Sheer Superior

The life of Minnesota nature photographer Craig Blacklock has often revolved around Lake Superior, sometimes quite literally: He circumnavigated the entire lake by kayak in 1991 for one of his epic projects.

Now, after decades of focusing his lens on the big lake, Blacklock has amassed a collection of those photos in Superior: A 50-Year Photographic Journey, a new large-format book that captures the sheer expansiveness of Lake Superior: its vast horizons, rocky shorelines, fog-shrouded islands, and many moods, from serene to exuberant to raging.

Viewed from land, water, and air, from all the U.S. states and the Canadian province that touch it, Superior is revealed by the photographer to possess even more breadth, depth, and drama than many of us have previously known.

These pages feature photos from the book that center on Minnesota’s piece of Superior, the North Shore, in all seasons. From early kayak-shot images to more recent drone’s-eye views, they provide a vivid and vital perspective on one of the state’s most scenic places.