We've had a LOT of rain in Minnesota recently.  One benefit for photographers is anywhere that normally has flowing water currently has noticeably more flowing water.

This shot was taken yesterday at Minnehaha Falls.  They are currently running heavy and high.  Great fun.  Go see for yourself.

Minnehaha Falls detail

I figure I'll finish off the set of examples from Lake Harriet that I took on Saturday.  This one's of the Peace Garden.  For those of you who may be curious, the frogs from yesterday were on the other side of the bridge at the edge of the pond there.

My grandfather Leo was a photographer and photofinisher.  One of my greatest regrets nowadays is that I really wasn't interested in photography while he was alive.  I would have loved to be able to share that interest with him.  Before one vacation I took, however, I did receive one valuable tip from him.  Try to create a frame in the photo; it brings interest to the subject.  That's what drew me to capture this image.  The trees on the side and plants on the bottom create a natural frame through which the garden can be viewed.  It would have been even more interesting and dramatic if the tree branches at the top were also silhouetted, but you can't have everything. Peace Garden

Photographers can be very focused people. [Yes, I know, AWFUL pun.  It will be used frequently today.]  Watch a photographer trying to take a macro shot someday.  They'll set up their tripod.  Shift it a quarter of a millimeter.  Shift it back.  Wait 5 minutes for a gust of wind you can barely feel to die down.  All while staring intently at the subject and waiting for the perfect conditions.  You could walk up and chat, but not really be heard.  Focused.

At the same time, it is very easy to distract a photographer.  All it takes is something different.  For instance, while at Lake Harriet on Saturday, several of us were shooting in the Rose Garden (see yesterday's post).  We decided to move on to the Peace Garden and get some landscapes.  Set up and took a couple of shots.  Walk around the small pond with the bridge across it, trying to not get too wet from the bits of water that have not soaked into the grass.  Look down.  "Hey, there are a couple of frogs here."  Garden is forgotten.  Landscape is forgotten.  Flowers are forgotten.  Butterflies and birds flying around are forgotten.  Wish mosquitos could be forgotten.  Instant focus on frogs.  Move around, up, down.  Try to get good angles.  Switch lens to get a closer shot.  Shoot groups.  Hope they don't turn.  Wish they'd eat something.  Focused once again.

45 minutes later you catch your breath, wipe the perspiration from your brow since the drops have been stinging your eyes.  Realize that you need to leave soon.  A good morning's shoot.  Not what you came for, but good nonetheless.

Below is one of the Leopard frogs.  This one is a Burnsi phase, which doesn't actually have spots.

Leopard Frog - Burnsi Phase