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The sunset tonight at the Little Black Creek Outlet at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon, Michigan was a great way to end Week 36 of the Tuesdays Project. I waded into the water to get in front of the c-shaped sand bar. This also helped put the reflection of the clouds in just the right spot. F22 at 0.5, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Downtown Ludington was abuzz tonight during the Holiday Parade on Ludington Avenue. This was my daughter Julia's favorite float because she loves "real" princesses, not just "cartoon" ones. Rachel Bogner was the 2010 Scottville Harvest Festival Queen and tonight she was dressed for the season. F2.8 at 1/50, ISO 800, 70-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Driving rural roads west of Free Soil, Michigan in a frantic search for a country sunrise scene to photograph, Brad and I encounter this lone bull only a few yards from the edge of the roadway. The scene is a showstopper for me. I pile out of the truck, lie down in the grass and make a silhouette portrait before he loses patience with me. F4.5 at 1/250, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 70mm

Before the sun rose this morning, I was in position to shoot the sunrise along Old US-31 over the Pere Marquette River Flats. I was excited to see we had great clouds forming as the sun finally rose enough to turn the swamp grass in front of me gold. After I made this image, I headed to the grocery store. When I came out of the store, I was blown away by how awesome the clouds had gotten.

Adverse weather doesn't deter Norm Dwyer from fishing for steelhead on the Pere Marquette River. Norm is used to dealing with adversity; he fought fires for nearly 30 years as a Pere Marquette Township fireman. F2.8 at 1/200, ISO 800, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

It is the 11th anniversary of the September 11 attacks today and I want to make an image that pays homage to all the Americans who have lost their lives and sacrificed during and since that tragic day. A strong breeze lifts a half-staff American flag sky-high at the Veterans Memorial in Ludington. I get beneath the flag and look upward, waiting for another gust to lift the flag high again. I see the resulting image as a symbol of how undaunted Americans are by those who try to attack our great nation, our citizens, our service members, and our way of life. F4.5 at 1/800, ISO 200, 24-70mm lens at 29mm

Lake Michigan and the Sable River outlet at Ludington State Park were eerily calm this afternoon. With the water being so still, it was reflecting the blue and turquoise colors from the storm clouds above. F6.3 at 1/40, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 22 mm

Although Nordhouse Lake has dried up and is covered with grasses and flowers this summer, I still find the view from this high spot along the south shore of the wilderness lake to be splendid. Best of all, Brad and I find this shady natural overlook to be the perfect spot to rest while savoring the view. We pause for a while to watch and listen to sandhill cranes on the far side of the lake bed. F18 at 1/60, ISO 200, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

As I was grabbing the open flag from outside after work today, I noticed Grandma Reed’s Christmas dolls my dad had arranged recently in our gallery front windows. My grandpa and grandma had over a hundred of these dolls at one point on display in their home.

The Manistee National Forest has been transformed overnight into a winter wonderland. After driving to the Walhalla area, I discover these snow-coated red pines on a two-track road east of Weldon Creek. F22.0 at 0.4, ISO 200, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

The moss-lined Ridge Trail in the Nordhouse Dunes Federal Wilderness beckons me forward to see what is around the next bend and over the next hill. This is one of the most pristine trails in the only federal wilderness area in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. F16 at 1 second, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 80mm

Happy 9th Birthday, Bubba! It was difficult to say goodbye to the kids tonight. I have always been with them on their birthdays for the entire day. I tried to find a photo that would cheer me up tonight. These trees decorated in Christmas lights in front of Lake Michigan helped.

While many of the trees further upstream along the Pere Marquette River had already begun turning color, this green giant and another nearby still wore their summer colors. I liked the way they stood out on this late September Michigan morning.

Tom and Yvonne Beatty have one of the most beautiful barns in all of Mason County. Trillium Creek Gardens is the name of their magnificent red barn located on Conrad Road between Ludington and Scottville. We have photographed the barn several times and today I went for a closer look. F11.0 at 1/6, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

I don't know if this tree fell victim to the record high water levels more than 15 years ago or was perhaps toppled by high winds like many others nearby in the Nordhouse Dunes Federal Wilderness. What I do know is that the tree is returning to the earth in beautiful fashion as it decays. F18 at 1/60, ISO 200, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

Rachel and I headed to Crystal Mountain to go downhill skiing today. As we got close to the resort, the snow started falling hard. It was the wet, sticky snow that very quickly can transform a normal scene into a winter wonderland. We pulled over and I shot this photo of the Betsie River.

The artistry of Mother Nature and the craftsmen who did such fine work on the wood trim of this stately old home complement each other today. I have returned to Scottville this morning to re-shoot this picture in better light. F22.0 at 1/8, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

This very small clump of grass was glowing and caught my eye from several yards away. I moved in close with my wide-angle macro lens and captured the rim lighting on the finger-like blades of grass. F2.8 at 1/800, ISO 100, 18-55mm lens at 35mm

After a quick trip to Muskegon to say hi and give Kasey a 12th Birthday hug, Brad and I headed north. Finally, Michigan was being graced with a winter wonderland! We had been waiting weeks for a snowfall that clings to the trees. I love when the foliage of the forest bends from the weight of the fallen snow. It makes me want to make a snow angel and look up at the big flakes as they cascade down towards me.

This is my first year as a mentor in the STRIVE (Students Taking Renewed Interest in the Value of Education) program at Ludington High School. Drew O'Neal is my student and today all of the STRIVE students and mentors went cosmic bowling at Country Lanes Bowling Center. We had a blast. F2.8 at 1/5, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 40 mm