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The beach house at Ludington State Park has recently been renovated by the State of Michigan. It looks more beautiful than ever. I waited a half-hour for the tall ship Peacemaker to get in just the right spot on the horizon to make this image.

This winter was brutal on the wildlife in Michigan. A friendly, hungry deer walked right up to me looking for a handout of food at Ludington State Park today. If I'd had food, I know it would have eaten right out of my hand.

It would appear that a huff and a puff might blow down this old barn southeast of Walkerville, Michigan. And yet I wonder how many years the wooden structure has leaned eastward without collapsing.

Ludington State Park Workshop

Big Waves on Lake Superior Cropped Vertical

Kinney Road Tree in Fog

Crosswinds is always a great vantage point for photographing the Badger as she heads in or out of the Ludington channel. The soft pastel colors of the sky matched the tones of the flowers and grass in the foreground. I then tried to micro-compose where the tips of the dune grass fell in this scene, along with the small fishing boat.  I also timed it so the green light was on inside of the Ludington North Breakwater Light.

Legend of Kitch-Iti-Kipi

Sail Away

Iconic Wave

I love going down to the beach on calm summer mornings in Ludington. As I was getting out of my truck to go for a run, I heard the Badger blow its horn, letting boaters know that it was about to leave the dock. I delayed going for a run and grabbed my camera and tripod instead. I climbed the small dune just west of the playground and waited for the Badger to get between the pier heads to capture this image.

A great horned owl eyes visitors to Ludington State Park. The owl was a star attraction during one of the many wildlife education programs put on at the park's Great Lakes Visitors Center. Wildlife Recovery Association had brought the beautiful bird and several other injured birds of prey to the nature center. Attending the park's interpretive programs helps thousands of visitors better understand, appreciate and respect the park and all its living things.

As I was making this photograph tonight near the north edge of Epworth Heights along Lake Michigan, I was curious to know the history of this tree stump. Where did it come from? Why did it die? How long ago did it make it to the Lake Michigan shoreline? Even after all the years of extreme shoreline weather, this stump still looked solid and strong.

My sister-in-law, Misty Reed, was born and raised in Pentwater, Michigan. The house she grew up in is just a block away from the beach and it is a family tradition to walk down and watch the 4th of July fireworks. Tonight, I was fortunate enough to join her and her family for some beautiful fireworks.

Boaters love to set course for Charlevoix, especially during the annual Venetian Festival. To capture the flavor of summer in Charlevoix I set out to photograph across Round Lake toward downtown during the blue light of dusk. Fortunately the night was so still that the sailboat moored in front of me was staying almost motionless, enabling me to use a long enough shutter speed to record the movement of two of the festival amusement rides.

Commercial fishing nets dry in the sun on a warm summer day in Fish Town at Leland, Michigan. I love that commercial fishing on Lake Michigan at Leland continues in much the same manner as a century and more ago. I used to love to photograph similar fishing nets at Ludington. Now I travel to Leland to be able to see and photograph a sight like this. F22 at 1/60, ISO 320, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

Ludington State Park Workshop

Floating Into Fall