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Workshop at Ludington State Park

 On July 21, 2011, I had joined Todd Reed for a 20/20 Vision Workshop that Todd and Brad Reed Photography put on. When we started our night shoot down at the end of the Ludington Avenue, the sky didn’t show any signs of a great sunset. At best, we had a 50/50 chance for ANY good light to come our way. We were pleasantly surprised by this burst of color after sunset. It was one of the most spectacular sunsets that I’ve ever seen!

One of my son Brad’s first fine art images, photographed on the Ludington South Breakwater

Calm, windless nights on Lake Michigan may not make for great sailing, but they sure do make for sensational photographs.

On the Western shores of Bass Lake, near Pentwater, three large tree-covered hills grace the horizon. I have heard many names for these hills, but the local favorite is The Three Sisters.

I have long wanted to make a picture at this spot along the Betsie River near Crystal Mountain Resort. This is a perfect morning; nothing to it but to stop life's express train and do it. F11.0 at 1.0, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 22 mm

Lud State Park

I had finished making an afterglow image at the Ludington beach that I was very happy with, but before heading home this November 2, 2020, evening I decided I should give the sky another look from a different perspective. Fifteen minutes later, when the afterglow seemed long gone, my nephew Ryan Reed and I could still see distinct pink color in the dark night sky from the foot of Ludington Avenue. I made a test shot to determine exposure and was impressed by the color. This next tripod mounted shot, 25 seconds long, proved how well modern digital cameras see in the dark and how much color was still present.

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.

As Good As It Gets

Sahara Sands

Breathtaking does not begin to describe the feeling of witnessing a one-in-a-million sunset like the one that painted the Lake Michigan shoreline with a spectrum of light on this autumn evening. The squall line that accompanied the light provided more drama and heightened one of the greatest picture-taking adrenalin rushes I have ever experienced. Truly a scene to behold, it was also fleeting. Nature doesn't wait for photographers; fortunately, my wife and I saw the storm approaching and I was already shooting when the color peaked.

This scene reminded me of mystic mornings I had experienced at Bar Harbor, Maine. A rainy morning can be among the best times to photograph. This view from the Lost Lake boardwalk was one of many that proved that point to our photography workshop students. F6.3 at 1/200, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 17 mm

The sun has set, the boat traffic has died down. It is a quieter time on Hamlin Lake, a time to savor the beauty of one of the most popular lakes connected to Lake Michigan.

Each night that I step onto the shores of Lake Michigan, I am amazed by the unique light show that unveils itself. No two sunsets are the same. Just when you think you have seen them all, Mother Nature renders a refreshingly new display of her beauty.

I made this image during one of our Advanced Weekend Photo Workshops. Michigan State was playing Michigan and it was towards the end of the game. Several photo students were listening to the game on their cell phones. I wanted to listen, but the light and clouds were getting so good that I knew it was "game time" for me to shoot. I got the shot, but better yet, Michigan State had one of the best comebacks of the entire year to win the game on the last play. Go Green!

Dunes Are Calling

I have tried for over six years to make a photograph that I was pleased with at this spot on North Lakeshore Drive along the shores of Hamlin Lake. Finally, today my wait is over. The real secret to the success of this photo is the immediacy of the snow and bushes in the foreground and the clouds in the distance. F8.0 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

I tend to prefer sharp light and haze-free skies at sunset. But I have learned that the softness and toned-down colors of a hazy sky sunset sometimes look and feel better.