Miscellaneous Images

For me, being out in nature is a way to get close to God. Looking out at the woods from inside the log chapel at Hartwick Pines State Park is a more obvious way for me to find God in nature. Being at Hartwick Pines to take in the snowy woods when no one else is here enhances the experience. My favorite poet, Robert Frost, would have loved being here today. I think he might have had similar feelings about this special Michigan place.

My whole life it has been a dream of mine to fly in a fighter jet. Today, my dream still has not come true. I made this photograph of the T-38 Talon that is on permanent display along US 10 in front of the Mason County Airport. F8.0 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

After lying down in ice-cold water while making photographs at Au Train Falls, it warmed my soul to see the giant smiles on the faces of Rachel Gaudette and Sarah Genson. Great photography adventures bring joy to all of us. F2.8 at 1/80, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 20mm

As is taking place in dozens of other small Michigan tourist towns and villages this August evening, an outdoor band concert is being held in Saugatuck. As the band plays and people gathered on the village green listen, the historic Saugatuck Chain Ferry crosses the Kalamazoo River. The chain ferry began operating in 1838 and is believed to be the last hand-cranked chain ferry in service in the United States.

Norwalk Lutheran Church has long been one of my favorite photography muses. I have studied the country church for years, knowing that one day I would be able to make a good image. On this snowy day the country church between Manistee and Bear Lake looked picture perfect. After making some storytelling images that included automobiles passing by on US31, I decided to make this simpler image without any vehicles. I have learned over the years that often less is more.

I don't often find myself making time to photograph sporting events, but the 365 Project once again is forcing me to experiment with new subjects. Tonight my dad and I had an art event at the Muskegon Lumberjacks hockey game. After the event we shot some photos. The game was very intense and a few fights broke out. F4.5 at 1/250, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Normally my dad is standing on soft sugary sand along the shorelines of Lake Michigan, but today he is standing on the famous sandstone beach along the shoreline of Lake Superior at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. On most March days the Lake Superior shoreline would still be covered in ice, but today the temperature is over 80 degrees. We took advantage of the warm weather and sunshine with our cameras. F9 at 1/125, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I love the silhouette of my daughter. Tonight, we had a little fun out in the dark with a lantern.

One of my most famous photographs from our 365 Project in 2010, was the closeup image I made of Betsy’s eyeball. We turned that photo into a giant mosaic with the other 729 images we shot for that project the following year for ArtPrize. I wanted to recreate that image with our daughter Julia’s eye. Like her mother, Julia has extraordinarily beautiful eyes.

I have loved this barn in Hart since the days I first saw it as a young boy riding along with my dad on his truck as he delivered Budweiser, Drewrys and Pfeiffer's beer to the nearby Walker's tavern. Today the barn looks picture perfect. F16.0 at 1/125, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 145 mm

Beach Bums

A young couple rounds the bend on their way back from an evening hike to the lighthouse at the end of Ludington South Breakwater. As they pass by me, I mention I took their picture. They tell me they just got engaged. The picture takes on new meaning. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

My wife and daughter love to draw and color together. The weather in Ludington this week has been unseasonably warm and wonderful so they decided to take their artwork outside. Betsy drew the butterfly and then Julia lay down to color it in with her sidewalk chalk. I was drawn to the beautiful light hitting Julia's face. F4.5 at 1/250, ISO 320, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

I am in position before 6:30 A.M. The moon drops behind streaks of clouds as it sets over Lake Michigan. The pre-sunrise color in the sky is breathtaking. I am in heaven shooting the moon. F5.6 at 0.6, ISO 400, 500 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 700 mm

Rochester is so lit up for the holidays this December night that it looks like Las Vegas has come to small town Michigan. I have driven about 250 miles and then have waited several hours to take in this unimaginable view. My camera and tripod are mounted on the top of my pickup truck. I use my remote trigger to open the shutter to begin a long exposure that will record the movement of taillights and headlights traveling the main street of this bustling business district.

I love my hometown. I love Ludington's many community events but none is more spectacular than the New Year's Eve ball drop in the center of downtown. I have photographed it from many vantage points but nothing gives a better sense of being there than immersing myself and my camera in the middle of the thousands of spectators.

Ludington lovers - residents and visitors alike - join together to break the Guiness World Record for the number of people making sand angels at once. Spectrum Health Foundation teamed up with West Shore Bank to enable 1,387 people to simultaneously make the sand angels on the Ludington beach on June 10, 2017.

This morning before I went into House of Flavors for some breakfast I took this photo of the famous ice cream parlor. I love how the left and right sides of this photo are almost perfect clones of each other. F6.3 at 1/80, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

A family looks in a Rochester store window display to appreciate how beautifully Home Bakery has recreated a scene from the movie Frozen. Home Bakery certainly looks "sweet" from my vantage point.

Haig's Fine Jewelry in Rochester is dazzling customers this evening with more than its jewelry. Thousands of holiday lights shine like jewels on the outside of the store while Santa appears to be taking off from the rooftop. I am impressed with Haig's and all the downtown businesses of Rochester that have banded together to present one of Michigan's most impressive holiday light displays.