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Brad’s friends Jonathan and Shannon Ray gave me this mug. I thought the details of it were exquisite!

While Brad is photographing some of the reddest light we have ever seen hit the carferry Badger, I am shooting the same colorful light reflecting off the black iron base of another Ludington icon

While at a Westmaas family gathering today near McBain, Michigan, a friendly snake came slithering by to greet us as we were setting up the picnic tables in the front yard of the family homestead. I couldn’t wait to show Rachel. She hates snakes with a passion. I had to get her back for her Day 206 photo of the giant yellow and black spider she made a few weeks earlier.

I have witnessed the side of the 410-foot carferry Badger turning gold or pink at sunset several times, but tonight, the Badger was "painted" a fantastic neon pink color by the sunset. It was so bright that you wouldn't believe it unless you saw it with your own eyes! F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 800, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

We spent most of the day getting ready for fair. Before I knew it, it was almost 10 o’clock! David Benjamin brought his cactus plant out and said I could take a picture of it. I looked at it closely for a second, thought of a way to shoot it, and told him what a great idea that was!

Gary Lange, a volunteer Ludington firefighter for 40 years, stands out in a crowd of local professional rescuers being honored during Friday Night Live. I witnessed up close the heroism and devotion to duty and community of Gary and hundreds of other rescuers during the 23 years I photographed them in action for the Ludington Daily News. F4.5 at 1/640, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Mike Cooper of the Hamlin Township Fire Department turned on all the lights and gave me a tour of the new brush truck that the department purchased earlier in the year. I have been obsessed with off-road pickup trucks my whole life. This is the truck of trucks! F2.8 at 1/25, ISO 100, 18 mm-50 mm lens at 18 mm

I have watched many storm clouds over the years. I have seen the sky change colors. Never have I ever seen a sky turn purple like tonight. I was so in awe I almost missed the photograph!

Dave McClellan enjoys a conversation with his son while relaxing at his B15 gas station north of Silver Lake. Dave doesn't sell any gas. The restored service station is a hangout for family and friends and a visual trip back in time for motorists passing by. F9.0 at 1/80, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

For the second night in a row, I shot my photo of the day from my dad and Debbie’s deck at Harbor Terrace Condos. Yesterday was super foggy and tonight was incredibly clear and sunny. It is amazing how quickly Michigan weather can change.

Betsy and I took the kids for a run tonight in the jogging stroller on our normal route through the beach and around the marinas in Ludington. When we were almost home, Julia wanted to get out and smell our neighbor's flowers. Julia informed me that these purple flowers were African Daisies. Not bad for four and a half years old! F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 400, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

It was another busy day between work and fair. It is difficult to make any photographs during the fair shows, because I am helping the kids and do not have time. I knew these flowers had started to bloom in the yard, and I liked the dark tones of my dining room table. I knew the two would work well together.

Lake Michigan looks beautiful and inviting for swimmers on yet another hot, humid summer 2010 day. I am tempted to put down the camera and jump in but I need to make a good picture first. F8.0 at 1/640, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Today was Julia’s very first day of golf practice ever. Julia has decided to try out for the Ludington High School girls golf team. She is new to the game of golf, but already loves it. As she was standing there at Lincoln Hills with her golf bag on her back and her awesome muscles showing, I couldn’t resist embarrassing her and making her pose for a cell phone shot to document this fun moment.

Julia wanted to go swimming tonight at the Hamlin Lake beach inside Ludington State Park so she and I loaded into my truck and headed that way. On the way, the sunlight broke out of the clouds over Lake Michigan and I pulled off the road near the second curve on M-116 and made this photograph. F9.0 at 1/800, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

My niece, Lucy, and my daughter, Kasey, spent time washing and walking their steers together in the show arena. Tomorrow is the big day! All the kids’ hard work with their beef and sheep comes down to the show.

If "clouds are your friends," as Brad and I teach our photography workshop students, then this one is one of my best friends of 2010. I am enjoying my evening watching this cloud at the Ludington city beach, one of the best beaches in the world for watching sunsets and clouds. F5.6 at 1/250, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 112 mm

As I was driving down Bryant Road, I spotted a cloud that was perfectly heart shaped. I pulled into the soccer field parking lot on Lavinia and grabbed my camera from the back of my truck as quickly as I could. By the time I could make the image, the clouds had moved, and it no longer looked like a heart. I almost didn’t shoot, but then I realized the clouds now looked like two eagle eyes and a beak.

Some out of town visitors to Ludington were celebrating their anniversary and enjoying watching the Badger go out at sunset while sitting on Stearns Beach. It was another gorgeous night in Ludington. F13.0 at 1/100, ISO 1000, 18-50 mm lens at 24 mm

Whew! Beef and sheep shows were today at fair. It was a long, hot day. I am so proud of the kids and their hard work! Fair is so quiet this year, with no midway due to COVID-19. With only a handful of campers, it feels like a ghost town. I took a walk with my camera and fell in love with this orange sunset tonight.