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My dad and I have been blessed with many great employees at our downtown Ludington photography gallery. Sarah Genson, our general manager, and Rachel Gaudette, our assistant manager, are both awesome people and managers. This is an early morning photograph of the four of us near Fort Michilimackinac, which can be seen in the background. F8 at 1/200, ISO 400, 18-50mm lens at 24mm

Trillium Grand Rapids Aman Park May

The waters of Lake Michigan were amazingly calm and brilliant today along the shores of Ludington State Park near the First Curve on M-116. F9.0 at 1/250, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Like sculptures, the twin spires of the Mackinac Bridge rise above the fog in the Straits of Mackinac. While built mainly for function to support one of the world's longest suspension bridges, the spires were designed with an artist's eye as well. F22 at 1.6 seconds, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

The Pere Marquette River winds around the south side of our family farm. There are many spots that we regularly visit, but this area near the natural spring is one of my favorites. Today, the massive, billowy clouds reminded me of Clyde Butcher’s photography in the Everglades of Florida.

Sunlight pours through the portholes of the Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse as the sun sets behind the landmark structure. I keep moving my tripod southward as the sun sets in order to keep the sun behind the tower. F4.0 at 1/200, ISO 100, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

My dad and I are always photo hunting as we drive or ride in cars. This morning we passed a huge swamp that was full of dead trees. One of the dead trees was tilted at a 45-degree angle and it caught my eye as I was sitting in the passenger seat of my dad's Suburban. I had my dad pull over and turn around. I grabbed my camera and tripod and a few seconds later made this composition. F8 at 1/2000, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

My wife Betsy loves insects and our daughter Julia seems to have inherited her mother's love for insects as well. Julia found this ladybug on our front steps and had Betsy pick it up for a closer look. I was ready with my camera and macro lens. F2.8 at 1/250, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Water rushes over Munising Falls. A small pile of snow remains as a reminder on this 78-degree afternoon that this is the next to last day of winter. Spring has come early to Michigan's Upper Peninsula. F22 at 0.6, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 31mm

I photographed some crocuses blooming and am driving home, only to be detoured by this spectacle at the Ludington Waterfront Park. I set up the 500 mm lens just in time to frame the sun inside the gazebo. F4.0 at 1/640, ISO 100, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

As I am working to compose this picture, it suddenly strikes me that I see what looks like a face amidst the rocks and rushing water. I liked this scene downstream from Munising Falls before seeing the face; now I like it even more. F22 at 0.5, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

For years we have been using this giant stump and root system on an overturned tree at the Ludington State Park as a learning tool for our workshop students. While on our family hike today, I convinced Julia, Ethan, and Aiden to be my models for my photo of the day. I love how this turned out.

I lay on my back in my neighbor's front yard to make this photo. She came out to check on me to make sure I was all right. I assured her I was fine, and that the giant tree in her yard captured my attention. F8.0 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

One of the treats of going to Michigan's Upper Peninsula is that you can still see large stands of birch trees there. As I drove around a curve on H58

Pachysandras Surprise

I photographed the same crocuses again today; they didn't look as perfect as yesterday and the light was not nearly as good. Now I am back home without a picture with which I am satisfied. Thank God for Lake Michigan sunsets. The sunset view from our deck looks unreal. F8.0 at 1/500, ISO 200, 500 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 700 mm

Au Train Falls is my favorite waterfall to photograph because you can stand right in the water. That helps photographers create strong immediacy and make the viewers of the work feel like they are really there experiencing the waterfall for themselves. My camera and lens got very wet, but that is the reason for insurance! F22 at 1/5, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Sarah Genson is our gallery's general manager. Sarah is undoubtedly one of the very best landscape photographers I have ever met. Her sense of composition is a gift from God. With her quick learning abilities, she is starting to master the technical aspects of manual metering and lens choice. F5.6 at 1/100, ISO 800, 18-50mm lens at 35mm

What a week for watching sunsets. If I were not so busy enjoying making this picture along the Lake Michigan shoreline at Linlook Park, I would love savoring this sunset in the beach chair someone left behind for use on another day. F7.1 at 1/100, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

We are all so blessed in the United States to have millions of acres of federal and state land that is preserved and protected. At very little or no cost, we all have the freedom to explore this great country. To make this photograph at Au Train Falls near Munising, Michigan, I got in a cave behind the waterfall and shot at a shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second to freeze the falling water. F2.8 at 1/4000, ISO 800, 18-50mm lens at 50mm