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I never get bored or tired of photographing the SS Badger coming in or out of the Ludington harbor. Lake Michigan was as calm as I have ever witnessed today and that makes for smooth sailing on the carferry as it crosses to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. F8 at 1/400, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

It is always fun to find new vantage points from which to photograph the Ludington North Breakwater Light. This morning it was the reflection of the lighthouse that caught my eye. I used the dunes as my foreground and searched for a spot where the reflection would tie into the dunes. F9 at 1/400, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

My stepmom Debbie hates frogs and toads. Tonight while we were having a picnic at her and my dad's house, I found this toad and photographed it with my macro lens. I was tempted to take the toad in the house and scare her, but I knew she would probably get me back some day with a big, nasty spider. F10.0 at 1/250, ISO 320, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

The back-roads drive along the Lake Michigan shoreline between Manistee and Onekama is one of my Michigan favorites. At this spot near Onekama motorists can look through the trees and see miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, including the Portage Lake pierheads. F22 at 1/30, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 120mm

Once in a blue moon a picture like this comes along. I am on my way home from teaching a photo workshop with Brad and am feeling like I have not yet made an image I want to select as my 365 picture of the day. Then I remember the Blu Moon restaurant and how interesting its one-of-a-kind neon sign looks at night. F2.8 at 1/40, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 130 mm

You know summer has arrived in northern Michigan when you start seeing sweet pea along the roadsides. I singled out this flower to photograph from amongst hundreds of sweet peas along the shoreline road south of Onekama. I wanted to show how beautiful these flowers are when viewed up close. F9 at 1/8, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Amy Seng, the director of the local Convention and Visitors Bureau, was taking time tonight to be a tourist in her hometown. The Ludington area locals have had a higher than average number of fantastic summer evenings to enjoy along the shores of Lake Michigan this year because of the warm, dry weather. F5.6 at 30.0, ISO 100, 14 mm lens at 14 mm

Red-hot lava appears to be flowing through the parking lot of the Ludington Meijer store during a deluge of rain. Actually, the Meijer sign is being reflected in the water flowing across the asphalt. I set up the tripod under cover of the raised rear hatch of my Suburban but my camera and I are still getting moderately wet while composing this image. F2.8 at 1/10, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 92 mm

J's Country Store on M-116 near Ludington State Park has a few large cement animals on display near their entrance. This pig with a wig is my favorite. I hope it makes you chuckle as much as my daughter Julia and I did. F5.0 at 0.3, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 110 mm

Why does this image look so bizarre? I made this photograph using a waterproof housing for my camera. Right before I snapped the shutter, I dipped the entire camera and lens under the water. I quickly raised the camera about two-thirds of the way out of the water and made this image. The water on the lens made the actual carferry look dreamy, yet the reflection of the boat looks crisp and sharp on top of water. F6.3 at 1/640, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

I love passing by the Bentz farm on Conrad Road between Ludington and Scottville and viewing the beautifully manicured garden in front of their well-maintained old barns. Today a sunflower rises above others to stand out in front of one of the barns. F4.0 at 1/640, ISO 400, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

I have only seen the SS Badger carferry perfectly reflected on the calm water one other time in my life and that was almost 20 years ago. Twenty years ago I was only 14 years old and, of course didn't have a camera with me. This time I was armed and ready. F6.3 at 1/640, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

My in-laws, Don and Shari Verduin, moved to Ludington in 2009 and bought a house in town. They are both really into gardening and the house they purchased already had an amazing flower garden, but they have made it even better. Tonight, their zinnias caught my attention. F2.8 at 1/80, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

When you are boating it is never a good sign to see "green water" coming into your boat because it means it is really rough. This photograph clearly demonstrates how the surface of the water is blue, but the water beneath the surface is often green. F8 at 1/640, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 10mm

It is fun and a challenge to try to capture what world-famous photographer Cartier-Bresson described as the "decisive moment." My goal on this shot is to capture Erica Karmeisool and her fan club at just the right moment as she finishes her first triathlon in Ludington. F4.0 at 1/640, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

This is probably the most bizarre photograph that I have made of the Ludington North Breakwater Light. With the underwater housing for my Nikon D7000, I was able to capture this image. Half of my lens was under water, the other half above the surface. F6.3 at 1/800, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 10mm

One of my friends from high school, Ali Smith Molnar, owns Smith Sports Training and she helps train other people and get them into shape. Today, Ali competed in the triathlon in Ludington. She beat most of the men in the Olympic distance race. It was awesome watching her and the rest of the participants. F2.8 at 1/5000, ISO 400, 70-200 mm lens at 110 mm

My wife Debbie and I have arrived in Charlevoix just in time to catch the afterglow light along the rocky Lake Michigan shoreline at Fisherman's Island State Park. These two rocks quickly stand out to me because of their size, shape, texture and the way the light and shadow define them. F16.0 at 13.0, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

As I look onto Platte Lake, it is hard for my eye to distinguish between the grasses and their reflections. I love the way they are intermingled and I work hard to stand in the best spot and trip the shutter at the best instant to make good art out of the illusionary scene. F6.3 at 1/640, ISO 200, 80-200mm lens at 120mm

While driving out M-116 along Ludington State Park, I had my eye on the gorgeous sunset over Lake Michigan. When I pulled off the road to shoot the sunset, I noticed the large moon. I got back in my truck and found a tree to put in my photo. I love surprise photographic opportunities like this. F22.0 at 0.3, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 95 mm