366 Days of Beauty in the Year 2020 by Brad Reed and Rachel Gaudette

Tonight, we took the Lake FX film crew by boat out to the Hamlin Lake Sand Dunes to shoot some footage on the documentary we are making about my dad and his 50 years of photographing Michigan. It was another glorious night with warm shadows and great light.

Todd, Brad, and I explored the Hamlin Dunes today. It was fun climbing portions that I haven’t visited before. The bright sun created some fun shadows in the sand.

We had a college reunion tonight with my two roommates from Calvin and our families. It was so fun watching the kids all playing together and enjoying the animals and slip-n-slide at Jonathan and Shannon Ray’s house south of Ludington in Riverton Township.

We had a fun gathering tonight with two of Brad’s high school friends and their families. Jonathan and Shannon own two Friesian horses. My kids were over the moon at the opportunity to brush them and give them treats. I worked to compose and expose this photo to show off their wonderful barn and the crew inside.

They had an old-fashioned tractor ride today from Scottville to Ludington in honor of Duane Cooper. Duane loved restoring old tractors. One of the riders was our good friend Roger Thurow. Roger is who makes all the custom stretcher bar frames for our gallery wrapped canvases. I was glad I captured this image of Roger on one of his tractors as the parade of tractors passed me on Conrad Road.

Brad and I and the kids spent the afternoon in the Pere Marquette River. The kids were swimming, while Brad and I had the underwater camera housing out. I had previsualized a photo of half underwater and half above, showcasing the lily pads. I made an image that day, but the water wasn’t as clear as I would have liked to compete with these clouds and reflections!

While looking out my bathroom window tonight, I spotted this goldfinch on our butterfly bush. I grabbed my camera gear and quietly snuck around the side of my house to capture this image before the tiny, beautiful bird flew away.

I have tried to make a photograph of the grapes up in Bespop’s grape arbor for several years. Either I was too late, or the animals had already eaten them when I have tried before. This year, I was determined. I made almost daily visits to the arbor and finally decided the time was right.

My Grandpa and Grandma Reed had a fishpond built in their backyard and transplanted their goldfish from their house on the Pere Marquette River in Walhalla to their new pond at their house in Ludington. Now my brother and his family live in that house and they have become the keepers of Grandma’s fish. With our underwater housing, I got in the pond and made this image in honor of our grandma.

I know I have mentioned our family’s front field before. Tonight, I visited it again. The golden magic light and the field were mesmerizing!

Julia made a nice putt tonight while she, Ethan, and I were playing mini golf at the Ludington Jaycees Mini Golf at Stearns Beach. The newly redone course is a Ludington treasure and I have always loved the Badger hole. I have great memories of playing this same course with my dad and my brother when I was little, so it is super fun for me to play it now with my kids..

We spend most evenings working with the fair animals. Several of my nieces and nephews house their animals at the farm too, so it is usually hard work but fun to spend time with cousins. And how can you beat this view?

My dad had done the legwork on getting permission from the owners for Team Reed to be able to photograph these sunflowers on Conrad Road near Amber Elk Ranch. Julia, Ethan, and I waited until just before sunset to head out to shoot because I had previsualized this type of photograph. Within a few minutes, I had made this image and then proceeded to take portraits of my kids with this beautiful backdrop.

The woods on our family farm always brings peace to my heart. Fair preparation was in full force this Thursday evening, and I needed a break from the organizing, planning, and packing. I took a walk down one of our lanes, breathing in the quiet air.

After leaving the funeral in Fremont for our friend Lawrence Monfils, who had been the head chef at Legends Ranch for many years, my dad and I spotted this old barn and farmstead. My dad helped me get on top of his truck to make this image. I needed to be higher to get the vantage point I wanted because the corn was so tall. I waited for the clouds to get into the right locations for my image to sing.

A visit to the Lavender Labyrinth at Cherry Point Farm & Market has been a tradition since I discovered it several years ago. The light was striking when I decided to make the drive south for a visit. I had the labyrinth almost to myself as I peacefully wandered through. The bees were especially attracted to this lavender. Quickly, I composed this hard-working bee. I loved the sunlight on the wings.

We don’t usually shoot commission photographs for people, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to photograph Lon Reader’s 1967 Plymouth Belvedere GTX convertible with a 426 Hemi and a 4-speed manual transmission. Lon was getting ready to sell this car that he had purchased in high school several decades ago. He wanted a picture to help him remember this classic American car.

Brad’s friends Jonathan and Shannon Ray gave me this mug. I thought the details of it were exquisite!

While at a Westmaas family gathering today near McBain, Michigan, a friendly snake came slithering by to greet us as we were setting up the picnic tables in the front yard of the family homestead. I couldn’t wait to show Rachel. She hates snakes with a passion. I had to get her back for her Day 206 photo of the giant yellow and black spider she made a few weeks earlier.

We spent most of the day getting ready for fair. Before I knew it, it was almost 10 o’clock! David Benjamin brought his cactus plant out and said I could take a picture of it. I looked at it closely for a second, thought of a way to shoot it, and told him what a great idea that was!