Minnesota Pictures: Photos That Define Minnesota

The Harvest

2009-11-11T13:41:00.002-06:00

from flickr user PXLated
From my upbringing on the family farm in southern Minnesota, I can relate to all things rural - particularly farming. This year, as witnessed by this photo taken this past weekend near Chandler, MN waaay out west in Murray County, the fall harvest had been moving at a snail's pace. High crop moisture and an excess of rainfall has put most farmers 4-6 weeks behind schedule. This photo tells a great story simply by it being taken on November 7th and the soybean harvest is still moving forward. On a side note, my parents wrapped up their 340 acre journey through their water-logged soybean fields yesterday. It's fair to assume that they slept in today.

Asleep

2009-11-11T13:36:00.001-06:00

from flickr user Tim Regan
This location is hard to describe. It's near Mendota/Mendota Heights and between Highway 55 and I-494. It's not Highway 13 but maybe 913A. It's still considered the Sibley Memorial Highway. Access to this is from the Big Rivers Regional (bike) Trail. It's near the roadside and overlook of Ft Snelling State Park. It looks like there is a trucking distribution center across the street from this.

Two Harbors Lighthouse

2009-11-11T13:34:00.000-06:00

from flickr user siskokid
The Two Harbors Light is the oldest operating lighthouse in the state of Minnesota. The lighthouse is located in the city of Two Harbors, overlooking Lake Superior's Agate Bay.

35 years ago today, the freighter S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald left Superior, Wisconsin, headed for Detroit with 26,000 tons of taconite when it encountered a November gale on Lake Superior. Unable to reach shelter, the ship went down — taking with it a crew of 29 men.

Cinematic

2009-11-10T13:25:00.002-06:00

from flickr user fivesixzero :: Erik Hess
It takes a damn good photographer to make a movie theater of any style look stunning but this photo of the Stone Arch Cinema at St. Anthony Main is just that - stunning.

Reflection

2009-11-10T10:32:00.001-06:00

from flickr user conner.mccall
A reflection of downtown Minneapolis icon The Foshay Tower captured during an excursion the photographer described as "being a tourist in his own town".

Deer hunt 2009

2009-11-10T08:49:00.001-06:00

from flickr user GSankary
An old road house that was along the old dirt road that took people to Mille Lacs from the cities up to the 1930s. When they built 169, or the road that would become 169, it was built a half mile or mile east of here on the other side of the Rum River. You could still make out places where the road is sort of visible through the property. Mostly where there is a life of newer growth poplars through the the old oak forest.

Brilliant Bridge

2009-11-09T13:12:00.002-06:00

from flickr user CarloBambino
While this photo is a nice example of nighttime photography, the star flares coming off the lights are almost too much.

The end of the season

2009-11-06T13:35:00.001-06:00

from flickr user yearofthewhitedog
With the clouds rolling and the shadows seeming longer than usual, this photo feels like November.

The Minneapolis Library

2009-11-06T13:31:00.001-06:00

from flickr user ssphotos2009
The public library building in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. Shot made just before dawn.

The gift of the moose

2009-11-05T21:55:00.000-06:00

from flickr user Steve took it
The photographer says:
"Our trips to the paddle-only wilderness area along the border of Minnesota and Ontario are not really about fishing. It‘s just easier to tell everyone we’re “goin’ fishin’” than try to explain we’re going to rejuvenate our souls in a pristine world of natural beauty unchanged since the Ojibwa tribe made it home. People would just roll their eyes.

The magic of becoming one with nature has been a topic of conversation around many campfires. We’ve decided that when a traveler sacrifices modern conveniences and schedules, and leaves clocks, phones and work at home, the wilderness is more likely to bestow them with certain “gifts”. And for us, the most valued of these are the gift of loon calls, the gift of northern lights and the gift of the moose. Any one of those precious gifts makes for a GREAT trip. The rare perfect trip grants all three.

As usual, on this trip we tried to select campsites with northern exposures, and about the fourth night in were rewarded with a clear night and incredible show. The shimmering greens and red explosions of Aurora Borealis put civilized fireworks displays to shame. And twice we camped in lakes where we could sit quietly at the waters edge and hear loons on both ends of the lake exchange hauntingly piercing calls. On most trips we would surprise more than one moose as we paddle into a secluded bay or drifted by a quiet marsh. But for 12 straight days the moose remained elusive.

Every morning we discussed if this would be the day for the gift of the moose. I was beginning to suspect one of my companions cursed us with a smuggled cell phone or something. And sure enough, on the last night of the trip my friend confessed he had packed an alarm clock to make sure we got an early start on our final push home. I crawled into my sleeping bag, swearing to the spirits that it was not MY alarm clock, but resigned that two out of three gifts was pretty darned good.

