Mackinac Island

While Brad and I were photographing Michigan every Wednesday of 2014 for our book, Todd and Brad Reed’s Michigan: Wednesdays in the Mitten, I traveled to Mackinaw City on Tuesday, February 11, to scout out and be ready to shoot book images early the next morning. I wished this image I made that Tuesday evening in the Straits of Mackinac as the moon was rising would have appeared in front of my camera Wednesday so it could have been included in the Wednesdays book. It took seven years, but my Straits creation finally made its way into a book.

Mackinac Island

The grand porch of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island affords hotel visitors and guests one of the grandest views imaginable of the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge. Today I am most impressed with how the light and shadow are playing on the columns extending across the porch. D800, F7.1 at 1/400, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 70mm

The grand porch of the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island affords hotel visitors and guests one of the grandest views imaginable of the Straits of Mackinac and the Mackinac Bridge. Today I am most impressed with how the light and shadow are playing on the columns extending across the porch.

The ferryboat ride to Mackinac Island is a good opportunity to capture some unique views of the Grand Hotel. My favorite part of this composition is the great cloud formation above the island. F10 at 1/800, ISO 400, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

The Grand Hotel looks as grand as ever, towering above the southern shore of Mackinac Island. I am determined to come up with a fresh view of the iconic hotel, featuring some of the lilacs in bloom in the hotel's beautifully manicured gardens. F7.1 at 1/400, ISO 400, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

I am thinking I am in the Land of Lilacs as I hike across Mackinac Island en route to makes some images of the Grand Hotel. A horse coach from the Grand Hotel passes by as I pause to smell some lilacs and make an image that makes the flowers appear never ending. Brad and I are finding ourselves in lilac heaven today as we photograph Week 22 of "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute." Now we know why so many people flock to the island for the annual Lilac Festival in June. F9 at 1/80, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

When my dad spotted these ivy horses and wagon in front of the Grand Hotel, I knew I had to try to make a photograph of them. By getting my camera and tripod low to the ground and close to the horses, I was able to make the horses appear larger than they really were. I micro-composed this photograph to include the fountain in the background and then I waited for the flags to blow into good positions. F11 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Time seems to stand still on Mackinac Island. While standing in front of the Little Stone Church on the island today chatting with an old friend of my dad's, a picture perfect horse and buggy came trotting by. All I could think about as I was making this composition was Robert Frost and his beautiful poetry. I will be back in the winter to photograph this same horse and church and that will make all the difference. F11 at 1/160, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 24mm

Somehwere In Time

As you float up to the ferry docks on Mackinac Island, you can't help but notice the majestic Sainte Anne Church near the water's edge. This historic church has brought much joy to visitors and locals on Mackinac Island for over a hundred years. F8 at 1/250, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Lilacs seem to be in full bloom everywhere on Mackinac Island on this May day. A canopy of lilacs stretching over the sidewalk at the entrance to an island home provides a vignetted view of historic St. Anne's Church, an island landmark since 1874. F8 at 1/500, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

One of the many beloved features of Mackinac Island is the lilacs that blossom every spring. The island is full of many different colors and varieties of lilacs. The wonderful smell of the flowers helps hide the smell from all of the horses. F6.3 at 1/500, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 35mm

When getting extremely close to a subject with a wide-angle macro lens, you will notice some very obvious distortion, especially near the outside edges of the composition. I loved how this flower and bee on Mackinac Island looked in my viewfinder and I love the final print even more. F4.5 at 1/2500, ISO 800, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

A Mackinac Island taxi and the trusty team of horses that pulls it waits for passengers. I love the slower pace of life on Mackinac Island, where transportation is limited to horses, bicycles, and feet. F4 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

Bicycles are everywhere on Mackinac Island and cars are nowhere. It is easy to step back in time seeing all the parked bicycles instead of parked cars in front of the historic and historic-looking downtown businesses. F4 at 1/500, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 16mm

One of my favorite activities to do while visiting Mackinac Island is to rent bikes and ride around the seven-mile perimeter of the island. With motor vehicles being prohibited on Mackinac Island, the three options for getting around to sightsee are horse and buggy, bicycles, or good old fashioned walking. F9 at 1/200, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

I have always been impressed with Arch Rock on Mackinac Island. The giant limestone formation was discovered centuries ago by Native Americas who believed it had spiritual powers. F22 at 1/40, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Last summer I noticed what seemed like hundreds of stone sculptures built along the rocky shore of Mackinac Island by visitors. Today there seem to be only a few dozen, perhaps because the forces of nature toppled most of them during the fall and winter storms. This one along the west shore of the island stands out today. F9 at 1/250, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

I can't help but place myself back in time to the era of The Great Gatsby when I look at this marvelous classic building. The Windermere Hotel, built as a summer cottage in 1887, looks right at home at Mackinac Island; a place where a person can easily find one's self living at a slower and, in some ways, grander pace. F9 at 1/400, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm