Black and White

Mike and Nancy Banninga have a beautiful home on upper Hamlin Lake. The home is actually built out over the water. The lower level of the home is a two-stall boathouse and the upper lever is the living area. I have fond memories of spending time in their house as a kid while playing with their son Adam and their daughter Heidi. This photograph shows part of the view that the Banningas get to enjoy year round. F4.5 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 10mm

Have you figured out yet what you are looking at? It is a giant, super fat pig covered in mud and flies. The pig gave me a toothy grin today as it tried to cool itself off in the 90-degree weather. F2.8 at 1/2500, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm

Steaming past the SS Badger early in the morning is a common occurrence for sport fishermen in Ludington. The Badger makes her return trip to Ludington every summer morning around 6:00 a.m. F5 at 1/200, ISO 6400, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

After being seconds too late to photograph the magic light at sunrise this morning and also missing great light hitting the Ludington North Breakwater Light with a giant rainbow, I finally got my prize at Big Sable Point Lighthouse this afternoon. Lake Michigan in October is cold, but worth it for the composition I wanted. F14.0 at 1/100, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 22mm

Local fruit farmer Roy Hackert and his family and several other locals donated the newest sculpture at Waterfront Park in Ludington. The sculpture is named "Fruits of Farming," and depicts a farmer and his son worn out after completing the long, hard harvest. I am certain that many farmers feel this way every fall. F2.8 at 0.6, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 46 mm

Curving branches of an old oak tree along the Pere Marquette River stand out today after high winds blew away many of the grand oak's leaves. Most neighboring maple trees have been stripped bare by 30 to 60 knot winds the previous two days. F11.0 at 1/5, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

My dad and I drove to Manistee today to visit a friend in the hospital. The visit was sad and I needed to grab my camera quickly to help ease the pain. Not far from the hospital, we found this row of trees lining Eastlake Road. Photography for my dad and me is very therapeutic. F16.0 at 1/30, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

As I crested the top of a tall wooded bank along M32 today just east of Alpena, I was stunned to see the tree graveyard below. An old abandoned shale quarry had filled in with water over the years and many of the trees were unable to survive in the harsh environment. The dense cloud cover created a bright overcast lighting effect on the scene. I love how this photograph looks like it was taken in the wintertime. F10 at 1/800, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm

I wish I knew more about the history of this old farmhouse near the corner of Morton Road and Hawley Road. One of the coolest features is the rotting couch on the front porch. What a great setting for a horror movie! F22.0 at 0.8, ISO 100, 14 mm lens at 14 mm

With its snowplow leading the way, a freight train barrels eastward through the countryside between Ludington and Scottville. Soon the plow will be needed to keep the Marquette Rail line clear. F22.0 at 0.25, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 19 mm

I liked the delicate look of the patterns made by these grasses, lily pads, and reflections on a pond at Kensington Metro Park. I composed the image to feature only those elements that I found exciting.

I have already made several images of the exterior of the famous Ada Covered Bridge in Ada, Michigan. Now, after moving inside, I find myself loving the geometric shapes of the bridge interior and the way light and shadow plays upon the timbers. Originally built in 1867, the bridge was restored in 1941. I think it is a work of art. F22 at 4 seconds, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

My dad and I stayed at the Konteka Hotel and Restaurant during our trip to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The Konteka is a great experience in itself. The staff and owners were extremely friendly and the food was great. The best part of our stay was seeing the coyotes that feed behind the restaurant. From near our dinner table I photographed this coyote that was running around outside. I had my dad stand up behind me to block the reflection of the salad bar in the window. The final photo turned out a lot cooler than I ever imagined it would. To me, it evokes a feeling of "Man Versus Wild." F2.8 at 1/13, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 46mm

I enjoy making photographs that look like impressionistic paintings. This photo of peak fall color in Victory Township in the Northwest region of Mason County definitely looks impressionistic. Every time I look at it I get a craving for gumdrops. Some photos really need to be seen large to be fully appreciated and this is one of those pictures. F5 at 1/640, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 70mm

I filled my boots with ice-cold water several times this morning in order to capture this image. Every 10 minutes or so the beach would flood on the north side of the channel in South Haven. This surge was significantly deeper and more powerful than any of the others I experienced in the morning hours. Rest assured Mom, Debbie, and Betsy, I was not actually in any danger shooting this photo, it just appears that way. Remember, cameras do lie! F9 at 1/640, ISO 800, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

A wave generated by Superstorm Sandy explodes against the South Haven, Michigan lighthouse. The hurricane turned superstorm brought 50-knot-plus winds all the way from the East Coast to the Great Lakes and churned up 20-foot monster waves in southern Lake Michigan. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 1600, 300mm lens at 300mm

One of the concepts my dad and I teach in our 20/20 Vision Workshops is "little object in the big world." Today, Jon Debruyn of South Haven, Michigan looked pretty tiny as he kayaked out past the lighthouse in his hometown. To my surprise and that of hundreds of other spectators on the beach, Jon was able to hold his own against the giant 18-foot breaking walls of water on Lake Michigan. F8 at 1/1000, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 82mm

Our number one rule to shooting better photographs is to get "twice as close." Brad stands in Lake Michigan as close as he dares to get to the big waves he is photographing at South Haven, Michigan, during Superstorm Sandy. F5.6 at 1/2000, ISO 1600, 300mm lens at 300mm

I would have paid good money to watch any surfer or kayaker try to survive this 25-foot wall of water on Lake Michigan this evening at St. Joseph, Michigan. My guess is they all would have lost. The power and beauty of Lake Michigan will forever have my full respect. F4.5 at 1/250, ISO 3200, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

Today is the first time I have visited Newport in Southeast Michigan, south of Detroit. I am immediately inspired to make an image of the town's classic Catholic Church. The calm water of nearby Lower Swan Creek this morning makes St. Charles Borromeo Church doubly inspiring. F22 at 0.3, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 44mm