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I was on a scouting expedition to find good locations for photographing fall color when I came across this pastoral scene along Sugar Grove Road west of Round Lake. The red barns caught my eye, but it was the sheep in the foreground that made me stop to make a photograph.

Like a scene out of the past, a classic wooden speedboat docked at Pentwater Yacht Club brings back my visions of the 1950s and 1960s, when such boats were popular on area lakes.

Couples of all ages love to take leisurely strolls along the winding shores of Lake Michigan. The sound of the undulating waves, the smell of the beach grass, and the feeling of sand between your toes is so inviting that you can't resist the temptations of our West Michigan shorelines.

Often when my dad and I travel together in his truck on photo adventures and he is driving, I am worn out by the later afternoon. It is a common occurrence for me to take a nap in the truck while he continues to look for photographs. Today at Stocking Drive at the Sleeping Bear Dunes, I woke up from a long nap to find my dad photographing some trillium he had found alongside the road. I dragged myself out of the truck and grabbed my camera and started looking for my own photographs. Soon I was full of adrenaline and wide-awake making this image of a lone trillium. Nikon D800. F2.8 at 1/5000, ISO 1600. 14-24mm lens at 14mm. Handheld without a flash. May 16, 2017 at 4:49pm

Built in 1840, the Old Presque Isle Light is one of the oldest surviving lighthouses on the Great Lakes. The charming structure served as an active lighthouse until 1871 when it was replaced by the nearby, far taller New Presque Isle Light. F10 at 1/60, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 24mm

Foggy Day at Point Betsie

Loving Pentwater

Butterfly Magic

 

 

I think it must be the photojournalist in me that has always rebelled against setting up props for the fine art photographs I make. I greatly admire fine art photographers who employ props in a way that moves me and tells a story. One of the Michigan Upper Peninsula photographic artists I most admire, Paul Arno Rose, is a master at employing canoes, classic small boats, old chairs and even a Thermos as props to tell beautiful visual stories. After having spent a third of my life as a newspaper photographer, I tend toward the “found” picture. By that I mean finding what is already there in the world and documenting it. I have driven through Stearns Park in Ludington tens of thousands of times, rarely finding a picture. On this summer day in 2019, I found very picturesque these beach umbrellas set up by beachgoers

Rachels Happy Place

The Algorail, a frequent visitor to the Ludington harbor, used two powerful spotlights to guide herself quietly into port. I set my camera to 800 ISO in order to stop the ship

Generations of families have enjoyed decades of fun and quality time together while camping at one of the three amazing campgrounds in Ludington State Park. Most families have a favorite spot that they try to reserve in January for the coming year. Good food, laughter, and fun stories are often shared around the campfire and great memories are made for all.

Having captained Coast Guard boats on Lake Michigan for 30 years, I especially identify with the Mariner's sculpture in Ludington's Waterfront Park. I have the greatest respect for all Great Lakes sailors, including those heading for Wisconsin this evening on the carferry Badger.

Not Lost Anymore

Isle Royal

Pentwater Lighthouses

Hamlin Lake Off Pontoon Boat

Sailing to the Moon