Todd Reed: 50 Years Seeing Michigan Through a Lens
This album contains images from Todd Reed: 50 Years Seeing Michigan Through a Lens
Explore 50 years of Michigan’s beauty in this uniquely showcased photography art book by Todd Reed - first through his eyes as a highly acclaimed photojournalist, then as a distinguished Coast Guardsman, and since 1975 as one of Michigan’s best-known award-winning outdoor photographers. Travel along with Todd as he recalls stories and recollections of family and friends as he worked four careers simultaneously to eventually attain his goal as a full-time photographer and gallery owner. Discover Michigan’s four seasons as he displays his favorite scenes from across our great state and invites you to share in his memories.
Todd Reed has been photographing Michigan for 50 years and is considered by many to be one of the best landscape photographers in the United States. Todd and his team have published a large format, high-end, hard-cover coffee table book that highlights many aspects of his life and professions to commemorate that wonderful milestone.
The retrospective book is 12 inches square and has almost 400 pages. The book includes a few old family photos from when Todd was young. It also has several images from Todd’s 23 years as a photojournalist at the Ludington Daily News. Of course, the book includes many of Todd’s best-selling images of all time, along with new, longer stories behind those timeless favorites over the 50 years. In addition, Todd was very busy making new photographs in his 50th year, and the book showcases 67 of his brand new, never-before-seen images from 2020.
Sailor Strong
Having captained Coast Guard boats on Lake Michigan for 30 years, I especially identify with the Mariner's sculpture in Ludington's Waterfront Park. I have the greatest respect for all Great Lakes sailors, including those heading for Wisconsin this evening on the carferry Badger.
Autumn In the Country
Young maple trees and an old barn on Fisher Road caught my eye while en route to West Shore Community College to teach a photography class. I tried to persuade my students to always have their cameras with them and tell them that stopping to take a photograph is one of the few good excuses for being late to class. I tried to leave home early so I could make a picture and still get to class on time.
Little Sable Light Show
Phenomenons are exciting to shoot. Brad and I drove to Little Sable Point Lighthouse to photograph the rare occurrence of the planets Jupiter and Venus close to each other. An unexpected bonus was the rare visibility of lights on the Wisconsin shoreline more than 50 miles away across Lake Michigan.
Soft Surroundings
I could not imagine a softer looking, more exquisite setting in which to photograph a snowy owl. The rising sun was just beginning to light and color the fog when this snowy owl landed on a frost-coated, grassy berm right in front of me. This Northern Michigan winter view felt picture-perfect to me as I carefully focused and exposed the image.
Helo Ops
I spent a lot of time underneath Coast Guard helicopters during more than 30 years driving Coast Guard rescue boats and training others to command and crew them. On this 1987 day, Active Duty and Reserve Coast Guardsmen taking part in a two-week “boat school” were conducting “helo ops” on Lake Charlevoix aboard Station Charlevoix’s 44-foot motor lifeboat with an HH-3F Pelican helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City. The precision drills included hoisting a boat crewman to the helicopter in a rescue basket. Skill and teamwork was always paramount and on display.
“Always Ready”
“44345 Fire Rescue”
Crystal Clear Morning
On those glorious winter mornings in Michigan when the air is crisp and the light is sharp, it is a joy to be outdoors. On this ice-cold morning I was especially blessed because upon arriving at Big Sable Point Lighthouse I discovered some of the most unique and beautiful ice formations along the Lake Michigan shoreline that I have ever witnessed. Many of the ice creations looked to me like crystal sculptures. It was an amazing sight on an amazing morning.
Finding Joy
Photographing Michigan commercial fishing operations has long been one of my photographic muses. On this day I was struck with how the light was coming through a gill net wound on a reel at historic Fish Town in Leland.
Epworth Evening
Sunsets like this one, painting the beach and cottages along the Lake Michigan shoreline at Epworth Heights, are so exhilarating I feel privileged to be there to witness them.
Amish Snowball Fight - Panoramic
This is as close as I have ever come to making a photograph that reminds me of a Norman Rockwell painting. I made this image in Riverton Township, south of Ludington, during a snowstorm in the 1980s. A sizable Amish community had settled in the area and had opened a school at the corner of Hawley and Schwass roads. I photographed the scene from a distance with a telephoto lens. All of the snowflakes I was
shooting through kept the faces of the children unidentifiable and the facial expressions invisible. But there was no mistaking the body language that revealed the personalities and various decisions of the students about engaging, not engaging, or retreating from the schoolyard snowball fight. This photograph speaks to me like a Rockwell painting. I still smile whenever I look at it.
