Miscellaneous Images

Kasey has been asking for a hamster for many months. I decided that for her birthday, it would be a great time to buy one for her. My sister was coming up from Ohio for Thanksgiving, and we found a breeder near her. Kasey was a lucky girl and received Sugar early.

I love the intricate details on old vases and glassware. It is a forgotten art.

I don't know anyone who catches more fish on the Pere Marquette River than Ralph Anderson. After watching Ralph land a steelhead with help from son-in-law Craig Ritzema, the diehard fisherman holds up a string of the coveted trout. F4.0 at 1/640, ISO 1600, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

My dad taught me a long time ago that you need to learn to see like your camera sees. Using my 85mm prime lens with a huge aperture opening of F1.4, I was able to make the green pine trees in my backyard look like a completely black background as I made this image on my back deck. I am proud to be a part of a 4th generation Anheuser-Busch wholesaler family, so I made this image to honor my family.

Happy Thanksgiving! Or at least it’s supposed to be “happy.” I received a call this morning that Joshua (and all of us) are quarantined due to close contact with COVID-19. Not only are my kids gone, but now I am spending Thanksgiving alone. Sometimes it seems like life hits you harder when you’re already down. Thankfully, I have the material needed for Kasey’s hamster cage; it will give me something to keep my mind busy.

After delivering a few large canvases to some customers in Pentwater, I noticed this old church and started photographing it. The historic building is now a museum. I look forward to taking the time someday to go through the museum.

After several days of staying in the house, I left tonight and headed into Custer. I knew they had Christmas decorations up. Even though my photos don’t show it lately, I have still tried to put my whole heart into it. There are just some days your heart feels small, and that’s all you can give.

The Lafarge cement factory in Alpena, Michigan is home to one of the world's largest limestone rock quarries. Today aboard the Lady Michigan, we pulled into the loading dock of the cement factory to get a closer look at how a 1,000 foot lower-laker is loaded with the cement products that are produced at this massive facility. F22 at 1/400, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

We spent the entire day in Grand Rapids and I forgot my camera. When Betsy and I rolled back into Ludington at 9:00 P.M. it was dark and rainy and I noticed the neon sign from Shop-N-Save creating awesome designs on the Orchard Market greenhouse across the road on Old US 31. I came back with my camera. F5.6 at 5.0, ISO 400, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

For years, we would call my dad “Mr. Safety” and poke fun at him about it. Well, today I was glad some of that preparedness rubbed off. Two young men fell off the breakwall into Lake Michigan. I had three life jackets and 300 foot of line in the back of my truck that the police and firemen used to help rescue both men. After that craziness, I found this picture in front of where I was parked at Stearns Drive

The turkey is almost done cooking and family members will soon be arriving at our cabin for Thanksgiving dinner. I am taking time out to savor an additional blessing

The kids and I have still been at home quarantining, so it seemed like a perfect opportunity to get our Christmas tree up. It is filled with a lot of special ornaments, including my very first Christmas ornament. I always must put this one on the tree, and it must have a light behind it for it to shine bright.

Our assistant manager, Hannah Ruhlig, recently told me about a home near her house that was decorated in tons of Christmas lights. Tonight, while trying to figure out what to photograph, I remembered the house. I drove there and struck up a conversation with the owner, Bill Olson. Then I went to work making this image.

I think these modern Christmas lights are really cool. This home on West Ludington Avenue, a few blocks from the beach, looks brilliant and festive.

Finally, our results have all come back negative. What a relief! The anxiety of waiting for these results has pulled all my energy. I used what little I had left to make this image of the top of a gift box that is designed like a snow globe..

We celebrated Kasey’s and David’s birthdays tonight. They will be at their dad’s for their birthdays this coming weekend. One of David’s gifts was a sling shot, the handle was wooden and carved to look like a bear..

As I was wrapping Christmas presents tonight, I realized I still hadn’t shot my photo of the day. I bought this snow globe for Rachel’s parents. Mason County Eastern’s mascot is a cardinal and her parents have been staples at that school for over six decades. Also, cardinals remind them of their late son, Kevin. This photo was technically harder to capture than I thought it would be. After many attempts, I finally got one to work.

My kids love decorating the house full of lights, and Christmas décor. This wreath made its way to the boys’ room this year.

With its snowplow leading the way, a freight train barrels eastward through the countryside between Ludington and Scottville. Soon the plow will be needed to keep the Marquette Rail line clear. F22.0 at 0.25, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 19 mm

For several years this pine tree near the corner of Tinkham Avenue and James Street in Ludington has been lit up for the Holiday Season. This year it has blue lights with a giant white star and it is stunning. A long exposure on a tripod turned the entire scene blue. F8.0 at 20.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 23 mm