Intrigued with the reflection of the boat on the water in his photo Early Morning Pierside, Shorewood resident Al Whitaker says the unique lines of the watercraft represent a historical element of the lake area. “It could have easily been a postcard from the early 1900s,” Whitaker says, adding, “That is, with the exception of some of the ‘modern stuff’ in the background.”
A hobby photographer who enjoys the relaxation that snapping photos provides him, Whitaker says he captured this photo with his Olympus D-SLR camera shortly after sunrise on Memorial Day 2011 in Excelsior Bay near Bayside Grille. “I was looking for the perfect photo that would lead to a repeat victory in the landmark category of the Lake Minnetonka Magazine photo contest,” admits Whitaker. He felt the vintage watercraft in the marina represented simpler times and an era gone by, and so did we.
Whitaker doesn’t always carry his camera with him but adds that he tries to get out every morning before sunrise or after sunset to take photos.
When it comes to snapping shots in the lake area, Whitaker’s favorite spots include downtown Excelsior, “stunning sunrises” on Excelsior Bay and the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, where Whitaker is a member of the photographer society—though he adds he doesn’t restrict his quest for the perfect photo to the lake area, and often drives around to see what catches his fancy.
