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 As I was getting the kids on bus this morning I looked East towards Ford Lake, like I typically do, and saw the signs of a beautiful sunrise. I grabbed my keys and drove the short drive to the lake. I got my equipment set up in time to see this amazing view appear!

My favorite part of this photo is the tiny bit of green in the bottom of the composition. The snow was so thick and sticky that in less than two hours it completely transformed a dark, dreary forest and creek into a winter paradise.

Sunrise at Lake Louise

It was a colorful and dramatic sunrise over the Pere Marquette River Flats at the North Bridge on Old US-31 this morning. The light kept changing and I was able to make several very different looking images for over a half an hour. This was my favorite image that I made.

I am hustling to capture this moment after seeing these canoers fishing on Lincoln Lake. The Dummy Bridge at Epworth Heights provides the backdrop. F3.2 at 1/320, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Triangles and s-curves make for strong compositions in art and this photograph has both. Because of those elements, this photograph looks much more three dimensional than a lot of my other photographs. I also like how the reddish-brown oak leaves show up despite the sticky snow.

My dad and I always say that "Clouds are your friends!" and here is the proof. Imagine how ordinary this photograph would be if it did not have the beautiful white, wispy clouds. It is the clouds in this photograph that tie the patterns in the water to the patterns of the sail on the sailboat. F6.3 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 17mm

Reflecting My Life

The sound of ice forming and the sight of steam rising off Pere Marquette Lake have adrenaline flowing through my cold body this December morning. I race to get into place and work quickly to build a layered composition. What a magnificent moment to witness! F8.0 at 1/50, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

High above the Pere Marquette River at the Rainbow Rapids picnic area, the heavy wet snow contrasts beautifully with the dark blue-black water to create a very painterly scene. I love the lines and forms that make up this delicate, yet powerful scene.

I had an Ernest Hemmingway moment on the Pere Marquette River tonight. We had anchored our drift boat along the shore so that our guide, Josh Mead, could grill us a homemade pork chop dinner with all the fixings. As we enjoyed our gourmet meal, an old-fashioned wooden drift boat slowly slipped past us. I grabbed my camera and waited for a defining moment. I wondered how many times my great-grandparents floated this same stretch of the river in wooden drift boats. F6.3 at 1/100, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 112mm

Birdseye View of Hamlin Lake

Deer Creek (Black and White)

Deer Creek

I honestly believe this fly-fishing-only section of the Pere Marquette River to be one of Michigan's crown jewels of natural beauty. I am mesmerized watching the water flowing over the stony river bottom as Orvis-endorsed fishing guide, Uber Raines, deftly fishes for brown trout. F 2.8 at 1/500, ISO 800, 14-24mm lens at 21mm

Wednesday Sunrise at Victory Park

Craving More

I have always liked how oak trees hang onto their leaves long after the maples have fallen. Today some oak leaves and trees look like winter etchings along the banks of the Rainbow Rapids stretch of the Pere Marquette River.

As I could see the northern lights with my naked eyes dancing in the background, I knew they would be reflected in the strangely calm Sauble River near the outlet into Lake Michigan. The three minute exposure captured the beauty I was experiencing. Nikon D850. F2.8 at 188 seconds, ISO 400. 14-24mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod without a flash. March 20, 2021.