Trav's Photo Blog

Kiss That Bass!

Travis Frank — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:17:47 +0000

This picture is priceless. My sister showing love for her birthday catch - a smallmouth bass. The lighting of the sunset sky really gave the two subjects good color. Somehow, I manage to get lucky with these things and take another picture that I will never forget. This one combines two of my favorite things in the whole world - my family, and fishing. I think I will leave it at that. A very happy birthday fish!

Fall Grass

Travis Frank — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 13:28:00 +0000

Fall is a photographers dream. So many colors and so many opportunities. It seems everywhere you look, another picture is waiting to be taken. Typically these pictures are taken of the bright colors and leaves, but I was strolling through the Carver Park wilderness near my home yesterday and I stumbled upon these fine looking blades of grass. Maybe you can help with the name, because I have no clue. The only thing I know about them is that they sure captured my eye. I snapped a few pics and will post them all with time. This is one of favorites. Just the way the light shines through makes the glow stand out. The sun in the background and the blue sky. I don't know why, but I like it. I hope you do too!

Muskie Strike!

Travis Frank — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 16:00:11 +0000

It's always fun to capture the hero shot. The big fish and the big smile always make for a great memory. Over the years I've managed to share in many of these "fish of a lifetime" moments. I assure you that they never get old - Ever! While they are fun to capture, I've found it enjoyable to add a twist to the picture. In this shot, I didn't do the standard horizontal pose with the fish. Instead, I wanted to show off the head of the beast while also keeping other aspects of the picture in the background. I'm not sure if this happened on accident, or by luck, but I'll take the final result. Dusty and I have caught thousands of fish together in our short lifetime, this picture happens to be one of my favorites!

Alaskan Bush

Travis Frank — Tue, 10 May 2011 13:00:52 +0000

I can say without a doubt that this phrase is true. "No picture will ever do Alaska justice." We said that many times on our visit. I tried my best to capture the beauty of it all, but came up short. It was so vast and the view was all around. Too much for a camera lens. This particular shot is one of my favorites. It comes from the Wood River. As I sit down to write this I'm sure the ice is gone and the water is flowing over this log, but not then. At that time the ice was just starting to break up and water could be found below our feet. In fact, that was the water we survived off of during our trip. Yep, crystal clear mountain water ready for drinking. It didn't get much better than that. Nor did the endless view!

Smallmouth Battle

Travis Frank — Mon, 09 May 2011 13:01:01 +0000

Fish, Fish, and more Fish! My life revolves around them. I figured it was time that I try to capture some of the cool things they do. Some day I will own an underwater camera that allows me to go down after them and steal their picture. For now, I have to hook them and bring them to me. I spent an afternoon on the Mississippi river trying to get a few cool shots of the battle. This is one of my favorites. The water churching from a fighting smallmouth is not easy to capture. I am very happy with this one. In fact, it's been my screen saver for a few weeks. Hope you like it!

Winter In Saskatchewan

Travis Frank — Fri, 06 May 2011 13:14:37 +0000

I took my first trip up to Saskatchewan. Unfortunately, it was during a very cold time of the year. We were filming a television show in the middle of the bush. That part of Canada actually reminds me of northern Minnesota. The only difference was that it was far more desolate. We were right on the fringe of the forest that runs to the arctic tundra. I forget the name, but that doesn't matter much. What matters was the beauty of the snow that covered everything. While we were there a new coating covered the landscape each night. The pines and Birch trees had a very cool look to them. Here is my favorite shot of that place. I'm not sure why I like it, but I just do!

Water Splash

Travis Frank — Thu, 05 May 2011 13:00:44 +0000

Every once in a while I get a shot that I just can't stop looking at. A few weeks back I was lucky enough to celebrate my best friend's wedding down in Florida. Mike and Jenn tied the knot and got baptized in this very ocean. Prior to their big day, we took ample time to enjoy the fishing and scenery that Florida is famed for. This was just one of hundreds of pics I took while on our stay. For some reason, it just catches my eye every time I look at it. I can't put my finger on it, but I like it. I hope you do too!

Bald Eagle vs. Catfish

Travis Frank — Wed, 04 May 2011 13:00:27 +0000

Who wins in this battle? Bald Eagle vs. Catfish? I think this is an easy one. Me! I win because I get the chance to sneak close enough for a shot at the distracted eagle. Ha! These birds are becoming more common every year. A few weeks ago I was floating down the Mississippi river in search of walleyes. Yes, we found the walleyes, but we also stumbled across this epic scene. The eagle was totally consumed by his meal and we drifted within range of my camera. I must say that a close glimpse at these birds never gets old. Never! I hope you enjoy this view as much as I did taking it!

Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights

Travis Frank — Tue, 03 May 2011 15:35:10 +0000

I was recently on a trip to Alaska. First off, what an incredible opportunity. I am truly blessed for the opportunity to work in such an amazing place. As I do on every work trip, I toated my camera at my side. To my surprise, I was rewarded with one of the most incredible pieces of scenery I have ever seen. To some it's called the Aurora Borealis. To others, it's the Northern Lights. Whatever you call it, it's an incredible sight to see. Each of the 8 nights we spent in our secluded river valley cabin, you could see them dancing in the sky. To make it better, they covered the entire sky, not just the north facing side. I may never see these again, so I took the time to capture them. The secret that I learned after 3 nights of poor quality shots was this. Focus your camera on the moon, then set up the tripod for the shot. This brings everything into focus. This shot was a 30 second exposure. I hope you enjoy!

Diamondback Rattler...

Travis Frank — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 13:36:00 +0000

First off, I hate snakes. I've hated them ever since I was about 12 when I realized that it aint cool to pick up a snake and play with it. Even though I hate them, I still wanted to find a Diamondback while in New Mexico. I've never seen a rattle snake in the wild and it was high on my list for critters to photograph. The 2nd evening of our trip, our truck came to a slamming hult as two diamondbacks slid across the road in front of us. I instantly had the heebie jeebies, but I put my long lens on and tried to get a good shot. This isn't the highest quality photo in my gallery, but it has sentimental value to me. This is the infamous view of a rattle snake in the attack position. Scary! I wish you could have heard the sound of the rattles while I snuck in for a close shot. Goosebumps still cover my body when I think of it. Cool stuff!