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 I was on my way into work when I spotted this beautiful snowy owl perched on top of a barn on Fountain Road. It was so peaceful; I was able to shoot it quite a while before finally heading on my way. I was surprised to see it, as they typically disappear from our area come springtime. The snowfall we had last week worked in my favor!

Each fall I look forward to trying to be at my favorite Michigan Lower Peninsula fall color vista during peak color. My wife, Debbie, and I timed it well when we chose the morning of October 12 to make our 2020 visit to the Buckley Rollway. I love the birds-eye, above-the-treetops view from the lookout of the forest land and winding Manistee River.

Since the 1930s, the Beach House at Ludington State Park has served many functions. My favorite memories of the Beach House are the massive family reunions my mom's family would have there when I was young. While the adults were busy catching up on the past year's events, we kids were busy exploring the mysterious castle on the beach.

The sound of ice forming and the sight of steam rising off Pere Marquette Lake have adrenaline flowing through my cold body this December morning. I race to get into place and work quickly to build a layered composition. What a magnificent moment to witness! F8.0 at 1/50, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

I walked out the Ludington North Breakwater to photograph the northern lights in the middle of the night. The lights we barely visible, but the Milky Way was incredible. You could also see the lights of Wisconsin. It was a beautifully calm night on Lake Michigan.

When the quality of light is this extraordinary at Big Sable Point Lighthouse, I have come to realize how breathtaking and beautiful everything looks compared to more ordinary days. I still like the more ordinary days, but I crave mornings like this one!

One of my favorite places to take a "Sunday Drive" any day of the week in autumn is the wooded area of the 3,450-acre Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness between Ludington and Manistee. Today I find the seasonal transition spectacular.

North Manitou Shoal Light Station looks to me like a giant birdhouse as we cruise past on a voyage between Leland and South Manitou Island on a gorgeous July morning. The light station was automated in 1980 and has not been manned by the Coast Guard since then. Cormorants appear to have taken over the structure.

High above the Pere Marquette River at the Rainbow Rapids picnic area, the heavy wet snow contrasts beautifully with the dark blue-black water to create a very painterly scene. I love the lines and forms that make up this delicate, yet powerful scene.

I had an Ernest Hemmingway moment on the Pere Marquette River tonight. We had anchored our drift boat along the shore so that our guide, Josh Mead, could grill us a homemade pork chop dinner with all the fixings. As we enjoyed our gourmet meal, an old-fashioned wooden drift boat slowly slipped past us. I grabbed my camera and waited for a defining moment. I wondered how many times my great-grandparents floated this same stretch of the river in wooden drift boats. F6.3 at 1/100, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 112mm

Photographing lightning always gives me a jolt of adrenaline. This storm that rolled in from Lake Michigan hit Manistee with a punch. I was excited that I was able to capture a small bolt of lightning with only a shutter speed of 1/5 of a second. F22 at 1/5, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 27mm

Thunder Bay, near Alpena, Michigan is the ultimate Great Lakes shipping graveyard with over 50 sunken vessels that have been found and are easily accessible to view. It is estimated that over 200 vessels have sunk in this area of Lake Huron known as "Shipwreck Alley." Today, my dad and I explored Thunder Bay aboard the Lady Michigan, a glass bottom tour boat owned by the Alpena Shipwreck Tours Company. This photo shows the remains of Scanlon's Barge, which sank in 1929 and is only 13 feet below the surface. As I was shooting this photograph, a fish came by to check out the wreckage as well. F6.3 at 1/250, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

Wednesday Ludington City Beach Grass

365 Week 06

PM River and Conrad Road

Tall Ship and Sunset

Tuesdays With Todd and Brad Reed

Deer Creek (Black and White)

Deer Creek