Our National Lakeshores: Craig Blacklock
Lake Superior’s two national lakeshores – Apostle Islands in Wisconsin and Pictured Rocks Michigan – share geological attributes, but remain distinct, says Craig Blacklock, a photographer who knows them intimately. “The biggest similarity is that they’re both sandstone-based geology.”
But what Lake Superior has done with that sandstone created some striking differences.
“The Apostles have more extensive and intricate sea caves,” Craig says. “Pictured Rocks is more about verticality – the primary landscape being the big cliffs … and mineral seeps that basically paint the rocks.”
This spring Craig released two photo books, one on each lakeshore. He has done work in Alaska, Florida and elsewhere around the country, but about 30 years ago, he says, “I decided I wanted to spend the rest of my life photographing Lake Superior.”
Making a living at that can be a challenge, both as a business and just getting the great pictures.
Getting into position for early morning photography meant Craig had to don his dry suit in the dark, paddle his kayak to the location and stand chest-deep in Lake Superior’s chill waters to get composed before the sun clears the horizon.
For these latest books, Craig produced two sizes, creating a smaller, less expensive take-home souvenir and an oversized coffee-table art book.
“Digital photography techniques are allowing me to expand my creative vision, making images that would have been impossible only a few years ago,” Craig says.
His photos are displayed at Blacklock Photography Galleries in Moose Lake, Minnesota, and Waters of Superior in Duluth. In August, he will teach photo workshops on Madeline Island. Find out more at www.blacklockgallery.com.