Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse

Hammer Down

 We all wear many hats in our lives. Some have a greater priority over others, and it’s easy to forget about the ones that mean the most to you and your heart. I’ve decided it’s time to dust off my Photographer hat, and put it back on. I’m excited to focus and set aside some time for my personal work and projects that I’ve been dreaming about for years. My children all love to get their cameras and tripods out (well Joshua likes to pretend anyway). I’m looking forward to helping them learn the way of photography. I’m excited to continue to share my work with family and friends!

 Although, over the last few years I’ve made many images that I’m extremely proud of, one photo that I still had not captured was a great image of the Ludington North Breakwater Light. I’ve made images of the lighthouse, just none that I was in love with. I had the chance to stay in town to shoot the sunset on May 21st, and I was crossing my fingers that the rain would stop, and the clouds would break just enough for the sun to shine through. It could have gone either way, but I was ready and waiting. I chose a telephoto lens, so that I could focus on just the lighthouse and the setting sun. Thankfully for me, the sunset turned out to be gorgeous! I could see others taking a nightly run to the lighthouse, or taking in the sunset with family or friends. It was just me, my camera, and the setting sun enjoying that special night on the south side of the beach, listening to Lake Michigan tell her summer secrets.

Blue Fog Light

 

It was the first day of the 1999 sailing season for the carferry Badger. Providing a colorful sunset, it was as if nature was saluting the grand ship on her return to Ludington harbor.

I was intent on capturing a close-up image of the Super Blood Wolf Moon setting behind the Ludington lighthouse on January 21, 2019. Mother Nature had something else in store. I just had to have the presence of mind and heart to see it at 9 a.m. on a way-beyond-ice-cold winter day. We teach our workshop students that 90 percent of a good image is about the quality of the light and or atmosphere. It didn’t take me long to realize that I was in the presence of both great light and atmosphere. We also teach, “Bad is Good,” meaning that bad weather provides good conditions for making strong outdoor photographs. It was a good bad day.

Ludington North Pier Light

 I'm not a fan of the cold. I actually really dislike it. What I do love though is shooting. I will withstand freezing cold temperatures and wind chill, if it means I can get my camera in my hand and experience the beauty that surrounds me. To some it's fun to shoot when the weathers great, but to me, I long to shoot through it all!

 

Ludington Lighthouse During Workshop

Break Time

 

Ludington Lighthouse During Workshop

Little things can make or break an image. Straight horizontal lines in a photograph can be extremely destructive to the flow of a composition. This photograph would not work if it were not for the three diagonal lines in the sky. The diagonal lines get the viewer's eyes moving around the photograph and lead one's attention to the lighthouse.

365 Week 06

365 Week 07

My dad taught me as a young boy that if you see an excellent sunrise to the east in Michigan to make sure to turn around and look at the sky in the west. I was blessed with a great teacher! The Ludington North Breakwater Light was glowing this morning with a pink and blue backdrop.