Other Inland Lakes and Rivers

Floating Into Fall

There are numerous small swamps and lagoons between Big Point Sable Lighthouse and Little Point Sable Lighthouse. They are always home to interesting wildlife and wonderful colors. In other words, a photographer

Mason County is full of creeks, streams, and rivers. I was out driving and found a pretty spot to stop and shoot. Sweetwater Creek is near Branch, Michigan.

The Muskegon River was under a flood warning today because of all the melting snow. When my dad and I heard the news, we explored new roads and came upon this spot northeast of Muskegon on Duck Lake Road. Luckily, we didn't get our truck stuck, but we did forget a camera bag that a DNR officer recovered for us later that day. Thankfully, everything was still inside and not soaking wet. We got a good chuckle out of our crazy day.

My seventh grade science teacher, Diana Kuras, stopped me in the road today and told me about a giant sunbow over Lake Michigan. I was heading out to Summit Township at the time for a Super Bowl party at our friends Paul and Lisa Cooper's new house. It was the largest, most distinct sunbow I had ever witnessed. F22.0 at 1/50, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 20 mm

the Grounds at Legends Deer Ranch

Two minutes before I made this image of Sutton's Bay, the shoreline was dark and in the shadows. The magic light of October instantly transformed this scene into a powerful and graphic photograph. I set my ISO to 3200 so that I could "borrow" that light and put it into both the depth of field with the aperture and into the shutter speed so I could freeze the ripples in the water. By freezing the motion in the water, the reflections of the building, boats, and trees became more distinct.

This is the first photograph I have ever made of this part of Lake Leelanau. I didn't realize until today how large or how beautiful the lake is. Today is proving to be one of the best Wednesdays for photography so far in 2014. D800, F22 at 1/13, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 70mm

Edges of Light

I walked out into Grand Traverse Bay early this morning to make this image of a large tree stump covered in snow and ice. I enjoy making photographs when the sky is reflected in slow-moving water.

I had already seen a dramatic storm front image Brad made less than two weeks earlier at Duck Lake Outlet. Not a person was in sight when Brad took that picture. Here I am on an August afternoon less than two weeks later with the opportunity to show an entirely different Michigan mood at the same popular spot. Today the outlet is packed with swimmers and sunbathers.

Last week my daughter Julia and I discovered a new road we had not ever driven on. We took Scenic Drive from Whitehall all the way to the Muskegon State Park. Along the way we passed over the Duck Lake Outlet. The light was not good that night, but I knew that I would be back to that spot soon when the conditions were better. Last night I left Ludington about 5:15pm and drove back down to the Duck Lake Outlet. I had no cell signal, but I could see a shelf cloud coming toward me over Lake Michigan. Just before 8pm the storm was on top of me and it started to pour. This was my last shot of the night, and then I ran for cover.

Five Lakes of Hesperia

Searching for an autumn sunrise on Emerson Lake, in Eastern Mason County. I spotted mist rising through the trees on the opposite side of U.S. 10. Walking about 20 yards into the woods I came upon a lake. According to Stanley Gerybo, owner of the adjacent Fox Lake Resort, the tiny lke is Fox Lake. He and his wife, Justine, have owned it for 33 years. Fox Lake typifies the myriad of sumptuous places, between Big and Little Sable Points, that most people never see. These spots are special to those who own them, or those privileged to see them.

This project has helped me explore a lot of places I haven’t been in a while. Driving along Tallman Lake tonight is just one example.

Maribeths Walloon Lake

Betsie River near Crystal Mountain

I took a quick drive to Hansen Road tonight, looking for the right foreground to go with the clouds. I quickly found just the thing!

Crystal Lake looks to me like a pastel painting on this winter evening as the moon rises shortly before sundown. This "wine shot" view from the southwest shore of the lake looking eastward is a quiet one meant to be savored like good wine.

Third Curve Gem