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I have tried for over six years to make a photograph that I was pleased with at this spot on North Lakeshore Drive along the shores of Hamlin Lake. Finally, today my wait is over. The real secret to the success of this photo is the immediacy of the snow and bushes in the foreground and the clouds in the distance. F8.0 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Just in four days the 365 Project has already been forcing me to get out of my comfort zone and try to explore and photograph some new locations. Standing on the old train depot in Ludington, I could imagine my great-great-grandparents and other relatives working on the railroad here almost 100 years ago. F22.0 at 0.3, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

If you look closely at this image, you can see a large splash of water between me and the fog building at Point Betsie Lighthouse. The ice-filled wave hit the sea wall first and then went airborne, drenching me, my camera, and everything else in its path.

I have always been drawn to the color blue, especially when it is mixed with shades of green. The tropical looking waters of Lake Michigan and the golden dune grass blended together perfectly through my large telephoto lens in order to create the warm, calm feeling I was looking for.

Lake Michigan waves splashing up on the erector­ set – looking framework of the foundation for the elevated foghorn building created this icy artwork at Big Sable Point Lighthouse on April 15, 2020. The rest of the story is the fall I took on the undetectable ice covering the sand en route to make the shot.

Funny Buck

Looking for Danger

Brads Buck

I have studied this old oak tree in Pere Marquette Township for some time. A fresh overnight snowfall highlights the massive tree's beautiful shapes. F11.0 at 1/5, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 130 mm

When I was a kid, my brothers and I spent a lot of time climbing trees in our neighborhood near Lake Michigan. One of our neighbors had a huge old beech tree in his yard and he would let all the neighborhood kids climb it. While I was photographing this tree in Marshall, Michigan, I could hear all the laughter and voices of my brothers and friends in my head and it made me smile.

We always tell our workshop students to stick around after the sun goes down to see the afterglow. Tonight, we had several workshop students on the Manistee beach with us. The sun had already set and the sky was dull. We decided to get a group photo together. Just as I was making the group shot, the sky erupted with intense color. We all split up and ran for our camera gear. It was a great teaching moment!

Sunshine, blue skies, and melting snow along the Lake Michigan shoreline north of Point Betsie: March is looking lamb-like today. I am especially intrigued by the light dancing on the water covering the rocks, so I decide to emphasize the foreground.

Simplicity is one of the 20 concepts we teach in our 20/20 Vision workshops. Simple pictures can be hard to pull off because there is a very fine line between simple and boring. Thankfully the gorgeous sunlight reflecting off Lake Michigan helped make this simple picture beautiful and not boring.

Shoup Family Farm Weldon Creek Farms

Bay Harbor in Petoskey is an enchanting place full of beautiful homes and wonderful people. This tree, near the main entrance on US31, grabbed my attention as I was driving by. I turned my truck around and made a 30 second exposure. I love how the final image turned out. D800, F16 at 30 seconds, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 78mm

I have been obsessed with old ship propellers and anchors my whole life. I must not be the only one because they are common sculptures and art pieces today around the world. I love Ludington’s old carferry relics. I found this grouping of propellers on the grounds near the Badger today and couldn’t resist making an image.

Hamlin Magic

I was in awe of the giant bolts of lightning striking Lake Michigan as I stood on the beach at the end of Ludington Avenue during a fierce September electrical storm. One massive bolt after another came crashing down and I was lucky enough to capture one that split on both sides of the lighthouse. When I downloaded the photo the next day, my dad quickly noticed that the bolt looked like the lower peninsula of Michigan.

Today is Christmas Eve. Everything is still and calm. It is nice to enjoy this quiet view of the Silver Lake Sand Dunes all by myself this morning because I know the next week will be crazy busy with Christmas celebrations and a lot of eating. I take time to reflect on what an eventful year 2014 has been and all the good times I have had with my family and friends. Life is good! D800, F22 at 1 second, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 70mm