Ludington City Beach/Stearns

Stearns Beach During Workshop

The setting sun shining on dune grass and lighting up the shoreline is one of my favorite things to witness. I made this image at the north end of Stearns Park tonight. This is one of the best images I have made so far in 2020.

The persistent fishermen who troll Ludington harbor, day after day, in their tiny boats are reminiscent of Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea. I marvel how they often catch fish when larger fishing vessels go empty-handed. I admire their simplistic approach to fishing as much as I do their patience, perseverance, and willingness to face the elements. Outdoor photographers could learn much from these fishermen.

A half an hour before sunset, Brad and I realized that there was a high chance of a fantastic sunset out of the snowy, gray sky. We each drove towards the lakeshore, shooting in different spots. As the sun dipped below the cloud barrier, the most remarkable particle ray appeared, and the sky lit up with the most brilliant sunset I have ever seen. What a great reminder that beauty will come after gray days.

Rainbow covering Ludington Lighthouse. The Gold was definitely at the end of this Rainbow.

Like a lightning bolt, the Lake Michigan shoreline looks electric as the setting sun hits the wave-washed sand.

Workshop at Stearns Park

Hurtling forth and plummeting down, breaking waves capable of overpowering almost anything in their path rush toward the Lake Michigan shoreline. On this November day, no one and no vessel dared to challenge them.

Fishermen saunter home after an evening of fishing on the Ludington North Breakwater.

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.

The sunset was calm and magnificent. It made for an ideal background for the dune grass at Stearns Beach. This clump stood out to me. I lay down on my stomach and worked to set up the shot, micro composing, so the sun was between blades.

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.

Pilings, which guard storm water drain outlets, and their repetitive patterns have been a popular photo subject for years. On this day, the S-curve design created by shoreline ice and magic light made an impressionable scene.

More red than the Red Sea, Lake Michigan changes color like a lava lamp in the red light of a September sunset afterglow. This scene presented itself only seven minutes after the "Sea of Confusion" scene.

August Night

Sunset Off Stearns Park Beach

The Ludington State Park, in my hometown of Ludington, Michigan, is an excellent place to photograph the power and beauty of Lake Michigan. The clean, cold fresh water was kicking today.