Fall
Big Sable Aglow
As darkness fell and the lights of Big Sable Lighthouse and the keeper's dwelling emerged, I was certain I was in the best spot to make the strongest picture possible of the famous landmark. I shot several dozen shots over a period of 45 minutes, when the cloud patterns added to the composition of the picture. But it was in the last few minutes of shooting that the electric lights and remaining light in the sky balanced the best. I packed up my gear, shouldered my tripod and strode excitedly down a big dune to meet up with my son Brad, whom I had lost sight of an hour ago. I showed him my "trophy" shot on my digital camera; then he showed me his. It was obvious that his was a Boone and Crocket "trophy" shot compared to mine. I was glad for his greater success but still exhilerated by my own visual experience and capture.
Asparagus Afterglow
The asparagus harvests are long past at Bob and Lori Green's farm on Monroe Road near Hart, Michigan. However, as an artist, I am much more attracted to the asparagus fields when they become overgrown, colorful bushes.
F4 at 1/200, ISO 200, 24-70mm lens at 32mm
Flood Light
When God creates a scene this extraordinary, you pray to God you will be there! Lake Michigan waves flooded the Ludington State Park beach on October 18, 2007, during one of the most apparent meteotsunamis Brad and I have experienced in our photographic lives. These Great Lakes weather-driven meteorological tsunamis happen many times a year. They quickly raise the water level and flood the shoreline. Most of these meteotsunamis have little impact. We have left camera bags high and dry, only to find them sitting in a lake that wasn’t there 15 minutes earlier. We knew from experience to respect the water and realize we and our camera equipment could get swept away if we did not maintain situational awareness.
This day, I had chased the storm clouds to Ludington State Park after spotting them while driving to the Ludington beach. Moments after I arrived, I heard noise behind me and turned to see Brad running down to the shore wearing soccer shorts, shoes and T-shirt. It was hilarious to see someone running toward a fall Great Lakes storm dressed in that outfit. But, like me, he knew time was of the essence when he interrupted his participation in a soccer game to chase a storm. People often think we wait for hours to get our shots. But, especially in the case of fast-moving storms, we are often chasing the storm like mad dogs. Just as Brad arrived, the sun popped out of a hole in the clouds and flooded the beach with light. Before us was one of the rarest magical Lake Michigan views of our lives. I will never forget the experience of being there in sun and wind and water. Less than five minutes later, I would witness and capture with my digital camera an equally memorable out-of-this-world moment. Bottom line for photographers, when it looks this great, focus with all your being on your photography until the magic disappears.
Glamorous
I stood 20 feet out in Lake Michigan on a stormy summer evening with waves crashing into me as I tried to steady my tripod for a long 30-second exposure. Like so many times before, I was awestruck by the glamorous beauty of Big Point Sable Lighthouse. The Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers Association has done a brilliant job of restoring the lighthouse and bringing back its incredible grandeur.
Blazing
Ablaze in color, maple leaves stand out against a backdrop of pine trees along Hamlin Lake near the Hamlin Dam. The fall color hot spots at Ludington State Park remain the same year after year but the colors change based on the weather and the quality and direction of light at the moment of viewing.
