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Triangles of snow-covered ice line a creek near the corner of Meyers and Conrad Road. I am en route to West Shore Community College to teach photography. I am cutting it close on time but I stop to make this picture. I rest easier knowing that I always tell my students the only valid excuse for being late for class is stopping to make a good picture. F7.1 at 1/200, ISO 800, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Some trees have personality. I love movies like Lord of the Rings where trees come alive and walk. This tree appears to be striding through the dunes at Ludington State Park. I like its posture. F8.0 at 1/10, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 92 mm

I love the view of Lake Michigan as you crest the hill leading to the Buttersville Peninsula. Today it is spectacular. As I compose this shot I am reminded of many Coast Guard boat rides on days like this. I can almost hear my former shipmate, Chief Doug Lee, smiling and declaring on the wildest of those rides: "Gotta love it, boys!" F3.2 at 1/200, ISO 100, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

I love the view of Lake Michigan as you crest the hill leading to the Buttersville Peninsula. Today it is spectacular. As I compose this shot I am reminded of many Coast Guard boat rides on days like this. I can almost hear my former shipmate, Chief Doug Lee, smiling and declaring on the wildest of those rides: "Gotta love it, boys!" F3.2 at 1/200, ISO 100, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

I had already made a picture I liked of the Centenary United Methodist Church steeple in Pentwater before finding this shadowy view of a massive tree at Snug Harbor Marina on Pentwater Lake. Both images featured sunshine, shadows and clouds. Brad thought both images had a spiritual quality; I agreed. F8.0 at 1/640, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 12 mm

I photographed two deer in a stand of sumac and was pleased with the shot until I saw this view of the Ludington South Breakwater Light right after sunset. The tube-shaped light tower is usually unattractive but tonight it looks like a lit candle dripping wax. I concentrate on keeping my biggest lens still on the tripod. F4.0 at 1/50, ISO 800, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

Tuesdays With Todd and Brad Reed

Tuesdays With Todd and Brad Reed

I am unhappy I have not found a Valentine's Day picture yet when it dawns on me that this Kubota tractor looks happy as can be. Sometimes pictures appear when and where you least expect them; the smiling plow tractor works throughout the winter at Crosswinds, where our home is. F8.0 at 1/160, ISO 800, 80-200 mm lens at 185 mm

I spot turkeys almost daily along Iris Road south of Ludington but this morning they look more splendid than ever. Hold that pose while I grab that camera off the car seat. Thank you, turkeys! F8.0 at 1/60, ISO 800, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Driving from Michigan to Georgia makes for a long haul, but the journey does have its benefits. Spectacular views

My son Tad and I have teamed up to scramble across some rocks with my camera gear to get up close and personal with this waterfall at Flat Rock Park in Columbus, Georgia. The light is quickly fading but my trusty tripod enables us to make a sharp time exposure that captures the beauty and speed of the falling water. F8.0 at 1/6, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 145 mm

Brad and I have learned that winter is one of the best times of the year to photograph sunsets. I am savoring this Lake Michigan sunset on a brisk evening on the Buttersville peninsula. F2.8 at 1/200, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Brad and I have learned that winter is one of the best times of the year to photograph sunsets. I am savoring this Lake Michigan sunset on a brisk evening on the Buttersville peninsula. F2.8 at 1/200, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Yes, Ligers do exist. Being face to face with this largest of all cats makes me an instant believer. The hybrid cat is a cross between a male lion and a female tiger. This one grabs your attention when you visit Wild Animal Safari at Pine Mountain, Georgia. F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 100, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

This scene greeted me on South Lakeshore Drive near my home upon my return from Georgia. It reminds me of the Bible story in Exodus of the burning bush Moses encountered. F8.0 at 1/320, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 135 mm

Today is one of the worst days ever. I am trying to make a portrait of our beloved lab Beamer, knowing our loyal, loving companion for the past 12 years is living the last day of his life. Cancer is cruel to animals as well as people. F8.0 at 1/640, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 120 mm

A mystic morning greets me. Fog bathes the Buttersville Peninsula outside our Crosswinds home. The scene looks subtly beautiful and makes waking up without our sidekick Beamer momentarily more bearable. Life without your lab is simply not as good. F5.0 at 1/320, ISO 100, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

Franz Lanting, one of the greatest wildlife photographers in the world, talks in his amazing photography book Eye to Eye about getting "eye to eye" with animals. That's what I am trying to accomplish while photographing this buffalo in its pasture along South Stiles Road between Ludington and Scottville. F6.3 at 1/125, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm