Search

My son Brad checks out the view of Presque Isle and Lake Huron from high atop New Presque Isle Light, the tallest accessible lighthouse among the 149 Great Lakes Lighthouses. F5.6 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 105mm

This statue of Patrick Garrity, Sr., appointed as lighthouse keeper at the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse by Abraham Lincoln in 1861, stands watch today in front of the remains of the original lighthouse built in 1840. Many people believe that the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is haunted. I did not go inside the lighthouse to find out for myself. I did have goose bumps the entire time I was on the property and that was before I had heard the ghost stories! F14 at 1/25, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

With the stress and fear that COVID-19 has created for everyone worldwide, it sure is nice to be able to drive down to Ludington’s Stearns Beach and watch a calming sunset. This pandemic has proven to me that Ludington is “Home” for me and where I belong.

Happy Thanksgiving! Today in Ludington the weather was gray and ugly almost the entire day. But just before sunset, the sun broke through the cloud layer and everything turned neon orange and pink. Luckily, I was ready and waiting at the end of the new pier near the Loomis Street Boat Ramp. F22.0 at 1.0, ISO 100, 14 mm lens at 14 mm

Today was my first visit to the White River Light Station near Whitehall, Michigan. What a magnificent piece of Michigan maritime history. The building and lighthouse are gorgeous, but the coolest aspect of the light station is the museum inside. It is definitely worth a visit with your family! F11 at 1/80, ISO 100, 10-17mm lens at 13mm

My son Brad is making a different image of the White River Light Station but is having the same thought I am. He remarks that this lighthouse, more than others we have photographed in Michigan, looks like a home with a lighthouse attached. I think this Whitehall, Michigan light station is definitely one of the most charming lighthouses on the Great Lakes. F8 at 1/500, ISO 100, 28mm lens at 28mm

Bone chilling temperatures today made it very difficult to take this photograph. My fingers were so cold I could barely operate my camera. With a huge rush of adrenalin from seeing the incredible sunset unfolding before my eyes, I was able to push through the pain and make the needed adjustments. F5.0 at 1/6400, ISO 100, 600 mm lens at 600 mm

God beams were shining bright this afternoon at Stearns Beach in Ludington. One positive of COVID-19 is that it has tuned our 366 Project into a hyper-local book project. Besides my dad’s and my book on the Ludington State Park and his 50 Year Book, this book will have more shots from Mason County than any project we have ever done.

It is a good thing my son Brad does CrossFit training almost every day because fighting off breaking Lake Michigan waves while trying to make good images in Lake Michigan is strenuous work. I observe that Brad seems to thrive on his photography battles with the big lake. F22 at 1/100, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 165mm

With temperatures in single digits the last few days, it didn't take long for Ludington North Breakwater Light to become a giant ice sculpture. The mix of light, wind, and blowing snow turned the frigid waters of Lake Michigan a gorgeous green color this morning. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

I knew steam would be rising from icy Lake Michigan when the sun came up on this 10-degree morning. I got out early to photograph Ludington harbor from near the Ludington South Breakwater Light. I am pleasantly surprised to see this outbound tug and barge come into view to complete my picture. F4.5 at 1/320, ISO 200, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

I have photographed my way westward across Michigan today. Clouds have been an important ingredient in several of my shots. Now my hunch that the supersized marshmallow clouds in the western sky are going to help create one of the most spectacular sunset light shows of the year is paying off. I have reached the Grand Haven shoreline just in time to see the sky on fire. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 130mm

This day started with a massive double rainbow in the west and now we have some of the largest, most distinct God beams I have ever seen. Days like today make my job as a photographer a whole lot easier, but more importantly, more fun. F11 at 1/60, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 145mm

By setting my camera aperture to F22 and shooting directly into the sun, I was able to make it appear like the Ludington North Breakwater Light had a crown of sunshine. Shooting on full auto would have never allowed for this look or feel. At our weekend workshops, we teach our students how to use their own cameras on full manual. F22 at 1/80, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

The God beams have quickly disappeared and now the sky is flaming red, yellow, and orange. My favorite part of this composition is the lone fisherman standing at the end of the breakwall. He became the little person in the big world and he gives the photograph a sense of scale. The tiny fisherman makes the sky seem 10 times more powerful. F2.8 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

The rich blue winter sky and brilliant sunshine are making my day as I venture with ice cleats out the ice-coated Ludington South Breakwater. The South Breakwater Light looks like a white candle this morning. F7.1 at 1/800, ISO 100, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

The God beams have quickly disappeared and now the sky is flaming red, yellow, and orange. My favorite part of this composition is the lone fisherman standing at the end of the breakwall. He became the little person in the big world and he gives the photograph a sense of scale. The tiny fisherman makes the sky seem 10 times more powerful. F2.8 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

I have always been impressed with the brilliant engineering of the Ludington North Breakwater Light. Obviously it was designed well before computers were ever imagined, but they still had the foresight to make the portholes line up with each other on opposing sides so that the sunlight during a sunset would shine through the entire lighthouse. F2.8 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

As the colors of tonight's sunset changed by the minute, I watched the orange, red, and yellow sunset quickly turn to purple and magenta. Luckily, I was exposing as the purple and magenta started to take over the sky. Experiencing sunsets in Ludington never gets old. F2.8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 92mm