Rachel's Images

 On July 21, 2011, I had joined Todd Reed for a 20/20 Vision Workshop that Todd and Brad Reed Photography put on. When we started our night shoot down at the end of the Ludington Avenue, the sky didn’t show any signs of a great sunset. At best, we had a 50/50 chance for ANY good light to come our way. We were pleasantly surprised by this burst of color after sunset. It was one of the most spectacular sunsets that I’ve ever seen!

Being a farm girl, this farm near Gaylord, Michigan, caught my eye. Wading through knee-deep snow, I worked my way to achieve the composition I wanted. The subtle sunset was the perfect accent piece.

 Most days I drive along Fountain Road from my home on Ford Lake, to Jebavy drive and then into town. I love the peacefulness of this drive, the country view, and the special feeling I get to start my days with. Being a country girl, I am always in awe of the beauty of the countryside. There have been many mornings that I pass by scenes, seeing the potential someday, but maybe it wasn’t THAT day. Other mornings I see the potential in front of me, but I am in a hurry to get into town and start my work day, and the scene quickly passes me by, on these days I regret not stopping and making the image that I have now only in my memories. This particular morning the sunrise was so beautiful I had to stop, I just couldn’t drive by without capturing this image. Now, I’m happy that I not only have this scene in my memories, but also in a way that I can share with others.

Bond Falls will always be one of my favorite places to visit. Even though I cannot travel here as often as I would like, each time feels like home. It was so icy that it was nearly impossible to climb the steps to the upper part of the falls, but I crawled up, lay on my stomach, and set my tripod in place to create a long, dreamy exposure. The water was roaring, and my heart was happy.

 The drive out to the lighthouse was an adventure I'll never forget. The two-track of a road seemed to go on forever, but it's well worth the trip!! Shooting along the rocky shore of Lake Superior at night was a thrill! The lighthouse keeper was a great guy, he let me climb to the top of the tower and look out over Lake Superior. It was the first lighthouse that I had ever climbed and I was very thankful for the opportunity! I shot this on September 30, 2014.

The kids and I drove to Round Lake tonight. They used to spend time here when they would visit their grandma before she moved away. The reflections of the clouds on the water were a great subject to shoot.

I had never traveled to the Presque Isle River through the south entrance of the Porcupine Mountains. Due to the time of year, we had to park a long way away. As Brad and I hiked in, we were slightly jealous of the many snowmobiles that we saw. The exhaustion was worth it. The view was priceless.

Finally, I am headed to get the kids. It will be so nice to wrap my arms around them. As I am headed over the river flats on old Pere Marquette highway, the sun is out and shining on the water. I can see the gorgeous reflections lighting up the river. I decide to take a few minutes to pull over and compose this image.

While I was helping the kids work with their 4-H animals, I was distracted by the clouds in the sky. I could visualize how dramatic they would be over our barn. I ran to grab my gear and set up the shot before they blew away. We have all spent many hours in this barn over the years. It is another one of our special buildings.

As Brad and I were packing up our gear from shooting the comet, we could see slight color to the north in the night sky. We quickly realized it was the start of the Northern Lights! Back to the dunes we ran. In one capture, we were able to see the Milky Way, Comet NEOWISE, and the Northern Lights! What an amazing show!

I grew up learning how to drive a tractor on our Allis Chalmers WD. I spent many hours in the hay fields, driving the tractor and wagon as my older siblings threw the baled hay up on the wagon. It was how we spent our summers. We would also use the tractor and wagon to haul wood in to heat our farmhouse. I hope to teach my children how to drive a tractor on the same one I learned to drive.

 I'm not a fan of the cold. I actually really dislike it. What I do love though is shooting. I will withstand freezing cold temperatures and wind chill, if it means I can get my camera in my hand and experience the beauty that surrounds me. To some it's fun to shoot when the weathers great, but to me, I long to shoot through it all!

 While shooting the sunset out at the Ludington State Park, I was disappointed at the lack of color in the sky. The water however, was radiant and beautiful. I knew that I had to act quickly before the color and light disappeared. I thought about what I needed to do, changed lenses, and got off three shots before it had faded away and the water went back to normal. While I typically shoot the “grand scenic” type images, it paid off to step outside my comfort zone and challenge myself. I came out with an image that I absolutely love!

Several times during the 366 Project, Brad and I shot subjects very similar to each other. Tonight takes the cake though. We each shot the Badger, lighthouse and clouds, seconds apart from each other! I was on the south side while he was on the north side of the channel. It wasn’t until we downloaded our files the next day that we realized our photos matched.

The kids and I were driving back from Hart via Little Sable Point Lighthouse. I left them warm in the van, while I ventured out to capture one of my first ever shots of this lighthouse.

 

 

Todd, Brad, Julia, and I set out on the hike tonight to Big Sable Point Lighthouse. Their main goal was to shoot the Comet NEOWISE over the lighthouse. My goal was to make my first image of the state park’s 112-foot, black-and-white centerpiece. After making the image I had envisioned for years, I sat back and enjoyed the experience of the comet with a night full of laughter and memories.

Mufasa, our outdoor cat, enjoys playing in the snow. We played chase the snowballs for a while before I made this image of his long fur blowing in the wind.

The air was cold, the water was frosty, the clouds were subtle yet beautiful. What a fantastic day to be capturing the Lake Michigan shoreline and Point Betsie Lighthouse! I was glad to have my waterproof boots on as I worked hard to compose this image. The ice-covered stump made an interesting complement to the lighthouse in the background. Now it’s just waiting for the right wave to complete the photo.