Storms

Full Gale

Hallelujah Sky

Hallelujah Sky - panoramic

Halloween Horror

Big Clouds - panoramic

High Seiche

It looked like the clouds were weeping today along the Lake Michigan shoreline in downtown Ludington. We have photographed God beams often and several big rainstorms, but these clouds and rays looked different. I was excited to capture this phenomenon with my camera so I could better explain to people what I witnessed.

Low Seiche

I learned in the Coast Guard to be “Always Ready” for whatever Lake Michigan threw my way. As an outdoor photographer, being “Always Ready” is still a motto I try to live by. And since a November gale is as predictable as a calm day in July, I make certain I am especially prepared and alert for the arrival of that big November blow. Sure enough, on November 6, 2007, Lake Michigan looked like it was in a Mix Master. I donned my waterproof, insulated clothing, Fuji S5 camera body and 500-millimeter Nikon lens and hustled to the water’s edge. Lying in the sand (and occasionally water) on the Ludington beach, I extended the tripod legs flat and let the occasional wave washing beneath me help bury the tripod solidly in the sand to minimize movement resulting from the powerful northwest winds. After nearly an hour of shooting, at about 2 p.m., sunlight began breaking sporadically through the storm clouds. The resulting “storm light” turned on my adrenaline like a light switch. I was totally engrossed in trying to shoot peak moments of light and wave. I made several images in which the waves totally obscured the Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse as they flew over the top of the lamp house. Then came the moment I was looking for—that delicate balance between power and beauty. Mission accomplished.

I watched in awe for two hours as wave after enormous wave slammed into the Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse on February 24, 2019. I have rarely witnessed or photographed bigger or more frequent waves exploding against the seemingly invincible structure. Many of my several hundred exposures show water flying up to 100 feet in the air and the lighthouse nowhere to be seen. Persistence paid off when I finally caught one huge descending wave still higher than the lighthouse as the next one shot skyward above the lighthouse during its ascension. I had never seen two waves tower above the Ludington lighthouse at once. I was fortunate to artistically document the rare moment.

White Lightning

The kids and I drove with my dad to the front field looking for a jack-in-the-pulpit that he had seen earlier in the week. Unfortunately, it was past its prime. On our way back, a shelf cloud rapidly came upon us. I asked my dad to get us back to the farm as fast as he could. I knew the spot I needed to be to capture the massive cloud over the farmhouse and maples. We don’t typically get shelf clouds that big this far inland. It was fun to witness!

It was a dark and stormy night! As I am awaiting photography workshop students for an evening shoot on the Ludington waterfront, I witness two storm fronts collide at the water's edge. The eastbound front appears to win out and the storm heads inland as I shoot. A short time later a tornado was sighted 10 miles eastward. F4.5 at 1/3200, ISO 400, 12-24 mm lens at 14 mm

I love watching thunderstorms sweep toward my home from across Lake Michigan. I have seen a lot bigger storms and bigger lightning bolts, but I still find the bolts of this storm exciting and alluring. Why is it that so many of us are drawn to storms? F5.6 at 30.0, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 80 mm

I live for days like this when Lake Michigan displays its awesome power and beauty. The feeling of 40-knot wind gusts in my face, sound of waves rushing and sight of water flying over the Ludington lighthouse overwhelm my senses. Before making this shot, I warned several swimmers about a recent drowning in the same location.

Storm clouds can be mesmerizing as they rapidly fly across the sky. These particular clouds seemed to have a wave motion to them. I waited for them to position themselves above the trees in the way that I was envisioning.

I could see sweeping clouds to the west when I walked out for lunch. I knew I needed to get to the lakeshore. The clouds were massive overhead.

My dad called me this morning and said he was standing on his deck looking at huge waves going over the top of the Ludington North Breakwater Light. I had a few meetings in the morning and as soon as they were done, I headed to the Lake Michigan shoreline and started shooting. After a half hour of shooting several different waves hitting the lighthouse, I knew this one was a winner.

“Class Time” - All semester it has been on my syllabus to have my photography students from West Shore Community College meet me down at the North end of Stearns Beach today for a class shoot. Our timing was unbelievable. Just as we showed up the magic light appeared. We all hustled down to the shoreline and started shooting. Nikon D850. F6.3, 1/2000, ISO 400. 60-600mm lens at 600mm. On a tripod without a flash. November 11, 2024 at 1:15pm.