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It looks like a field of dreams as I look at a meadow of mustard grass through my large telephoto lens. The view is equivalent to looking through 10-power binoculars. I focus farther away and closer until the picture feels just right. F4.0 at 1/640, ISO 100, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

The life and death cycle of a forest fascinates me. I have come to realize my life is just a speck in the evolution of any forest. These birch trees at Ludington State Park have fallen victim to birch bark disease. Diseased wood brought to the park by campers has helped spread tree diseases at the park and across much of Michigan. I wonder if birch trees and other diseased trees will stage a comeback generations from now.

Traveling Old Mission Peninsula north of Traverse City when thousands of cherry trees are in bloom is one of those Michigan experiences that are unforgettable. This spot on M37 is one of many Old Mission locations where motorists can see orchards, rolling hills, and Grand Traverse Bay all at once. For landscape photography lovers like me these scenes provide the opportunity to make "grand scenic" pictures that feature a strong foreground, middleground, and background. F11 at 1/250, ISO 200, 80-200mm lens at 130mm

Sitting in the middle of a Michigan field on a breezy summer day, I feel like I am watching a motion picture as the grasses and wildflowers sway in the breeze. Lowering my vantage point places me in the grass and makes the viewer of my images feel immersed in the grass with me.

The underside of an old fishing vessel is a great place to explore with a camera. The colors and patterns can be mesmerizing. F22.0 at 1/10, ISO 500, 18-50 mm lens at 27 mm

Driving through the Michigan countryside on summer days is a good way to enjoy a mobile flower show. This tiger lily caught my eye as I was meandering down West Michigan country roads picture-hunting. You never know what is going to be around the next curve.

Betsy and Sean’s house on Riverview in Ludington has always had beautiful crocuses growing in the backyard. I used my 105mm prime macro lens to shoot a close-up photograph of one of the crocuses. I was attracted to the wild purple and white patterns on the inside of the flower.

Fall Color

For a very short time, the fruit country south of Ludington blossoms into a fairyland. This evening view is from Hawley Road looking north. F5.0 at 1/200, ISO 200, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Freeze Morning

Frosty Countryside

Frozen Palace

Don Allen of Ludington has been part of the local garden club for many years. His backyard is unbelievably gorgeous from early spring until late fall. He invited me over to photograph tonight and I was immediately drawn to this clump of primrose. F22.0 at 0.4, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 38 mm

Fruit Country

Halloween arrived in Mason County this morning with bucket loads of rain and even an occasional snowflake. But as experienced outdoor photographers, Brad and I know that nature’s nasty weather tricks can come with some unusually good treats. So back to Conrad Road I went to photograph the tunnel of trees between the Polcin and Greene farms for the fourth time in five days. The fourth time was the charm.

A giant white cedar tree twists its way toward the sky like a giant corkscrew. This natural treasure is part of a several-hundred-year-old virgin white cedar forest on the southeast side of South Manitou Island. Visitors to the island can take a long hike to view these marvels or can sign up for a wagon tour of island attractions which includes a short hike into the cedar forest.

Kinney Gold

One-year-old Caly Eisenlohr stands out beautifully in a sea of dandelions. I was making an image of an orchard and the dandelions in full bloom along Pere Marquette Highway when Caly's parents, Jerrod and Tara, decided this was the perfect setting for them to take pictures of Caly and her three-year-old brother Owen. F4 at 1/320, ISO 400, 500mm lens at 500mm

Fall color stretched as far as the eye could see, and the morning mist allowed, as I stood in awe at the edge of the Manistee River High Rollway, also known as the Buckley Rollway. This is, without a doubt, the best grand scenic vantage point for fall color I have discovered in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula. How is it that I had never been to this magic spot before?

While hunting for morel mushrooms today with Julia and Ethan at Victory Park, we found this delicate little flower. I used my 85mm portrait lens to isolate the flower and soften the background.