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Peaceful Evening - Panoramic

Gerlach Workshop in Munising

Today was a difficult day. When my tasks at work are very systematic and methodical, it is hard to shut that off and let my creative eyes SEE possible compositions. It is past sunset and I have not clicked the shutter yet. I stop at the Custer bridge, grab my camera and tripod, and hope that I can make an image I would be proud of. I carefully took several shots, and then sat there in the silence.

My local knowledge of good locations to photograph a sunrise at Ludington State Park paid off on this April morning. I had only to adjust my camera position laterally by a few feet to align a gap in the trees on the Island Trail with the sun. Nature did the rest.

Hurtling forth and plummeting down, breaking waves capable of overpowering almost anything in their path rush toward the Lake Michigan shoreline. On this November day, no one and no vessel dared to challenge them.

Snacking its way to Lake Michigan, water from Bass Lake catches sunlight on a September evening.

I have been watching several months for just the right light to photograph the sailboats lining the Ludington Yacht Club peninsula on Pere Marquette Lake. One August evening, storm clouds and the golden light of an approaching sunset made the scene extraordinary. A rainbow added the crowning touch.

In photography and in life, getting close to someone or something brings out feelings you have never felt before. That's the kind of strong feelings I seek when I am fortunate enough to be on the Lake Michigan shoreline with my camera on an evening like this.

My uncle, Rod Marble, and a few other woodworkers helped the late Jim Roussin build this beautiful wood boat. As a young boy growing up in Ludington, I would always get excited seeing the Liberty underway. I am not sure when she was last in the water, but I hope to see her afloat soon. F8.0 at 1/50, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 24 mm

I had to smile the moment this snowman greeted me with a smile on his face in the alley near our photo gallery this morning. He definitely appears to be enjoying winter. I love winter as much as when I was a child building my first snowman. F3.5 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 86 mm

Mary Shoup was an amazingly upbeat person. Even after suffering from polio and its nasty side effects for most of her life, Mary continued to smile and make it her mission to make others happy. Her life was cut short, but when I saw this wild iris growing in Hamlin Lake on the Island Trail at Ludington State Park, I was reminded of what a beautiful person Mary was.

After getting several notices on our phones the last few days that the Northern Lights might be out on Sunday night and early Monday morning, my dad picked me up from my new house in Ludington around 9pm. We drove to Point Betsie Lighthouse just north of Frankfort, Michigan. Shortly after getting on location and figuring out where we wanted to shoot, my dad and I noticed a large white pillar of light appearing to the left of the lighthouse. A few moments later, the colors of the Northern Lights appeared. Luckily, my camera was taking an almost three-minute exposure during this time. By the end of the long exposure, the pillars were gone and the colors faded quickly. My dad and I stayed until 2am hoping they would come back. Once the clouds rolled in, we headed home with giant smiles on our faces because we were pretty sure we each got at least one nice photograph!

M22 is always a beautiful drive no matter what time of year. On this gorgeous fall day, Rachel, Dustin, and I were on a shooting adventure. We couldn't resist stopping to photograph this iconic barn surrounded by brilliant fall color and stunning October clouds. Nikon D800. F22 at 1/40, ISO 100. 14-24mm lens at 14mm. On a tripod without a flash. October 27, 2016 at 1:20pm.

My son, Brad Reed, is in his element as he photographs one of the most beautiful snowfalls in years in the Manistee National Forest near Baldwin, Michigan. Brad is dressed for success and his camera equipment is built to withstand the elements. This wet snow will be a good field test for his new Nikon D7000 camera.

Venus and Jupiter have been very close together and bright in the night sky the last month or so and I have finally made a photo of them that I am proud of. Tonight, I took a 28-minute exposure of Little Sable Point Lighthouse and the two planets. Venus is the really bright streak and Jupiter is the dimmer one right next to it. If you look closely at the horizon you can also see the lights from Wisconsin; that only happens a few times a year. F8 at 28 minutes, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

A smartly flemished line finished off the squared-away appearance of a six-man Coast Guard rowing surfboat housed in the VanOort U.S. Coast Guard Boathouse at the Michigan Maritime Museum. The craft is part of an exhibit featuring the nation’s only complete and restored collection of the last three types of wooden rescue craft used by the Coast Guard.

Michael Wolff of Ludington enjoys a leisurely kayak ride in the Ludington channel tonight just before sunset. It is so nice when locals can enjoy being tourists in our own town. Ludington is hard to beat on a warm summer night. F9 at 1/320, ISO 400, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

When a fast-moving Lake Michigan storm front comes through, I am always on the lookout for the sky spectacle that may follow. Tonight my weather knowledge pays off. This view of the SS Badger heading out of Ludington harbor greets me as I hustle to the waterfront after photographing a storm front at Pentwater. F8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

Lincoln River in Front of Rods Shack