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The early morning light and beach scene plays against the shape of the Little Point Sable lighthouse.

A wave curls, nestling us in an exotic underwater abode.

I tend to prefer sharp light and haze-free skies at sunset. But I have learned that the softness and toned-down colors of a hazy sky sunset sometimes look and feel better.

4th of July Cruise

Northern Lights Over Epworth

Stearns Beach During Workshop

Of course there is no midnight sun in Michigan, but I could not resist naming this winter Lake Michigan shoreline image after the midsummer Arctic phenomenon.

Highway to Heaven

365 Week 05

People who have not spent a lot of time along the Lake Michigan shoreline might find it hard to imagine that sunsets exploding with the most vivid color imaginable really do occur. Actually, the best color appears after the sun sets. Those who stay longer, relax and watch are often rewarded with a kaleidiscope of changing color.

Sunset at Stearns Beach in Ludington, MI. Nikon D810. F1.8 at 1/8000 seconds, ISO 800. 85mm lens at 85mm. January 6, 2020 at 5:12pm.

A rough day on Lake Michigan. Shot at Stearns Beach in Ludington, MI. Nikon D850. F6.3 at 1/2000 seconds, ISO 100. 60-600mm lens at 600mm. January 7, 2020 at 4:00pm.

Workshop at Stearns Park

Ludingtons Lady

Sunset Off Stearns Park Beach

Sunset Off Stearns Park Beach

My grandpa, Bud Reed, always gave a thumbs up as his sign of approval. The last few years of his life, he could not hear very well. The thumbs up was often his way of letting you know he understood what you were trying to say.

Strawberry Moon

The first two weeks of October are a glorious time of year along the Lake Michigan shoreline. For several decades, I have told my photography students more often than they want to hear, “Clouds are your friends.” Early October is a great time to experience sunshine, fresh breeze and crisp, clear air painted with billowy clouds. When these conditions exist, the dune grasses and beaches appear most alive, and so do I! I visualized this image months before making it about 2001 when we lived near Lake Michigan at Crosswinds south of Ludington. My beloved Labrador retriever Beamer and I passed this spot during our daily hikes through the dunes to and from the beach. For several months, this particular stand of dune grass stood out to me from hundreds of others. I wouldn’t let Beamer go near it because I knew it had the makings of a great image; I imagined what the scene would look like in the sharp “magic light” of October. One early October morning, as Beamer and I were passing by this special spot, there it was! Mother Nature had brought all the ingredients together. All I had to do was turn around and take Beamer back home, grab my Nikon F100 and tripod and finish making the photograph. Since I had the image designed in my mind for months, all that was left to do now was fine-tune it artistically and nail it technically. That meant applying years of experience to make certain I made a perfect exposure on the Fuji Velvia transparency film I was using at the time. Almost two decades later, this image remains one of my favorite lakeshore images because it is so experiential for me and others. Brad and I say good photography is all about feeling. I can touch, taste and smell this image. I think a lot of other people feel the same way. The image puts me there; it puts others there.

This tree graces the Ludington beach near the entrance to Stearns Park. It often frames picturesque views of Lake Michigan. On this night the tree takes center stage, leaving an anchored freighter to play supporting role.