“Soon to Change”
Beach at Williams Bay on Geneva Lake in Wisconsin
March 14, 2024
I love the fog. My love is not unconditional, however. Driving in fog is unpleasant, to say the least, but I try to embrace the challenge and increase the intensity of my focus. That is especially necessary on a foggy night.
Similar to a snowstorm, fog can change the complexion of a scene over the course of several hours – or for just a few precious minutes. Thus, fog is magic to me as a photographer, and I try to heed its siren’s song whenever possible.
I had one of those magic moments on September 3, 2006, at a location many of you recognize – the public beach in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. I was passing by the lakefront on a Sunday morning, and Mother Nature commanded me to stop.
The time of the year and the title of the photograph are basically all you need to know about why I find this image interesting. Although early September, warm summer days still were prevalent.
I made this photo around 9 a.m. on a clear day, so the rising temperature and a bright sun were going to burn away the fog. Within a matter of minutes, that happened. Hence, my title.
Another meaning of the title relates to the transient nature of living in an area that heavily relies on day tourists, short-term visitors, and part-time residents. The next day was Labor Day, the traditional end to summer, so Williams Bay and communities all around Geneva Lake were about to undergo significant changes.
About the photograph itself, it is one in which the black-and-white format shines, largely due to how all the lines of the building are accentuated (helped by the morning sun). They probably would not be so apparent in a color photo.
The building is the beach house. It was made to resemble a railway station, paying homage to the time decades ago when an actual train station was located right across Geneva Street from the beach.
As a side note, for years the Williams Bay sign on the structure always caught my attention. If I recall correctly, the sign had a period after Bay. As a writer and editor, I always thought that odd, but I have seen the treatment in other instances, albeit rarely. I wonder how it originated. Fortunately, the sign was changed, providing me with fewer sleepless nights.
But, I digress. Look at all those horizontal, vertical, and diagonal lines in the building. Simply succulent! And, the textures of the roof and sand add further mesmerizing detail.
Providing contrast to all the lines is the smoothness of the water and sky, which are made one by the fog. It also obliterates the background of the shoreline, which with its overabundance of buildings and piers makes for clutter and busyness, significantly compromising the aesthetic appeal of the lake.
In 2009-17, I sold 5x7-inch notecards of several of my photos at various stores and shops in the Geneva Lake area. One of the cards was “Soon to Arrive,” which was a variation of this photograph that showed the fog having lifted.
I remember being honored when the late Ron and Judy Hawkinson of Williams Bay bought reproduction rights to the card in honor of the couple’s wedding anniversary. The Hawkinsons used the photo on the front of the card and added text about celebrating the special occasion on the inside.
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If you wish to comment or ask a question about this post, contact me at frednoer@att.net.