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The skill and determination of the anglers who surf fish along the Lake Michigan shoreline is inspiring. Wind, waves, rain, and even lightning do not appear to deter the fishing desire of the most aggressive anglers.

Kingfishers are incredible in their ability to dive down and grab fish out of the water. The hunt appears effortless and amazingly graceful. I wonder if this kingfisher chuckled to see that a human angler obviously needed more practice with his or her casting skills, thus the fishing line stuck in the tree.

In the last few years, my dad and I have been very fortunate to spend a lot of time exploring Michigan's Upper Peninsula with our cameras. Besides shooting the Lake Superior shoreline, we love exploring waterfalls we have never been to. This morning we have made the short hike to Laughing Whitefish Falls for the first time. This might be my new favorite waterfall in Michigan.

The skill and determination of the anglers who surf fish along the Lake Michigan shoreline is inspiring. Wind, waves, rain, and even lightning do not appear to deter the fishing desire of the most aggressive anglers.

Kingfishers are incredible in their ability to dive down and grab fish out of the water. The hunt appears effortless and amazingly graceful. I wonder if this kingfisher chuckled to see that a human angler obviously needed more practice with his or her casting skills, thus the fishing line stuck in the tree.

We had been trying unsuccessfully all morning to make strong still and video imagery of an eagle while shooting in 2007 for an upcoming book, Ludington State Park: Queen of the North. Some days are a bust; this started out being one of those. The eagles were not cooperating, and we had gotten wet and cold bouncing around choppy Hamlin Lake. In the Coast Guard, I learned that if Plan A does not work, always have a Plan B already in mind. So, despite being disappointed, cold and hungry, we turned our attention to photographing salmon making their annual return to the Sable River from Lake Michigan. It was the last week of October, and the fall color reflecting off the wind-rippled surface of the water made this salmon appear to be under stained glass. It was not the image I had set out to make, but it turned out to be one of my favorite images from a year of intensely photographing Ludington State Park. In years past I had made lesser photographs of salmon in the same spot, just under water on a spawning bed with fall color reflected on the surface. But on this day, Mother Nature blessed me with an extraordinary added ingredient. A brisk west wind made all the difference, agitating the surface of the water just enough to create a shower glass effect on the river. This faceted surface reflected various colors in various directions, turning my photograph into abstract art. I don’t like setting up an image. I love “found” pictures that are real-time moments in the Michigan outdoors. I am especially proud of this image because, while many people surmise it is not “real” and is somehow an electronic after-the-fact manipulation, it is as real, as purely Michigan at its genuine best as I have ever made. I love a lot of abstract art, but I don’t find myself drawn to setting out to make a lot of abstract images. But I do know a good abstract photo moment when I see one.

A salmon leaps halfway up a wall of cascading water at the Hamlin Dam. Thousands of salmon return to the Sable River each fall to spawn and to die. I love watching the powerful fish try in vain to leap to the top of the dam, which holds back the fish that work their way upstream on one side and holds back the waters of Hamlin Lake on the other.

Passing by Whitefish Point

One of the best places in Michigan for watching salmon and steelhead jump close enough to touch them is Homestead Dam just east of Benzonia.

Rocks at Whitefish Point

Tahquamenon Falls and White Fish Point

We had been trying unsuccessfully all morning to make strong still and video imagery of an eagle while shooting in 2007 for an upcoming book, Ludington State Park: Queen of the North. Some days are a bust; this started out being one of those. The eagles were not cooperating, and we had gotten wet and cold bouncing around choppy Hamlin Lake. In the Coast Guard, I learned that if Plan A does not work, always have a Plan B already in mind. So, despite being disappointed, cold and hungry, we turned our attention to photographing salmon making their annual return to the Sable River from Lake Michigan. It was the last week of October, and the fall color reflecting off the wind-rippled surface of the water made this salmon appear to be under stained glass. It was not the image I had set out to make, but it turned out to be one of my favorite images from a year of intensely photographing Ludington State Park. In years past I had made lesser photographs of salmon in the same spot, just under water on a spawning bed with fall color reflected on the surface. But on this day, Mother Nature blessed me with an extraordinary added ingredient. A brisk west wind made all the difference, agitating the surface of the water just enough to create a shower glass effect on the river. This faceted surface reflected various colors in various directions, turning my photograph into abstract art. I don’t like setting up an image. I love “found” pictures that are real-time moments in the Michigan outdoors. I am especially proud of this image because, while many people surmise it is not “real” and is somehow an electronic after-the-fact manipulation, it is as real, as purely Michigan at its genuine best as I have ever made. I love a lot of abstract art, but I don’t find myself drawn to setting out to make a lot of abstract images. But I do know a good abstract photo moment when I see one.

Spawning Salmon

White Fish Shoreline Tahquamenon Falls and White Fish Point

Fisherman's Sunrise

Wednesday

A Michigan steelhead leaps high in an attempt to get over a short dam on the Betsie River near Benzonia. The Betsie is among the many Michigan rivers that attract fishermen from across the country.

Crisp Point Munising Taquamenon Laughuing Whitefish Falls

One of my don't-miss stops in charming Sutton's Bay is the Michigan Artists Gallery. This fish sculpture, by Michigan contemporary folk artist Jesse Hickman, lures visitors to see a myriad of Michigan artistic creations inside the always exciting, always surprising gallery. F20 at 1/60, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 19mm