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I made this image during one of our Advanced Weekend Photo Workshops. Michigan State was playing Michigan and it was towards the end of the game. Several photo students were listening to the game on their cell phones. I wanted to listen, but the light and clouds were getting so good that I knew it was "game time" for me to shoot. I got the shot, but better yet, Michigan State had one of the best comebacks of the entire year to win the game on the last play. Go Green!

Water Colors

Just before dusk at the Sauble River Outlet, magic light broke out from beneath a cloud layer, highlighting the water's edge. The afterglow made the wait along the Lake Michigan shoreline worthwhile. My son Brad, my nephew Ryan, and I each took our approach to photographing the light.

As I could see the northern lights with my naked eyes dancing in the background, I knew they would be reflected in the strangely calm Sauble River near the outlet into Lake Michigan. The three minute exposure captured the beauty I was experiencing. Nikon D850. F2.8 at 188 seconds, ISO 400. 14-24mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod without a flash. March 20, 2021.

The Hamlin Lake Dam at Ludington State Park is so cool. I especially love photographing the dam in the winter months and seeing the different ice formations. The mix of straight lines and curved lines in this scene is what caught my attention today. F6.3 at 1/320, ISO 640, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Like a coating of white feathers, frost decorates sumac branches on a dune overlooking the Sable River Outlet at Ludington State Park. This February scene is the polar opposite of those hot summer days when the Lake Michigan tributary and its banks abound with swimmers and sunbathers. Sable River Outlet is one of the most picturesque spots on Lake Michigan in any season.

The Sable River Outlet is one of the most beautiful and popular spots at Ludington State Park. Hundreds of people flock to the river mouth on a hot summer day. But it is during quieter times, like this early May evening that it calls to me the most.

This scene reminds me of the one-on-one battle between man and fish Ernest Hemingway wrote about in The Old Man and the Sea. Serious fishermen are like serious photographers; they dream day and night of being there to experience those exhilarating, unforgettable moments they can't imagine living without. For some it goes beyond being a pastime; it is an important part of their being.

Even a winter hater would love this day. Snow clung to everything and turned Sauble River at Ludington State Park into a winter paradise.

I made this image last night at the Sable River Outlet in the Ludington State Park. It was a beautiful night. Not a ton of color, but the clouds and contrast from the storm light were amazing. Nikon D850. F22 at 1.6 seconds, ISO 100. 14-24mm lens at 14mm. On a tripod without a flash. March 5, 2020 at 6:11pm.

Reflecting on Life

Nikon D810. F16.0 at 1/200, ISO 3200. 60.0-600.0mm lens at 600.0mm. March 21, 2020 at 6:46pm.

Ludington State Park

Winters Best

Shooting reflections of trees in the Sable River has become a favorite pastime of mine when I need to clear my head and get away from the stress of life. Tonight I enjoyed the peace and quiet of Ludington State Park and waited for the light to fall in just the right spots to make this photograph work. F22.0 at 1/15, ISO 100, 14 mm lens at 14 mm

Nikon D810. F22.0 at 1/80, ISO 800. 14.0mm lens at 14.0mm. June 6, 2020 at 9:21pm.

Another hot day draws a crowd to the Bass Lake Outlet to cool off and have some summer fun. My wife Debbie recalls hiking to the outlet from a Bass Lake cottage her parents rented during summer vacations when she was growing up. Bass Lake is one of those places where summer traditions are built. F6.3 at 1/5000, ISO 100, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

Nikon D850. F22.0 at 1/160, ISO 1600. 24-70mm lens at 24mm. September 7, 2020 at 3:08pm.

Standing with a group of people who were salmon fishing off the bridge over the Sable River at Ludington State Park tonight, I witnessed one of the most dramatic sunsets of 2010. Just as the light peaked, a salmon jumped in the distance and I captured it with my camera. F8.0 at 1/20, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 70 mm

I have always wanted to salmon fish along the Sable River in Ludington State Park, but have never taken the time. However, I do get great joy from photographing the skilled fishermen who frequent the three rivers near Ludington. F8.0 at 1/1000, ISO 200, 70-200 mm lens at 86 mm