Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute

The look on my son Brad's face tells the story of his determination, intensity, and focus. I have seen that look for many years on the soccer field. That ability to focus and not be deterred is a trait that enables him as a photographer to achieve clear goals. F8 at 1/2500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 145mm

Taking one for the team, Brad hangs in there as he and his camera are engulfed by a breaking wave. This is one of Brad's first Great Lakes wave adventures with an underwater camera housing for his Nikon D7000 camera loaned to us for the Tuesdays Project. F8 at 1/2500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 145mm

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

The man-made colors of the fireworks on the Fourth of July are always fun to watch, but they can't compare to the nature-made colors of the "waterworks" that are created every day of the year on Lake Michigan. Everyone should try, at least one time in their life, to experience the rush of keeping your eyes open and studying the intense colors of the water of Lake Michigan just before the giant wave smashes into your face. It is totally worth it! F7.1 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

One of my favorite things about my dad is that he likes to goof off and he enjoys making people laugh. This photograph proves my point! F9 at 1/800, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 11.5mm

One of the most difficult aspects of the Tuesdays Project so far has been coming up with fresh and creative names for all of our photographs. While trying to name this photograph, I searched Thesaurus.com for synonyms for the word water and learned that "Adam's Ale" is what water is referred to a few times in the Old Testament. I thought that would make a unique name for this unusual photograph of Lake Michigan. F7.1 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

This is possibly the worst self-portrait that I have ever seen. Fish-eye lenses do not do any favors for people's faces. I am glad Hamlin Lake is so clean because I drank a lot of water while trying not to laugh under water. F9 at 1/800, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

Every time I look at this photo I think of the movie Terminator 2 and the bad guy who was in human form one minute and the next would liquefy into a mysterious silver puddle. The beautiful shapes, colors, and unique formations that rushing water can take on fascinates me. F7.1 at 1/1250, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

The Lake Michigan Carferry, SS Badger passes by the Ludington North Breakwater Light upon reaching its homeport. The historic carferry can transport more than 500 passengers and dozens of vehicles on each of its crossings between Michigan and Wisconsin. F4 at 1/2000, ISO 800, 500mm lens at 750mm

The Lake Michigan Carferry, SS Badger passes by the Ludington North Breakwater Light upon reaching its homeport. The historic carferry can transport more than 500 passengers and dozens of vehicles on each of its crossings between Michigan and Wisconsin. F4 at 1/2000, ISO 800, 500mm lens at 750mm

I never get bored or tired of photographing the SS Badger coming in or out of the Ludington harbor. Lake Michigan was as calm as I have ever witnessed today and that makes for smooth sailing on the carferry as it crosses to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. F8 at 1/400, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

I never get bored or tired of photographing the SS Badger coming in or out of the Ludington harbor. Lake Michigan was as calm as I have ever witnessed today and that makes for smooth sailing on the carferry as it crosses to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. F8 at 1/400, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

It is always fun to find new vantage points from which to photograph the Ludington North Breakwater Light. This morning it was the reflection of the lighthouse that caught my eye. I used the dunes as my foreground and searched for a spot where the reflection would tie into the dunes. F9 at 1/400, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

The back-roads drive along the Lake Michigan shoreline between Manistee and Onekama is one of my Michigan favorites. At this spot near Onekama motorists can look through the trees and see miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, including the Portage Lake pierheads. F22 at 1/30, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 120mm

You know summer has arrived in northern Michigan when you start seeing sweet pea along the roadsides. I singled out this flower to photograph from amongst hundreds of sweet peas along the shoreline road south of Onekama. I wanted to show how beautiful these flowers are when viewed up close. F9 at 1/8, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Why does this image look so bizarre? I made this photograph using a waterproof housing for my camera. Right before I snapped the shutter, I dipped the entire camera and lens under the water. I quickly raised the camera about two-thirds of the way out of the water and made this image. The water on the lens made the actual carferry look dreamy, yet the reflection of the boat looks crisp and sharp on top of water. F6.3 at 1/640, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

I have only seen the SS Badger carferry perfectly reflected on the calm water one other time in my life and that was almost 20 years ago. Twenty years ago I was only 14 years old and, of course didn't have a camera with me. This time I was armed and ready. F6.3 at 1/640, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 12mm

When you are boating it is never a good sign to see "green water" coming into your boat because it means it is really rough. This photograph clearly demonstrates how the surface of the water is blue, but the water beneath the surface is often green. F8 at 1/640, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 10mm

This is probably the most bizarre photograph that I have made of the Ludington North Breakwater Light. With the underwater housing for my Nikon D7000, I was able to capture this image. Half of my lens was under water, the other half above the surface. F6.3 at 1/800, ISO 400, 10-17mm lens at 10mm

As I look onto Platte Lake, it is hard for my eye to distinguish between the grasses and their reflections. I love the way they are intermingled and I work hard to stand in the best spot and trip the shutter at the best instant to make good art out of the illusionary scene. F6.3 at 1/640, ISO 200, 80-200mm lens at 120mm