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Photographing Michigan is for Brad and me as much about experiencing Michigan as it is about making images. We have stopped along one of our favorite stretches of rocky shoreline between Petoskey and Charlevoix to immerse ourselves in Michigan artwork. F10 at 1/60, ISO 400, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

What a way to start my day. It is 5:58 a.m. as I am eased awake by the soft glow of the moon as it sets over Lake Michigan at Buttersville Park between Ludington and Pentwater. This is one of those gentle "wine shots" that are great to savor with a cup of coffee while the tripod holds my camera. F16 at 2 seconds, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 23mm

Less than five minutes after photographing the moon setting in the western sky, I turn my attention to the eastern sky to watch the sunrise paint the clouds with light and color over the carferries SS Badger, at left, and SS Spartan. I am blessed to live within 500 yards of where my tripod is standing. Life is good on the Buttersville peninsula with Lake Michigan to the west and Ludington harbor to the east. F16 at 1/5, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 21mm

Pulled by one tug and trailed by another, the historic Lake Michigan cruise ship SS Keewatin passes by Ludington in tandem tow en route to its new home in Canada. The 105-year-old Keewatin was docked for many years in Douglas, Michigan, where it served as a maritime museum. F2.8 at 1/800, ISO 100, 300mm lens at 300mm

A rowboat rests at its dock on Bass Lake near Pentwater, Michigan. The peacefulness and timelessness of the scene captured my eye on an early morning photo hunt. I am quite sure I photographed the same little boat at its dock a couple years ago but today the direction and angle of the light is far better. F9 at 1/250, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

My plan was to shoot the Comet NEOWISE in Ludington tonight. I drove out through M-116 but that was packed with cars. I wasn’t in the mood to be around people, so I decided to shoot the farm. I got back here and set up just in time to create this time lapse above a couple of our barns.

A young buck stands at attention above the railroad tracks near the Manistee Industrial Park. When I first spotted him and his brother, they were standing right on the train tracks. Lucky for me, they moved onto the flower-covered ridge and I was able to use the tall grasses as my foreground element. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 400, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

These tall ornamental looking grasses along Veterans Oak Grove Drive in Manistee intrigue my senses. I have tried several times to make a good photograph of them, but was never successful. Today, the light was perfect and we had just the right amount of wind for me to capture what I had previsualized years ago. F8 at 1/250, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

An estuary near my Ludington home teams with new life every spring. Today I am attracted at first by the bright yellow buttercup flowers. But then I see the real prize: Buckeye butterflies that are being attracted to the nectar of the flowers. All I have to do is stay still and wait for the butterflies to come to the flowers in front of me. F5 at 1/500, ISO 100, 300mm lens at 300mm

Piping plovers lay their eggs on beaches, often in stony areas. After spotting one of the rare piping plovers along the Lake Michigan shoreline a week earlier, today I spot four eggs in the vicinity. Someone had carefully placed driftwood around the eggs to help prevent a person or animal from accidentally stepping on them. F10 at 1/400, ISO 100, 300mm lens at 300mm

You have probably read or heard my dad and me say a hundred times that "clouds are your friends" when you are out making photographs. Well, today the proof is in the pudding. This scene of the Lost Lake Island at Ludington State Park is a beautiful sight every day of the year, but the spectacular clouds today took the view from good to great. F5 at 1/640, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Hamlin Lake is one of the largest manmade lakes in Michigan. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, lumber barons cut down thousands of trees in the area and then built a dam on the Sable River to create what is known today as Hamlin Lake. Many of the old stumps still remain on the lake bottom and they actually move around the lake because of the snow and ice. These two massive stumps near the Lost Lake Island move a few feet every winter. F5 at 1/400, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

Hamlin Lake is one of the largest manmade lakes in Michigan. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, lumber barons cut down thousands of trees in the area and then built a dam on the Sable River to create what is known today as Hamlin Lake. Many of the old stumps still remain on the lake bottom and they actually move around the lake because of the snow and ice. These two massive stumps near the Lost Lake Island move a few feet every winter. F5 at 1/400, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

While my dad and I were giving our free annual photo talk tonight at Big Sable Point Lighthouse at the Ludington State Park, I moved this large piece of driftwood into the parking lot and used it as a teaching tool for the students. My dad and I told them to get twice as close and isolate the interesting parts of different subjects and look for s-curves, repetitive patterns, dynamic angles, and great light. My teaching moment turned into one of my favorite photographs of the entire day for Week 23 of "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed." F22 at 0.5, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 46mm

A male mute swan stands and spreads its wings after preening its feathers on a small bayou on Lost Lake at Ludington State Park. This is the moment I waited patiently for in our photography skiff at a respectful distance. It came after what seemed like an eternity of preening feathers. The backlighting of the bird and dark shaded background made the result worthwhile! I am so glad Brad and I chose to wait. F7.1 at 1/1000, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

A tired cygnet decides it needs a break from swimming on its own, using itsremaining energy to climb on its mother's back for a ride. The swan family was cruising across Lost Lake at Ludington State Park when they passed by our tiny anchored photo-shooting skiff. F11 at 1/500, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

You do not want to mess with a swan that has a nest or babies nearby. I have seen many unsuspecting spectators get too close to a swan and pay a hefty price. This swan slowly circled our boat and it was his friendly way of letting us know that we had gotten close enough to his family. We always try to keep a respectful distance from wildlife so as not to disrupt their lives. F5.6 at 1/5000, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 135mm

While photo hunting from our little 13-foot Boston Whaler on Hamlin Lake at the Ludington State Park, my dad spotted this great blue heron with his binoculars from a quarter mile away. We slowly made our way within 50 feet of the master angler. F5.6 at 1/800, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

A great blue heron takes off from one of its fishing perches on Hamlin Lake. I look forward to seeing one of the big birds on most of my hikes and voyages at Ludington State Park. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 200mm