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Curving branches of an old oak tree along the Pere Marquette River stand out today after high winds blew away many of the grand oak's leaves. Most neighboring maple trees have been stripped bare by 30 to 60 knot winds the previous two days. F11.0 at 1/5, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

Flowering bull thistle grabs my attention before its sharp, prickly leaves and stems can tear into my legs as I walk through a swamp. I find it fascinating that something so beautiful in nature can so quickly cause harm to a person or animal. F5 at 1/80, ISO 100, 105mm lens at 105mm

Betsy, the kids, and I have been in our new house for a couple of months now and this is the first wildlife photograph I have made from inside the house. We have lots of deer and squirrels in our backyard every day and I can photograph them out the sliding glass doors. Julia helped me spot this squirrel. F4.5 at 1/100, ISO 1600, 600 mm lens at 600 mm

The word swamp does not have a good connotation for a lot of people. But those who venture into one of Michigan's many swamps and marshes have the opportunity to discover plenty of beauty. This swamp bling catches dew, sunlight, and my eye. F6.3 at 1/125, ISO 100, 105mm lens at 105mm

Hunting with a camera can be exciting. I have been stalking this big buck for weeks and here he finally is in front of my camera within 30 yards. I like this moment when he is on the trail of a doe that came through a few minutes earlier. F4.0 at 1/250, ISO 800, 500 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 750 mm

This morning I have headed for the marshlands of Northern Michigan to see what I can find blooming. In a meadow at the edge of a marsh near the Pere Marquette River I spot goldenrod and then see a lone butterfly land on one of the flowers. I quickly and quietly approach to get as close as my large telephoto lens will focus to maximize impact and minimize depth of field. F5 at 1/500, ISO 200, 300mm lens at 300mm

The sweeping clouds of October darken the foreground of this scene, while the golden light of sunrise peeks through a break in the clouds. I love the dramatic light of October, especially in Michigan. F8.0 at 1/250, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Nothing brightens my photographic day more than finding sunflowers in the Michigan countryside. We got tipped off about a stand of sunflowers growing at the Stakenas farm on US31 north of Scottville. The afternoon backlighting gives the sunflowers translucent brilliance and definition. F8 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 80mm

I am getting wet making this picture but moving close to these jetties is, I know, vital to making an image that will put the viewer there. The water rushing over the tops of my waterproof shoes is cold and distracting but the image in my viewfinder is also a rush. F4.0 at 1/8, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 14 mm

Warren Weaver finishes cutting another row of hay with his giant John Deere chopper on an August afternoon. The Stakenas farm is one of the biggest farming operations in West Michigan. The Stakenas family has been farming their land north of Scottville, Michigan for several generations. F8 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 80mm

Setting your camera to the "bulb" setting allows you to take very long time exposures. I used my glow-in-the-dark watch to count 90 seconds for this exposure because the sun had set 45 minutes earlier. I also used a rear-sync flash to help brighten the foreground. The end result was a surreal looking shoreline. F22.0 at 90 seconds, ISO 100, 14 mm lens at 14 mm

While taking back roads up to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore tonight, we drove by this old McCormick-Deering tractor. I had my dad turn the Suburban around so I could hop out and make this photograph. Both the tractor and the massive old maple tree are timeless beauties. I wonder which one is older? F10 at 1/125, ISO 400, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

The old cemetery at the west end of Hawley Road takes on an eerie appearance on Halloween night. During a 30-second time exposure, I am using my vehicle headlights to sidelight the gate and an off-camera flash to light gravestones in order to make them emerge from the darkness. F11.0 at 30.0, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 14 mm

Local knowledge and connections are invaluable when it comes to outdoor photography. One of the Stakenas boys from Scottville passed word onto us that they had some beautiful sunflowers growing on their land across the road from their farm on US31. Luckily for us, the first attempt turned out great because of the gorgeous light hitting the sunflowers. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 600mm lens at 840mm

I have had my eye on this old caboose since we started the 365 Project back in January, but the lighting and clouds were never ideal. Tonight on the way to my Grandpa and Grandma Reed's house on M-116 near Ludington State Park for trick-or-treating, we stopped to make this photo. F18.0 at 1/50, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

As my dad sat in the sunshine in front of a beautiful field of really short sunflowers, I couldn't resist calling his name to get him to look at my camera for this photograph. I was at least 40 yards away from him when I made this image, but my super long telephoto lens brought him up close and personal while blurring the sunflowers in the background. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 600mm lens at 840mm

Morning glory! Frost-coated swamp grasses turn to gold as the sun rises over the Pere Marquette River. What a way to wake up to the first day of November. F6.3 at 1/125, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 12 mm

Other visitors and I savor the stillness and soft glow of an August evening on Sleeping Bear Bay. This spot near the old Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station in Glen Haven is one of my favorite locations in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. F5 at 1/800, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm

Morning glory! Frost-coated swamp grasses turn to gold as the sun rises over the Pere Marquette River. What a way to wake up to the first day of November. F6.3 at 1/125, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 12 mm