Ludington City Beach/Stearns

It was a dark and stormy night! As I am awaiting photography workshop students for an evening shoot on the Ludington waterfront, I witness two storm fronts collide at the water's edge. The eastbound front appears to win out and the storm heads inland as I shoot. A short time later a tornado was sighted 10 miles eastward. F4.5 at 1/3200, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 14 mm

For over 10 years I have dreamed of making this photograph. It has been no secret that I love to make photographs while standing in the water, but I always had to be very careful to not get my camera too wet. Today, I no longer had to worry about my camera staying dry. A waterproof camera housing allowed me to get the immediacy that I have always dreamed about within the rolling breakers of Lake Michigan. F6.3 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 11.5mm

A friend of mine is letting me borrow a professional underwater housing for my Nikon D7000 camera body. He also loaned me his 10-17mm lens that works well with the housing. Today was my first crack at using the new equipment and I loved every second of it. Lake Michigan was very refreshing today. F6.3 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 11mm

For this photograph, my camera was completely underwater in Lake Michigan, safe inside a professional underwater housing. With today's bright sunshine and clear blue sky, I was able to capture good detail below the water line today. I am looking forward to shooting many more photos with this amazing piece of technology! F6.3 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

Of the five good shots I made today in Lake Michigan while using a waterproof housing for my camera, this is by far my favorite. I love making abstract art and I have always enjoyed getting my camera very close to the surface of the water, so it was a real treat to dunk my camera underwater in order to create a fresh abstract view. F6.3 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 13mm

The Ludington North Breakwater was underwater for a short time on April 13, 2018, at the height of one of the largest meteotsunamis ever observed on Lake Michigan in the Ludington area. I photographed the flooded pier (image top left) from the Ludington beach at Stearns Park moments after a fast-moving hail and rain storm swept ashore. Only nine minutes later, I captured the much lower than normal water level (image bottom left) as the flood waters washed back into Lake Michigan. Notice the shallowness of the water and the amount of boulders visible along the edge of the pier. According to NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), two separate meteotsunamis occurred within a short time. GLERL said the meteotsunamis were caused by “short, extreme bursts of wind and pressure.” The Weather Channel reported that thunderstorms trigger most meteotsunamis. Small meteotsunamis are not unusual but destructive ones like this one tend to happen only once every 10 years on average, according to Eric Anderson of the research laboratory

I love studying the work of other photographers around the world. One of my new favorite shooters is Clark Little. Clark lives in Hawaii and is famous for shooting breaking waves while floating in the water with a waterproof housing for his camera gear. With the help of a friend who loaned me his underwater housing for my Nikon D7000 camera body, I was able to shoot a photo today in Lake Michigan that is inspired by Clark Little's photographs. F6.3 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 11.5mm

If "clouds are your friends," as Brad and I teach our photography workshop students, then this one is one of my best friends of 2010. I am enjoying my evening watching this cloud at the Ludington city beach, one of the best beaches in the world for watching sunsets and clouds. F5.6 at 1/250, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 112 mm

A shelf cloud was forming off Stearns Beach in downtown Ludington today. It was interesting watching the different weather systems collide and then come on shore. The water in this photograph was super calm. Within fifteen minutes, I was watching small white caps

You know Lake Michigan is calm when you can see the reflection of people walking on the pier inside the channel. Tonight was a rare night in Ludington and I was happy to be documenting the tranquil sunset with my camera. F8 at 1/640, ISO 800, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

Seemingly out of nowhere, a storm front shows up on a sunny morning on the Crosswinds beach at Ludington. I love watching with an unobstructed view of the Lake Michigan shoreline as dramatic cloud formations like this one rush toward me. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 80, iPhone camera

This is by far the roughest water and biggest waves I have attempted to photograph in using our underwater housing. Using over six hundred feet of strong line, a full body survival suit, and being tied off to one of the picnic tables at the water’s edge on Stearns Beach in Ludington, I ventured out into an angry, but beautiful Lake Michigan. I got pounded and tossed around, but it paid off.

Another shelf cloud was quickly heading to shore this morning as I was heading to work. I drove to Stearns Beach and ran down to the water’s edge to make this image before the storm came on shore.

A Pure Ludington moment of two tourists enjoying a wonderful sunset off Stearns Beach. I love meeting new people, especially when they love Ludington as much as I do!

We had a dramatic sunset tonight in Ludington. I knew I might get drenched making this image at the end of the North Inner Pier by the green light, but it was worth the risk. Luckily, the storm light appeared and the rain was only a light sprinkle.

Lake Michigan is angry this morning. It looked rough from my house. But now, up close to the waves at the base of the Ludington South Breakwater, I can really sense the power of this Great Lake. F3.2 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

I never tire of experiencing Ludington from new perspectives. I made this photograph from 11,500 feet above Ludington with a telephoto zoom lens. I hope you and your family and friends find time to come experience everything the Ludington area has to offer. F9 at 1/640, ISO 400, 70-200mm lens at 70mm

If you look closely, you will see a Lake Michigan surfer riding a wave off of Stearns Beach in downtown Ludington. I had fun watching the few daring surfers today as they worked hard to get into position to catch the perfect wave.

Today all is beautifully still on the Lake Michigan waterfront at Crosswinds but the snow fence lining the beach foretells of the windy, wintry weather to come. I am looking forward to snow. F11.0 at 1/60, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 12 mm

I am struck by the "mountains" rising above Lake Michigan and the color reflecting off the massive clouds. It is too windy on my deck, so I move the camera and tripod indoors and open a window to sharply capture the moment. F4.0 at 0.5, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm