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As the sun rises over the Northern Michigan countryside, I find myself mesmerized by the sight of corn waving lazily in the morning breeze. It makes me crave Michigan-made Kellogg's Corn Flakes. F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 200, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

These pigeons are a bright spot in a sad day. Angel, our beloved cat, died today. The pigeons are on a barn roof at Country Clinic, which gave us Angel nearly 20 years ago when he was an orphan kitty convalescing from the loss of a front leg. What a gift he turned out to be! F5.6 at 1/2000, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

Ralph Lundberg stands by a bale of straw on the sprawling Lundberg Brothers Farm south of Scottville, Michigan. The patchwork of big fields beyond is part of the 1,200 acres of land the Lundbergs farm for their dairy operation. Farming, like most career paths, has its ups and downs, but I think it is one of the noblest Michigan professions. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

The contrast between the royal blue sky and the strikingly defined white clouds gets my attention as I step out of my truck at Cartier Park in Ludington. I have found my photo of the day! F2.8 at 1/2000, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Ralph Lundberg stands by a bale of straw on the sprawling Lundberg Brothers Farm south of Scottville, Michigan. The patchwork of big fields beyond is part of the 1,200 acres of land the Lundbergs farm for their dairy operation. Farming, like most career paths, has its ups and downs, but I think it is one of the noblest Michigan professions. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

Michigan State players and fans celebrate moments after Charlie Gantt caught a fourth-down touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone on a fake field goal play to defeat Notre Dame in overtime 34-31. F4.5 at 1/320, ISO 2000, 80-200 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 230 mm

Of the more than 100 bales of straw in a farm field south of Scottville, Michigan, this one appears to me the most photogenic. It lies close to a country road right-of-way lined with Queen Anne's lace. I like the way the flowers provide a visual vignette. F3.2 at 1/800, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

My dad and I spent the entire day at Michigan State University. He showed me his old apartment and where he took most of his journalism classes. We capped the night off by watching one of the best MSU victories of all time. Go Green! F4.0 at 1/250, ISO 1250, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Have you figured out yet what you are looking at? It is a giant, super fat pig covered in mud and flies. The pig gave me a toothy grin today as it tried to cool itself off in the 90-degree weather. F2.8 at 1/2500, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm

I have admired these grasses in my neighbor's yard at Crosswinds for months. I am thinking they have never looked better than today so I am giving it my best shot to show how beautiful I think they are. F2.8 at 1/2000, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

Using our "twice-as-close" rule, I move right in on some lavender flowers to zero in on a bee harvesting nectar and pollinating the flowers in the process. I want to be as close to the bee as my lens will focus so that almost nothing else is sharp in the picture. I want the image to feel like a bee's field of dreams. F3.2 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

My son Ethan walks along a small sand dune behind my dad and stepmom's house at Crosswinds along Lake Michigan. I follow behind with my camera to photograph his tiny footprints in the sand. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 400, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Jeff and Sarah Tow stroke their way through the water during one of their Lake Michigan practice swims in preparation for swimming 55 to 60 miles across Lake Michigan in Mid-August. Their "Through the Blue" swim is intended to raise awareness about postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 92mm

Thistledown on a milk thistle plant looks especially soft and delicate this afternoon. The thistledown will soon catch the wind and spread the plant's seeds across our land along the Pere Marquette River. F4.2 at 1/250, ISO 400, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

Jeff Tow swims toward shore during a practice session in preparation for swimming the width of Lake Michigan this August between Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and Big Sable Point, Michigan. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Sheila Sulak has several unique lawn ornaments in her yard on Tinkham Avenue in Ludington. Tonight she let me photograph one of her favorites in her backyard. I used a slow shutter speed and a rear synced flash to get the look I wanted. F9.0 at 0.6, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

The Fredericks family farm is one of the most uniquely attractive farms in Mason County. Slowing down or stopping when driving by the South Amber Road property provides more time to appreciate all the handmade folk art on the barn and elsewhere in the yard. F22.0 at 1/6, ISO 400, 24-70 mm lens at 29 mm

Running out of daylight, I headed into our backyard and found these leaves and birch stump. Using a sturdy tripod and hoping the wind stayed calm, I made this six-second exposure. It turned out sharper than expected. F22.0 at 6.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Bethany Rodenbeck holds up a beautiful Lake Michigan steelhead she caught this morning off the shores of Ludington. If you haven't experienced fishing for salmon and steelhead on Lake Michigan you are missing out on a lot of fun. Charter fishing is a multi-billion dollar industry every year in the Great Lakes region and it is worth every penny. F8 at 1/2000, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I am impressed by the affection a pair of mute swans display for each other while basking in the sunshine on Pere Marquette Lake with their offspring. It is clear to me they are mates for life. F4.5 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 145 mm