365 A Year in the Photographic Lives of Todd and Brad Reed

It is a beautiful evening to take three of our grandchildren

Last year I had made a similar photograph to this and named it "Liquidity." It was probably my favorite picture I took in 2009. The lighting conditions tonight were very similar to the night I made Liquidity, so I set out to shoot a similar photograph for the 365 Project. I made this photograph at the 5th Avenue Beach in Manistee. F8.0 at 1/250, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 116 mm

This has to be one the best summers ever for photography on the Lake Michigan waterfront. Besides being unusually warm, this summer has presented many amazing cloud formations and dramatic sunsets. Tonight I am shooting westward onto Lake Michigan by the Ludington South Pierhead Light near my home at Crosswinds. F8.0 at 0.5, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 12 mm

Betsy and I are in the process of selling our home and buying a new one in Ludington. We had to drive home to Ludington today from our vacation in Manistee to meet with our realtor. On our morning drive back to Ludington, we passed a farm field with freshly rolled crops. The fog and rain made for a very atmospheric morning. F22.0 at 1/8, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

There she goes again! Like thousands of other families, ours loves watching the carferry Badger steaming in an out of Ludington harbor. Tonight my wife Debbie and I and daughter-in-law Stephanie have our boat in position to provide grandkids with a good view of the big ship cruising past the Ludington North Pierhead Light. F4.5 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 22 mm

The Lake Michigan house we are renting this week in Manistee is amazing! The dinner table has a runner made of beautiful lake stones. As the evening sun poured in the large picture windows, I noticed the light hitting the tops of the stones. I grabbed my camera and my macro lens in order to capture the moment. F2.8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

It was a dark and stormy night! As I am awaiting photography workshop students for an evening shoot on the Ludington waterfront, I witness two storm fronts collide at the water's edge. The eastbound front appears to win out and the storm heads inland as I shoot. A short time later a tornado was sighted 10 miles eastward. F4.5 at 1/3200, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 14 mm

As Ethan and I sat at the table eating breakfast, I noticed the fog and incredible sunrise to the east. Betsy came and relieved me for a short time so I could go make a photograph of the light show. I headed to the western shores of Manistee Lake so I could photograph the City of Milwaukee, which is now a museum in Manistee, Michigan. F22.0 at 1/4, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 116 mm

Porkchop strikes a handsome pose while promenading through downtown Ludington during Friday Night Live. Being a dog lover, I could not resist making a picture of the English bulldog. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 400, 70-200 mm lens at 155 mm

The view from the Jebavy bridge looking east has always intrigued me, but I have never been able to make a good photograph from that vantage point. Tonight, while Ethan and I were driving home from our weeklong vacation in Manistee, Michigan, I saw the reflection of the house in the Lincoln River and knew I had found my photo of the day. F9.0 at 1/40, ISO 320, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

After I wait an hour for a break in the clouds, magic light falls upon the beach and beach house at Ludington State Park. Time to shoot! F22.0 at 1/6, ISO 200, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

After I wait an hour for a break in the clouds, magic light falls upon the beach and beach house at Ludington State Park. Time to shoot! F22.0 at 1/6, ISO 200, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

Today my dad and I and our associate Greg Dunn put on our first-ever workshop on Adobe Photoshop. For the evening session of the workshop, we all headed to Ludington State Park to photograph the sunset. The "magic light" was gorgeous, and as usual, very fleeting. F8.0 at 1/320, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Bortell's Fisheries has been a summer-time favorite for locals and visitors of West Michigan for over 100 years. One of my very best childhood memories was going to Bortell's with my dad and my older brother Tad and fishing in the ponds on their property. The Bortell family then cooked our fish so we could enjoy them for dinner. F14.0 at 1/125, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Yes, purple loosestrife is an invasive species. And, yes, it is beautiful. This year it has invaded the wetland area along the north side of Ludington South Breakwater. I will enjoy it until someone sees fit to eliminate it. F2.8 at 1/800, ISO 200, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

I headed to the Western Michigan Fairgrounds in Ludington tonight to find my photograph of the day for the 365 Project. I knew I wanted to take a long time exposure of one of the rides on the Midway, but I wasn't sure which one would work the best until I saw the Zipper. This is one of my favorite photographs of the 365 Project so far. F20.0 at 4.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Clyde Butcher, famous for his black-and-white photographs of the Florida Everglades, often photographs huge cumulus clouds passing over the wetlands. Though I am standing in an overgrown asparagus field in Michigan, this scene on Conrad Road reminds me of some of Clyde's landscape images that often include a tree connecting land and sky. F13.0 at 1/80, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 14 mm

Today my wife Betsy and I celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary. I was in a hurry to find my photo of the day so I could get home and spend time with Betsy and the kids. I headed to Ludington State Park and climbed the dunes to the east of the First Curve along M-116. A few minutes later I had my photo of the day. F8.0 at 1/60, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

The roadside along Pere Marquette Highway at Kibby Creek looks like a garden this morning. I love watching to see what is going to grow next from spring to fall along Michigan roads. F4.0 at 1/400, ISO 200, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

I have passed by this sign montage at Bass Lake many times this year but today the light falling on it and the surrounding forest is exquisite. Now is the time to make this arrangement of Bass Lake cottage-owner and home-owner names my picture of the day. F4.0 at 1/100, ISO 200, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm