Summer

A newborn bison and its mother share time together in their pasture at Gleason Farms & Pheasant Preserve near Scottville, Michigan. I appreciate that bison are being raised at more Michigan farms than ever before. The massive animals present a picture of America's past. F6.3 at 1/2500, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

Newborn elk calves are guarded and watched over by their mothers at the Amber Elk Ranch between Ludington and Scottville, Michigan. The guided tours and other activities at the Conrad Road ranch have become a very popular West Michigan family attraction. F8 at 1/1600, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

My niece, Lucy, and my daughter, Kasey, spent time washing and walking their steers together in the show arena. Tomorrow is the big day! All the kids’ hard work with their beef and sheep comes down to the show.

Julia wanted to go swimming tonight at the Hamlin Lake beach inside Ludington State Park so she and I loaded into my truck and headed that way. On the way, the sunlight broke out of the clouds over Lake Michigan and I pulled off the road near the second curve on M-116 and made this photograph. F9.0 at 1/800, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

If "clouds are your friends," as Brad and I teach our photography workshop students, then this one is one of my best friends of 2010. I am enjoying my evening watching this cloud at the Ludington city beach, one of the best beaches in the world for watching sunsets and clouds. F5.6 at 1/250, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 112 mm

As I was driving down Bryant Road, I spotted a cloud that was perfectly heart shaped. I pulled into the soccer field parking lot on Lavinia and grabbed my camera from the back of my truck as quickly as I could. By the time I could make the image, the clouds had moved, and it no longer looked like a heart. I almost didn’t shoot, but then I realized the clouds now looked like two eagle eyes and a beak.

After being loaned an underwater housing for my camera this summer, I lay in bed one night trying to previsualize several different compositions that I could make with the new system. One of the photos that kept popping back into my mind was a half underwater shot of a water lily at the Ludington State Park. Knowing that lilies love still, warm water, I was certain I would be able to make my photo on Lost Lake. It turned out way better than I ever imagined it would! F8 at 1/800, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 11.5mm

Whew! Beef and sheep shows were today at fair. It was a long, hot day. I am so proud of the kids and their hard work! Fair is so quiet this year, with no midway due to COVID-19. With only a handful of campers, it feels like a ghost town. I took a walk with my camera and fell in love with this orange sunset tonight.

Some out of town visitors to Ludington were celebrating their anniversary and enjoying watching the Badger go out at sunset while sitting on Stearns Beach. It was another gorgeous night in Ludington. F13.0 at 1/100, ISO 1000, 18-50 mm lens at 24 mm

I decided that today was a good day to take my dad’s 13-foot Boston Whaler out onto Lake Michigan and try to make some unique images with our underwater camera housing. After a lot of trial and error, I was able to capture an image I had envisioned for over eight years. I wanted to make an image that made it appear like the Ludington North Breakwater Light was floating on top of the water.

After being loaned an underwater housing for my camera this summer, I lay in bed one night trying to previsualize several different compositions that I could make with the new system. One of the photos that kept popping back into my mind was a half underwater shot of a water lily at the Ludington State Park. Knowing that lilies love still, warm water, I was certain I would be able to make my photo on Lost Lake. It turned out way better than I ever imagined it would! F8 at 1/800, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 11.5mm

Brad and the kids came out to the fairgrounds for dinner tonight. After we finished eating, some of the kids were riding bikes and scooters on the campground roads. Others were drawing pictures in chalk on the pavement. Julia drew this and it called to me to make a photograph of it.

On a few days during the 365 Project, it has been very difficult to pick which photo to use for the photo of the day. Facebook has been helpful because we can have our fans vote for their favorite. This butterfly I photographed at Big Sable Lighthouse after our photo talk was the winner. Thanks for all the great comments and your votes! F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 1000, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

These apples in an orchard along Meisenheimer Road south of Ludington may not be ready to pick yet but they sure look good enough to eat as I look through my viewfinder after a brief rain shower. F4.0 at 1/13, ISO 160, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

Tonight, Julia, Ethan, Aiden, and I decided to play 9 holes of golf at Lakeside Links south of Ludington. As Aiden was about to tee off, I looked up and spotted these Canada geese flying in a large V-shaped formation. I grabbed my camera out of the back of the golf cart and went to work making this image.

I have spent very little time in salt water. Swimming in the Gulf of Mexico near Naples, Florida and in the Pacific Ocean near Maui a few times is the extent of my time spent in salt water. The fresh waters of the Great Lakes are one of the world's best-kept secrets. Everyday people come into our gallery in downtown Ludington, Michigan and are shocked to see photos of Lake Michigan with 20 foot breaking surf. Yes, Lake Michigan gets big waves, but you can swim with your mouth open and laugh and talk to your friends around you without getting a nasty taste of salt water. F7.1 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

The last day of fair is here. The auction was today, and the animals have sold. One last night to soak in the feel of a familiar tradition. I found this spot on the trail between the fairgrounds and the Walmart parking lot. You would never think it would look like this back in that little woods.

One of the best gifts my dad has given me in photography is the ability to stand in one spot and survey an entire landscape, envisioning what a photograph would look like from different vantage points and with different lenses, without ever moving from one spot. It is nights like tonight that I really appreciate him teaching me to previsualize photos. F10.0 at 1/50, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 135 mm

On the second foggy morning in a row I am on my way to photograph a barn on Amber Road in this soft, diffused light. I am almost there when a bunch of dew-covered spider webs along the roadside catch my eye. On closer inspection, this spider web and its creator demand my attention. F9.0 at 1/160, ISO 640, 105 mm macro lens at 105 mm

After getting bashed in the face by several powerful Lake Michigan breakers, I finally captured the photo I have dreamed of making for over 10 years. By using a friend's underwater housing for my Nikon D7000, I was able to stick my camera inside one the rolling beasts and get the perspective I had envisioned. I was glad I had my life jacket on and that my dad had tied a safety rope to me and attached it to one of the jetties along the shoreline. F7.1 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm