Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute

Ralph Lundberg stands by a bale of straw on the sprawling Lundberg Brothers Farm south of Scottville, Michigan. The patchwork of big fields beyond is part of the 1,200 acres of land the Lundbergs farm for their dairy operation. Farming, like most career paths, has its ups and downs, but I think it is one of the noblest Michigan professions. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

Ralph Lundberg stands by a bale of straw on the sprawling Lundberg Brothers Farm south of Scottville, Michigan. The patchwork of big fields beyond is part of the 1,200 acres of land the Lundbergs farm for their dairy operation. Farming, like most career paths, has its ups and downs, but I think it is one of the noblest Michigan professions. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

Of the more than 100 bales of straw in a farm field south of Scottville, Michigan, this one appears to me the most photogenic. It lies close to a country road right-of-way lined with Queen Anne's lace. I like the way the flowers provide a visual vignette. F3.2 at 1/800, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Have you figured out yet what you are looking at? It is a giant, super fat pig covered in mud and flies. The pig gave me a toothy grin today as it tried to cool itself off in the 90-degree weather. F2.8 at 1/2500, ISO 400, 300mm lens at 300mm

Using our "twice-as-close" rule, I move right in on some lavender flowers to zero in on a bee harvesting nectar and pollinating the flowers in the process. I want to be as close to the bee as my lens will focus so that almost nothing else is sharp in the picture. I want the image to feel like a bee's field of dreams. F3.2 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Jeff and Sarah Tow stroke their way through the water during one of their Lake Michigan practice swims in preparation for swimming 55 to 60 miles across Lake Michigan in Mid-August. Their "Through the Blue" swim is intended to raise awareness about postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 92mm

Jeff Tow swims toward shore during a practice session in preparation for swimming the width of Lake Michigan this August between Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and Big Sable Point, Michigan. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Bethany Rodenbeck holds up a beautiful Lake Michigan steelhead she caught this morning off the shores of Ludington. If you haven't experienced fishing for salmon and steelhead on Lake Michigan you are missing out on a lot of fun. Charter fishing is a multi-billion dollar industry every year in the Great Lakes region and it is worth every penny. F8 at 1/2000, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

David Lundin, originally from Sweden, holds up the first Lake Michigan salmon he has ever landed. He and his father-in-law, Roger Anderson, caught this 21-pound whopper while fishing on the charter boat Willie Wonka this morning off the shores of Ludington. F8 at 1/400, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Steaming past the SS Badger early in the morning is a common occurrence for sport fishermen in Ludington. The Badger makes her return trip to Ludington every summer morning around 6:00 a.m. F5 at 1/200, ISO 6400, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Wanting to photograph some lightning this evening, I decide to head for one of the high spots of Ludington's "fruit country." I am able to catch this bolt as it strikes near windmills recently erected amidst the orchards. F4.5 at 1/60, ISO 800, 14-24mm lens at 19mm

When a storm front sails ashore from Lake Michigan, I not only enjoy shooting the bad side of the storm but the bright side that so often follows. I arrive home on the Lake Michigan shoreline just in time to scamper to my second-story deck to catch the rainbow over the Buttersville Peninsula south of Ludington. F2.8 at 1/160, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 92mm

I get a sailor's view, from a Shepler's cruise vessel, of one of the two main towers of the Mackinac Bridge rising 552 feet above water level. Another 200 feet-plus of the tower extends below water level to help support one of the longest suspension bridges in the Western Hemisphere. F9 at 1/1250, ISO 800, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

Michigan is a state with endless beauty. One of the most beautiful areas in Michigan is Leelanau County. When exploring the northern region of Leelanau County, you may feel like you have traveled back in time. Life seems to move at a slower pace and it is magnificent! F8 at 1/800, ISO 400, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I have never had the pleasure of going to North Manitou Island, but enjoy viewing if from land when I am near the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Today, I got to experience the island from over 11,500 feet above sea level. What a view! F8 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 14mm lens at 14mm

From over 11,500 feet above sea level, it is easy to see why the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was just voted the most beautiful place in America. I love how the clouds were in just the right spots in this photograph to add to the composition. My ace pilot, Ryan Johnson, dipped the plane at the perfect angle so I was able to get the wing out of the top of the image and the wheel out of the bottom. F8 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 14mm lens at 14mm

I doubt Norman Rockwell ever made a painting of Harbor Springs, Michigan. If he was looking to paint a charming small town, I think he might have liked what he saw on a summer evening in this historic Michigan resort town. F5 at 1/4, ISO 200, 80-200mm lens at 120mm

When I was flying 11,500 feet above Crystal Lake earlier today, I chuckled when I noticed that the lake is a similar shape to a bottle of syrup. Do you see it? F8 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 14mm lens at 14mm

A few years ago, my younger brother Willie, my dad, and I were lucky enough to play 18 holes of golf at Arcadia Bluffs. The world-class golf course sits high above Lake Michigan and is considered by most serious golfers to be the prettiest golf course in Michigan. The restaurant at the clubhouse is also one of the nicest places to eat in Michigan. F8 at 1/800, ISO 400, 70-200mm lens at 70mm

Dragonflies are nature's fastest insects. They are also the most acrobatic. This Calico Pennant dragonfly manages a stylish headstand while hanging on to a shaft of wheat bending in the breeze in a field near Wilderness State Park in Northern Michigan. F5.6 at 1/800, ISO 200, 300mm lens at 300mm