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This willow tree in front of Emerson Lake Inn east of Walhalla, Michigan stands out any time of year, but on a rainy, foggy winter morning the grand old tree commands attention in a way I have never seen before.

Big Sable Light Jan 2007

Blue Chrome

One of the 20/20 Vision concepts we teach in our photography workshops is micro composing. With my camera on a tripod, I worked hard lying on my stomach on a frozen puddle to make sure every icicle was in just the right place and not merging with important elements of the Badger.

A male mallard duck was as still as a decoy this afternoon at the entrance of the Middle Bayou on Hamlin Lake. I worked quickly to make this image before a nearby swan messed up the perfect reflection.

Lake Michigan was a breathtaking color today, and the overcast sky was a wonderful complement. I hiked along the snow-blown dunes along M-116 until I came to a spot of uncovered sand. I composed my pyramid at my base and clicked the shutter.

 

Snow Horses

Many visitors to Ludington don't realize that the Ludington North Breakwater Light is now about seven degrees crooked due to a recent repair job that did not go as planned. It is a photographer's nightmare, especially with a 600 mm lens. You have to choose which one you want straight, the horizon or the lighthouse. F8.0 at 1/200, ISO 400, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

My great-aunt, Carol Wright, died unexpectedly this week. She was a very classy lady and a lot of fun to be around. After her funeral was over, I used my iPhone to take a close up of the window at the funeral home. My aunt Carol loved bright colors and she would have loved this photograph. F2.8 at 1/430, ISO 70, iPhone camera

These flaming red berries jumped right out at me as my dad and I were driving to Baldwin along US10. I had my dad stop the Suburban and I quickly hopped out to make this image. Because of the strong winds this morning, I had to raise my ISO to 6400 but I still wanted a lot of depth of field. I achieved that by shooting at an aperture of F13.

Leland is one of the most historic and well-preserved fishing towns on the Great Lakes. I love going there with my camera and stepping back in time. Today was the first time I had photographed Leland in the snow. The snow really helped define the rooflines and textures of the old wooden buildings.

Manistee Light in the Winter

My ex-wife Betsy’s husband Sean owns the Sierra Sands Family Lodge in Silver Lake. Julia, Ethan, and their stepbrother Aiden live at the hotel part of the year. Today we decided to watch the Super Bowl at their home inside the hotel. Before the game, I headed to Little Sable Point Lighthouse with my camera to shoot the sunset.

A Northwester churns up Lake Michigan, turning the lakeshore dunes into a sea of blowing snow. February days like this one make most people long for spring. I never want to miss a good Northwester any time of year.

This is one of my top three favorite photographs I have ever made. It seems to create a powerful emotional response when people view it for the first time. I think people relate the human struggle to the lone horse trudging through the deep snow in a blizzard. The legal name of the horse was Ultra Vanity Fair. A few years after making this image, she passed away. I am glad the she will live on forever in this piece of art.

A stretch of the Pere Marquette River known as the Claybanks looks like a winter fairytale world this morning as the biggest, stickiest snowflakes I have ever seen cling to everything in sight. Professional fishing guide Chris "Uber" Raines appears oblivious to the elements as he fly fishes for steelhead.

The bow of the fish tug Joy is covered with snow on Valentine's Day at Leland, Michigan. The fish tug Janice Sue lies at her mooring on the opposite side of the channel.

Icy Morning in Muskegon

Manistee Night