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A male American goldfinch perched on a flower at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon looks canary yellow to me. I later learn that wild canary is another name for the brilliant yellow bird. I see why. F4.5 at 1/640, ISO 3200, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

All I can think of is Peter Cottontail on the bunny trail as I spot a rabbit on a wildflower-lined trail at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon. The song about Peter Cottontail runs through my head, causing me to smile as I push the shutter button before the bunny decides to hop down the trail. F4.5 at 1/500, ISO 3200, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

I enjoy hunting for the prettiest flower in a field of Michigan wildflowers. It didn't take me long to spot this gem of a Jerusalem artichoke tonight at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon, Michigan. F2.8 at 1/40, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 30mm

P.J. Hoffmaster State Park is located on Lake Michigan at the south end of Muskegon, Michigan. Like many of the state parks in Michigan, Hoffmaster is extremely varied in its terrain and vegetation. One of my favorite spots at Hoffmaster is the tall wooded dune area just above the Little Black Creek Outlet near Lake Michigan. F8 at 0.8, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

In most cases, I use ambient light to create my photographs but sometimes I have to use my external flash. My goal when using a flash in nature photography is to capture the image so it is not obvious to the viewer that a flash was used in the process. I had to use my flash because the wind was moving these flowers a tiny bit. The closer you are to a subject the more any movement will show up. Also, I had to set my lens to F22 so that I could get both flowers sharp. I set my focus manually one third of the way into the scene. Macro photography requires much more technical skill than most other kinds of outdoor photography. F22 at 1/30, ISO 3200, 105mm lens at 105mm

These tiny cardinal flowers stuck out like a sore thumb in the dimly lit woods at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park. I have only seen flowers like this a few times in my life. I was so glad that my friend Jennifer had her 105mm macro lens with her because I had left mine in the truck. F3.3 at 1/15, ISO 100, 105mm lens at 105mm

Looking a lot like small wild sunflowers, Jerusalem artichoke has found a happy home at P.J. Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon, Michigan. The colorful flowers, sometimes called sun root, bloom late in the summer. I find a view with dark woods behind that I know will become a simple, black background when I expose properly for the flowers. F20 at 0.8, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

This creek outlet at Hoffmaster State Park in Muskegon is a gorgeous spot to savor a Lake Michigan sunset or just have some late summer fun. The park features three miles of pristine beaches on Lake Michigan. F7.1 at 1/500, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 36mm

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

A dried up snail was found on what was the bottom of Nordhouse Lake. With the warm weather this year and the lack of rain, all of the water from Nordhouse Lake evaporated and disappeared. This poor snail was left high and dry. F22 at 0.3, ISO 100, 105mm lens at 105mm

I have not spent much time at the Nordhouse Dunes Federal Wilderness that is located along Lake Michigan between Hamlin Lake and Manistee. Just recently my dad told me about a small lake he read about called Nordhouse Lake. Early this morning we headed out to photograph the lake at sunrise. When we arrived we were shocked to learn that because of the hot weather and drought this year, the lake had dried up. Instead of finding water, we found a giant field of wildflowers. F22 at 1/100, ISO 400, 18-55mm lens at 18mm

After sounding out their unmistakable tune on and off for 20 minutes, a pair of sandhill cranes takes off and passes right by my resting spot at the edge of Nordhouse Lake in the Nordhouse Dunes Federal Wilderness between Manistee and Ludington. F9 at 1/1250, ISO 200, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

With 150 feet of heavy-duty line tying my life jacket to a secure object on land, I was ready to do battle with the six-to-eight-foot Lake Michigan breakers that pounded the Ludington city beach. With my camera safely within waterproof housing, I spent 45 minutes bouncing around and chasing the waves. It was the most fun I have had in a long time. F7.1 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 10mm