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In a small ravine on our property, dame’s rocket grows brilliantly. They can be considered invasive, but for me, they are stunning.

Every Memorial Day, you can count on watching Dale Shimel march in the Memorial Day parade in Ludington. Dale is a Vietnam Veteran and I am proud to say he is my shirttail relative. F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 800, 70-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Red admiral butterflies have been invading Northern Michigan this spring. This is one of dozens taking a liking today to an orchard on the Leelanau Peninsula. Butterflies are small and so my challenge is to find one willing to sit still on a blossom long enough for me to get close and in just the right position to make a good shot. F11 at 1/160, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

This evening after work, I took Julia and Ethan pike fishing near the dam at the Ludington State Park. On Julia’s second cast, she hooked into this young pike. Using my iPhone, I made this image as the sun was setting below the tree line.

It is one of those soft light evenings; there is a glow from the bright overcast sky instead of the golden light of a clearer night that might appear better for shooting. I like this kind of light and so does my Fuji S5 camera. I point it southward from the Ludington South Breakwater and wait for just the right breaking wave to complete the picture. F4.0 at 1/100, ISO 200, 12-24 mm lens at 19 mm

After emphasizing its detail in a much closer shot, I decide to create a looser image of a Red Admiral butterfly. In this case, I am attracted by the dynamic diagonal pattern of the branches and the oriental feeling conveyed by the branches and blossoms. F7.1 at 1/160, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

I surprised the kids with a firepit for the backyard this weekend. We lit it and to our surprise, it showed its love for us with a heart!

In October of 2009 I had stood in the same spot and made a photograph showing the South Bayou of Hamlin Lake during the peak of the fall color. Tonight, I want to show the same view with the beautiful late spring flowers and lush green leaves. I intend to return for a summer and winter shot as well. F2.8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

The large, mature forest at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore area along Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive is my favorite forest in Michigan. With its massive trees and endless amounts of green foliage covering the forest floor, I imagine that this is what most of the great state of Michigan must have looked like 200 years ago. F5.6 at 1/30, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

My front yard has several large bushes that are near the house. I was excited to see that many beautiful bright pink and purple azaleas bloomed this spring.

I have my eye out for a fox kit or a fawn, neither of which comes my way this evening on the Buttersville peninsula. But along comes this rabbit, which within five minutes is nicely in range of my telephoto lens. F3.2 at 1/400, ISO 200, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

The tropical blue waters of Glen Lake never cease to amaze me, especially when viewed from Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The white billowy clouds and gorgeous sunshine made this view even more spectacular than usual. F8 at 1/160, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

So many wishes have been made over the years. As I blew these dandelion seeds into the wind after making this photo, another wish was made.

Tonight I headed to my Uncle Budde and Aunt Sheryl's house on Lake Michigan to photograph their beautiful flower garden. I manually exposed for the sky and set that exposure about two stops of light to the minus side because that would bring detail back into the sky. I then used fill flash to illuminate the flower, creating a moody photograph. F20.0 at 1/250, ISO 1000, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

The God beams, bright blue sky, clouds below my feet, and the tropical-looking Lake Michigan water made me feel like I was actually floating on the clouds today when I made this photograph. I wish all of you could have been next to my dad and me experiencing this rare sight. F22 at 1/60, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

While enjoying a family bonfire in my backyard, I looked up at the trees above my head and noticed how nice the light looked on the leaves and trunks of the trees. In a few short minutes I had my picture of the day.

I am photographing a boat in Harbor View Marina when I see a more unique view. The sheet steel wall of the marina is reflected beautifully in the water. I love the color and the undulating patterns on the water. F2.8 at 1/200, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Today was the first time I experienced being above the clouds along the Lake Michigan shoreline without being in an airplane. The scenic overlook at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is over 450 feet above Lake Michigan and was a great vantage point to photograph this rare phenomenon. The hike down the steep dune is fast and sometimes furious. The hike up is torturous, especially on your calf muscles. F16 at 1/100, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

I could see the makings of a shelf cloud over Lake Michigan, so I headed to the lakeshore from work. As I was making several images of the small cloud, I could see a paddle boarder coming my way. I thought he was very brave! I waited until he was in front of me and had the paddle in a position I wanted. Thanks to social media, later I was able to find out who he was and give him a free print!

Maude's Garage in downtown Ludington has quickly become one of the most photographed spots in all of Ludington. Shirley Reeds, who owns Maude's, has an amazing ability to make art out of other people's junk. I love the old Ford truck she has placed in front of her store on Ludington Avenue. F22.0 at 0.6, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm