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

Clouds are your friends! This is a great example of a sunset that would have been super boring and unphotogenic if it wasn’t for the beautiful clouds.

I have shot a handful of bald eagles in my years of photography. To make three images including eagles within 35 days of shooting our 366 Project was almost comical to me. The light on this eagle’s wings was too magical to pass up.

I stood on a stool inside of my kitchen and then shot through the window towards my bird feeders outside. I have always loved the color blue. Blue jays are beautiful birds and for whatever reason have always reminded me of my dad. I was happy to make this image.

My daughter, Kasey, loves to cook and bake. For Christmas I gave her a crêpe cooking class at Brown Butter Crêperie and Café for the two of us. As we pulled up to the charming restaurant, I was already composing the image I wanted to capture. Thankfully the street wasn’t too busy!

I was at complete peace being the only human out at Big Sable Point Lighthouse tonight to shoot the last sunset of 2020. It has been a challenging year for most people around the world, but it has also proven to be an incredibly beautiful and wonderful year. I ended the year at my favorite place on Earth. I always feel at home at Big Sable.

Some sunsets are truly out of this world. This cloud looked like a giant UFO with crazy neon orange lights shooting out from the top of it. It reminded me of the last scene in E.T. It was an exhilarating few minutes watching this light show at Stearns Beach in downtown Ludington.

While sunsets or soaring eagles are breathtaking, so is a simple leaf frozen in your path. Beauty surrounds us always.

Today looked like a fall day. We love days like this. When I first saw these great clouds, I knew I had to look for a shot with calm enough water that it would reflect the clouds and sky. I headed to the end of Ferry Street in downtown Ludington and shot towards the Badger. I like the triangle in the bottom of this photo.

I was having a difficult time finding a photo today. Some days are harder than others. Out on a drive, this domestic goose crossed my path.

I grew up with orchards, flowering bushes, and gardens surrounding our farmhouse. I was fortunate to purchase a home that also has apple trees and several flowering bushes in the yard. This is one of my favorites.

My yard is full of all different kinds of life. Not all of it has four legs. This cool fungus was growing on a tree right near my house. With my macro lens, I was able to get a super close focus on this interesting ecosystem.

I was attracted to the ice formations in the Ludington Municipal Marina when the reflected clouds composed my shot before my eyes.

I was blessed to grow up in a downhill skiing family. Thankfully I have been able to pass that sport on to my family. My daughter Julia has always had a need for speed in everything she does. This is her carving a turn on Cheers at Crystal Mountain during a hard snowfall. Life is good!

It was another dreary day here. As sunset drew closer, I decided to take an abstract view on the day. These three pine trees in my yard are pretty ordinary but zooming while exposing gives them a dreamy feel.

If you own a copy of our 365 book, look at my Day 309 of Week 45. You will see a photo of this house. I have always loved Dick and Kathy Bourgault’s house. When it came up for sale a few months ago and I got a personal tour from Dick, it was a God moment for me. I bought the house two days later. The kids and I love our new house, especially on beautiful winter days.

I loved the two-toned sunset this evening. The contrast of the golden tones with the black. The tree line across from my drive was inviting as I arrived home for the evening.

I have a deep connection with trees. Their unique shapes and purposes. I can visualize farmers using this shade tree on hot summer days, while working their fields.

You never know what you will find in the Meijer parking lot. This great blue heron was hanging out in the drainage ditch on the west end of the Meijer parking lot. Luckily, I always have my camera and big lens with me. What makes this image pop is the incredible morning light hitting the majestic bird.

Today was a busy day. I didn’t have a chance to think about a photo until well after sunset. For Christmas I had received a potpourri dish from my brother and sister-in-law. One of the ingredients was a dried orange. The textures and tones called for a macro black-and-white image.

It is always fun when the ice balls start to show up along the Lake Michigan shoreline every winter. They look particularly cool with magic light hitting them at the first curve inside the Ludington State Park.