Saturday Snowday with Christmas Wreaths

So last week Wisconsin received it's first real taste of winter and I was deciding whether to head out for pictures or to stay in my jammies.

The snow won.

Donned in my snowpants and every bit of skin snugly wrapped as what you are supposed to in Wisconsin if you are smart and not fashion conscious.  Imagine Ralphie and brother Randy from A Christmas Story.  

Attractive, I know.

Today's post is really just a follow up with my winter adventuring.  Because of the weather I had taken careful precautions to protect my camera, which had the unintended effect of poor focusing due to my autofocus being hampered by a hair band or the edges blurred by the edges of grocery bag.   The lens hood I thought was firmly attached flopped off into the snow not 50 feet from my front door.  Not the greatest start but I was determined to press on.

Today's scene is what I consider a whimsical composition to celebrate the contrasts of harsh snow and Christmas cheer.   In real life the streetlights were not lit and there are no lighted wreaths hanging joyfully.  This largely stark scene at Menominee Park has been dressed up as I carefully tread into the world of creative compositions using Photoshop Elements.  

If you look at my compositions you will see that I really am a minimalist at heart.   I love trees, silhouettes and simple sunrises. So I was happy that this scene turned out as I'd hoped; highlighting the blowing snow,  This area is the only stretch of parkway that is free from the wires and frames of the Celebration of Lights displays.  So really in order for me to get a Christmassy feeling it would have to be in post production.

A lot of really neat compositions can be made just by throwing together different scenes, adding textures, custom brush effects and with a lot of patience and perseverance they can be on par with original paintings.   On my Flickr account I follow the work of Cheryl Tarrant.  She seems to make it look so easy and after a handful of years I really haven't made a dent in my creative works.

Today's composition is just a beginning for me.  The next week or so I'll be staring at this from time to time to determine if any further tweaks are needed.  Maybe boosting some contrasts or remove the opacity levels of the wreaths so they stand out more.   All in all it was a fun exercise.   The lights added to the streetlight and wreaths were done by using the steps outlined by Bitesize Business School.  

Celebrating First Real Snow in 2016

I can see from my window that a proper Wisconsin winter has finally arrived.  It's easy for me to pick an appropriate photo which is from my Death Watch collection Winter Ledge Homestead.   The sound track for this post was from Skyrim.  As mentioned in my Facebook post, if God needed a soundtrack for creation I would have recommended this.   At the bottom of this post is the video for your listening pleasure.  You are most welcome.

Yesterday (Saturday) I passed a couple walking with their ski poles.  It was somewhat kooky looking but knew that it was all in preparation for today's treat of gliding on skis whether on a trail or just across town to get a coffee or cocoa.    I recall a glorious evening when I strolled through Main Street in West Bend one wintery evening with a friend. No cars in sight, just a ghostly ribbon of road only visible by the amber colored streetlights.   From the top of Barton Road one could have probably skied to downtown.  

As I am writing this I'm cognizant that this is probably the best chance I'll have to get some fresh winter photos and really I don't have to go far if I don't want to.  So Gentle Reader I'm weighing this decision as I'm still in my pajamas and resting quite comfortably in a warm home to watch the snow fall and consider baking Christmas cookies.   But some of my best photographic memories are ones where I'm surrounded in the worst weather. So you know my conundrum.

In fact, the snow fall is very much like what I encountered when taking Winter Ledge.  Usually I listen to classical when driving in snow but the Skyrim soundtrack is also perfect considering the game's environment includes snow covered mountainous regions. I could probably do a full essay on Skyrim's soundtrack but perhaps another time.


The snow is still falling and I have a decision to make.

Sleep like Sheep by Dawn Braun

or "Sleeping Under the Oak Tree"


I have always wanted to photograph a grove scene and normally I pass them by because I really don't see how to pull out anything interesting.

©2015 Dawn Braun

Such a grove is outside of Fond du Lac, on the corner of something and Hickory Drive, which is a block away from the enchanted Hobb's Woods, a wooded area surrounded by farmland that has a wonderful river/stream weaving its way through.


Today's entry is not about Hobb's Woods but the dozing sheep. I'm not sure if I want to tweak any more but what I really like is the study of textures here and how highlights can add it's own texture to the image.


Some of see a wonderful place to relax, others just see the potential for stepping in sheep shit.

Maybe that should be the title.


Have a Great Weekend to All!  Thank you for visiting!

So Whats Been Going On Since 2009?

This WheretogoWisconsin blog was started December 9th, 2007. 

Back then, I really had no idea really what a blog was. All I knew then was spending a crapload of time trying to find new and possibly interesting places to explore that were FREE. Gas prices kept me restricted to places that were an hour's drive from my home.   There HAD to be others out there with the same needs and already had 5-6 places to share so that made the first few posts. The others required research and for that I grabbed a gazetteer. It really is the best reference guide for traveling.  For my purposes I kept my travels limited to an hour's drive which is approximately 55 miles from the Oshkosh area.   Eagerly I opened the atlas and studied the pages as if searching for hidden treasures.  My hope is that you will be infected with the need to explore these places as I was.

