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Stop the TRUCK! This is what I heard right before four of our workshop participants shot out the passenger side of my truck with their camera gear in tow. I quickly gave chase and we all ended up on a large dune ridge facing a brilliant rainbow to the southeast. The entire expanse of dune turned a vibrant gold.

My Home Town

Chris Quick is an avid fisherman of the Pere Marquette River. This afternoon he was the picture-perfect subject for my photo of the day.

One day, while living on Hamlin Lake, I was looking for fall color pictures when I spotted this young boy on a neighboring dock. I could see the finished picture in my mind, and everything seemed to balance. I liked the setting and composition, but it was the boy who made the picture come together.

I am running out of daylight when my 365 Picture of the Day appears right before me at the intersection of Iris Road and South Lakeshore Drive south of Ludington. To my eyes, this gated view looks heavenly. F22.0 at 25.0, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Exploring the interdunal ponds at the Ludington State Park is always a fun adventure. The evening light tonight helped put life back into this scene of a dead tree.

I was photographing Bass Lake and the famous Three Sisters landmark hills across the lake when two real sisters turned the shoreline into their stage. I kept shooting as Natalie and Tessa Reichel performed. I enjoyed the show and hoped my picture would show the grace of these free spirits.

October Clouds

 I joined Todd and Brad Reed for the shooting portion of one of their Weekend Photography Workshops at the Ludington State Park. Standing at the Beach House, I could see the sun hitting the water on the shore, and at times the dune grass. I remembered a close up shot I had taken in Pentwater of the dune grass and a beautiful serene sky behind it, and wanted to try it out with the storm like sky we were seeing this night. I booked it over to the dunes and got in place. The shot I was thinking of wasn’t coming together, however, the beach, water and sky looked glorious. I studied the scene, set up my tripod and went to work. The Spirit of the Shore came through to me in this image.

One More Adventure

 When I heard the news that Aunt Mary had passed away, I was shocked. I was in disbelief. I was instantly heartbroken. We had just shared a nice visit at my mom and dad’s anniversary party on Monday, and it didn’t seem possible that she was gone. When I talked with others who knew Aunt Mary, they all had such great memories to share. She was a very special lady, and extremely kind hearted. She was always smiling. I knew that I wanted to make an image in memory of the wonderful life that Aunt Mary had led. I had hopes of getting out and shooting the sunset or sunrise in the days following her passing, but with other activities that I had to attend, that didn’t seem like a possibility. Around 8 o’clock on Wednesday May 21st, David, the kids and I were packing in the van to head for home from Ludington, when I looked towards the lakeshore. The fog that had plagued the lakeshore all day had lifted, and the sky was beautiful. David ordered me to the shoreline while he took the kids home. I thought about where I wanted to shoot. I thought of the strength Aunt Mary had and that even after being diagnosed with polio at a young age, she never stopped pursuing the things that she loved. It quickly became obvious to me that I needed to head towards the First Curve at the Ludington State Park in order to photograph the jetties. These jetties always stand tall through the waves, even when the ice and snow surrounded and covered them during this brutal winter. I walked down to the waters edge and took a look around. Standing there, I previsualized a photograph that would show the motion in the waves because it would remind me of the fluidity of music, one of Aunt Mary’s loves. It was important to me to nail the technical aspects of the photograph in order to honor Aunt Mary’s love of education. Lake Michigan was very cold, but I KNEW to get the composition that I was envisioning I had to roll up my pants, take off my shoes and get in the water. I am not a fan of water, especially ice cold water, but I was reminded again of the strength that Aunt Mary had shown during her lifetime. We all miss Aunt Mary and always will. Her big smile, laughter, and ability to see the best in every situation will be remembered for generations to come by her family and friends. I love you Aunt Mary!

Storm clouds loom over the Pere Marquette River on a summer morning. Storms usually bring the best clouds and the best light.

Ludington State Park

Pere Marquette Expeditions

Presque Isle Blues

 Several times this summer, if the conditions looked right, I would make the drive back into town from my home in Fountain. Some days would be a dud, and I would get frustrated for spending the extra gas money to make the 50 mile round trip. Other days, it paid off. I was excited that this day, I not only made an image I was proud of, but I had brought in my two kiddos and my niece along for the ride. We made a lot of fun memories that night too!

There is something about empty chairs on Lake Michigan waterfront that makes people want to be in them. These chairs, positioned at Pentwater Yacht Club, provide a view straight out of Pentwater harbor.

Purple Rain

My son, Tad was the first to see that this empty dock ought to be included in night shots we were taking of Pentwater from the opposite side of Pentwater Lake. I learned long ago, from National Geographic photographer Sam Abell, that compositions with a triangular shape at the base of a picture tend to lead viewers strongly into the scene and provide a stronger sense of depth. Tad was operating more by instinct. He knew the picture felt good. Rules, tips, and guidelines are fine, but feelings are the most important ingredient in making decisions about the quality of a potential picture.

Rainbow Over the Dummy Bridge