Hard to Believe
I was en route to Ludington State Park with a truckload of photography workshop students on October 2, 2018 when I saw magic light break out on the Ludington waterfront. Instead of turning north on M-116 to head to the park, I made an instantaneous decision to continue west to the west end of Ludington Avenue. We piled out and went to work making images of our own vision. I left my truck unlocked for the students, thinking at least a couple of them might need a warming hut due to the extreme wind and ice-cold windchill. The storm light got so dramatic, everyone was too busy shooting up a storm to think about being cold.
Island Stars
Still so dark the stars were brilliant in dawn’s earliest light, I made this image of a portion of the Island Trail at Ludington State Park while my son Brad was demonstrating to our photography workshop students how much detail and color cameras could record. We both made 30-second exposures. I was very pleased with how my tripod-mounted Nikon D850 rendered the scene.
Hard to Believe - panoramic
Wind contorts my face, waves roar and crash just short of the feet of my tripod, sun gleams and dances across the water, clouds paint the sky. I am in my glory. This is as good as it gets for a Lake Michigan photographer. These are the days I dream about and rarely experience. This mid-September day of 2001 on the Ludington waterfront was one of the best moments of my life. My camera recorded it so I and others can experience it again and again.
Rescue Swimmer in Action
A Coast Guard rescue swimmer is hoisted to a Coast Guard MH65 Dolphin helicopter during training offshore from Ludington in the late 1990s. Station Ludington’s 44-foot motor lifeboat stands by, its crew ready to assist and conduct joint training with the helicopter crew. The Coast Guard established its rescue swimmer program in 1984 to increase its ability to save mariners, downed aviators, stranded hurricane victims, injured hikers and others in distress.
Positive Energy
One of the most spectacular lightning storms I have witnessed in my lifetime showed up on my wife Debbie’s birthday, September 4, 2014. We were guests at my Aunt Carol Garneau’s home on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Ludington Harbor.
While photographing bolt after bolt as cells of the storm rolled past me for more than an hour, this granddaddy of them all exploded over the top of the Ludington lighthouse. I made this 30-second time-exposure image with my 500-millimeter Nikon telephoto lens from an open window of Auntie Carol’s second floor art room. I named it Positive Energy because she was always so positive and lit up the world with her presence.
The Lion King
I have photographed many a fox, but never have I seen one more beautifully groomed than this fox kit that was just curious enough to sit down and check me out for a few seconds at the edge of some woods near the Lake Michigan shoreline. I was hidden behind some trees in a nearby woods. The young fox was trotting when I fired off a shot. Even though I was 30 yards away, the sound of the shutter did not go undetected. The curious fox froze, sat down and listened. It couldn’t have posed more perfectly. I fired this shot, and the kit decided this second unfamiliar sound was reason enough to head for hiding at a slow trot.
To The Rescue
Strapped to their 44-foot rescue boat and hanging on as the small but mighty vessel takes on another huge Lake Michigan wave, Ludington Coast Guardsmen head into the teeth of a storm.
If it were to capsize, the boat is designed to right itself within 15 seconds and forge ahead. Crews purposely go out to train in such weather conditions in order to be able to safely and successfully aid mariners in distress in similar wind and seas.
As a Coast Guard Reservist, I served as a “coxswain” or captain of this incredible vessel, 44345, for more than 25 years. Oh to have been able to take photographs during some of those boat rides!
I scrambled part way out the Ludington north breakwall to take this off-duty photograph. I think it speaks volumes and will always be one of my favorite photographs, especially because I like to think of 44345 as a best friend, one that never has failed me and never will
Always Ready
There were many times at Coast Guard Station Ludington that the rescue boats were at rest. The crew was usually still busy carrying out the work and training of the Plan of the Day, but there was down time too when crew members could pause to take in a rainbow or other impressive waterfront view. There were also many times when “Always Ready” search and rescue boat crews scrambled to respond to a call for assistance, like fighting a fire at the carferry docks.
