aren’t that high. I’d love to be on shore … rather far back, when the waves are 6-8 or perhaps 8-10. I’ve never seen any of the other Great Lakes, but I will certainly follow along and watch as your project unfolds.
Are you planning to keep a gallery of them around as you build it?
Hey Paul… Yeah, Lake Erie can get pretty nasty pretty quick because of its east-west orientation and is relatively shallow. I would not want to be in that small boat in those waves… I’ll bet it was a bumpy ride. I am with you, I prefer seeing from shore.
On the gallery question, actually I have started one here: http://www.grafphoto.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=98
It contains a few more images than what I have here.
Hey, Mark. Thanks for the link to the gallery. Looks like you have a great start!
Very impressive photos, Mark. Living near the shore of Lake Ontario, i understand the attraction to the waters in the Great lakes Region and the beauty they hold. This is a worthwhile project and i’m hoping to see more.
Thanks Ken, I am hoping it will develop sooner vs. later.
It certainly sounds like a project to be excited about, Mark, and if these photos are examples/samples of the project it will also be a powerful and beautiful series. I’ve often thought it would be exciting being a “storm-chaser” photographing natures fury…this is much the same. Best of luck on this!
I almost had the opportunity to be a real storm chaser Earl, but I’ll save that for another post. 😉 Thanks for the wishes, it may be awhile before I accumulate any signnificant numbers.
I’ll look forward to that storm chaser story, Mark!
Earl, if you become a storm chaser, I’ll follow your work. I’ll be your number one fan! 😉
Thanks, Paul…perhaps if I was younger — when I was fast enough to get out of the way but not smart enough to worry about it! 🙂
These are terrific Mark. I think this will be a great series and look forward to watching it develop (also no pun intended). There’s just something about the power in nature that speaks to how fragile our lives really are.
Thank you Roberta. I agree, we are quite frail compared to such forces.
Whoa, image number two is impressive and I assume the sound was also impressive. Waves have a mesmerizing affect on me, whether that is a rocky coast of sandy beach. I don’t have much opportunity to see the coast lines but I do enjoy them when I can.
I’m not sure I really have long term projects that I focus on. However, I do have themes and subjects and when looking back through my archives, I can see they are building up in numbers.
Thanks, Mark!
It was an impressive sight Monte. I think the sound was a combinations of many things from the storm and the wind was blowing fiercely. It is worthwhile to look back in those archives Monte. ThAnks for the comment.