Miscellaneous Images

On Saturday night my family had a 34th birthday party for my older brother. We went to dinner in Manistee and then drove to the Big M Trail Head to cross-country ski in the moonlight. We were excited to see that volunteer members of the Manistee Cross-Country Ski Council had put out luminaries in front of the warming shelter. F2.8 at 30.0, ISO 200, 18-50 mm lens at 20 mm

Today was Ethan's first visit to Big Sable Point Lighthouse inside Ludington State Park. In between the handfuls of sand that he was eating, Ethan would momentarily pause and let me document his big day in front of the historic structure. F18.0 at 1/250, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

My son Brad has scaled the much taller, steeper side of this sand dune at Ludington State Park to gain a vantage point from which he can see almost all of Lower Hamlin Lake. However, the world-class sunrise he was hoping for is not happening today.

On Sunday afternoons, Betsy and I often take the kids for a Sunday Drive. I enjoy driving around looking for photographs and spending quality time with my family. Today, just as we were ending our drive for the day, Betsy pointed out an orange cat on the roof of an apartment house in Ludington. I love this photograph. F10.0 at 1/640, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Ludington Fireworks

Ludington Fireworks

The moon is an extremely difficult subject to photograph. If you set your exposure according to the camera meter, then you get some detail in the night sky and foreground, but the moon is a solid white circle with no detail. If you underexpose by three or four stops, then you get the "cheese" of the moon, but no detail in the sky or foreground. The moon also moves so quickly that it requires a relatively fast shutter speed. When it's dark outside, the only way to get a fast shutter speed is to raise your ISO or film speed. However, high film speeds are grainy or noisy. The choice is yours.

My daughter, Kasey, loves to cook and bake. For Christmas I gave her a crêpe cooking class at Brown Butter Crêperie and Café for the two of us. As we pulled up to the charming restaurant, I was already composing the image I wanted to capture. Thankfully the street wasn’t too busy!

I can see clearly that this is a picture waiting to be taken. I can't help but chuckle looking at the "face" of these binoculars standing alone on the Ludington waterfront. They remind me of a recent television commercial depicting faces in everyday objects. I like this face. F13.0 at 20.0, ISO 100, 12- 24 mm lens at 24 mm

It looks like what I like to call a "Colorado Day" in Michigan with sunshine and blue skies as my son Brad makes his first run of the year down the reworked Loki run at Crystal Mountain near Thompsonville. Our family has always loved winter and skiing in Northern Michigan is one of our favorite winter adventures.

When Julia, Ethan, and I walked outside of my brother and sister-in-law's house after a pre-Christmas family gathering, Ethan commented on how clear the sky was. We hopped in my truck and drove to the North Bayou of Hamlin Lake to get a clearer view of the Milky Way. Standing there, looking up at the million stars above our heads, I felt so blessed to have such a tight family connection here on Earth.

On my way to a goodbye gathering for our oldest son Tad, who is returning to duty in the U.S. Army, I spot the perfect picture of the day. This shot is for him and for all of the brave men and women who serve our country in the Armed Forces. The Stars and Stripes fly proudly above the United States Post Office in downtown Ludington. F2.8 at 1/6, ISO 800, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Photography for my son Brad is always an action sport. Therefore it made perfect sense to have a mountable Go Pro camera so that others can see and experience what Brad is experiencing as he is making outdoor photographs during outdoor adventures. I plan to make good use of the camera as well.

Tonight was the second annual Taste of Mason County at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts. During the event, my dad and I announced the winners of the online photo contest as well. Over 140 art lovers were in attendance and local pianist Craig Avery put his artistic touch on the music. F20.0 at 1/125, ISO 1000, 18-50 mm lens at 26 mm

Celebrating a New Year

Today we got our GoPro waterproof sports action camera in the mail so we had to immediately put it through the paces while downhill skiing at Crystal Mountain Ski Resort. The tiny camera shoots high definition video and beautiful still images. This is a self-portrait I made as I was riding up the chairlift just as the golden sun was setting.

Ethan Arthur Reed, otherwise known as "The Chief," always lights up a room with his infectious smile. I know I am partial because he is my son, but he is one cute kid. Now we just have to get him to sleep for more than two hours at a time! F8.0 at 1/40, ISO 1000, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

I was blessed to grow up in a downhill skiing family. Thankfully I have been able to pass that sport on to my family. My daughter Julia has always had a need for speed in everything she does. This is her carving a turn on Cheers at Crystal Mountain during a hard snowfall. Life is good!

I have watched this solitary soldier appear to stand guard over the graves of veterans in Lakeview Cemetery, north of Ludington, for years. I find it fascinating to see the scenes change around the stone soldier as the seasons come and go.

If you own a copy of our 365 book, look at my Day 309 of Week 45. You will see a photo of this house. I have always loved Dick and Kathy Bourgault’s house. When it came up for sale a few months ago and I got a personal tour from Dick, it was a God moment for me. I bought the house two days later. The kids and I love our new house, especially on beautiful winter days.