Search

Wind contorts my face, waves roar and crash just short of the feet of my tripod, sun gleams and dances across the water, clouds paint the sky. I am in my glory. This is as good as it gets for a Lake Michigan photographer. These are the days I dream about and rarely experience. This mid-September day of 2001 on the Ludington waterfront was one of the best moments of my life. My camera recorded it so I and others can experience it again and again.

Today is the start of the second annual Westmaas family week-long vacation near Manistee, Michigan. Over twenty members of my mother-in-law's family come from all over the country to enjoy the shoreline and waters of Lake Michigan. The house we rented this year is near the 5th Avenue Beach in Manistee, Michigan. F22.0 at 0.4, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Today is the 35-year anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior. Many people don't realize that storm hit all of the Great Lakes, including Lake Michigan. The weather this morning was the polar opposite of 35 years ago - 60 degrees with the lake totally at peace. F8.0 at 1/500, ISO 800, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

The S-curve shapes of this tree along the Lake Michigan shoreline at Ludington State Park have long caught my eye. Today as I pass by in my car on M-116 a crow sits atop this tree like a beautiful ornament. It stays in just the right spot long enough to make the picture. I am very pleased to have found this quieter picture. F2.8 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Some day I hope to publish a book of nothing but photographs of water ripples. I never tire of watching the colors change by the second as the light moves across the surface. Tonight, on the south breakwall in Pentwater, I pointed out these water ripples to several people passing by.

My dad and I headed out to the north side of the channel in Grand Haven today to photograph the abundance of fisherman catching perch, steelhead, and salmon. The pier was packed and several people were showing off their catches. The fog was "pea soup," as my dad would say, so I was not expecting to see many boats heading out for a joy ride. To my surprise, Karizmaddie, a racing sailboat, was venturing out into the fog.

Chet Miller knows how to stop traffic passing by Miller's Northwood Market along M22 between Onekama and Arcadia. On this day Chet has filled up the engine compartment of an old Chevrolet pickup with an assortment of gourds. I can't resist pulling my Chevy pickup off the road to photograph Chet's creation, visit with Chet about his fast-pitch softball days, and take home some vegetables and preserves.

Fish Town in Leland showcases Michigan's Great Lakes commercial fishing heritage while also featuring shopping, dining, and boat cruises. Leland is one of dozens of picturesque Great Lakes small port villages, towns, and cities.

My favorite part of this photo is the tiny bit of green in the bottom of the composition. The snow was so thick and sticky that in less than two hours it completely transformed a dark, dreary forest and creek into a winter paradise.

Grand Island Light at Gerlach Workshop in Munising

Little Sable

Sunrise at Big Sable

PM River and Conrad Road

Shadows to the Light

Manistee Lighthouse and USCG

Tuesdays With Todd and Brad Reed

August Night

In the 1980s, high Lake Michigan water levels threatened to undermine Big Point Sable Lighthouse. The Coast Guard erected a planned replacement tower to be ready for the day the light toppled into Lake Michigan. Local lighthouse lovers and construction companies teamed up to repair the steel wall that once protected the light, adding further fortification against the waves. The reinforcement worked; the Coast Guard removed the backup light. Lake Michigan receded, allowing the waves to deposit sand around part of the sea wall. Knowing the potential fate at this light makes me appreciate its presence even more.

My daughter Julia had her fourth birthday on January 10th. We had a party for her tonight at the Best Western Splash Park in Ludington with family and friends. I think Julia's favorite part of the whole night was blowing out her candles. F2.8 at 1/250, ISO 1000, 70-200 mm at 200 mm

This is the best sunset I have ever seen while photographing the Manistee Lighthouse. I tried to time it so that the people walking down the pier were in a good location for this composition. I used the natural framing of the pier and placed the walkers in one of the archways. In our photography workshops, we call this concept micro composing. F9.0 at 1/125, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 35 mm