Fall
Unreal
I have photographed dozens of thunderstorms but none as incredibly brilliant in color as this power-packed storm that rolled off Lake Michigan on a September afternoon. As with all the photographs in this book, I did not use color enhancing filters to take this photograph.
Perfect Perch
I have made a lot of close-up shots of eagles but Brad and I also love to make environmental portraits of wildlife that are sometimes as much or more about their surroundings. There is something about the position of this eagle in a lone tree overlooking a large field near East Jordan that I think makes the eagle, and the tree, a perfect complement to each other.
Drama Queen
Little Point Sable Lighthouse stands tall against a dramatic night sky. My wife and I were driving north from Chicago when we saw this sunset developing as we approached Oceana County. I quickly headed west to get to the lighthouse in time to be greeted by a sky even more colorful than I had anticipated.
The River Jordan
Michigan's first river to be officially designated a Michigan Natural River, the Jordan River looks wild and natural to me this morning after my good photographer friend, Mike Schlitt of Charlevoix, led me to one of his favorite Jordan Valley photography spots. Many of the tamarack trees are still golden despite high winds that stripped away many of their needles.
Tiny Tamarac
I have always liked "Charlie Brown" trees, the small ones with not enough branches to make what most people would choose for a Christmas tree. It is those spaces between the branches that allow both the tiny tamarack tree and the meadow near Big Bass Lake in Lake County to stand out, making me pause to take this shot.
Bursting Forth
Michigan berries appear to be bursting out of the dark bog they are growing in on a country road in Lake County. It is early November, a perfect time of year to make this image in this place. I will write that down in my mental notebook for future reference. Experience is a good teacher.
Little Point Painting
The patterns of the clouds this November morning enable me to make a painterly photographic image of Little Sable Point Lighthouse. I could never paint a backdrop as perfect as this real sky. This is a prime example of a concept we teach: "Clouds are your friends."
Perfectly Plum
Of the thousands of plums growing at The Gary Crane Farm, this one stands out as ripe for picking to be the subject of one of my photographs today in the u-pick orchard at Fennville. To me, my selection looks beautiful and delectable.
