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Like hundreds of shark's teeth, icicles cling in near perfect symmetry to a railing along the walkway leading to the Charlevoix Lighthouse. I decide to make the icicles the focus of this image. I know the bright red lighthouse and its reflection will still attract enough attention to stand out as a small part of my picture.

The Charlevoix Lighthouse stands out any time of year with its bright red aid-to-navigation paint job, but surrounded by a fresh coat of ice it bursts forth like a rocket. The compositional elements lend themselves to this vertical composition as well as the horizontal image I have already made in the same spot.

I visualized how the Charlevoix Lighthouse might look three hours and 150 miles before I got there. The fresh coat of ice on the Charlevoix pier from yesterday's north wind and waves looks even better than I envisioned. I am loving being right here, right now in Northern Michigan.

Charlevoix Magic

365 Week 11

Nikon D850. F22 at 1.6 seconds, ISO 100. 14-24mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod without a flash. February 18, 2020 at 5:40pm.

As darkness approaches, the colors of the sunset afterglow grow richer and the shapes of the Charlevoix pier and lighthouse become darker and bolder. I am looking for that perfect balance between light and dark, that moment of dusk when the view on this tranquil June evening is the perfect combination of whiskey and wine.

Nikon D850. F8.0 at 1/6400, ISO 1600. 60-600mm lens at 600mm. August 26, 2020 at 5:50pm.

The clouds have been stunning all day. I have already made several good Lake Michigan shoreline photographs. Yet I knew that if the clouds stuck around, the evening light would make the clouds more colorful. Sure enough; with the luck of the Irish, the Emerald Isle ferry returns to Charlevoix from Beaver Island at the peak of magic light. F4.0 at 1/500, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

As I stand on the drawbridge at Charlevoix watching boats ply the Pine River Channel leading to and from Lake Michigan, it strikes me how interesting the iron draw bridge railing is as the bright July sun strikes the side opposite my position. The graphic image is not the picture I previsualized but I am delighted to discover it. F13 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 112mm

My wife Debbie and I celebrated our first anniversary in Charlevoix, Michigan. Now, on the eve of our silver anniversary, we stand on the drawbridge at Charlevoix together as I make this image of golden light striking the Charlevoix lighthouse. I look forward to celebrating our golden anniversary together in Charlevoix 25 years down the path of life. F3.2 at 1/500, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 280mm

It has been a long day of traveling, searching for pictures and shooting, but that does not stop me from running to get my camera and tripod set up just in the nick of time to catch the sunset at Charlevoix, Michigan. Charlevoix has long been one of my favorite Michigan places to watch the sun set. F13 at 1/8, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 24mm

Twenty minutes earlier the Charlevoix pier was lined with people watching the sun setting. Now, as the afterglow color continues to become more saturated, I have the pier to myself while taking in what has to be one of the prettiest Lake Michigan skies of the summer. Lingering longer does pay handsome dividends. F9 at 0.4, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 34mm