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“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

It is one of those soft light evenings; there is a glow from the bright overcast sky instead of the golden light of a clearer night that might appear better for shooting. I like this kind of light and so does my Fuji S5 camera. I point it southward from the Ludington South Breakwater and wait for just the right breaking wave to complete the picture. F4.0 at 1/100, ISO 200, 12-24 mm lens at 19 mm

The tropical blue waters of Glen Lake never cease to amaze me, especially when viewed from Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The white billowy clouds and gorgeous sunshine made this view even more spectacular than usual. F8 at 1/160, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

The God beams, bright blue sky, clouds below my feet, and the tropical-looking Lake Michigan water made me feel like I was actually floating on the clouds today when I made this photograph. I wish all of you could have been next to my dad and me experiencing this rare sight. F22 at 1/60, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Today was the first time I experienced being above the clouds along the Lake Michigan shoreline without being in an airplane. The scenic overlook at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is over 450 feet above Lake Michigan and was a great vantage point to photograph this rare phenomenon. The hike down the steep dune is fast and sometimes furious. The hike up is torturous, especially on your calf muscles. F16 at 1/100, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

A couple standing on the edge of a 450-foot-high Sleeping Bear Dunes bluff find themselves above the clouds as a cold front sweeps across Lake Michigan toward them. F10 at 1/800, ISO 400, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore area was voted the most beautiful place in America in August 2011 by ABC's Good Morning America. The view today from the top of one of the tallest dunes at Sleeping Bear helps prove why ABC was correct in their judgment. When you can stand above the clouds on a sand mountain and look down at the endless turquoise waters of Lake Michigan, you know you are experiencing a world-class view. F22 at 1/40, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

This is the view looking over the edge of the 450-foot-high Lake Michigan shoreline bluff at Sleeping Bear Dunes. My vantage point is from one of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore scenic lookouts along the 7.4-mile Pierce Stocking Drive. F16 at 1/320, ISO 400, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

A massive storm cloud rolled in quickly off Lake Michigan and devoured my dad, me, and several naive spectators this afternoon at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Being 450 feet above Lake Michigan allowed us a vantage point that was above the clouds. When the storm cloud finally hit us, we were lost in a freezing cold sea of white nothingness. It was a religious experience to say the least. F11 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 23mm

Like an enormous tidal wave, a shelf cloud hundreds of feet high extends out of sight as it sweeps ashore. I have an eye-level view of the fast-approaching front from the observation platform built atop a 450-foot-high dune bluff on the Lake Michigan shoreline at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. F11 at 1/1250, ISO 280, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

Clouds bear down on Lake Michigan's eastern shoreline and begin to climb the bluff toward me at Sleeping Bear Dunes. Moments later my son Brad and I are literally in the cloud in near-zero visibility. What an incredible experience! F11 at 1/1600, ISO 280, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

What a way to end Week 19 of "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute." Where in the world can you find a better view of the sky and sunset than along the Lake Michigan shoreline? Nowhere, I think, as I view what Mother Nature has to offer this evening at Ludington. F3.5 at 1/200, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm