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When I pulled my truck off the side of the road and came up to this horse, I felt like the horse was asking me to set it free. I made my images and then quickly left so I did not disturb the quiet little farm.

A Beautiful evening Rainbow during a Sunset

This historic barn in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore south of Leland has been a photographic muse of mine for several years. When I photographed it after a heavy snowfall earlier this year I noticed the star ornament near the peak of the barn roof. I am thinking this grand old structure certainly looks like an autumn star today.

Talk about a traffic stopper. Responding to a tip about some cool looking cows pastured along 72nd Avenue north of Hart, I had no idea they would be this impressive. As I slow to a stop on the side of the road, I attract their attention. I am far more excited and impressed than they are. F6.3 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Squeezing in for a better view and perhaps looking for a handout, curious calves check out a couple visitors on the other side of their fence line at the Walter Farm north of Marshall. I can drive rural Michigan roads "till the cows come home" searching for views and experiences like this.

Sleepy Morning

I have passed this pasture on Iris Road almost daily for 10 years. But it is not until today that I notice the beauty of this lone tree. Fog and melting snow make the tree stand out like never before. Still I wonder why I never noticed it. F4.0 at 1/320, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 17 mm

Spring Time on Old 31

Sunny Days

It is not very often you see cows grazing in a swamp, but if you drive to the corner of Conrad and Meyers Roads in Ludington, you will see several cows enjoying the low lands near the Pere Marquette River. This cow stood still long enough for me to get into position and capture it, its reflection, and the barn all in one photograph. F8.0 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 30 mm

The snow is blowing so hard I am afraid to stop along the highway north of Evart, Michigan to photograph this grand old barn. I pull my trusty four-wheel-drive off the roadway as far as the snowdrifts will allow and wait for a lull in the wind so my camera and I can see the barn. The barn comes and goes like a mirage. I am living the dream as a full-time outdoor/nature photographer. I am loving this winter dream.

Tranquil Beauty

Red barns in the snow are hard for photographers to resist. During a blizzard, I drove to a friend's barn because I was certain it would look stunning with the blowing snow. It looked better than I ever imagined.

The second time is the charm. Two weeks ago I noticed this heart-shaped tree and barn along US10 between Walhalla and Custer. The view caused me to stop and make an image I liked a lot. But now, two weeks later while motoring back home from a long day of shooting pictures across the state, the same scene is in front of me with light and atmosphere to die for. Brad and I like to tell our photography students 90 percent of a good picture is about the light and/or atmosphere. I am witnessing the proof of that.

I find the "real deal" far more impressive than any fake lawn ornament I have ever seen. Even the placement struck me as ideal as I stopped my truck along a country road near Twin Lake to make a still-life image while the farmyard attraction stays still. Stopping also gives me time to truly appreciate the tender loving care the owners of the Ponderosa have given to their fine old barn.

This maple tree along Michigan's west shore is a muse of mine. For years I have checked it out each fall. I don't think I have ever seen it more beautiful than on this October day.

Sheep can be skittish but curious as well. This sheep chooses to check me out while other sheep continue to graze at a farm east of Hesperia. I am grateful my new acquaintance stands still long enough that I can microcompose my composition ensuring my camera's view of its eyes are not blocked by the fence. Thanks, pal!

This home has been the subject of many photographers over the years. As I visit it today, I worked to let the light through the doorway while keeping the tree limbs on the right, reaching into the shot.

The old oak tree continues to grow as the house and barn continue to fade away. I see more than a picture here; I see a story to be told with my camera. It is an evolving story of the tree and the farm growing old together. I wish I knew more of the story, including whether the tree was already growing along Schoenherr Road in rural Mason County when the original homesteaders arrived, probably more than a century ago.

A windmill near Stony Lake catches the afternoon sunlight on its beautifully rusted blades and wind vane. I love discovering old windmills still functioning and still in place in their original farm settings. I find this one especially beautiful. F6.3 at 1/800, ISO 140, 300mm lens at 300mm