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The fast start to spring has made the dune grass unseasonably beautiful. Now I have the light of yet another great spring sunset over Lake Michigan to make the picture golden. F13.0 at 1/400, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Finally, a little rain to go with all that sunshine and warmth that has been good for the soul and for growing. F2.8 at 1/500, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Todd Reed

Brad and I say, "Clouds are your friends." After waiting two hours on Easter at the base of the Father Marquette monument in Buttersville, a bright spot in the fast-moving clouds lines up perfectly with the cross to bring together the symbolic Easter picture I had envisioned when I first saw dramatic cloud formations heading across Lake Michigan. F4.0 at 1/250, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

Todd Reed

Some of my favorite pictures are the ones I did not plan to take. After making some images along with my West Shore Community College students of Roger and Marcia Hansen's beautifully restored barn at Cherry Hill Farm, several of us are drawn to an open-sided pole barn where hay is stored. I like how the bales look like Nabisco Shredded Wheat. F5.0 at 1/40, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 17 mm

The view between swipes of the windshield wipers becomes beautifully distorted as I stop momentarily to appreciate the springtime view of a Buttersville hillside near the Pere Marquette Cross. F4.0 at 1/200, ISO 800, 12-24 mm lens at 22 mm

One of the grandest beech trees I have ever seen graces an Amber Road farm just north of US 10. This afternoon, with the atmosphere provided by a light rain shower, the tree stands out even more than usual. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 135 mm

You can count on it snowing in April in Michigan, no matter how nice the weather has been in previous weeks. I picked the dark siding of the old commercial fishing building at the Lake Michigan Carferry docks as a backdrop for the snow. Our business manager, Sarah Genson, says the fish reminds her of Dory in the movie Finding Nemo. F5.6 at 1/250, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

The dog days of spring are here! This grand-looking creature checks me out at a stoplight from the back of its master's pickup truck. I roll down my passenger window and try to capture its beauty. F6.3 at 1/1600, ISO 800, 80-200 mm lens at 155 mm

It looks to me like there is a moose on the loose in the area woodlands. I laugh as I make this portrait of "Bullwinkle" in the Buttersville campground. F8.0 at 0.3, ISO 100, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

A lone fisherman appears to have the sunset all to himself as he fishes from the end of the Ludington South Breakwater. F8.0 at 1/500, ISO 200, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

Dogwood blossoms blowing in a spring breeze are one of the more beautiful gifts of spring. This early-bird blossom stands out this evening. F4.0 at 1/100, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

I only had to walk 100 feet from my house to find this unexpected natural gem. It caught my eye while photographing songbirds in a nearby tree. I did not know then that I would like the image better than the bird photographs. They felt good; this image feels better. F2.8 at 1/80, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Tulip time! My Grandpa Benson, who lived with our family when my brother and I were young, planted a lot of tulips in our yard with help from my mom. Spotting these brilliant red tulips makes me think of how much my grandpa and my mom enjoyed watching those tulips come up every spring. F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

While photographing geese on a small pond near my home, I suddenly hear the familiar jackhammer sound that can be made by only one living thing: a pileated woodpecker. I swing my 500 mm lens around and there he is atop a power pole. Fortunately for the power company, the woodpecker soon moved on to find a better place to peck. F4.5 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

We are driving to Calvin College in Grand Rapids to see an exhibit of famous National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry's work and hopefully to hear him speak. Heading south on Pere Marquette Highway I sight my first dandelions of the year in an apple orchard. This one looks perfect; it brightens my day. F16.0 at 1/60, ISO 100, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

For the second time in less than a week I am back at Summit Park rock hunting along the Lake Michigan shoreline. I am looking for that picture perfect wet rock to photograph in the golden light just before sunset. I find two I really like but this one stands out as the clear choice. F3.3 at 1/30, ISO 100, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

Todd's Day 209 of 365

I love seeing the red-winged blackbirds in the Pere Marquette River flats south of Ludington. This male sings what I imagine is a springtime love song while swaying in the breeze atop a cattail. F5.6 at 1/2500, ISO 800, 500 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 700 mm