Summer

I love the iconic nature of this photograph. A gorgeous sailboat, a person fishing off the pier, and a beautiful Lake Michigan Lighthouse all bathed in blue and silver light. I captured this photo today 7:15 p.m. on the shoreline at South Haven, Michigan. F20 at 1/640, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 160mm

I have always been envious of my cousin Ryan Reed's artistic abilities. Not only is he a world class photographer, he also has a talent for drawing and painting. If I could draw or paint well, these wildflowers would be my inspiration.

The 45-minute hike to Big Sable Point Lighthouse is rewarding even on those rare occasions when a good picture seems nowhere to be found. On this evening dune grass framed against the twilight provided a still life that stood out even more than the famous lighthouse.

Sky Drama

Batten down the hatches! Storm clouds tumbling mixer-style steamroll threateningly ashore along the Lake Michigan shoreline on a June afternoon. This scene and the "Hot Pink" scene are among the hundreds of spectacular big sky views I have witnessed from my home near the Lake Michigan shoreline south of Ludington. They reflect the similar amazing scenes that unfold frequently all along the shores of Lake Michigan.

One of the most ominous shelf clouds I have seen in years screams ashore toward Harbor View Marina in Ludington Harbor on the evening of July 26, 2020. These stormfronts tend to be such fast-movers, often advancing at 20 to 40 miles per hour, that I know I have to anticipate them and be in a good position to photograph them well in advance. For this storm, I set up my tripod and camera on the third-floor, outdoor deck of our waterfront home and waited to experience and record the storm.

It was a great sailing day in Ludington today. With a stiff and steady wind, I watched several sailboats cruising the lakeshore. I was geeked when one of the bigger sailboats decided to pass the pier heads under full sail.

After spotting and making an image of a dozen yellow iris flowers blooming in a marshy area on the Island Trail, I followed one of our main teaching concepts and moved "twice as close" and "twice as close again" and began looking for a stronger, simpler image that would reveal the true beauty and detail of the yellow iris. I liked this image better than the first shot, which failed to make the final edit of my images to be considered for this book.

Spotted Redone

My wife and I watched from a high dune vantage point. We waited, for over two hours, for the sunlight to come into line with the water that was winding its way to Lake Michigan from the Bass Lake Outlet. I liked the resulting picture but looked forward to photographing that S-curve with a sky filled with storm clouds. I returned on such a day only to find winds and waves had swept away the S-curve and left a straighter stream behind.

After nearly 14 hours of driving, boating, and photographing, I decide I have earned my favorite Northern Michigan dinner, planked whitefish. Miraculously, I somehow get an outdoor table at Stafford's Pier House, 10 feet from the water and right in front of one of the most beautiful classic yachts I have ever seen. Fantastic summer evening, fantastic meal, and world-class Michigan view. It doesn't get any better than this. F4.5 at 1/80, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

A wild flower fights for space in a colorful sea of purple loosestrife--an invasive species which, despite all its beauty, threatens indigenous plant growth in the Pere Marquette River marsh and other wetlands connected to Lake Michigan. I must admit, I would hate not seeing its annual return.

While photographing morning light striking an American Flag and flagpole at Ludington Municipal Marina, a rainbow appears in the western sky over the marina. This is a bright spot in a day that will be marred by yet another Lake Michigan drowning at Ludington. F5.6 at 1/250, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

Lighthouse and Badger

White camas flowers bask in the warm sunlight of a late June evening in the dunes at the south end of Ludington State Park. Summertime visitors seeking solace and new discoveries might want to consider a hike in this less-traveled region of the park.

James White, a 15-year-old from Grand Rapids, Michigan, gets some serious air on his wake board as he is pulled behind his dad's 18-foot Sea-Doo jet boat. James has only been wake boarding for five years, but already appears to be ready for the big leagues. F8 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 17mm

A great blue heron remained motionless while waiting for his fish dinner to swim past his position along a bank of the Pere Marquette River. I have long admired the stealth and patience of these beautiful birds. As an outdoor photographer, I have learned to be more stealthy and more patient to increase my chances of capturing wildlife magic moments

Badger and Shoreline Walkers

A highlight of a summer day at the Lake Michigan shoreline is when the sun reflects on waves in the late afternoon. It is a golden hour for looking lakeward. One of those lazy days, a shallow sandbar created a wading pool where wave currents and gulls played upon the surface near Ludington State Park Beach House.

A fun group of friends were enjoying a warm morning ski on Bass Lake today. I tried to time it just right so that the boat and the skier lined up with the "three sisters" dunes in the background. F8 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 17mm