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Of the more than 100 bales of straw in a farm field south of Scottville, Michigan, this one appears to me the most photogenic. It lies close to a country road right-of-way lined with Queen Anne's lace. I like the way the flowers provide a visual vignette. F3.2 at 1/800, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

My dad and I spent the entire day at Michigan State University. He showed me his old apartment and where he took most of his journalism classes. We capped the night off by watching one of the best MSU victories of all time. Go Green! F4.0 at 1/250, ISO 1250, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Have you figured out yet what you are looking at? It is a giant, super fat pig covered in mud and flies. The pig gave me a toothy grin today as it tried to cool itself off in the 90-degree weather. F2.8 at 1/2500, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm

I have admired these grasses in my neighbor's yard at Crosswinds for months. I am thinking they have never looked better than today so I am giving it my best shot to show how beautiful I think they are. F2.8 at 1/2000, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

Using our "twice-as-close" rule, I move right in on some lavender flowers to zero in on a bee harvesting nectar and pollinating the flowers in the process. I want to be as close to the bee as my lens will focus so that almost nothing else is sharp in the picture. I want the image to feel like a bee's field of dreams. F3.2 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

My son Ethan walks along a small sand dune behind my dad and stepmom's house at Crosswinds along Lake Michigan. I follow behind with my camera to photograph his tiny footprints in the sand. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 400, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Jeff and Sarah Tow stroke their way through the water during one of their Lake Michigan practice swims in preparation for swimming 55 to 60 miles across Lake Michigan in Mid-August. Their "Through the Blue" swim is intended to raise awareness about postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 92mm

Thistledown on a milk thistle plant looks especially soft and delicate this afternoon. The thistledown will soon catch the wind and spread the plant's seeds across our land along the Pere Marquette River. F4.2 at 1/250, ISO 400, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

Jeff Tow swims toward shore during a practice session in preparation for swimming the width of Lake Michigan this August between Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and Big Sable Point, Michigan. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Sheila Sulak has several unique lawn ornaments in her yard on Tinkham Avenue in Ludington. Tonight she let me photograph one of her favorites in her backyard. I used a slow shutter speed and a rear synced flash to get the look I wanted. F9.0 at 0.6, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

The Fredericks family farm is one of the most uniquely attractive farms in Mason County. Slowing down or stopping when driving by the South Amber Road property provides more time to appreciate all the handmade folk art on the barn and elsewhere in the yard. F22.0 at 1/6, ISO 400, 24-70 mm lens at 29 mm

Running out of daylight, I headed into our backyard and found these leaves and birch stump. Using a sturdy tripod and hoping the wind stayed calm, I made this six-second exposure. It turned out sharper than expected. F22.0 at 6.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Bethany Rodenbeck holds up a beautiful Lake Michigan steelhead she caught this morning off the shores of Ludington. If you haven't experienced fishing for salmon and steelhead on Lake Michigan you are missing out on a lot of fun. Charter fishing is a multi-billion dollar industry every year in the Great Lakes region and it is worth every penny. F8 at 1/2000, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I am impressed by the affection a pair of mute swans display for each other while basking in the sunshine on Pere Marquette Lake with their offspring. It is clear to me they are mates for life. F4.5 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 145 mm

David Lundin, originally from Sweden, holds up the first Lake Michigan salmon he has ever landed. He and his father-in-law, Roger Anderson, caught this 21-pound whopper while fishing on the charter boat Willie Wonka this morning off the shores of Ludington. F8 at 1/400, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

My dad and I are honored to be the co-chairs of this year's fundraising campaign for the United Way of Mason County. One of the slogans we are using is, "Give a hand up, not a hand out," so I made this photograph to represent that concept. F4.0 at 1/15, ISO 800, 18-50 mm lens at 24 mm

Steaming past the SS Badger early in the morning is a common occurrence for sport fishermen in Ludington. The Badger makes her return trip to Ludington every summer morning around 6:00 a.m. F5 at 1/200, ISO 6400, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I have been watching leaves float by for 20 minutes on Hamlin Lake just above the dam at Ludington State Park. Finally, here is a fresh, colorful view that stands out immediately from all the others I have seen. F2.8 at 1/80, ISO 200, 80-200 mm lens at 130 mm

Tonight at Waterfront Park in Ludington we had a Calvin College Alumni picnic. About 20 local Calvin graduates showed up for the event. At the end of the evening Betsy and I took Julia and Ethan to the playground to burn some energy before bedtime. F2.8 at 1/250, ISO 800, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Lake Michigan is angry this morning. It looked rough from my house. But now, up close to the waves at the base of the Ludington South Breakwater, I can really sense the power of this Great Lake. F3.2 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm