Summer
Eye to Eye
Staring down a large toad "eye to eye" on the Island Trail at the Ludington State Park was a hoot. I love getting close to my subject and truly enjoy the challenge of trying to show nature from its own perspective. As most fairytale princesses would agree, toads are not creatures of great beauty. However, when you get close enough to a toad that the end of your lens is touching its nose, you realize that toads do have an amazing beauty all their own.
Still Beautiful
At the northern end of the Silver Lake sand dunes is a section of private dunes that I am privileged to wander. Many of the pieces of driftwood, polished by sand, water, and time, remain undisturbed on these dunes.
Sandy Sunset
Being on the Silver Lake sand dunes on a warm summer evening feels so good. I wonder why I am not here more often. My wife, sons, and I go away talking about coming back soon. Yet, I know soon will probably not be as soon as we think.
Hamlin Dunes
While my son, Tad, explored sand dunes farther inland, I took up position on top of a dune overlooking Hamlin Lake and composed a view across Lower Hamlin Lake through the Narrows leading to Upper Hamlin Lake. Then, I sat in the sand and savored the view while waiting for the exquisite light the evening graciously delivered.
Morning Rays
After stopping in Walkerville to get some breakfast, I continued east on my journey to Legends Ranch in Bitely, Michigan. A few minutes outside of Walkerville, I drove into heavy fog. The fog got so thick that I had to slow down and drive less than 10 miles per hour. When I rounded a bend, I was awe struck to see the sun shining through the top of a huge tree. The intense sunlight and dense fog was a photographer's dream!
Tahquamenon Falls and White Fish Point (6000)
Tahquamenon Falls and White Fish Point
Follow the Leader
Sometimes you get to see something in nature so heartwarming it gives you a feeling of euphoria. This rare piping plover chick and two of its siblings had flown the coop and were missing in action. Well actually, the rare chicks couldn’t fly yet so they hopped away with their parents from the shelter erected by humans to protect the endangered species from predators and human footsteps. They hopped so far from their dune valley nest site that it was a couple hours before we spotted them by a pond over the next dune ridge. We were greatly relieved they were all alive and well. Being able to capture this parenting moment added to the euphoria.
Slow Motion Jetties
These jetties are remnants of man's past attempt to combat the power of Lake Michigan to erode its shoreline. I view these wooden jetties, built to save highway M-116 in Ludington State Park, as ever-changing sculptures. On a still summer's night, I set up the tripod and waited to see whether any magic light would appear. It did.
Survival Instinct
A tree frog was so well camouflaged that even when a friend was pointing it out to me, I couldn't see it. I finally spotted it when it blinked and moved its eyes.
Turkey Time
Something about the way these wild turkeys blended with their environment compelled me to get out of my truck and make this image.
