Ludington Point to Point

Water from Bas Lake, carving a path of least resistance, curves through the sand on its downhill flow to Lake Michigan.

An ice fisherman is oblivious to cold because good fishing luck could arrive at any time. I eagerly waited, on a bone-chilling winter morning, for the sun to rise over the Pere Marquette River. My perseverance netted a good catch. A day like this helps me understand ice fishermen better.

Looking westward in the Pere Marquette River Flats, on the same morning I photographed the preceding scene looking eastward, revealed a similar view but one with the Dow Chemical Plant in the background.

PM River

PM River

These jetties are remnants of man's past attempt to combat the power of Lake Michigan to erode its shoreline. I view these wooden jetties, built to save highway M-116 in Ludington State Park, as ever-changing sculptures. On a still summer's night, I set up the tripod and waited to see whether any magic light would appear. It did.

The Lincoln River Outlet, which bustles with small watercraft in the summer, lies still on an icy January morning. My son, Tad, and I each found several good photographs that frigid morning when good light and fresh snow coincided.

The simplicity of a dune scene on top of the Silver Lake sand dunes interested me and caused me to bring my tripod and camera to a stop. As the sun dropped, the shadows increased and the wind-blown pattern in the sand became distinct. I watched the picture develop wondering how different the view would be from this spot on my next visit.

I love to look down on a hike along Lake Michigan to discover what Lake Michigan waves have deposited upon the shore. A seagull feather washed up along the shoreline near Pentwater, creating a natural still life scene I found to be attractive.

Looking down from the porch of the Ludington State Park Beach House, I noticed the shadows cast by fencing erected to reduce the amount of drifting sand and snow. The fencing, bent by nature's forces, caused a curved shadow.

I have used this piece of driftwood for a resting spot to spot for the quality of light to improve after hiking to Big Point Sable. On this spring night, magic light made the log stand out as a photo subject.

Hikers on a return trek from Big Point Sable Lighthouse follow the meandering Lake Michigan shoreline north of Ludington State Park Beach House. Wooded and dune trails also wind their way to the historic lighthouse. Any of the routes provide a powerful visual experience.

I have photographed dozens of thunderstorms but none as incredibly brilliant in color as this power-packed storm that rolled off Lake Michigan on a September afternoon. As with all the photographs in this book, I did not use color enhancing filters to take this photograph.

Little Point Sable Lighthouse stands tall against a dramatic night sky. My wife and I were driving north from Chicago when we saw this sunset developing as we approached Oceana County. I quickly headed west to get to the lighthouse in time to be greeted by a sky even more colorful than I had anticipated.

Hiking out the breakwater to the Ludington lighthouse is a tradition for summer visitors and area residents. I enjoy the hike, but often I like to watch from a distance and photograph the people as added ingredients to my pictures.

It was the calm after the storm. Following a spring "southwester" that heaved waves onto the Lake Michigan shoreline, a giant puddle remained trapped on shore in front of Little Point Sable Lighthouse. I delighted in discovering this short-lived, but alluring, natural phenomenon.

The walkway leading to the Ludington North Inner Pierhead Light is a popular spot for viewing summer sunsets. On this summer night, it was the view from a boat that provided a unique perspective of the sunset.

A sunrise to rival the beauty of the evening primrose growing along the Pere Marquette River, south of Ludington, seemed too good to be true. It was true and the light and flowers were preserved on film.

Crisp, haze-free air, brilliant light, billowy clouds - all the ingredients that made for a good day for photography - were present on this fine October morning. Throw in the Ludington North Breakwater, lighthouse, and the carferry Badger, and it gets even better. The final ingredient - a location from which to take the photo - brings the mixture together to make a picture better than the sum of its parts.

Bending against a brisk October breeze but not breaking, dune grass withstands another "northwester" along the Lake Michigan shoreline.