It was still pretty dark when I woke to what sounded like distant grunts. HRUUP! HRUUP!

“What the heck is that?” I asked my snoring, technology-whipped tent-mate.

“I don’t hear anything….scared of the dark?” he said sarcastically. Then he glanced at his uninvited clock and said, “Stop worrying and go back to sleep because we have to get up soon.”

Instead, I threw on some clothes, grabbed my camera, and jumped in the canoe to follow the grunts. I quietly paddled around our point and into a little bay behind our campsite. And there I received the ultimate gift of the moose.

For more than 30 minutes as the sun slowly peeked up through the morning mist I sat mesmerized as this majestic beast ate and explored less than 30 feet away. He posed, grunted, and swam in front of me several times before finally climbing back on shore and noisily disappearing through the trees. The BEST gift of the moose ever!

Sunrise Rock Lake St. Croix State Forest

2009-11-05T15:52:00.001-06:00

from flickr user Jim's outside photos
The photographer says: "I slipped onto the water at first light this morning and found this light show!"

Jim's Apple Barn Also Sells Bacon!

2009-11-05T13:23:00.001-06:00

from flickr user Monkey River Town
Made a trip down to Jim's Apple barn just south of Jordan, MN on Hwy 169. Been going there for years. Not only do they have many different kinds of apples, fresh pies, and tremendous candy selection, they also have bacon.

Downtown Northfield, MN

2009-11-04T12:45:00.000-06:00

from flickr user kindofindie
Downtown Northfield, Minnesota. It's got two highly regarded liberal arts colleges, Carleton College and St. Olaf College, and there's an artsy, indie vibe to the town. Which is weird, because there's nothing else like it nearby. It's grown a lot because the Twin Cities have grown and it's on the fringe of the metro area.

St. Paul, MN

2009-11-04T12:43:00.001-06:00

from flickr user GretchenMariePhotography
A perfectly photographed silhouette of the St. Paul skyline.

Conor Oberst

2009-11-03T14:26:00.000-06:00

from flickr user mplsjeff
Conor Oberst, photographed during the Monsters of Folk tour at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis on October 29th, is one of those singer/songwriters whom you either love or have never heard of. You may know him better from Bright Eyes fame. He's also a midwesterner hailing from Omaha, Nebraska. Check out his music if you even remotely like alt-country, indie rock or folk rock music.

Daryl

2009-11-03T12:22:00.001-06:00

from flickr user Christopher Ward
The most impressive detail behind this photo is that the only light used is from the campfire illuminating the subject's face. This is a stunning example of nighttime photography.

Two Harvests

2009-11-02T13:11:00.001-06:00

from flickr user PXLated
Harvesting the Wind, Harvesting the Corn. Photo taken this weekend near Chandler, MN.

It had been a good day

2009-11-02T13:08:00.002-06:00

from flickr user HelenJr
Taken near Park Rapids, MN, a few years back this is what autumn colors should look like. Remember them fondly as it's now November - typically the cloudiest month of the year in Minnesota.

Spooky Couple on Nicollet Mall

2009-11-02T13:01:00.001-06:00

from flickr user erlin1
These two were taking a stroll on the Mall. They were a cross between babies and aliens. Kind of something out of Fringe.

Downtown Minneapolis

2009-10-30T14:24:00.000-05:00

from flickr user Shia Yang
Anyone can take a photo of a skyline but this photo of the Minneapolis skyline is one of the best I've ever seen. Patience, a good eye and a good camera makes it happen.

The cordial cocoon

2009-10-30T12:22:00.000-05:00

from flickr user Ruptured Dog
Wow. I'm a huge fan of light art like this and while this is simple it gives me my fix for the day.

Milkweed Seeds

2009-10-30T09:18:00.000-05:00

from flickr user djsime
A killer photo taken at Austin, Minnesota's Hormel Nature Center. The Milkweed seed pods are filled with smooth as silk seed material making the weed pleasant to have in your neighborhood.

Haunted House

2009-10-29T15:15:00.000-05:00

from flickr user glness
An awesome photographic trick with the light from an obvious long exposure pouring out through the windows of this abandoned house near Vergas, MN. Perfect for Halloween.

Ski Jump in Autumn or Stairway to Heaven?

2009-10-29T13:12:00.001-05:00

from flickr user Croixboy
The rather impressive ski jump at Hyland Hills Ski Area in Bloomington, MN.

Target Field, Minneapolis, MN

2009-10-29T13:10:00.000-05:00

from flickr user kla4067
Nearly complete in September 2009, Target Field becomes the new home of the Minnesota Twins Baseball team as of opening day April 12, 2010. Will seat 40,000 screaming baseball fans.

This shot looks like it was taken with a tilt shift lens but what you see is the effect of a distorted plastic window on a DC9 while approaching MSP.