Summer

What is there about watching a seagull soar into the sunset that makes us want to trade places, if only for a short flight? I had that feeling one warm, sunny evening while watching this gull fly over Lake Michigan. But I have witnessed the opposite extreme--seagulls hunkering down on ice formations against wind, snow and cold on subzero mornings. Life as a seagull probably is seldom romantic; often it is a fight for survival.

We took our Heaven on Hamlin Weekend Workshop students on a pontoon boat ride to the southern edge of the Ludington State Park to try to photograph bald eagles. After a long search, we found this eagle perched near the nest. It appeared to be guarding the nest from other predators.

Friends had told me about a white horse pastured along old U.S. 31 between Ludington and Pentwater. On several photo trips in that direction I never saw the horse. As my son Brad and I drove to Pentwater one evening to photograph some summer scenes, I spotted a white horse. Undoubtedly, this was the horse and the scene that had excited others. I was thankful for the tips and the opportunity to make the photograph.

Tranquil summer evenings on the Lake Michigan waterfront lure boats and people like fish to water. This late July evening in Pentwater was no exception. As in so many other favorite locations along the Lake Michigan shoreline, people and their vessels are drawn back year after year like salmon to their birthplaces.

This looks like a picture from the Great Lakes' past. The Madeline, modeled after historic lumber schooners, sails into Pentwater harbor. Aboard on this Lake Michigan voyage are the ship's crew and Pentwater Yacht Club sailing students. The original Madeline sailed the waters of Lake Michigan more than 150 years ago. F4.0 at 1/800, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 12 mm

Legends Ranch Bucks at Stump Blind Black and White

A pair of mature bald eagles sat majestically on a favorite perch in one of the largest white pine trees in Ludington State Park. I was stunned to see the eagles so naturally vignetted by pine branches as Brad maneuvered our tiny Boston Whaler skiff into Hamlin Lake water shallow enough that I could get out of the boat and stabilize my extra-long tripod on the lake bottom and still keep my tripod ball head and camera dry above the surface of the water. I was very excited about the prospect of making a strong image, but I needed to stay calm and move slowly so as not to appear threatening to the eagles. I got the tripod set, made an “insurance shot” in case the eagles flew and quickly but thoroughly evaluated the digital feedback. Experience had taught me that when outdoor photographers—me included—are this spun up about a shot, we make mistakes we wouldn’t ordinarily make, especially when we fail to really see what we are shooting or just shot. I made that first “adrenaline dump” shot, then deliberately calmed down and set about going through my checklist for finishing the image. Right away I realized that a pine cone looked like it was sticking into the head of the eagle on the right. To eliminate this merger, I had to shift my camera position slightly to the right. I very slowly made my first few steps away from the birds to lessen any anxiety they might already have due to my presence. Then I moved a couple of slow-motion steps to my right and reset my tripod, being careful not to make any sudden movements of my arms and hands. Now the micro-composed composition looked nearly perfect. I quickly made another insurance shot and then focused on looking for a magic moment where the birds’ heads were in optimum alignment with my camera. I wanted to be able to see the profile of their beaks, and I wanted to emphasize the relationship between the pair. Seeing takes intense, total concentration. After a couple minutes, there it was: a magic moment. Click. Done. This was the rewarding finish to a marathon effort to get to this point. Brad and I had spent months learning the daily habits and haunts of several mature eagles we discovered while shooting in 2007 for our book on the park we thought we knew so well but were learning more about every day. I was able to make this photograph not only because we had learned where to look for these eagles, but also because we had learned how and how close we could approach without alarming them. Experience is a good teacher. I was rewarded with one of my all-time favorite wildlife images. Brad and I selected this image for the dedication page of Ludington State Park: Queen of the North in honor of my parents, Bud and Dorothy Reed, a pair of strong leaders who gave Brad and me the “courage to fly.” We thanked them “for encouraging us to soar after our own dreams.” Another dedication page image of an eagle taking flight honored my oldest son Tad, a U.S. Army Infantry officer, and all the other men and women of our Armed Forces who at the time were fighting in Iraq. Even while I was consumed with getting shots for the book, my thoughts and prayers were often focused on Tad, a world away, bravely serving our country. Those thoughts reminded me how fortunate I was to be in the Michigan outdoors living my American dream.

Electric Beach

Cruising Lake Michigan

"Heavenly Glory” by Todd Reed Victory Trinity Lutheran Church has long been one of my photographic muses. My favorite country church came to mind while I was photographing the aurora borealis over Mount Epworth at Lincoln Lake. Rather than head home after finishing that image, I drove straight to the church a few miles away. I could see the color and rays of the Northern Lights clearly with my naked eye even before shutting off all my vehicle lights. I knew immediately my decision to come here instead of going home was a good one. I was especially pleased that the sanctuary lights had been left on even though no one appeared to be there. While shooting several time exposures to fine tune my composition and exposure, I watched two possums and seven deer cross the road and peacefully pass near me. I wonder if they were aware of the phenomenal sky I felt privileged to be witnessing. Nikon D850. F4, 130 seconds, 800 ISO. 24-70mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod without a flash. October 7, 2024 at 11:36pm.

I tend to prefer sharp light and haze-free skies at sunset. But I have learned that the softness and toned-down colors of a hazy sky sunset sometimes look and feel better.

I haven't spent much time on sailboats, especially on Lake Michigan, but every time I see one catching the wind I think it looks like something I would really enjoy. From my aerial view, I could see the different wind currents on the surface of Lake Michigan. F9 at 1/2500, ISO 800, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

Silver Lake shortly after sunrise provided the backdrop for some stored boats on an autumn morning.

A mare and its foal look like they are attached at the hip as they graze in their pasture north of Fremont. I am struck by how synchronized they graze, walk ahead a few steps, then resume grazing side by side.

Shoup Family Farm Weldon Creek Farms

Taking Flight by Todd Reed A not yet fully mature bald eagle begins to take off from a fishing perch on Hamlin Lake at Ludington State Park. This eagle is one of the first of several mature and immature bald eagles Brad and I photographed for several months. Finding the rare birds and photographing them without interfering with their daily routines is a challenge Brad and I passionately and intensely pursue. I remember our first eagle sighting. We were raging with hunters' fever. I don't know how we ever got off a shot, let alone a good one. But soon good teamwork, strategy and self-control led to images like this.

As soon as the Manitou Island Transit ferry landed at the dock, I made a beeline for South Manitou Light. I could see from the boat how beautiful the light and shadow were playing on the 100-foot-high white tower and knew I had to get to this spot ASAP. I waded into the shallows in order to use the intriguing water-covered rocks as a foreground base to my image.

As Brad and I were packing up our gear from shooting the comet, we could see slight color to the north in the night sky. We quickly realized it was the start of the Northern Lights! Back to the dunes we ran. In one capture, we were able to see the Milky Way, Comet NEOWISE, and the Northern Lights! What an amazing show!

Fire wake