Other Inland Lakes and Rivers

The pond up at Bespop’s is one of my favorite places to visit. This evening it was full of life as the birds and peepers kept me company.

Michigan's first river to be officially designated a Michigan Natural River, the Jordan River looks wild and natural to me this morning after my good photographer friend, Mike Schlitt of Charlevoix, led me to one of his favorite Jordan Valley photography spots. Many of the tamarack trees are still golden despite high winds that stripped away many of their needles.

My dad and I are always photo hunting as we drive or ride in cars. This morning we passed a huge swamp that was full of dead trees. One of the dead trees was tilted at a 45-degree angle and it caught my eye as I was sitting in the passenger seat of my dad's Suburban. I had my dad pull over and turn around. I grabbed my camera and tripod and a few seconds later made this composition. F8 at 1/2000, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

After checking out and photographing a beautiful winter view from one side of a bridge over the Platte River south of Honor, I shift to the opposite side and am greeted by this even more splendid view of one of Michigan's most beautiful streams.

The power and force of the rushing water tonight at the mouth of the Hurricane River really caught me by surprise. I had been to this same spot six months earlier and the water was flowing slowly enough that I could stand in the river with my camera and tripod. If I tried to replicate that photograph today, I'm sure I would instantly be knocked down and washed violently into Lake Superior. F22 at 1.3 seconds, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

With the wet spring we have been having, this swamp is overrun with water. It worked out perfectly to capture the reflections among the clumps of grass. I had to wade in to get the composition that I was looking for. I tried to convince myself that the water was too chilly for any snakes to swim in!

Snowy Creek

Fall Trees

Our wet spring has turned most places into a wetland. This spot was no exception. The straight trees surrounding the green triangle-shaped moss was a showstopper.

I have driven past this scenic turnout vista along M37 south of Mesick for more than 40 years, admiring the view at 55 miles per hour. Today the light falling on Hodenpyl Pond is exquisite so I stop to make a picture. Timing is everything in outdoor photography. F22 at 1/1250, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 80mm

My dad and I are always looking for repetitive patterns. This morning on Grand Traverse Bay, the clouds, shoreline rocks, and the calm water combined into a gorgeous arrangement of blue, black, and white patterns that had me grinning from ear to ear. F13 at 1/125, ISO100, 14mm lens at 14mm

Today Rachel and I drove from Kalkaska to Traverse City. Just as we were leaving our hotel on Grand Traverse Bay to head to dinner at the Boathouse Restaurant on Old Mission Peninsula, an incredible sunset erupted out of nowhere. In my dress clothes and dress shoes, I quickly made an image before the light show ended. These colors are 100% real. It was one of the more intense sunsets I have ever photographed.

I planned an early birthday vacation for Brad this weekend. We were supposed to be photographing hot air balloons over Torch Lake; however, Mother Nature decided otherwise. Instead, we drove around exploring areas of the lake we had never photographed before.

It was another fun day in the Traverse City area photographing and exploring. We ended up at the Jolly Pumpkin for dinner and hoped to be finished eating before sunset. After dinner, we walked to a nearby beach to catch the last of the sun’s rays.

While en route home to Ludington an hour after photographing a gorgeous sunset on Lake Michigan at Leland, I am stunned and stopped by the afterglow at nearby Glen Lake. The quantity of light is mighty low but the quality of light is stunning. My trusty tripod permits my camera to accumulate enough light over time to make a good exposure. F5.6 at 30 seconds, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

It is starting to feel like fall! I am always intrigued what makes one particular tree turn (or partially turn) before the others.

My dad, Tad, Sean, and I went to Crystal Mountain today to play 18 holes of golf. I found these birch trees reflected in one of the beautiful ponds that are spread out around the course. Luckily, the water ripples, caused by my horrible shot, had gone away and the reflections were back in time for me to make this image.

The good thing about sporting events, besides enjoying watching your kids, is traveling to and from when you live in a picturesque state like Michigan. The meet today was in Pine River. I was early, so when I passed Howe Lake, I had to turn around and find the right place to stop and shoot. To get the view I wanted, I had to climb on my van roof.

Eagle Eye Golf Club near Lansing, Michigan is best known for its island green on hole 17. This par three took a few of my golf balls this morning because I was too stubborn to take a drop. It reminded me of a scene from a famous Kevin Costner movie.

When I was flying 11,500 feet above Crystal Lake earlier today, I chuckled when I noticed that the lake is a similar shape to a bottle of syrup. Do you see it? F8 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 14mm lens at 14mm