Todd and Brad Reed’s Michigan: Wednesdays in the Mitten

The rugged Lake Superior shoreline at Whitefish Point is a golden place to be on this August evening. Uprooted elsewhere by the power of Lake Superior waves, these trees have been carried by wind and wave energy to this prominent point and driven ashore. Seeing the forces of nature at work is one of the most fascinating aspects of being an outdoor photographer. D800, F22 at 1/6, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 140mm

The rugged Lake Superior shoreline at Whitefish Point is a golden place to be on this August evening. Uprooted elsewhere by the power of Lake Superior waves, these trees have been carried by wind and wave energy to this prominent point and driven ashore. Seeing the forces of nature at work is one of the most fascinating aspects of being an outdoor photographer.

Michigan's first river to be officially designated a Michigan Natural River, the Jordan River looks wild and natural to me this morning after my good photographer friend, Mike Schlitt of Charlevoix, led me to one of his favorite Jordan Valley photography spots. Many of the tamarack trees are still golden despite high winds that stripped away many of their needles.

I have always liked "Charlie Brown" trees, the small ones with not enough branches to make what most people would choose for a Christmas tree. It is those spaces between the branches that allow both the tiny tamarack tree and the meadow near Big Bass Lake in Lake County to stand out, making me pause to take this shot.

Michigan berries appear to be bursting out of the dark bog they are growing in on a country road in Lake County. It is early November, a perfect time of year to make this image in this place. I will write that down in my mental notebook for future reference. Experience is a good teacher.

The patterns of the clouds this November morning enable me to make a painterly photographic image of Little Sable Point Lighthouse. I could never paint a backdrop as perfect as this real sky. This is a prime example of a concept we teach: "Clouds are your friends."

Of the thousands of plums growing at The Gary Crane Farm, this one stands out as ripe for picking to be the subject of one of my photographs today in the u-pick orchard at Fennville. To me, my selection looks beautiful and delectable.

If you like to pick your own fruit, you have come to the right place. Michigan has u-pick farms scattered across the state. The signs leading me to The Gary Crane Farm in Fennville remind me of the old Burma-Shave signs our family passed by in my dad's '57 Ford convertible when I was a child.

A visitor to Crane Michigan Fruit Orchards, Fennville, enjoys picking from among a crate filled with peaches. Visitors to the u-pick farm may also choose to harvest fruit right from the trees. Visitors come from across Michigan and out of state to enjoy a fruit picking experience and the famous home-cooked meals at the Crane's Pie Pantry Restaurant & Bakery. I definitely will be back!

I feel the spirit of these woods at Hartwick Pines State Park so strongly I am compelled to make an annual pilgrimage to Grayling to revere this place as much as to photograph it. Some of these native white pines tower 300 feet over my head. The view from lying on the ground at the base of one of these monsters is priceless.

For me, being out in nature is a way to get close to God. Looking out at the woods from inside the log chapel at Hartwick Pines State Park is a more obvious way for me to find God in nature. Being at Hartwick Pines to take in the snowy woods when no one else is here enhances the experience. My favorite poet, Robert Frost, would have loved being here today. I think he might have had similar feelings about this special Michigan place.

As is taking place in dozens of other small Michigan tourist towns and villages this August evening, an outdoor band concert is being held in Saugatuck. As the band plays and people gathered on the village green listen, the historic Saugatuck Chain Ferry crosses the Kalamazoo River. The chain ferry began operating in 1838 and is believed to be the last hand-cranked chain ferry in service in the United States.

Norwalk Lutheran Church has long been one of my favorite photography muses. I have studied the country church for years, knowing that one day I would be able to make a good image. On this snowy day the country church between Manistee and Bear Lake looked picture perfect. After making some storytelling images that included automobiles passing by on US31, I decided to make this simpler image without any vehicles. I have learned over the years that often less is more.

With antlers like these, this massive bull elk is unlikely to find challengers. His appearance leaves no doubt he is the dominant elk of the herd at Amber Elk Ranch between Scottville and Ludington. Visitors to the ranch go on wagon rides during which they can literally touch elk. Michigan boasts dozens of game ranches and domestic animal petting farms.

After checking out and photographing a beautiful winter view from one side of a bridge over the Platte River south of Honor, I shift to the opposite side and am greeted by this even more splendid view of one of Michigan's most beautiful streams.

Summer has not yet come to Silver Lake Sand Dunes but the world-class views have never left. This evening I am appreciating, by my lucky self, a dunetop view of untracked rows of wind-driven sand stretching toward Lake Michigan. I feel this is one of the best views in Michigan and the world.

My son Brad is in position to photograph dawn's early light on Isle Royale. We are on the 45-mile-long main island of the Isle Royale archipelago. Another action-packed day of exploring and photographing Michigan's only National Park lies ahead of us. The large waves we encountered a day ago on our ship voyage from Houghton to Isle Royale have now disappeared. Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world, has turned into a mirror overnight.

I could not resist exploring this cave Brad and I found while hiking on Isle Royale. The rugged yet beautiful view looking out of the cave made working my way inside well worth the effort.

Birds of a feather are definitely flocking together this morning, circling en mass over a farm field near Coopersville. How do so many birds dart and soar in such synchronization without colliding? I do not have the answer so I will just concentrate on photographing this poetry in motion.

If you like rugged places, come to Isle Royale. My son Brad has managed to work his way to the top of a rocky cliff to check out the view. I am appreciating the ruggedness of the view looking upward.