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Still Standing Watch
1st PlaceStill Standing Watch
markwiley


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2026-01 (Standard Editing)
Collection: Portfolio
Camera: Fujifilm X-Pro2
Location: St. Joseph Lighthouse, St. Joseph, MI
Date: Jan 25, 2026
Date Uploaded: Jan 30, 2026

 This lighthouse is a couple of hours from Chicago around the south end of Lake Michigan. For many years I have wanted to photograph it when it was iced over. However, conditions have to be right for it to get like this. It helps to be very very cold, but not cold for so long that the surrounding water ices over. And, you need a very strong wind from the northwest, so the waves can build big as they roll down the lake.

In the past, when I found out the conditions were right for the lighthouse to ice over they were never right for me making the drive. However, on Saturday I heard things were looking good, so I headed off at 4:15am and got to the lighthouse about sunrise. Hoping for a little color in the sky was asking too much.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 40
Avg (all users): 8.1000
Avg (participants): 7.9091
Avg (non-participants): 8.6250
Views since voting: 147
Views during voting: 68
Votes: 30
Comments: 18
Favorites: 1 (view)

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AuthorThread
 02/09/2026 05:12:08 PM
Wow..... congratulations! <3
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2026 10:18:08 PM
Originally posted by Lydia:
"so I headed off at 4:15am"

This is fantastic!!!

(BUT... you seriously need some counseling, friend.)

:D


Haha!

When I read that I thought man, Mark you’re serious!

Thought this could only be your shot, superb journalism.

I also knew it had to score over eight, congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2026 07:23:31 PM
"so I headed off at 4:15am"

This is fantastic!!!

(BUT... you seriously need some counseling, friend.)

:D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2026 09:50:40 AM
CONGRATULATIONS Mark! Over the top photography! Best shot and perfect for the winter we are having.
You are a Master! Corner to Corner Perfection. Stunning! Epic is a perfection description. Congratulations on your unbeatable Personal Best!
PS 10 from me, and I would have given this image higher if I could have, its sensational!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2026 09:18:52 AM
Congratulations on this epic photo. The subject is of course great but your capture of it outstanding!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2026 07:10:24 AM
Congrats on nailing this so perfectly, Mark. "Iconic" is a word that comes to mind for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2026 03:23:17 AM
Wow, almost a personal best for you, Mark! Helluva well-deserved score. It was a 10 from me. An amazing image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2026 02:57:28 AM
Awesome shot, and a score to match! Congrats Mark, well-deserved accolades
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/08/2026 12:19:30 AM
It surely is a piece of art. Snow and cold in their perfect artistic collaboration moment. They just needed you to spread their art.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
02/07/2026 07:10:34 PM
Great shot. Makes me feel cold just looking at it. It’s going down to 7 degrees tonight where I am. My pick for the Blue. It’s the perfect ribbon for this!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/07/2026 05:33:51 PM
Makes me very glad I'm in a nice warm house, looking at this on a monitor and not in person!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/07/2026 11:14:13 AM
Stunning! My favorite in this challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/07/2026 09:25:01 AM
Makes me cold just looking at this!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2026 11:43:08 PM
Oh, this takes me back to my younger days in Michigan and the piers in St.Joe - they'd get crazy ice on them in the winter. Nice catch. Great job handling the color tones. This has to be a drone shot to get that close. No way you're walking the piers right now!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/04/2026 01:16:14 AM
What an epic image, definitely a photo I would love to shoot one day, a rare 10 and this is definitely the blue for sure!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/02/2026 08:01:15 PM
Wow. That’s quite the sight.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2026 10:31:05 PM
Came back to bump up my vote. Really nicely seen and processed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/01/2026 10:11:38 AM
Absolutely beautiful! A 10 from me. Hoping for a blue ribbon for this one! Stay warm, Mark? :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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