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A November gale shook my Jeep, as if one of those coin-operated kiddy rides, when I pulled into the Ludington beach. I knew I was looking at a great picture; making it would be the challenge. A bean bag on the roof of my rocking vehicle was out of the question. The 35-millimeter camera and telephoto lens shook like Jell-O on my heavy tripod. Searching for a solution, I spotted a sturdy lifeguard tower. I climbed it, lay on the floor with the camera and lens braced in the top of my soft camera bag, and shot away.

A leaf shaped like a Gingerbread Man jumped out at me as I was photographing frost-covered leaves between Ludington and Scottville.

Earlier today in our gallery we were discussing with a Bass Lake couple how fleeting the peak moments of magic light or atmosphere are when they do appear in front of us. Now as I stand on the Ludington Waterfront along with "The Mariner" a drab winter sunset turns into a momentarily electric afterglow. F22.0 at 4.0, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 145 mm

Ludington is the place to be on New Year's Eve. The fireworks display after the ball drop is even more impressive than the fireworks during the 4th of July. I love my small hometown and I am proud to be from Ludington.

We have dedicated Week 9 of "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed" to our dear friend Carrie Smith Roe. Carrie lost a four-year battle to cancer yesterday, Monday, February 27th, 2012. She is leaving behind three beautiful young children and a loving husband. Carrie was part of Betsy's and my wedding and was a huge fan of my dad's and my photography. Carrie's younger brother, Chris Smith, is my best friend and I made this sunrise photo only a few miles from Chris' house in Lakeview, Michigan.

Light Immersion

High Above Pentwater

Inspiring Fellowship

Double Your Luck

Sunset at First Curve

Unreal? When the sky over Lake Michigan looks this vivid, even people viewing it sometimes cannot believe their eyes. I am a believer. I did not use special filters to record this view of Ludington lighthouse, or any other image in this book.

With a good perch and a good view, a heron fishes on a pond near Lincoln Lake.

Sometimes respecting wildlife means leaving it alone. When I spotted this fawn 75 yards below me as I hiked the Piney Ridge Trail, I wanted to move closer. But I knew if I took even a few steps downhill, the fawn might be scared away from the hiding place where its mother had tucked it away. Instead I quickly made this environmental portrait with the 500-millimeter lens Brad and I purchased for making wildlife pictures like this without threatening the wildlife. I was pleased with the image I quickly made. I was even more pleased to see the fawn still in the same spot when I passed by again a couple hours later.

Tonight we played indoor laser tag at AJ's Family Fun Center in Ludington during Business After Hours. I quickly realized that my photo of the day for the 365 Project was going to be made during one of the laser tag games. When I clicked the shutter, my flash went off and then I zoomed my lens in and out for 10 seconds. F2.8 at 10.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

By getting very close to the frozen life ring with the front of my wide-angle lens, I can emphasize the orange-red color in the foreground of this photograph. I then compose the photograph so the red lighthouse at Grand Haven is at a dynamic diagonal to the life ring. Together, they create a powerful point/counterpoint of color in this otherwise monochromatic scene.

Having a strong foreground close to the camera is vitally important to a composition, especially with wide-angle lenses. Even though the farm field didn't have much snow left, the snowdrift in the foreground was several feet deep. I walked up and down the road looking for a section of the snowdrift that had dynamic lines and deep shadows, then finally found this composition.

Little Sable Breeze

Loving Ludington

Aerial Photos