Senior Photos at the Old Boathouse on Lake Superior
Joannie and I are pleased to share Josh’s senior photos at the old boathouse on Lake Superior with you today (and a whole lot more)! Josh and his parents were up north with us as part of our 25th Annual North Shore Weekend just a couple weeks ago!
Weather-wise, with one short-lived exception, this was one of the best weekends we’ve had in recent years. Both days we had pleasant temperatures, very light winds, and for the most part, it was overcast with fog at times too. It made it very nice for creating wonderful images (almost) all weekend long.
Josh, at the old wooden boathouse near Two Harbors, MN.
Dueling Photo Sessions
Josh is a 2021 senior at Hill Murray High School. In addition to Josh’s senior portraits at the old wooden boathouse (and at several other North Shore locations), we simultaneously photographed Alex and Alyssa’s engagement portraits as well. We’ve had great success with our “dueling sessions” concept for the past several years. It allows Joannie and me to cover a lot of ground with two clients at the same time. This year, we began the weekend at the beautiful Glensheen Mansion in Duluth, Minnesota.
As mentioned, we had one little wrinkle in the weather department and it happened right away at Glensheen on Saturday. About thirty minutes in, it started to sprinkle, followed by a pretty steady rain. We all stopped where we were and used one lone umbrella and all of our photography reflectors to attempt to stay dry. It sorta worked. Kinda. No, not really.
Josh at Glensheen with the cool stone arch bridge in the distance.
The small reflector that Joannie and I were taking cover under leaked. So once the rain slowed up for a minute, we all headed for much better cover inside the nearby stable. After about a half-hour, the rain stopped (for the rest of the weekend), and the sun even came out! So we got back to work.
Senior Portraits on Lake Superior
After a whole bunch of fantastic photos all over the property, we departed Glensheen Mansion and headed up Highway 61 towards Two Harbors, MN. Josh’s parents, Andy & Josie, knew of an old wooden boathouse on the way. That would be our next photo stop. Having never been there, we followed them to the location. There it was, a well-weathered, wooden structure right on the pretty Lake Superior shoreline.
Josh at the old wooden boathouse near Two Harbors, MN.
We created some really nice images there, including some with a large freighter off in the distance on Lake Superior. Josh also shoots trap for the Hill Murray Trap Team. So we created a few images of Josh sporting his grandpa’s Remington 1100 12 gauge shotgun there as well. A great location for that!
Originally, we were also going to photograph, and possibly light paint, Josh with an old truck that’s been in the family for many, many years. However, it was not possible to get the truck that far up north. More on that in a bit.
Josh, in an alley just down the street from where the 3M Company was started.
From the old wooden boathouse, we headed to Two Harbors, MN for some fun images in the business district, a late lunch at the local Irish Pub, and then some more cool photographs down by the iron ore docks. Josh also brought some of his fishing gear along, so he “wet a line” right there at Two Harbors.
Got one!
Split Rock Lighthouse
We headed on our way to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. But first, we made a real quick stop at Iona Beach. We’re talking very quickly! It was there that we photographed Josh with his great-grandpa’s .22 long rifle.
Josh and his great grandpa’s .22 long rifle in the forest.
Because of the rain delay and the unplanned (but very enjoyable) late lunch, we were running out of daylight. I asked everyone if the lighthouse photographs were important to them and it was a unanimous yes! So after just a couple of photos of Josh, and then of Alex & Alyssa, we hit the road once again to try and beat the nighttime. It was pretty dark out, but by using a tripod and one of our high powered strobes in a large 48″ softbox, we got some much-needed light to get the job done just in the nick of time! Here’s my favorite senior photo of Josh at Split Rock.
A very nice senior portrait of Josh at Split Rock Lighthouse.
Josh’s Senior Portrait Session #2
As I mentioned earlier, there was the chance that a cool old truck might be up north for Josh’s senior photos. When that didn’t happen, I suggested that we create some additional images back home with the truck. Of course, even though I hadn’t seen it, I was hoping to light paint the truck along with Josh. I’m very pleased to say and that we did just that (and even more)!
That cool truck was Josh’s great-grandpa Edmund Greufe’s 1950 Dodge B2C pick up truck that he, his wife, and nine sisters used on the family farm. The truck features a 218 cu.in. Flathead motor. It sat in a garage for 30 plus years because great-grandma didn’t drive. Josh’s parents, as well as his uncle Mark and his wife Carrie, restored the truck is 2012 (in its original colors) and gave it to Josh’s grandmother, Mavis, for her 6oth birthday. What a sweet gift!
Great-grandpa’s 1950 Dodge BSC pick-up truck.
I will definitely be sharing the light painting of Josh and the 1950 Dodge B2C once I get it completed. It’s going to look so cool!
Look, and Ye Shall Find…
When I met with Josie to scout out a spot to photograph the truck, we uncovered (literally) a big bonus in storage. A 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 was sitting under a tarp next to the truck!. The awesome color: Mystic Teal Metallic! Oh yeah, we light painted that one too and will share it with you once it is completed as well. Here’s the “regular” image.
Josh, with uncle Mark’s cool 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85.
In the meantime, I’ve put together a nice music video with some of my favorite images from Josh’s senior pictures at the old wooden boathouse, plus daylight photos with the 1950 Dodge B2C, and the 1966 Oldsmobile Cutlass F-85 too! Thank you for reading our post and have a great one! – M&J