January 12 – Ghost Ship

Lake Superior lets off steam as an ice-covered Laker enters the Duluth Shipping Canal on a freezing January morning. Fingers freeze, and camera batteries die quickly in this weather, so quick snapshots are the rule of the day.

There are a few days of Duluth’s year when conditions are right for thick sea smoke, but those challenging days make for some beautiful images.

All three forms of water are visible here: steam, liquid, and ice.

The swirling fog, icy-cold steel, and soft light combine to chill you to the bone while warming the spirit. Winter is the master season for photography in the Northland.

By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast. Job 37:10

Winter strips the world to its essentials—cold, light, and breath. In that simplicity, the presence of God becomes easier to see.