Spring

I have been helping my dad, brother and several other veterans place more than 2,000 Americans Flags on the graves of veterans in Lakeview and Pere Marquette cemeteries today. Now I have returned to Lakeview Cemetery to make a picture that I think will honor all the veterans who have died in the service of our country. F4.0 at 1/50, ISO 100, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

My mom loves her hummingbirds. They are often the topic of conversation with anyone who enjoys summer days on the farm’s porch. I sat most of the afternoon, working on my patience, and watching these fast birds. Finally, I was able to capture one in my lens that was sharp but showed movement in the wings.

This is the perfect ending to an 80-degree-plus day. This is one more example of why people who have traveled the world are not exaggerating when they say the Ludington area is the best place in the world to experience sunsets. F3.2 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Nikon D810. F22.0 at 1/160, ISO 3200. 60-600mm lens at 240mm. May 27, 2020 at 8:50pm.

The atmosphere in the sky tonight is creating an interesting golden aura around the moon. This is the second time I have seen such a distinct aura this year. I had never noticed them in past years. F4.0 at 1/10, ISO 100, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

This beautiful rhododendron plant on Gaylord Avenue in Ludington caught my eye as I was driving to work this morning. I loved how the bright light seemed to be focused on one small section of the giant bush. F2.8 at 1/100, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Kasey is a forever lover of all God’s creatures. Including this frog….or these frogs?? You decide!

After making this image, I had to text Rachel and ask her what kind of flower this was in my side yard. She told me it was a bleeding heart and that those were some of her mom’s favorites.

I think Iris Road got its name because so many Iris flowers grew there before the Pere Marquette Township road was named. This morning on my way to work this particular flower looks picture-perfect from a distance. A closer look confirms my hunch. F4.0 at 1/125, ISO 100, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

We adventured around the pond today. There are a couple new calves that the kids wanted to check out. Since we were close to the pond, we decided we should check for frogs and turtles. The dragon flies were very busy today!

Pam Sprague, who is Sean’s manager at his hotel in Silver Lake, showed me these jack-in-the-pulpit flowers that grow every year in the woods behind the hotel. Telephoto macro lenses are so useful for photographing flowers. They allow you to get close and show detail, but they also help compress a scene and make the background less busy.

The kids and I love having snowball fights in springtime, courtesy of these snowball bushes! I will often fuel my mom with blossoms so she can ambush the kids from the porch.

The "Baby Badger" stops at Waterfront Park to allow the children aboard its train of toy boats to watch the real Badger dock. This celebration of the Badger's start of the sailing season showcases three great things about Ludington

We always try to help as many turtles travel safely across the roads as we can. After we helped this little guy, I captured him in the safety of the grass.

Vertical God beams that are this distinct are a rare sight along the Lake Michigan shoreline. I can’t get out of my truck fast enough! Luckily, my gear is organized and I was able to get set up and capture this image at the first curve before the God beams went away.

Like clockwork, it is the end of May and I find a mute swan at its usual nest site with her newborn cygnets near Long Bridge on Pentwater Lake. I shoot quickly so I don't scare them. F3.2 at 1/200, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 120 mm

My backyard is full of wildflowers. The kids and I love exploring each and every one. Today, these vetch plants stood out to me.

I was driving in my old neighborhood on Lewis Street near Lakeview School when I spotted these unique flowers. With my macro lens, I was able to isolate the background and quickly made this image.

In a small ravine on our property, dame’s rocket grows brilliantly. They can be considered invasive, but for me, they are stunning.

This evening after work, I took Julia and Ethan pike fishing near the dam at the Ludington State Park. On Julia’s second cast, she hooked into this young pike. Using my iPhone, I made this image as the sun was setting below the tree line.