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The lookout on M22 between Elberta and Arcadia is one of our favorite spots to stop and look for photographs of Lake Michigan. On this particularly windy day, I hiked to the top of the tall flight of stairs to photograph from the stable platform at the top. It was worth the hike.

After careful risk assessment, my son Brad has worked his way to the top of one of the tallest mounds of ice piled high in the Straits of Mackinac. He is determined to make a close-up image of one of the nature-made ice sculptures with the Mackinac Bridge as the backdrop. Knowing from my many years of ice rescue training in the Coast Guard that "no ice is safe ice," I am standing by with an assortment of ice rescue gear to assist if necessary.

365 Week 07

Let the Sunlight In

Sometimes the simplicity and contrast that winter brings to a particular scene turns it into a picture. That was how I felt when I saw this picture on the Lincoln River east of Jebavy Drive. I travel past this scene almost daily, but this was the first time I visualized it as a good picture. Timing is everything!

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

The Lake Michigan shoreline can change in a blink of an eye. Tonight, at the Lake Michigan Campground in the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area between Manistee and Ludington, I was amazed at how quickly the sand on the left of this image was being undercut and caving in. The small outlet was growing in width before my eyes.

As the sun rose in the east this morning, the pink light reflected in the west over Lake Michigan. I used my external flash to add detail to the blowing dune grass in front of me as I made this picture inside the Ludington channel. The soft morning light made for a peaceful start to my day.

It took me over an hour of walking, crawling, praying, and sweating to make my way out on these jagged, slippery ice mounds in the Straits of Mackinac. I had seen the large chunk of ice that is on the left side of this composition from shore and I was determined to make it out to that point in order to line it up with the Mackinac Bridge in the background. It was totally worth the effort and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Even a winter hater would love this day. Snow clung to everything and turned Sauble River at Ludington State Park into a winter paradise.

North Peterson Road in Hamlin Township is lined with beautiful forests and fields. I have always loved this section between Decker and Fisher Roads. A blanket of fresh snow accentuated the repetitive patterns of this photograph. F10.0 at 1/25, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

By setting my camera directly on the ice that had built up on the Manistee pier, I could capture the sun dancing on the ripples. Generally, we use tripods, but sometimes the only way to get the immediacy in our photographs, is to improvise.

Nikon D810. F22 at 1/60, ISO 400. 60-600mm lens at 60mm. On a tripod without a flash. February 25, 2020 at 5:08pm.

On our return trip to Ludington after putting on a photography program in Petoskey for the Crooked Tree Art Council, Brad and I cannot resist stopping at Crystal Mountain to get in a few runs on the ski slopes. Plus it gives me the opportunity to capture a moment that shows Brad's intensity and speed while skiing his favorite run

Open water is often difficult for Michigan waterfowl to find during the heart of winter. This mute swan rests on the ice on Lincoln Lake while taking a break from feeding in adjacent open water.

This structure was built in 1892 to house the oil that lit Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse. The bright red cylindrical iron structure, while eye-catching, was built strictly for function to serve as a safe storage facility for the oil. Its red color alerted people to the fire hazard posed by the oil and any other flammable liquids that might have been stored there.

My dad taught me a long time ago to look for repetitive patterns. On Tuesday when he and I were driving home from Petoskey, we both spotted this field at the same time. I love how the clouds in the background look like a mountain range. You have to see this photograph large to really appreciate it. F11.0 at 1/125, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

A local ice fisherman sits patiently on Lincoln Lake today hoping to catch his limit. My dad had spotted this scene while taking my grandma to a doctor's appointment. Luckily for me, he called on his cell phone to tell me about it. A few minutes later, I made this image.

The Mackinac Bridge, which connects the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan, is five miles long. I have photographed it many times, but had never gotten a nighttime shot I liked. When we first started shooting photographs for the Wednesdays book, I had a "must shoot" list in my head and making an image like this was near the top.

Today was my dad's and my first visit to Point aux Barques Light, near Port Hope, Michigan. The light helps ships avoid the very shallow waters of Lake Huron near Saginaw Bay. I love the birch tree in the foreground and the popcorn-cloud sky as the backdrop for this beautiful piece of Michigan history.