Spring

I hiked the Island Trail at Ludington State Park religiously the spring of 2007, obsessed with finding wild flowers in bloom. After many days of trekking, this wild Iris greeted me on a dewy morning the first week of June in one of the wetland areas of the trail near Hamlin Lake.

Eclipse With Ludington Lighthouse Shore Light

Waves at Ludington Lighthouse

Epworth Illuminated

Lake Michigan Muse

Iced

365 Week 15

Listers Orchard

Ludington Shining Bright

Mary the Albino Robin

Mary the Albino Robin

My Home Town

The wake being made by a male mallard ripples the glassy surface of a pond turned golden by the setting sun. The tranquil scene reminded me of the wonderful Hamlin Lake outings I enjoyed with my parents and my brother Budde while growing up.

 When I heard the news that Aunt Mary had passed away, I was shocked. I was in disbelief. I was instantly heartbroken. We had just shared a nice visit at my mom and dad’s anniversary party on Monday, and it didn’t seem possible that she was gone. When I talked with others who knew Aunt Mary, they all had such great memories to share. She was a very special lady, and extremely kind hearted. She was always smiling. I knew that I wanted to make an image in memory of the wonderful life that Aunt Mary had led. I had hopes of getting out and shooting the sunset or sunrise in the days following her passing, but with other activities that I had to attend, that didn’t seem like a possibility. Around 8 o’clock on Wednesday May 21st, David, the kids and I were packing in the van to head for home from Ludington, when I looked towards the lakeshore. The fog that had plagued the lakeshore all day had lifted, and the sky was beautiful. David ordered me to the shoreline while he took the kids home. I thought about where I wanted to shoot. I thought of the strength Aunt Mary had and that even after being diagnosed with polio at a young age, she never stopped pursuing the things that she loved. It quickly became obvious to me that I needed to head towards the First Curve at the Ludington State Park in order to photograph the jetties. These jetties always stand tall through the waves, even when the ice and snow surrounded and covered them during this brutal winter. I walked down to the waters edge and took a look around. Standing there, I previsualized a photograph that would show the motion in the waves because it would remind me of the fluidity of music, one of Aunt Mary’s loves. It was important to me to nail the technical aspects of the photograph in order to honor Aunt Mary’s love of education. Lake Michigan was very cold, but I KNEW to get the composition that I was envisioning I had to roll up my pants, take off my shoes and get in the water. I am not a fan of water, especially ice cold water, but I was reminded again of the strength that Aunt Mary had shown during her lifetime. We all miss Aunt Mary and always will. Her big smile, laughter, and ability to see the best in every situation will be remembered for generations to come by her family and friends. I love you Aunt Mary!

One of the many magnificent historic homes in Marshall looks spectacular to me in the light and shadow of a sunny April morning. In the 19th century Marshall thrived by being a busy crossroads town partway between Detroit and Chicago. Today, Marshall thrives by attracting people to experience the amazingly well preserved and restored grandeur of its past.

Purple Rain

My great-grandma, Martha Delite Benson, had a passion for finding small treasures outdoors. She seemed to gravitate toward beautiful objects that most people would pass by. I believe her ability to "go deeper" into the scene and find the less obvious beauty in nature was passed down to my dad and me. As I photographed this delicate starflower at the Ludington State Park in June of 2006, I could not help but grin and think of my Great-Grandma Benson.

Rainbows Over the Lincoln

The Lake Michigan shoreline was glowing orange tonight and the dune grass looked like it was on fire. Using a telephoto lens, I could isolate a section of grass that was particularly beautiful.

This was the most colorful sunset I have ever had the pleasure of photographing at Big Sable Point Lighthouse. The afterglow just kept getting better and better. With all the craziness going on in the world right now, it felt amazing to be isolated at my favorite lighthouse photographing Mother Nature at her best!