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An integrated tug and barge steams past Ludington South Breakwater Light while northbound on Lake Michigan. I wish the ship's crew smooth sailing and arrival at their home port before Christmas. F4.0 at 1/400, ISO 100, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

I have been traveling since well before dawn today in search of magic Michigan moments. I have found several book-quality images but as I pull into the lakeshore parking lot at the end of Frankfort's main street, I am certain I am looking at another.

Charlevoix Magic

Pure Ludington - Panoramic

Those who climb their way to the top of the Skyline Trail are rewarded with a birds-eye view of the southern portion of the park. If they time their hike to the schedule of the carferry S.S. Badger, and look through a good pair of binoculars or a large telephoto camera lens, they might also enjoy one of the best views they have ever seen of the big ship heading out of Ludington harbor.

Manistee’s 5th Street Beach looked like a scene from a science fiction movie today. The sand was frozen into random-shaped sheets that were layered on top of each other. The high winds today also created big waves on Lake Michigan. The best part of all was the magic light that appeared as we pulled into the beach to shoot.

The old Coast Guard station and lighthouse mark the harbor at Beaver Island as we pass by on the Emerald Isle ferry on our way back to the Michigan mainland at Charlevoix. A fresh breeze straightens the American Flag. It is a beautiful day for a cruise, a perfect ending to experiencing the island. F4.5 at 1/800, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 120 mm

After celebrating Christmas, my wife Debbie and I headed north to Crystal Mountain Resort. On the way back home I decided to stop in Manistee to make a "Christmas Light" photograph. F10 at 8 seconds, 100 ISO, 300mm lens at 300mm

Ludington Lighthouse During Workshop

Fifty-Five Thousand Sunrises

 Although, over the last few years I’ve made many images that I’m extremely proud of, one photo that I still had not captured was a great image of the Ludington North Breakwater Light. I’ve made images of the lighthouse, just none that I was in love with. I had the chance to stay in town to shoot the sunset on May 21st, and I was crossing my fingers that the rain would stop, and the clouds would break just enough for the sun to shine through. It could have gone either way, but I was ready and waiting. I chose a telephoto lens, so that I could focus on just the lighthouse and the setting sun. Thankfully for me, the sunset turned out to be gorgeous! I could see others taking a nightly run to the lighthouse, or taking in the sunset with family or friends. It was just me, my camera, and the setting sun enjoying that special night on the south side of the beach, listening to Lake Michigan tell her summer secrets.

Big Point Sable Lighthouse guides mariners safely past its treacherous shallows as it has since 1867. The famous landmark stands guard at the north end of a C-shaped 35-mile stretch of Lake Michigan shoreline that meanders from Big Point Sable to Little Point Sable. Big Point's tower rises 112 feet from its base to the top of the lamphouse.

During an early morning workshop shoot, my dad and I took 15 students to Little Sable Point Lighthouse. We love being at the lighthouse as the sun rises above the huge wooded sand dunes to the east. The dunes keep the sun from hitting the lighthouse directly for almost thirty minutes after sunrise. Once the sunlight finally arrives, it can be very dramatic. As Galen Rowell would preach, shoot with your camera from the shadows into the light.

At the end of a 12-hour photography expedition through West Michigan countryside and cities, we wind up on the shore of Lake Michigan at Muskegon in time to savor the setting sun. I decide to try one of Brad's favorite techniques

Lighthouses always attract my attention but today I am more attracted to these birch trees on the Manistee waterfront. Brad and I often like to make lighthouses the secondary subject of our Michigan lighthouse photographs. F8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 112mm

I have always enjoyed the challenge of building strong, unique compositions utilizing reflections. In order to get the building, red roof, and tower of Au Sable Point Lighthouse to show up in the reflection, I had to lie on my stomach in Lake Superior. Thankfully, it has been a record breaking warm winter, but the water temperature still had my full attention. F8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Ludington Lighthouse During Workshop

Big Sable in Magic Light After Rainbow