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A hand-crafted wooden dinghy drifted lazily upon the still waters of Pentwater Lake on a summer evening. Its tending line kept the little craft from drifting too far away from a classic wooden sailboat.

A rowboat rests at its dock on Bass Lake near Pentwater, Michigan. The peacefulness and timelessness of the scene captured my eye on an early morning photo hunt. I am quite sure I photographed the same little boat at its dock a couple years ago but today the direction and angle of the light is far better. F9 at 1/250, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Bass Lake mirrors its famous landmarks, the Three Sisters hills that separate this lake from Lake Michigan north of Pentwater. A pontoon boat lies motionless at its offshore mooring.

The Ludington State Park Canoe Trail is one of the park's least traveled and most beautiful areas for a fall color tour. On days like this many of us ask ourselves why we don't launch a canoe more often. Time passes and too many voyages go untaken.

Salmon Fishing in July Ludington

As the sun rises above Hamlin Lake and the birds start singing, a new world is awakening, a world that is begging to be discovered. Whether exploring her by land or by sea, Ludington State Park: Queen of the North will not disappoint.

Old Mission

A fisherman slowly paddles to one of his favorite fishing holes on Lincoln Lake near Cartier Park. Mount Epworth is aglow behind him as the clouds make beautiful reflections on the calm water. F2.8 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 20 mm

While hanging out of the window of a small airplane and trying to photograph the Ludington City Beach, I noticed this beautiful speedboat anchored and enjoying the calm water on Lake Michigan. We teach our workshop students to look for scenes like this where there is a small person or object in the big world.

Like a scene out of the past, a classic wooden speedboat docked at Pentwater Yacht Club brings back my visions of the 1950s and 1960s, when such boats were popular on area lakes.

Long after it had outlived its usefulness as a boat, a rusting hulk remains in the water on tiny Fox Lake in eastern Mason County. I wonder about its history and the enjoyment it probably brought people in years past. Even though half rusted away, I find it beautiful as a still life subject.

The Director

Once in a great while, a sign in the outdoor world appeals to me. This one on the hull of a weathered rental boat beached on Hamlin Lake was one of those rare exceptions.

This is one of the last old-time fishing boats still used in the Ludington area. My dad's love of old boats has been passed down to me. I love how this photograph looks like a fish's eye. F8.0 at 1/15, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Workshop at Ludington State Park

Photographing life rings is one of my hobbies. The weathered appearance of this ring aboard the tugboat Karl E. Luedtke caught my eye while the Frankfort-based tug was working on a Ludington harbor improvement project. Photographing familiar objects, over time, is a good way to learn to see the objects and light better, and to watch my photography evolve.

Fireworks in Ludington on the 4th of July 2023

Winter is a quiet time at Ludington State Park, a time when rental boats are of no practical value on frozen Hamlin Lake. I selected this boat for its artistic value.

My three-year-old son Ethan, like many little kids, loves watching tugboats. I wish Ethan had been with me today in South Haven to see the mini tugboat Wilhelm Baum. According to my dad, the Whilhem Baum is a certified Coast Guard Auxiliary rescue boat. I would love to go for a ride on it sometime. I guess I am a big kid at heart because I love tugboats too! F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 34mm

As steam rose from the still waters of Silver Lake, the sun peaked over the trees and illuminated the scene before me. I captured this image early in the morning before the daily barrage of boaters flock to their playground.