Monday, August 30, 2010

Busily at Work

Although it's been a few weeks since the last blog post, the cameras have been busily at work.  In the meantime, we have started preparations for a large photography exhibit that will be installed at the NPS St. Croix Falls visitor center on September 24.  Be sure to stop by!  The exhibit will later travel to Wausau, Madison, Cable, and Spooner. Stay tuned for details. 

We extend a special thanks to craftsman Steven Zimmerman of Duluth, who just put the finishing touches on handmade oak frames in which the photos will be displayed.  Each frame is a work of art in itself.

In a couple weeks, we'll be heading to Black Iris Gallery in Spooner for a day of matting and framing our photos under the instruction of professional framer JoAnn Martin.  We'll post photos from our day at the gallery.

In the midst of all the exhibit planning, we are still finding time to seek refuge in the peaceful comfort of the Riverway, cameras in hand.  Below are a few photos from the last couple weeks.

-Ben Thwaits, Project Leader

"This photo made me have a whole new perspective on this creature.  I would have normally thought it's just a silly frog.  But if you really look at it, and feel it looking back at you, it's a beautiful creature." Photo called "A New Perspective" by Cody, age 16. 

  "I like this picture because it's in really good focus, and I remember having to sneak up on it step by step to get really close."  Photo called "Butterfly in the Leaves" by Jordan, age 17.

"This picture is half scary and half beautiful at the same time."  Photo called "Snake on the Shore" by Logan, age 12

"These flowers are nice.  They stick out like myself.  And they're small, but they have a lot of potential." Photo called "Potential" by Chris, age 15.

"I like this picture because it looks like this toad is playing hide and seek."  Photo called "Hiding Toad" by Kayden, age 14

Monday, August 9, 2010

45 Degrees of Gratitude

"Many go fishing all their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after." – Henry David Thoreau


This past Friday, fly fishing guides Tom Bowers and Jeff Butler of 45 Degrees North Fly Fishing Company donated a day of guided fishing and nature photography on the St. Croix River to two In a New Light participants. While the boys caught beautiful smallmouth bass and captured amazing photos, the day turned out to be about something much more profound than fish and photos. It was about the way the boys hung on to every word the guides spoke, and how their faces cemented into perpetual grins. It was about the sense of solemn reverence Tom and Jeff expressed toward the river, and the passionate way they extolled its beauty and our need to protect it. It was about the meditative, rhythmic hum of line cutting through air as the boys became conductors of their own fly rod sonatas. At the hands of a river and two of its sages, a couple young lives were forever changed. What an incredible gift. Thank you Tom, Jeff, and Kathy.

Jordan and Nick with the 45 Degrees North family before hitting the water.  Their hospitality was heartwarming.

Nick uses his photographic mastery to capture Jordan's emerging fly casting mastery.

"It was amazing" said Jordan.  "It would be pretty cool if I could be a fly fishing guide someday."  He goes on to explain, "There is something different about flyfishing.  It's not just about hauling fish in like regular fishing.  There is something much more calming about it."   Photo by Nick, age 15. 

Guide Jeff Butler explains the finer points of bass poppers. 

Nick and Jeff celebrate Nick's first fish on a flyrod.  Nick's knees were shaking for literally an hour after the battle.  "I have to figure out how to buy a fly rod as soon as possible.  I can see doing this for the rest of my life," Nick explained.

  
Guide and 45 Degrees North owner Tom Bowers sends the boys away with parting words of wisdom.  Notice the grins.