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Spirit Quest

Proud Eagle

I love making story-telling images with my camera. I felt like this scene in my front yard tonight told the story of growing older, bigger, and stronger. I purposely put that large tree in the very center of the image to help cut the image in half and help tell the story better.

I have a fear of snakes. Brad has a fear of spiders. He has made at least one image so far of a snake and made sure to send the picture to me to startle me. My kids found this spider on the back of our barn. Perfect payback!

I could see these colorful rays shooting upwards from the setting sun, but I needed a good setting to make a strong image of them. I found this beautiful farm near Custer, Michigan and knew that would be the middle ground of my image. Now I needed a strong foreground. I found these bushes and trees alongside the road and walked out into them to set up my camera and tripod.

The kids and I were camping at “The Point” on the farm. We had a group out for dinner and s’mores. It was a fun night of sharing stories and jokes. As the sun started to set, the ferns and trees lit up. I love this spot on our farm.

Porkchop strikes a handsome pose while promenading through downtown Ludington during Friday Night Live. Being a dog lover, I could not resist making a picture of the English bulldog. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 400, 70-200 mm lens at 155 mm

Storms seem to be popping up very quickly lately. We were still camping at “The Point” when the wind started to pick up. Everyone pitched in to pack up loose items. I then turned my attention to the clouds passing overhead above the Pere Marquette River.

While photographing two baby skunks playing about 25 yards away, my peripheral vision senses movement on my left. I look up to see this baby skunk no more than 15 yards away emerging from a barn. Attracted to its gorgeous white coat, I swing the camera to shoot, hoping the skunk is not repelled enough by me to spray. Baby skunks have scent glands from the day they are born and can spray when only eight days old. F4 at 1/1000, ISO 800, 500mm lens at 700mm

Three of nine baby skunks spotted in a farmyard south of Ludington parade past me after playing and hunting for food on a late spring morning. My vantage point provides a clear view of the widely varying black and white patterns of their coats. F4 at 1/1250, ISO 800, 500mm lens at 700mm

When I think of Bespop, I often picture him in this area of his yard, near his grape arbor. Of course, he would be leaning on his cane, wearing his straw fedora hat, and smoking his pipe of cherry tobacco. I miss his smile. I miss his laugh.

Three of nine baby skunks spotted in a farmyard south of Ludington parade past me after playing and hunting for food on a late spring morning. My vantage point provides a clear view of the widely varying black and white patterns of their coats. F4 at 1/1250, ISO 800, 500mm lens at 700mm

I don’t know what kind of strange fungi this is in my front yard, but it is very large and super cool looking. My new yard never ceases to amaze me with all of its fun surprises.

Baby skunks come nose to nose while playing in a farmyard on a June morning. The skunks are among nine babies born this month at Larry and Jo Sholtey's farm along South Lakeshore Drive south of Ludington. The playful youngsters have been providing excellent entertainment for the Sholteys and their guests. F4 at 1/500, ISO 800, 500mm lens at 700mm

Baby skunks come nose to nose while playing in a farmyard on a June morning. The skunks are among nine babies born this month at Larry and Jo Sholtey's farm along South Lakeshore Drive south of Ludington. The playful youngsters have been providing excellent entertainment for the Sholteys and their guests. F4 at 1/500, ISO 800, 500mm lens at 700mm

The calendar still says it is spring but this mid-June view through my large telephoto lens at South Haven beach sure looks and feels like summer to me. It is a splendid day to be on the Lake Michigan shoreline photographing Week 24 of "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute." F6.3 at 1/1000, ISO 200, 300mm lens at 300mm

We had a fun gathering tonight with two of Brad’s high school friends and their families. Jonathan and Shannon own two Friesian horses. My kids were over the moon at the opportunity to brush them and give them treats. I worked to compose and expose this photo to show off their wonderful barn and the crew inside.

They had an old-fashioned tractor ride today from Scottville to Ludington in honor of Duane Cooper. Duane loved restoring old tractors. One of the riders was our good friend Roger Thurow. Roger is who makes all the custom stretcher bar frames for our gallery wrapped canvases. I was glad I captured this image of Roger on one of his tractors as the parade of tractors passed me on Conrad Road.

While looking out my bathroom window tonight, I spotted this goldfinch on our butterfly bush. I grabbed my camera gear and quietly snuck around the side of my house to capture this image before the tiny, beautiful bird flew away.