Spring

Blue Fog Light

This tree graces the Ludington beach near the entrance to Stearns Park. It often frames picturesque views of Lake Michigan. On this night the tree takes center stage, leaving an anchored freighter to play supporting role.

While unloading artwork for an exhibit at the Muskegon Lumberjacks hockey game in Muskegon my eye is drawn to the graphic designs created by the superstructure of a World War II landing craft on display in Muskegon harbor. F5.0 at 1/1600, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 165 mm

Wednesday

While my aunt Sheryl was vacuuming her living room, she looked through the large picture window and noticed a fawn sleeping peacefully in her pachysandra bushes right next to the house. She immediately called my dad and me and we rushed over with our cameras. I put my lens right on the glass of the window and made this image. I love the heart shape of the bushes that surrounds the beautiful sleeping fawn.

Workshop at Ludington State Park

Thanks to our friend, Mike Schlitt, and a few other members of the Charleviox Camera Club, my dad and I found out about this iris farm on M72 between Traverse City and Empire. Several families were there this evening paying to pick their own flowers. It is such a wonderful place for people of all ages.

Goodbye moon

Workshop at LSP

 

At 4:32am this morning my cell phone woke me up with a text alert from my northern lights application Aurora Pro. It indicated that the current KP index over the Ludington area was a level 7. I then looked at the weather application on my phone and it said the skies over Ludington were currently clear. I shot out of bed and rushed to the Ludington State Park. From the top of the second tall dune north of the Beach House, I made this 40-minute exposure of northern lights over the dunes and Lake Michigan. Big Sable Point Lighthouse was also shining bright in the distance. I knew from experience, with a long enough exposure, the stars would appear to move in a circle around the North Star. It was a magical morning all alone on that dune today! Nikon D850. F4 at 2427 seconds, ISO 100. 14-24mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod without a flash. March 20, 2021, at 5:33am.

Venus and Jupiter have been very close together and bright in the night sky the last month or so and I have finally made a photo of them that I am proud of. Tonight, I took a 28-minute exposure of Little Sable Point Lighthouse and the two planets. Venus is the really bright streak and Jupiter is the dimmer one right next to it. If you look closely at the horizon you can also see the lights from Wisconsin; that only happens a few times a year. F8 at 28 minutes, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

In photography and in life, getting close to someone or something brings out feelings you have never felt before. That's the kind of strong feelings I seek when I am fortunate enough to be on the Lake Michigan shoreline with my camera on an evening like this.

Even on a busy July or August morning, Pentwater has a peaceful and calming atmosphere. Every time I visit, I just want to kick back in a comfortable chair, listen to good live music, and drink a beer. On this early morning in May, Pentwater had not fully come back to life yet, but it still had that wonderful calming effect on me.

I arrived at my parent’s farm with a goal in mind. The dogwood trees were in full bloom, and I really wanted to make a great image of them before they were gone for the season. I got out of the van with my tripod and camera in hand. I looked back at the tree, then ahead trying to visualize where I needed to set my gear up. As I looked back a second time I heard and felt something run right past my leg. I was so startled that I screamed, and jumped not knowing what kind of animal it was. When I turned around to take a look, I saw a fawn running through the woods. I got two shots off before it disappeared. I was hand holding a bigger lens, and didn’t have time to change any settings. I was worried that they wouldn’t turn out, but when I looked at them on the computer I was very happy! Success!

Manning Memorial Lighthouse

I am hustling to capture this moment after seeing these canoers fishing on Lincoln Lake. The Dummy Bridge at Epworth Heights provides the backdrop. F3.2 at 1/320, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

Tuesdays With Todd and Brad Reed