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For my second composition of the morning, I ran down to the edge of Lake Michigan and set my tripod up in the cold water. I made sure to have the tallest parts of the old jetties high enough in my viewfinder to break the horizon line of the photograph. I knew this would help tie my foreground elements to my background, which in turn would make my photograph look and feel more three-dimensional. I used my remote shutter release and my iPhone for a stopwatch. Based on the exposure I used to make "Northern Lights Dream" earlier, I calculated that I needed about 18 minutes for my shutter speed. With that long of a shutter speed, I knew the stars would spin in a circle around the North Star. I could see with my eye this fat white beam of light that appeared to be coming from the ground and aiming directly at the North Star. You can see it pretty clearly in the photograph. I have no idea what was causing that beam of light, but it sure makes my composition a whole lot cooler. My dad could even see it five miles south of me as he was photographing from near the end of the Ludington South Breakwater. I made this image at 2:45 a.m. F5.6 at 18 minutes 5 seconds, ISO 200, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

The Great Pumpkin Patch

It is good to be home. Maui was beautiful, but I still don't think the beaches there hold a candle to our beaches in West Michigan. Our flowers are just as beautiful too. I realized that I take our natural beauty for granted. This tulip in my front yard helps remind me of how blessed I am to live in Ludington. F2.8 at 1/500, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Lilacs send me back in time to the backyards of my grandparents and parents. I wanted to make this picture look like a nostalgic dream of times past so I placed the camera on a tripod and zoomed the lens during the exposure. F20.0 at 1.6, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

Walkway to Fall

I wanted to try something new with my camera so I went down in my basement late at night and turned off all the lights. With the camera on a tripod, I took a 30-second exposure and then turned on a flashlight that had two red lights on it. I slowly moved the flashlight around as the camera exposed. After several attempts, this was my favorite. F11.0 at 30.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

After being up most of the night with my son, Brad, photographing Northern Lights and editing the images, I grabbed a peaceful catnap at our family cabin along the Pere Marquette River. Now I am ready for a little exploring. Light dances on the Pere Marquette River as leaves shimmer in the light of a beautiful spring afternoon. The water is high and running fast today. I take up position to make this image and then linger to drink in the scene for a while longer before moving on to see what else I can find along the river. F3.5 at 1/800, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 120mm

Wild Days Ahead

I start out shooting the young spring leaves on this birch tree along Lincoln Lake but then I notice the patterns on the bark of the tree. I am drawn to the bold, dynamic shapes. F20.0 at 1/6, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 130 mm

I cannot hike the river bottom on our land without visiting the "Cedar Island" a half-mile upstream from our cabin. The magic I discover there today is spring grasses growing in a shimmering creek. The scene looks like an oriental painting to me. I choose a fast shutter speed to freeze the faceted patterns on the water's surface. F4 at 1/320, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Winter Delicacy

I love living near Oriole Field in Ludington and hearing Dennis Genson announce soccer games from my front yard. It takes me down memory lane. Tonight, I heard that familiar voice and headed to Oriole Field with my camera. This photo is of Megan Kokx, who is a sophomore on the Ludington High School varsity soccer team. F5.6 at 1/400, ISO 1250, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

Often making one picture leads to another. As I finish photographing some grasses in a creek along the Pere Marquette River, a fly that looks to me like a mayfly lands in the water just a few feet away. What catches my eye is the large concentric rings the fly and another that landed moments earlier are making on the water. How can such a small creature make such a big impression? F4 at 1/250, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Brad and I are both scurrying to find a picture of the day before speaking to the Alpha Graduates of Ludington High School. We have been frantically busy all day at the gallery so have little time to shoot today. I make a couple images on the Lincoln Hills Golf Club grounds I don't especially like. Then this robin appears just in time! F4.0 at 1/200, ISO 200, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

These are by far the biggest living maple leaves I have discovered in Michigan so far this April. Perhaps the abundance of water being supplied to the shoot they are growing from in this creek is causing the leaves to flourish. I marvel at the symmetry of their arrangement on the surface of the water. I photograph them exactly as I discovered them. F22 at 1/13, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 185mm

I love the return of spring and all of the pretty flowers and blossoms, but what I love the most is the singing birds. This robin was hard at work finding food near the public boat ramp off of Lakeshore Drive on Lincoln Lake. F5.6 at 1/1600, ISO 1000, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

Within minutes of starting to hike along the Pere Marquette River, I spot a beautiful sight

The sweeping view of the C-shaped shoreline from the Ludington city beach northward toward Epworth Heights has always appealed to me. I especially like it when Epworth comes to life for a new season and the cottages begin lighting up at night. F4.5 at 30.0, ISO 100, 80-200 mm at 80 mm

One of the beautiful signs of spring is the emergence of the marsh marigolds along the Pere Marquette River. Did these beauties appear overnight or did I fail to see them yesterday? How often do we overlook the natural beauty that is right there to behold? Too often, I think. I am trying to slow down more these days to allow more time to see what there is to see. In Michigan, beauty is all around us; I never tire of looking for it. F9 at 1/160, ISO 100, 105mm lens at 105mm

Later tonight my dad and I have to present a slide show at the West Michigan Birding Festival, so I got up early this morning and set out to make at least one more good image of birds. I headed to Lincoln Lake to see what I could find. After many failed attempts, I finally got one photograph that was sharp and well composed. F9.0 at 1/2000, ISO 800, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm