Last week I was in the Bluff County of the Mississippi River teaching a photography workshop. This area has a unique geology that feels atypical of the rest of the Midwest. It’s a section of the landscape that wasn’t flattened by the glaciers, so it has many rolling hills, steep valleys, scenic rivers, and towering palisades. It’s also known as the Driftless Area. For photographers, it’s an unknown gem. My group were the only people with tripods at every location that we visited.
I am about to embark on a family trip to a national park out west. I am really looking forward to it, but your post about the Driftless area reminds me that we have beautiful landscapes all around us and you don't have to go far from home to see them. You just have to open your eyes and mind. Both my daughters go to college in IA and I am looking forward to a fall road trip along the Great River Road that includes a stop in Dubuque. I definitely want to check out that church!
My wife and I paddled the length of the Mississippi in 2013 and the driftless was one of our favorite sections. Have a special place in our heart for Andy Mountain Cabins in Harper's Ferry, who put us up during days of storms and flooding.
We take the Mississippi north each year to drive to Lake Superior’s north shore for some quiet time and cooler temps. Your choice of Dubuque is a perfect choice for a workshop. I would help carry tripods just to be included as I shoot with my trusty IPhone. I might even upgrade my phone camera just to be included! Thanks for sharing your shots and I love your essays that describe the area you are visiting on each workshop. I send these comments from our 10 day spot in Grand Marais, MN as we begin our road-trip home thru Dubuque tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your talents with me. Your photos & writing are truly a treasure you share. gary
Nice article about the area Bryan. Like you, I grew up in the Driftless area, in my case in southwest Wisconsin on the eastern edge of the driftless area. I rarely get back there anymore but each time I do, I marvel at the hilly beauty and light variation one experiences, driving back into a hollow for example. Going back to the Driftless topography was much more appreciated after I went to college and then lived in central Iowa fora total of 9 years.
I spent yesterday in the Driftless area of Minnesota’s Mississippi. Unfortunately the haze from the Canadian fires obscured a lot of the color and turned the distance vistas blue-grey. My husband and I watercolored the beautiful Lake Pepin from the sweet little town, Stockholm, WI. I invite you to come enjoy the amazing bluffs along the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers too.
I am about to embark on a family trip to a national park out west. I am really looking forward to it, but your post about the Driftless area reminds me that we have beautiful landscapes all around us and you don't have to go far from home to see them. You just have to open your eyes and mind. Both my daughters go to college in IA and I am looking forward to a fall road trip along the Great River Road that includes a stop in Dubuque. I definitely want to check out that church!
My wife and I paddled the length of the Mississippi in 2013 and the driftless was one of our favorite sections. Have a special place in our heart for Andy Mountain Cabins in Harper's Ferry, who put us up during days of storms and flooding.
We take the Mississippi north each year to drive to Lake Superior’s north shore for some quiet time and cooler temps. Your choice of Dubuque is a perfect choice for a workshop. I would help carry tripods just to be included as I shoot with my trusty IPhone. I might even upgrade my phone camera just to be included! Thanks for sharing your shots and I love your essays that describe the area you are visiting on each workshop. I send these comments from our 10 day spot in Grand Marais, MN as we begin our road-trip home thru Dubuque tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your talents with me. Your photos & writing are truly a treasure you share. gary
Nice article about the area Bryan. Like you, I grew up in the Driftless area, in my case in southwest Wisconsin on the eastern edge of the driftless area. I rarely get back there anymore but each time I do, I marvel at the hilly beauty and light variation one experiences, driving back into a hollow for example. Going back to the Driftless topography was much more appreciated after I went to college and then lived in central Iowa fora total of 9 years.
I spent yesterday in the Driftless area of Minnesota’s Mississippi. Unfortunately the haze from the Canadian fires obscured a lot of the color and turned the distance vistas blue-grey. My husband and I watercolored the beautiful Lake Pepin from the sweet little town, Stockholm, WI. I invite you to come enjoy the amazing bluffs along the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers too.