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Did you know Michigan has a jungle within its borders? This frozen jungle is located on a window of the logging museum in the Hartwick Pines State Park. My daughter Julia came up with the name for this image of the frosty window.

An outdoor photographer is dwarfed by the large Northern Michigan bog he is exploring on a winter morning. The bog lies along US131 north of Manton, Michigan.

My dad found this photograph for me. He called and said he had the perfect shot for our 366 Project, we just needed magic light. I drove straight to his location on M-116 inside of the Ludington State Park. Just as I was grabbing my tripod and camera, the sunlight broke through the clouds. Thanks for the tip, Dad!

The red ice inside the channels of Tamarac Village on Hamlin Lake caught my eye as I drove down North Lakeshore Drive. After a closer inspection, I realized the red color was probably coming from the tannic acid in the leaves that were now on the channel bottom. F14.0 at 1/13, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 34 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

Up until I graduated from college, my Grandpa and Grandma Reed lived on the Pere Marquette River near Walhalla at the very end of Budzynski Road. I learned to drive on this country road. I have always thought the road was more beautiful than most, but today it looks prettier than I have ever seen.

One of Michigan's best assets are the pristine forests that cover the state. I love watching how the forests change as you move farther north in Michigan. These trees at Wilderness State Park look more rugged and "Northern" than the trees to the south in Ludington.

Feb-08

I Choose Hope

My youngest, Joshua, has always loved playing with his Tonka trucks. This doesn’t stop just because the snow comes! He spends hours dozin’ around the farm.

A fresh coat of snow was just what an old Sanders Meat Packing delivery truck needed to look its best. Long after serving the still thriving Custer business, the pickup stood at Patton's Junkyard as a reminder of the good old days.

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

Jim and Donna Shoup own and operate Weldon Creek Farms east of Custer, Michigan. They have raised 11 kids at the farm and now have 31 grandkids and two great grandkids who can often be found working hard and having fun there. Our assistant manager, Rachel Gaudette, is their youngest child. Their barn is an American classic and has stood the test of time.

Wilderness State Park near Mackinaw City is one of Michigan's best-kept secrets. With Lake Michigan as its border, the Wilderness State Park is a glorious glimpse of what Michigan may have looked like 100 years ago. Wild, pristine, diverse, and glorious are just a few words that come to mind when trying to describe Wilderness State Park. I look forward to spending quality time exploring more of the park in the future.

This willow tree graces the Ludington beach near the entrance to Stearns Park. Often it frames picturesque views of Lake Michigan. On this night, the tree takes center stage, leaving an anchored freighter to play a supporting role.

Snow-covered dunes are one of Michigan’s best kept secrets. Once more people discover this, I believe Ludington and all of West Michigan will be busy with tourists all year long.

I have driven past this barn on Fountain Road a thousand times and always wanted to make a good photograph of it, but was never inspired. Today, on another skiing venture to Crystal Mountain, the snow, sunlight and clouds were all I needed to get me out of my truck and shooting. F7.1 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

I wish you could see the photograph I took of this scene five seconds earlier, before the sun broke through the clouds; that image is very flat, boring, and ordinary. However, when the magic light appeared, the view of this dune at Ludington State Park with Hamlin Lake in the background became extraordinary.

It always amazes me how living things survive and even thrive in the toughest environments. I spotted this colorful lichen growing from a heart-shaped knot in a rotting log at Wilderness State Park north of Cross Village, Michigan, on a cold February day.