My last post was at the Point Beach Ice Age Trail as I was attempting to do the impossible: Find a group of people with similar interests while in the throws of a photography binge.  NOT REALLY A GOOD COMBINATION.  

So what's been going on since 2009?

To put it simply, I've been having a torrid affair with Photography.  During Christmas of 2009 I upgraded to a Canon 450D (XSi) and things haven't been the same since.   It didn't change the way I took pictures but it most definitely helped with the quality. Suddenly I was all about shutter speed, aperture, ISO and shooting in RAW format.  Then it became about studying Abandonment.

The best example I can come up with is from my Death Watch series:

Older Camera, an HP Photosmart, taken 01-01-2001
loaded to my WheretogoWisconsin Flickr Account



Newer Camera, a Canon 450D, taken 02-20-2010
loaded to my Dawn Braun/Sistereinstein Flickr Account

You see, Gentle Reader, I never stopped exploring, just changed direction. 2010-2011 was a great year for photography. I signed up to be an assignment photographer and made a few sheckles here and there for Gannett's Wisconsin Outdoor Fun. It's been a few years and my name has since been removed but the memories remain!  Sadly, I removed those from my Flickr albums. Really I could kick myself for holding myself back and also for not sharing those adventures on this blog. To be honest I'm having a hard time seeing how those two identities could possibly merge. 

Today's post is the first step in combining those personalities.

What's new with WheretogoWisconsin:

1)  Post titles include the city/town/village.

2) Google's Map location has been added.  There's been great advancements since the beginning and I hope it helps you better locate these fine treasures.

3) Better Pictures.  Much better pictures.

http://wheretogowisconsin.blogspot.com/2007/12/abandoned-homes.html

Winter Walkabout - Hobbs Woods

Taken February 2015

It's been awhile since my last upload.    I was driving with my adult son Aaron, looking for inspiration and ultimately ended up on Fond du Lac.

For winter subjects I look for brooks or streams with open water and at Hobbs Woods it was exactly what I was looking for. There were a few cars there but the park is big enough (60 acres) that you occasionally crossed paths each other.

One woman was with her two spaniels when one of them broke through the ice. Aaron and I were close enough to help if needed, and within about 10 seconds she was out of the cold water.   The now wet dog saved herself and made a bee line for us.   She had to tell us her story and shook herself off next to us before running back into the snow.   Not exactly the greeting I was looking for and made sure my camera was tucked away.

So if ever you are in the area - Hobbs Woods is located on Hickory Street, heading east, looking for the farm with 7 blue silos known as Cotton Wood Creek Farm.


Wheretofind: Hwy 41 to Hickory Road Exit, head west (away from Fondy) and you will be going through an industrial park. Continue following this road until you reach the stop sign which is the corner of Hickory and Larsen. Ahead of you is a farm to the right, and right across from that is the entrance to Hobbs Woods.

What to expect: Shallow creeks, natural trails, steep hills with some rest benches, cross country ski trail. No bathroom unless you count the privacy provided by trees and shrubbery.

Holy Hill - Hubertus

Photo credit: scillagrace.com

Official name:   Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary Help of Christians at Holy Hill  Hubertus, (Washington Cty)

A LOT of people come here as part of their Religious Pilgrimage. See how many different state plates are crammed into this area. A LOT of tourists are there as well, just to see what the hubub is all about. If visiting, please respect the services that take place.

This is also part of the Ice Age Trail,though finding a decent trail map was IMPOSSIBLE until interactive maps became available but the map to Holy Hill's access to the Ice Age Trail is easier.

On the bright side, one of the main attractions to Holy Hill is the enclosed tower. I have gone there a few times, and the view is quite majestic on the right days, the stairway is quite narrow and normally it is packed with people who are on the verge of passing out from either the heights or from claustrophobia.  NOTE:  The Scenic Tower is open daily May 1 to October 31
Hours: Sunday: 1:30 pm -- 6:30 pm Monday - Saturday: 9am - 6:30 pm

This area is nearby RUSTIC ROAD 33. While in this area, take a moment to check out:

Glacier Hills County Park (Washington Cty). This map is a brochure, but it seems to be the only place that shows a decent view of the park itself and the available trails. HERE IS A TRAIL  MAP

Hogsback Road (Washington Cty). This is not a place to travel in winter, and as a passenger you will see cars at the bottom of ravines on both sides of the road. All 3 locations (Glacier Hills, Hogsback Road, Holy Hill are pretty close to each other and the link should show the path to each location).

Wheretofind: 1525 Carmel Rd, Hubertus, WI 53033

What to expect:  Grottos, twisty roads shrouded in trees. One ginormous Church.