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Workshop at Ludington State Park

Snacking its way to Lake Michigan, water from Bass Lake catches sunlight on a September evening.

Lincoln River in Front of Rods Shack

 

My wife and I watched from a high dune vantage point. We waited, for over two hours, for the sunlight to come into line with the water that was winding its way to Lake Michigan from the Bass Lake Outlet. I liked the resulting picture but looked forward to photographing that S-curve with a sky filled with storm clouds. I returned on such a day only to find winds and waves had swept away the S-curve and left a straighter stream behind.

Fritz at Bass Lake Outlet

August looked more like October when I crested a dune to find this view of the Bass Lake dam, the outlet, and Lake Michigan. Like so many small outlets along the Lake Michigan shoreline, the Bass Lake Outlet follows the path of least resistance to the big lake. That path shifts with changing winds and seas.

Underwater Lincoln River

Nikon D850. F2.8 at 1/250, ISO 3200. 14-24mm lens at 14mm. On a tripod without a flash. February 11, 2020 at 6:13pm.

My seven-year-old son, Ethan named this photograph for me. I made this image at Bass Lake Outlet on Lake Michigan just north of Pentwater, Michigan. The wind was howling and it was only 12 degrees, but the few seconds of magic light warmed me to the core. I stood in the same place for over an hour and in that time, I only witnessed magic light two different moments for a total of about 15 seconds. To help pass the time and to keep myself warm, I did burpees on the sand dunes.

Nikon D850. F5 at 1/50, ISO100. 14-24mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod without a flash. February 26, 2020 at 3:15pm.

Rainbow Over the Dummy Bridge

Rainbows Over the Lincoln

Bass Lake Outlet North of Pentwater is a secluded place I look forward to coming back to, the next day or next season, with great anticipation. Wading in its shallow stream that meanders in everchanging routes toward Lake Michigan or taking up a spectacular vantage point to watch night fall, is a favorite pastime.

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

The Lincoln - panoramic

The Lincoln

My son Brad and I are always telling photographers that October is our favorite month for Michigan photography. On this mid-October evening, workshop students gathered at the Sable River Outlet are experiencing for themselves why we say that. It doesn't get much better than this!

Waking Intensity

A fisherman slowly paddles to one of his favorite fishing holes on Lincoln Lake near Cartier Park. Mount Epworth is aglow behind him as the clouds make beautiful reflections on the calm water. F2.8 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 20 mm