Search

Michigan is a horse-lovers state. With more than 150,000 horses owned by Michiganders, it is no wonder that an appearance of the Budweiser Clydesdales in West Michigan is a major attraction. Today the Clydesdale East Coast Team has arrived at the Mason County Fairgrounds. Before the week is out, tens of thousands of people will have the opportunity to view Mick and the rest of the eight-horse hitch. I am excited to get this sneak peek before their public appearances in celebration of the 75th anniversary of Ludington Beverage. The company has been owned and operated by my grandparents, parents and currently by my brother, Budde. F3.2 at 1/100, ISO 1600, 24-70mm lens at 24mm

These cows along Countyline Road are a bright spot in a sad day for me. I am on my way home from Manistee, where one of my best Coast Guard friends, Tom Rau, died today. I taught Tom how to take better pictures for his boating safety articles. Hopefully, he would approve of this shot. F4.0 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 135 mm

Keeping on keeping on, a man and his horse and buggy made their way through a snowstorm during a long, hard 1980s Michigan winter. Fruit trees on a farm in Riverton Township of Mason County were barely visible as they traveled Schwass Road. I admired the perseverance of both the man and the horse

Did you know that Michigan has more horses than almost any state in the Union? These particular riders and horses were photographed on US31 on the way into Traverse City, Michigan. They are actually part of a giant iron gate at the entrance of the Walton horse ranch. Cameras do lie! F8 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 46mm

One of the most unusual looking Michigan farm animals I have ever seen poses statuesquely atop a hill as Brad and I are driving down a country road northeast of Elk Rapids, Michigan. The stout Boer goat's body looks big enough to be a calf or small pony but the long ears let us know it is indeed a goat. I can't resist making this image to share with our "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute" followers. F7.1 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Three years ago, we had an orphan heifer calf. The kids helped bottle-feed her. She was named after my daughter, Kasey. To differentiate between the two, we call her Kasey Calf. This year was her first-year calving. She had a little heifer today. The kids decided to name it Pumpkin.

The combination of fog and rising sun makes this huge tree stand out even more than usual in a farm field west of Chase, Michigan. My son Brad spotted the rolling field and tree as we were driving across the state to photograph Lake Huron. We try to be always ready and willing to stop to photograph magic moments that appear anywhere we travel in Michigan. F16 at 1/13, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 120mm

Sometimes moments like these are so fleeting that you only get one opportunity to capture the magic with your camera. Seconds after stopping the Suburban alongside the road on M32 today, I captured one image of these sheep grazing in a flowered field as the magic light rained down from above. Moments later, the sheep got spooked and ran for cover and a cloud moved in front of the sun. F6.3 at 1/320, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 24mm

One sheep maintains a lookout while others graze on a farm along M32 between Gaylord and Atlanta, Michigan. I love seeing and photographing farm animals along Michigan's highways and byways. F10 at 1/1250, ISO 1600, 300mm lens at 300mm

Driving rural roads west of Free Soil, Michigan in a frantic search for a country sunrise scene to photograph, Brad and I encounter this lone bull only a few yards from the edge of the roadway. The scene is a showstopper for me. I pile out of the truck, lie down in the grass and make a silhouette portrait before he loses patience with me. F4.5 at 1/250, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 70mm

My dad and I used to photograph the black and white “Oreo Cookie Cows” in this field on South Lakeshore Drive near the hydro-electric plant. Now the family that owns this farm has beautiful brown and white cows. The huge old maple trees have always made this farm extra beautiful as well.

Roger and Marcia Hansen own two donkeys at their family farm on Conrad Road. These donkeys keep me entertained all year long every time I drive by. I used my widest angled lens and got extremely close to this white donkey in order to make his head look twice the size it should. This photograph will always remind me of "Donkey" from Shrek. F14 at 1/250, ISO 400, 14mm lens at 14mm

I have shot “The Triple Trees” from the opposite direction four times for this project. It seemed fitting to capture the lane and favorite spot from this view. The kids and I have walked this lane many times in our lifetime. We are so blessed to have the farm to explore and create memories.

At first curious about the human visitor to OK Farms north of Clare, a Holstein suddenly shifts its attention to the bird that has landed on a wire right in front of the cow's face. Cows are very curious creatures. F9 at 1/250, ISO 200, 300mm lens at 300mm

An Amish farmer carries on the Amish tradition of using horses instead of a tractor for pulling power on his Clare, Michigan farm. However, a modern farm implement makes his planting job easier. The machine plants 15 rows at a time without the need to till. F8 at 1/800, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm

It took over an hour for these cows to make their way over towards me. I mooed like a cow and crawled on all fours, but nothing worked to get the cows to come over and surround this old abandoned home. Finally, I got my iPhone out to play some music. Apparently, cows really enjoy Kelly Clarkson. F8 at 1/250, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 22mm