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Shot at the Greene Farm on Conrad Road. Nikon D850. F22 at 1.6 seconds, ISO 100. 24-70mm lens at 34mm. On a tripod with and external flash set to rear sync. January 9, 2020 at 8:16am.

For years, my mom's family has called this the "deer shack." We would use the old wood stove inside the abandoned shack for a venison fry and all my aunts, uncles and cousins would have a hoedown. Unfortunately, time has taken its toll on the old house and the roof has started to cave in. F5.6 at 1/200, ISO 500, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Fall Leaves on Conrad Road

The canopy that these maple trees drape over the roadway is one of the many reasons Conrad Road, between Ludington and Scottville, is one of my favorite stretches to drive. Photo hunting along area rural roads has been a favorite endeavor for decades. I have discovered countless unforgettable scenes and many memorable friendly people in my travels.

Many times I passed this old house on the road from Shelby to Silver Lake but one autumn afternoon the setting screamed out at me to stop. Sumac blared out from the yard like a police car's siren. I love road hunting with my camera. I have driven tens of thousands of miles, down highways and byways, looking for new pictures or fresh views of pictures previously taken. Some days I never find a good picture. On other days they just seem to keep appearing. This was one of those days.

As a photojournalist for the Ludington Daily News, I took hundreds of photographs of special events at White Pine Village. The photographs helped tell the story of important historic preservation activities by Mason County Historical Society. One evening, long after my career as a news photographer, I was passing by the closed village. Nature produced a special event, rivaling all factitious events I had enjoyed documenting over the years. It looked as if lightning was striking White Pine Chapel. In reality, reflected sunlight was shining through a break in the clouds. My wife and I were the great illusion's lone spectators.

When I pass the long-abandoned farm home on Sugar Grove Road northeast of Scottville, I marvel at seeing the old Chrysler Imperial; it seems to belong in the yard of an abandoned farm home. Both car and brick home look like flamboyant works of art that have seen better days.

My stepmom's mother, Marjorie Brye Vyse, attended this old school house in her youth. The school sits vacant today on the corner of Hawley Road and Old US 31. I find it fascinating how Mother Earth is slowly reclaiming this building. F8.0 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

My stepmom's mother, Marjorie Brye Vyse, attended this old school house in her youth. The school sits vacant today on the corner of Hawley Road and Old US 31. I find it fascinating how Mother Earth is slowly reclaiming this building. F8.0 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

A fresh coat of snow was just what an old Sanders Meat Packing delivery truck needed to look its best. Long after serving the still thriving Custer business, the pickup stood at Patton's Junkyard as a reminder of the good old days.

The morning after the biggest snowfall of the winter, my son Brad and I were out early looking for pictures. The wind usually whisks most of the snow off the trees before 10:00AM. After 20 miles of looking without any satisfying shooting, we found our shot. An abandoned farm home between Custer and Fountain on Custer Road I had photographed in other seasons looked its best painted in snow.

For more than a quarter century, I have watched a once impressive farm north of Custer fading away. The painstakingly trimmed house where a proud family once lived was among the first buildings ravaged by the elements, vandals, and scavengers. The house has collapsed since I recorded this scene. Despite the decay of the old farm, I still find it sadly beautiful and continue to watch and record its slow death.

Nikon D850. F8 at 1/400, ISO 100. 14-24mm lens at 14mm. On a tripod without a flash. February 25, 2020 at 10:49am.

North Peterson Road in Hamlin Township is lined with beautiful forests and fields. I have always loved this section between Decker and Fisher Roads. A blanket of fresh snow accentuated the repetitive patterns of this photograph. F10.0 at 1/25, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Nikon D810. F22.0 at 1/8, ISO 100. 14.0mm lens at 14.0mm. March 15, 2020 at 7:16pm.

WCF by Aunt Marys

Spring Blossoms and Flowers

Nikon D810. F22.0 at 1/640, ISO 800. 17.0-35.0mm lens at 20.0mm. April 1, 2020 at 4:49pm.