Barns

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?

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.

When I see "amber waves of grain" in the American landscape, I feel blessed to live in America where we have so much farmland and an abundance of food. I appreciate Michigan farms like the Andersen farm on Andersen Road in northern Mason County. F22 at 1/30, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 175mm

I have watched many storm clouds over the years. I have seen the sky change colors. Never have I ever seen a sky turn purple like tonight. I was so in awe I almost missed the photograph!

I love passing by the Bentz farm on Conrad Road between Ludington and Scottville and viewing the beautifully manicured garden in front of their well-maintained old barns. Today a sunflower rises above others to stand out in front of one of the barns. F4.0 at 1/640, ISO 400, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

Good friends of ours have a cottage on Hamlin Lake. They graciously invited us out for the evening. I was on the lookout for photos driving there when we passed this barn and field on North Stiles Road. I loved the green in amongst the yellow, leading right to the barn.

The Fredericks family farm is one of the most uniquely attractive farms in Mason County. Slowing down or stopping when driving by the South Amber Road property provides more time to appreciate all the handmade folk art on the barn and elsewhere in the yard. F22.0 at 1/6, ISO 400, 24-70 mm lens at 29 mm

Rachel has the coolest old barn on her property behind her house. This scene reminds me of Ireland or Italy.

My dad had told me about this barn and American flag he had spotted on East Conrad Road the other day so tonight I drove that way to find it. My timing worked out great because the golden light before sunset was hitting the barn and flag perfectly.

I have been trying to make an image of this tunnel of trees near the Conrad family farm at the east end of Conrad Road for several years. This evening, on my way home from a United Way fundraising event, I round the corner from Gordon Road and there it is, the picture I had envisioned for so long. F11.0 at 1/50, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

Kevin and Nancy Hansen's farm on Victory Drive was one of several farms on this year's Mason County Barn Tour. I am attracted to one of many farm implements on display that were used for several decades by Kevin's grandfather. F10.0 at 1/160, ISO 200, 12-24 mm lens at 22 m

I love the rolling hills between Hart and New Era along the US 31 Freeway. Today as my nephew Ryan and I head to Grand Rapids for ArtPrize, I have to stop to photograph this farm surrounded by fall color. F8.0 at 1/320, ISO 200, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

After I dropped the kids off to their dad for his weekend, I drove home from Hart the backway, through Pentwater. On my way there, on Lake Road, I came across this field of overgrown asparagus. I’ve always liked the way that it looks! The grain in the wood of this barn was the perfect subject to place with it. The hardest part was steadying the tripod against the wind!

The sweeping clouds of October darken the foreground of this scene, while the golden light of sunrise peeks through a break in the clouds. I love the dramatic light of October, especially in Michigan. F8.0 at 1/250, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

I have driven by this barn a hundred times on US31 north of Traverse City, but never stopped to make photographs of it. With today's beautiful clouds and fall-like quality of the light, I knew it would be worth my time to stop and get my camera out. I am so glad that I took the time to make this photograph. F8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 20mm

I had never really noticed this old barn and silo just off the road of US-31 between Scottville and Manistee. The bright red bush in front of the barn is what I first noticed while driving down the highway. I turned around and got out and then I waited about fifteen minutes for the clouds to move into the correct spots to make a stronger image. I wanted the clouds to mimic the shape of the barn.

I am driving along Fountain Road when a sunlit grain storage building and barn on Dennis Road attracts my attention. I turn around to check it out. I love the patterns of the structures as well as the patterns created by the evening light and shadow. F6.3 at 1/60, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 120 mm

Fountain Road is one of my favorite roads in Mason County to photo hunt on. With the fresh snow we got overnight, I was excited to head out to the countryside looking for new photos. I was on a mission to photograph a barn or farm that I had not ever photographed before. While driving down Fountain Road, I loved how this red barn just popped against the white snow.

The kids and I spent time at the farm tonight. It was a rain-snow mix earlier today, creating a puddle in the driveway in front of the barn. I worked hard to have the Christmas lights reflect in the puddle. My nephew, Preston, always does a great job with the lights.