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Crystal Lake looks to me like a pastel painting on this winter evening as the moon rises shortly before sundown. This "wine shot" view from the southwest shore of the lake looking eastward is a quiet one meant to be savored like good wine.

It is not very often you see cows grazing in a swamp, but if you drive to the corner of Conrad and Meyers Roads in Ludington, you will see several cows enjoying the low lands near the Pere Marquette River. This cow stood still long enough for me to get into position and capture it, its reflection, and the barn all in one photograph. F8.0 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 30 mm

I have always had a passion for photographing ice. Today, during a photography workshop, my dad and I helped several students make similar images to this at Point Betsie Lighthouse.

The snow is blowing so hard I am afraid to stop along the highway north of Evart, Michigan to photograph this grand old barn. I pull my trusty four-wheel-drive off the roadway as far as the snowdrifts will allow and wait for a lull in the wind so my camera and I can see the barn. The barn comes and goes like a mirage. I am living the dream as a full-time outdoor/nature photographer. I am loving this winter dream.

This is the first good sunset on a Tuesday that I have gotten to witness since the start of "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed." My dad captured two decent sunsets earlier this year, but for the most part the Tuesday sunsets of 2012 have been pretty disappointing. That made me appreciate this sunset even more. I look forward to many more stunning sunsets along Lake Michigan on Tuesdays this year.

Reflections on the hood of my Suburban give me a doubly good view of the sunset afterglow as I see the "USA in my Chevrolet" at Frankfort, Michigan during a winter drive along M22.

Snowdrops are popping up all over Mason County today. I knew John and Marion Riedl had a great garden last year, so I drove over to their house near the gallery and looked around. John came out and said, "The snowdrops are in the backyard." Thanks for your help, John and Marion! F2.8 at 1/60, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 34 mm

Red barns in the snow are hard for photographers to resist. During a blizzard, I drove to a friend's barn because I was certain it would look stunning with the blowing snow. It looked better than I ever imagined.

Do you remember when movie theaters in most small towns in America had beautiful marquees similar to this one? Those times are back in Frankfort, Michigan, where the charming lakeshore community's movie theater has not only been kept alive but both its interior and exterior have been restored. It seems fitting that a black and white silent picture is being featured at the beautiful old theater.

The Bright Side

The second time is the charm. Two weeks ago I noticed this heart-shaped tree and barn along US10 between Walhalla and Custer. The view caused me to stop and make an image I liked a lot. But now, two weeks later while motoring back home from a long day of shooting pictures across the state, the same scene is in front of me with light and atmosphere to die for. Brad and I like to tell our photography students 90 percent of a good picture is about the light and/or atmosphere. I am witnessing the proof of that.

My dad and I always call the clumps of grass in the foreground of this image "Cousin Its" because they remind us of the character Cousin It from the Addams Family. This is the first good photo I have ever taken of Ruckel's Bridge at the Silver Lake State Park. Even though it is March, this photo definitely has a fall feel to it.

The fish fry at St. Simons Catholic Church has become a popular community-wide fundraising event in recent years for people of varying religious backgrounds and beliefs. The money raised goes to support the elementary school at St. Simons. Nathan Kroon was one of the many volunteers making the fish fry a huge success. F2.8 at 1/10, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Looking down at these grasses near the Silver Lake Outlet at Silver Lake State Park, I can't help but laugh. They look like bad hairdos to me. I decide to zero in on them. F5 at 1/50, ISO 200, 14-24mm lens at 18mm

Winter Coat

Just to the northwest of Ruckel's Bridge at the Silver Lake State Park, I came upon this miniature looking forest. I loved how the dappled light was highlighting a few of these beautiful plants. F9 at 0.3, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 23mm

Winter Therapy

Water from Bas Lake, carving a path of least resistance, curves through the sand on its downhill flow to Lake Michigan.

In 1936, the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) built the Beach House at the Ludington State Park. The CCC also built many of the current park roads and twelve warming shelters on the trail system. Unfortunately, many of the original shelters were destroyed by vandalism and severe weather. Luckily though, the Beach House remains and is a beautiful piece of history.

The color of the water in Lake Charlevoix often has a tropical feel to it because of its green tint. This morning however, it looked very cold and rugged near shore because of the mix of the rocks and ice. F22.0 at 1/13, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm