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Mother Nature and the Ludington Fire Department have teamed up to light up the Ludington waterfront on a July evening. The community bonfire special event gives the public a chance to enjoy a bonfire on a public beach where fires normally cannot be permitted for safety and environmental reasons.

Todd Reed Rainbow Over Ludington

I have seen a lot of rainbows. But in all my life I have never witnessed a rainbow as distinct and colorful as this one over the Ludington lighthouse the morning of October 4, 2020. Another excellent local photographer, Brian Kainulainen, and I, had each already made some good shots of the rainbow before it reached this even more distinct and saturated peak. We both scrambled for good positions on the Ludington waterfront from which to capture it in our own ways.

Hustling from Scottville, Michigan to the Ludington State Park to photograph the sunset, I made a last minute decision to not shoot right along the shoreline of Lake Michigan, and instead, turn down Piney Ridge Road and shoot from a location that my dad discovered during Week 6 of our Tuesdays Project. Once I got on top of the massive dune, I knew I had made the right decision. F11 at 1/13, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

As I expected, as the sun sets on Lake Michigan, sunlight is finally able to break out below the clouds and "paint" the cloud layers with light. This is an example of why Brad and I like to teach our students: "Clouds are your friends." F6.3 at 1/60, ISO 800, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

While on a hike with my cousin Ryan, I made this image south of the first curve at the Ludington State Park. I stood at the bottom of this steep dune and shot upwards.

It always amazes me how mesmerizing it can be to sit and watch a campfire burn. Every flame and fire is different. The same goes for Lake Michigan sunsets. Both a fire and a good sunset warm my soul. F11 at 1/4, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

Until tonight, I had never seen purple sand at the Ludington State Park. Not far south of the first curve at the park, I was walking the shoreline when I spotted purple, magenta, and black sand all mixed together. When I went in for a closer look, I found this heart shaped rock sitting in the uniquely colored sand.

No lifeguards are on duty; the ice-cold water is still keeping all but the hardiest swimmers away. On this evening the shapes of the lifeguard tower on the Ludington beach look interesting to me empty, framed against sand, lake and sky. F8.0 at 1/250, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 14 mm

“Aurora Moon” by Brad Reed Last night at the Ludington State Park, along the shores of Lake Michigan, my daughter Julia and I stood in wonder while watching the Northern Lights dance in the distance. The moon and Venus were perfectly reflected in Lake Michigan as well. You could clearly see the lights with the naked eye, but of course, the camera could capture them much better. Nikon D850. F4, 32 seconds, ISO 800. 14-24mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod at 10:03pm on March 23, 2023.

The sweeping view of the C-shaped shoreline from the Ludington city beach northward toward Epworth Heights has always appealed to me. I especially like it when Epworth comes to life for a new season and the cottages begin lighting up at night. F4.5 at 30.0, ISO 100, 80-200 mm at 80 mm

The great state of Michigan has more freshwater shoreline than any state in America, yet for the most part, Michigan's beauty is still a secret to the majority of Americans. Tonight, the Lake Michigan shoreline is whispering quiet secrets to my heart as I photograph her simple, elegant beauty near the First Curve at Ludington State Park. F11 at 1/60, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I was drawn to Lake Michigan this evening. I sat and enjoyed the sounds and the smells of the lake before making this image.

Lower Lake Michigan water levels have left high and dry what looks to me like the keel and attached segments of a shipwreck on the shoreline near the First Curve of Ludington State Park. The construction, including iron bolts, looks similar to remnants of a 1800s schooner I saw recently along Lake Superior near Munising. F11 at 1/8, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

From up by the North Concession Stand at Stearns Beach today I used my large telephoto lens and shot down towards the dune grass and Lake Michigan. Telephoto lenses have compression, and they help all the layers of a photograph look closer together than they really are.

A runner enjoys the warm sunset this evening along the Ludington North Breakwater. The waterfront in Ludington is a great place to exercise and enjoy nature at the same time. F2.8 at 1/2000, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 200 mm

My dad and I are always looking for repetitive patterns. This morning on Grand Traverse Bay, the clouds, shoreline rocks, and the calm water combined into a gorgeous arrangement of blue, black, and white patterns that had me grinning from ear to ear. F13 at 1/125, ISO100, 14mm lens at 14mm