Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed: A Michigan Tribute

Getting flying objects sharp and in focus while photographing with large telephoto lenses takes a lot of practice. For years, I would be presented with beautiful moments and would somehow mess up the exposure or focus, and the bigger the lenses, the more mistakes I would make. Today, I got "lucky" with these mallards and my practice is paying off.

The asparagus harvests are long past at Bob and Lori Green's farm on Monroe Road near Hart, Michigan. However, as an artist, I am much more attracted to the asparagus fields when they become overgrown, colorful bushes. F4 at 1/200, ISO 200, 24-70mm lens at 32mm

The nearly century old Alpena Light stands out on the Lake Huron shoreline. The distinctive light structure is also known as Thunder Bay River Lighthouse and the Alpena Breakwater Light. I got a close-up view as we passed by on the Lady Michigan shipwreck tour boat en route to Lake Huron from the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center. F10 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 80mm

As I was photographing a snowy owl, I heard the loud honking of a flock of Canada geese heading my way. The golden afternoon light combined with the dark blue January sky was the perfect backdrop for this large bird as it flew overhead.

I love front row seats for watching Michigan storm fronts arrive. This evening my vantage point is picturesque Snug Harbor Marina in Pentwater. Within moments it has turned from daylight to dark and the wind has picked up from 15 to 45 knots. Gotta love it! F22 at 1.6 seconds, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

Given the choice between the Yellow Brick Road and this path to the beach along Lake Michigan in Buttersville, I would choose this path. I felt like I struck gold when I spotted it after rushing to get to the shoreline before sunset. I knew from the golden light painting the countryside along the US31 freeway south of Ludington that if I could just get to the beach in time I would have the opportunity to make an image that would look and feel far more like summer than winter. My instincts were well rewarded.

As a Coast Guardsman who was privileged to serve as the coxswain (captain) of one of these 47-foot Coast Guard motor lifeboats, I may be prejudiced when I say that I think they are one of the most impressive vessels on the water. The self-righting rescue boat reminds me of the movie "Back to the Future." I think the design looks like it is simultaneously from both the past and the future. This 47 is on patrol on the Grand River in Grand Haven, Michigan during the annual Coast Guard Festival. F9 at 1/500, ISO 200, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

Warning mariners of treacherous shoal waters extending two miles into Lake Huron, Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse stands guard on a winter afternoon at the entrance to Saginaw Bay as it has for more than 150 years. The handsome lighthouse is located at the tip of Michigan's Thumb region.

It is getting dark now, so I turn my attention to Lake Michigan. A tripod, very slow shutter speed, and decision to focus on the reflections right in front of the lens combine to create a dreamy looking shot that I wind up liking a lot more than I ever imagined.

The American Flag waves gently in the summer breeze on the porch of one of two keeper's dwellings at the New Presque Isle Light, which despite its name is more than 140 years old. The 1870 "New" light tower is the tallest lighthouse tower accessible to the public on the Great Lakes. F8 at 1/800, ISO 100, 28mm lens at 28mm

My three-year-old son Ethan, like many little kids, loves watching tugboats. I wish Ethan had been with me today in South Haven to see the mini tugboat Wilhelm Baum. According to my dad, the Whilhem Baum is a certified Coast Guard Auxiliary rescue boat. I would love to go for a ride on it sometime. I guess I am a big kid at heart because I love tugboats too! F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 34mm

After a quick drive in the dark to Little Sable Point Lighthouse, my dad and I were as excited (and loud) as middle-schoolers riding a school bus. We had both just made some fantastic shots of the Northern Lights over Ludington. Our goal now was to get a photograph of the Northern Lights over Little Sable Point Lighthouse. Neither of us have ever had any luck in making that shot before. We have both tried several times, but the Northern Lights either never showed up, or they disappeared before we could make the 35-minute drive. Our luck was about to change. The Northern Lights were much dimmer now and almost invisible to the naked eye. However, like Galen Rowell taught all nature photographers, you have to learn to see like your camera sees. I tried to line up the North Star right above Little Sable Point Lighthouse. I made a few test exposures and then set my camera to F8 at ISO 200. I used my cable release and my iPhone as a timer and took a 32-minute exposure. The stars in the night sky made a perfect circle around the North Star and my camera could easily pick up the color from the Northern Lights. What a magic morning along the shores of Lake Michigan. I made this image at 4:54 a.m. on our 17th Tuesday of 2012. F8 at 32 minutes, ISO 200, 14mm lens at 14mm

I always get a thrill out of photographing the moon as it is about to set in the west. On this frosty morning, the moon looks particularly huge and bright.

This willow tree in front of Emerson Lake Inn east of Walhalla, Michigan stands out any time of year, but on a rainy, foggy winter morning the grand old tree commands attention in a way I have never seen before.

Leland is one of the most historic and well-preserved fishing towns on the Great Lakes. I love going there with my camera and stepping back in time. Today was the first time I had photographed Leland in the snow. The snow really helped define the rooflines and textures of the old wooden buildings.

Wreckage of Scanlon's Barge, which sank in Lake Huron near Alpena in a 1929 storm, looms below me through the glass bottom of the Alpena Shipwreck Tours boat Lady Michigan. Captain Paul Labrecque expertly maneuvers the vessel over the wreck to give several dozen passengers aboard the tour boat a close-up underwater view without getting wet. This protected shipwreck is part of the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary. F4 at 1/800, ISO 1600, 24-70mm lens at 24mm

These flaming red berries jumped right out at me as my dad and I were driving to Baldwin along US10. I had my dad stop the Suburban and I quickly hopped out to make this image. Because of the strong winds this morning, I had to raise my ISO to 6400 but I still wanted a lot of depth of field. I achieved that by shooting at an aperture of F13.

Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat 47225 heads out the Grand Haven Channel for a "heavy weather" training exercise during Superstorm Sandy. At the helm is Senior Chief Kirk McKay, a Coast Guard Surfman highly trained in extremely heavy weather rescue boat operations. F4.5 at 1/2000, ISO 1600, 300mm lens at 300mm

The bow of the fish tug Joy is covered with snow on Valentine's Day at Leland, Michigan. The fish tug Janice Sue lies at her mooring on the opposite side of the channel.

A stretch of the Pere Marquette River known as the Claybanks looks like a winter fairytale world this morning as the biggest, stickiest snowflakes I have ever seen cling to everything in sight. Professional fishing guide Chris "Uber" Raines appears oblivious to the elements as he fly fishes for steelhead.