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I wish Ludington had a cool lit catwalk on top of its breakwall like Grand Haven does. The lights on the catwalk definitely add a romantic feeling to the photographs. I bet that Grand Haven has a lot fewer boats hit their breakwall every year because it is so well lit. F22 at 4 seconds, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 30mm

Light Spectacle

Little Point Sable

Todd Reed Little Point Sable

Low Seiche

Ludington Adventure

A sudden snow squall on an April day diminishes the light falling on Old Mission Lighthouse but gives the scene a painterly feel. Using a telephoto lens and focusing on shoreline grasses instead of the lighthouse beyond gives the historic structure even more of an impressionistic feeling. F7.1 at 1/500, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Ludington North Pier

Off the Charts

Polar Vortex

One can only imagine how lonely it must have felt for light keepers to spend the entire winter isolated at Mission Point Lighthouse during times gone by. On this February morning the grand old lighthouse at the tip of Old Mission Peninsula north of Northport looks lonely but simply beautiful with a fresh coat of snow.

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.

Red Light

Summer 2008

This fisherman may or may not be catching fish but he definitely has a front row seat for one of the biggest and best sunsets so far this spring. I would like to trade places for a while. F5.0 at 1/640, ISO 100, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

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

Riveting Evening

The Best of Ludington

I learned in the Coast Guard to be “Always Ready” for whatever Lake Michigan threw my way. As an outdoor photographer, being “Always Ready” is still a motto I try to live by. And since a November gale is as predictable as a calm day in July, I make certain I am especially prepared and alert for the arrival of that big November blow. Sure enough, on November 6, 2007, Lake Michigan looked like it was in a Mix Master. I donned my waterproof, insulated clothing, Fuji S5 camera body and 500-millimeter Nikon lens and hustled to the water’s edge. Lying in the sand (and occasionally water) on the Ludington beach, I extended the tripod legs flat and let the occasional wave washing beneath me help bury the tripod solidly in the sand to minimize movement resulting from the powerful northwest winds. After nearly an hour of shooting, at about 2 p.m., sunlight began breaking sporadically through the storm clouds. The resulting “storm light” turned on my adrenaline like a light switch. I was totally engrossed in trying to shoot peak moments of light and wave. I made several images in which the waves totally obscured the Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse as they flew over the top of the lamp house. Then came the moment I was looking for—that delicate balance between power and beauty. Mission accomplished.