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It is past midnight and still I am not seeing any Northern Lights tonight. This is the third night in a row I have stayed up late hoping to see and photograph the Northern Lights. I decide to make a several-minute time exposure of the stars, including the Big Dipper, and "paint" the Ludington South Breakwater Light with flashlight light. F4.0 at 220 seconds, ISO 800, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

Living in Ludington my whole life, I have seen some pretty cool sand sculptures over the years, but this simple acoustic guitar is one of the best I have seen. Corinne Gahan and Beth Carpenter, both from Three Rivers, Michigan, built this wonderful piece of art on the shores of South Haven, Michigan earlier today. My favorite detail of their sand guitar is the seaweed they used for the strings. F13 at 1/400, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

My dad and I decided to try a new adventure and see if we could get our little Boston Whaler from his house at Crosswinds on Lake Michigan to our cabin a few miles up the Pere Marquette River. After several attempts, we found a path that was deep enough. Along the way, we each were able to make a few good photographs. F2.8 at 1/1250, ISO 1000, 300 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 450 mm

Tonight was my first ever visit to Saugatuck. My dad and I paid the six dollar parking fee at Oval Beach and spent an hour exploring the area before sunset. I put my tripod in the water tonight and made this image just before the sun disappeared below the horizon line. The warm sunshine was helping to fight the cool breeze coming off of Lake Michigan. F22 at 1/5, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

While Brad is photographing some of the reddest light we have ever seen hit the carferry Badger, I am shooting the same colorful light reflecting off the black iron base of another Ludington icon

By previsualizing what I wanted in this scene, I did not have to shoot many photographs in order to capture this image. I knew I wanted an oval-shaped wave to come in below my feet. Because of the shape of the shoreline at this spot along Lake Michigan at Oval Beach, I knew if I waited long enough, an oval shaped wave would come along. Five minutes after setting up, I had my previsualized image in the bank. F8 at 1/60, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I have witnessed the side of the 410-foot carferry Badger turning gold or pink at sunset several times, but tonight, the Badger was "painted" a fantastic neon pink color by the sunset. It was so bright that you wouldn't believe it unless you saw it with your own eyes! F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 800, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

How often do I drive by the crops in Michigan farm fields without giving much thought to what a contribution American farmers make to our great nation? I tend instead to be focused on the beauty of these crops and farmlands as I travel the highways and byways of Michigan. This farm crop was visual food for my artistic soul when I discovered it while driving along Victory Drive in rural Mason County. F22 at 1/15, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

Gary Lange, a volunteer Ludington firefighter for 40 years, stands out in a crowd of local professional rescuers being honored during Friday Night Live. I witnessed up close the heroism and devotion to duty and community of Gary and hundreds of other rescuers during the 23 years I photographed them in action for the Ludington Daily News. F4.5 at 1/640, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

When I see "amber waves of grain" in the American landscape, I feel blessed to live in America where we have so much farmland and an abundance of food. I appreciate Michigan farms like the Andersen farm on Andersen Road in northern Mason County. F22 at 1/30, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 175mm

Mike Cooper of the Hamlin Township Fire Department turned on all the lights and gave me a tour of the new brush truck that the department purchased earlier in the year. I have been obsessed with off-road pickup trucks my whole life. This is the truck of trucks! F2.8 at 1/25, ISO 100, 18 mm-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Driving along a dirt road at Gun Lake in eastern Mason County I encounter a slower form of transportation. I stop the car and lie down on the ground to get face-to-face to better see and show the beauty of this creature before he finishes crossing the road. Since I have interrupted his journey across the road, I make certain he makes it all the way across before I drive away. F4.5 at 1/250, ISO 320, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Dave McClellan enjoys a conversation with his son while relaxing at his B15 gas station north of Silver Lake. Dave doesn't sell any gas. The restored service station is a hangout for family and friends and a visual trip back in time for motorists passing by. F9.0 at 1/80, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

What should appear inside the window of an old house but two fawns that look far less surprised than I. I have stopped at the old dwelling while looking at flowers in the yard of the building I thought to be vacant. I am laughing out loud as I make this image of the new tenants. F5 at 1/800, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

Betsy and I took the kids for a run tonight in the jogging stroller on our normal route through the beach and around the marinas in Ludington. When we were almost home, Julia wanted to get out and smell our neighbor's flowers. Julia informed me that these purple flowers were African Daisies. Not bad for four and a half years old! F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 400, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

One of my greatest pleasures in outdoor photography in Michigan is watching the world come to life throughout the spring. Two days before the end of spring a fast-growing fawn hides in grasses that have sprung to life in the Michigan outdoors. F6.3 at 1/100, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

Lake Michigan looks beautiful and inviting for swimmers on yet another hot, humid summer 2010 day. I am tempted to put down the camera and jump in but I need to make a good picture first. F8.0 at 1/640, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

A newborn bison and its mother share time together in their pasture at Gleason Farms & Pheasant Preserve near Scottville, Michigan. I appreciate that bison are being raised at more Michigan farms than ever before. The massive animals present a picture of America's past. F6.3 at 1/2500, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

Julia wanted to go swimming tonight at the Hamlin Lake beach inside Ludington State Park so she and I loaded into my truck and headed that way. On the way, the sunlight broke out of the clouds over Lake Michigan and I pulled off the road near the second curve on M-116 and made this photograph. F9.0 at 1/800, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Newborn elk calves are guarded and watched over by their mothers at the Amber Elk Ranch between Ludington and Scottville, Michigan. The guided tours and other activities at the Conrad Road ranch have become a very popular West Michigan family attraction. F8 at 1/1600, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm