Search

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.

When the waves are this big and the light and shadow at times this intense, I know to wait longer, watch longer for peak moments of waves and light. I made this image in 1/2500 of a second after looking for this moments for hours.

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.

My dad and I try to position ourselves at dynamic angles to our photograph's subject. In this photograph, look at the triangles that are created throughout the composition. By placing the jetties at a dynamic diagonal on the left side of the image, it creates a more powerful and three-dimensional look and feel. F7.1 at 1/20, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 20mm

My dad and I try to position ourselves at dynamic angles to our photograph's subject. In this photograph, look at the triangles that are created throughout the composition. By placing the jetties at a dynamic diagonal on the left side of the image, it creates a more powerful and three-dimensional look and feel. F7.1 at 1/20, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 20mm

Big Sable Point Lighthouse stands guard on a massive point of land along the shores of Lake Michigan between Ludington and Manistee. The lighthouse was commissioned by Abraham Lincoln and is a beautiful piece of Michigan history. F6.3 at 1/1600, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 100mm

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.

Electric Beach

My grandpa, Bud Reed, always gave a thumbs up as his sign of approval. The last few years of his life, he could not hear very well. The thumbs up was often his way of letting you know he understood what you were trying to say.

Lake Michigan, during its calmest and kindest moments, provides a tranquil playground for a pair of kayaking souls on a summer outing south of Ludington along the Buttersville peninsula.

My dad and I wait all year for the middle of October. It is our favorite time of year to make photographs in Michigan because the quality of the light is the best. We call it "magic light" when it is raining, but the sun is out. Looking over Lake Michigan, I could see a storm front making its way towards us, so I waited on the beach in Pentwater for over an hour for two minutes of "magic light".

Today is Christmas Eve. Everything is still and calm. It is nice to enjoy this quiet view of the Silver Lake Sand Dunes all by myself this morning because I know the next week will be crazy busy with Christmas celebrations and a lot of eating. I take time to reflect on what an eventful year 2014 has been and all the good times I have had with my family and friends. Life is good! D800, F22 at 1 second, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 70mm

Workshop at Ludington State Park

Beautiful Warm Ludington Sunset

On an autumn evening at Ludington beach, I watched the waves take turns running toward and breaking upon the shoreline. While the light was changing, creating radically different photographs from minute to minute, the camera's view remained locked in place. The fickle light sometimes becomes dramatically more intense, and other times it just seems to fizzle. Staying, and watching, is the only way to know what the quality of light will be.

Over thousands of years, wind driven sand has polished smooth millions of stones along the Lake Michigan shoreline. The flat-sided stones are called ventifacts. I made this photograph near the Big Point Sable Lighthouse while on a hike to the northern boundary of the Ludington State Park.

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

I stood in one spot on a dune above the beach in Pentwater while waiting over an hour for the magic light to appear. In that time, I used a spherical perspective to imagine what different compositions would be in nearby locations. I knew that once the light appeared, I would try to make one of my shots from the water's edge and would have to lie on my stomach to capture it. My previsualization paid off. In two minutes, I made four strong images from four different spots that were all within 40 yards of my original spot on top of the dune.