Other Inland Lakes and Rivers

What a start to our trip! Brad and I and all five kids are on our way to the Upper Peninsula for a long weekend. We stopped to stretch our legs at Otsego Lake. The kids could run and climb trees, while Brad and I each made an image in a location we’ve never visited before.

Sean and I met two of his friends near Canadian Lakes this morning and we played 18 holes at the Royal Golf Course. The golf cart path between two of the holes takes you over a large bridge that overlooks a beautiful river and hardwoods. We stopped the cart on the bridge so I could make this image.

Bespop’s pond always reminds me of an African sunset or sunrise. Tonight, it was especially calm, and the reflections were wonderful. The piece of wood in the foreground always reminds me of a swan.

I have always wanted to make a good photograph of Whalen Lake, the little lake that is east of Baldwin, Michigan. However, I have always been in too much of a rush or the conditions were not right to get out and photograph it. This morning however, my dad and I couldn't resist stopping to photograph the foggy morning sunrise. I am sure hundreds of little lakes across Michigan looked just like this today. F8 at 0.6, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Just a few miles west of Alpena, Michigan on M32 my dad and I discovered an old abandoned shale quarry. A good portion of the quarry is now full of water and trees, many of which appear to be dead. The fantastic clouds and low wind made this quarry picture-perfect today. F11 at 1/125, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

It is hard to beat Michigan wildflowers and bright blue skies that are full of giant white billowy clouds. My job today as an outdoor photographer was to find the flowers and line up all of the beautiful elements together in one photograph. The old abandoned shale quarry near Alpena, Michigan was the perfect setting. F20 at 1/400, ISO 800, 14mm lens at 14mm

In my mind's eye, the scene in front of me at this flooded old shale quarry west of Alpena, Michigan is most incongruous. Dead and dying trees appear almost colorless while brilliant yellow goldenrod along the water's edge thrives. I spend a long time fitting these two subjects together to make an image that I find oddly and artistically harmonious. F22 at 1/30, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 16mm

I almost lost one of my boots in the mud while shooting this photo with my iPhone. We dug this pond at our hunting property. Our land has a lot of clay in it. That clay and mud is very difficult to navigate through, but I was determined to get the reflections in this photograph. To get the reflections to look the way I wanted, I had to get down to the water’s edge..

Before work this morning, I took a nice drive around the Ludington State Park. It was great to have a few minutes of peaceful quietness before starting the workday. This interdunal pond matched my peace.

Rachel and I headed to Crystal Mountain to go downhill skiing today. As we got close to the resort, the snow started falling hard. It was the wet, sticky snow that very quickly can transform a normal scene into a winter wonderland. We pulled over and I shot this photo of the Betsie River.

This swampy spot was near Hart, Michigan. I drove up and down this road, choosing the best spot to pull over and shoot. The framing around this opening is what helped me decide this was the place to shoot.

Near the main entrance of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park we came across beautiful Ash Creek, which empties into Lake Superior. This morning I lay down on my stomach in the wet sand to capture the reflections of the fall color in the slow moving water. If you look closely, you will also see the moon and its reflection. F10 at 1/100, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

For Week 45 of the Tuesdays Project my dad and I drove down to Monroe, Michigan. Monroe is south of Detroit and is located on the beautiful shoreline of Lake Erie. The sunrise this morning had an atmospheric glow that was subtle, but sweet. F9 at 0.4, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 27mm

I have never canoed down the Pine River, but I have heard from many experienced canoers that it is one of the best rivers in Michigan for canoeing. I made this atmospheric photograph off the bridge on M37 not far from the M55 intersection. F22 at 1/60, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 27mm

The bird's-eye view of the Pine River while passing over the bridge on US37 near M55 is always spectacular. Today, we park our vehicles and hike onto the bridge to be able to take in the view in slow time instead of at 55 miles per hour, making the view even more impressive. F13 at 1/800, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 180mm

My view of a stump in the Pine River seems so simple at first glance. The more I study it, the more I see going on in terms of light and shadow and patterns and textures. The more I see, the more I like. Simple is sometimes simply complex. F22 at 1/640, ISO 100, 300mm lens at 300mm

Reality at Crystal Mountain Resort looks better to me on Christmas night than a Thomas Kinkade painting. The Cottages at Water's Edge look charming in the daytime but set aglow at night the early 1900s-style cabins look like Christmases past. F22 at 30 seconds, ISO 800, 24-70mm lens at 24mm