Winter

I have been traveling since well before dawn today in search of magic Michigan moments. I have found several book-quality images but as I pull into the lakeshore parking lot at the end of Frankfort's main street, I am certain I am looking at another.

Manistee’s 5th Street Beach looked like a scene from a science fiction movie today. The sand was frozen into random-shaped sheets that were layered on top of each other. The high winds today also created big waves on Lake Michigan. The best part of all was the magic light that appeared as we pulled into the beach to shoot.

An integrated tug and barge steams past Ludington South Breakwater Light while northbound on Lake Michigan. I wish the ship's crew smooth sailing and arrival at their home port before Christmas. F4.0 at 1/400, ISO 100, 500 mm lens at 500 mm

Ancient Caves

Winter painted a still life of the tugboat Kurt. R Luedtke and carferry City of Midland. I enjoy looking at ships, especially in winter. Ice and snow are among a photographer's best allies.

When photographing people outside, the color of their clothing and their placement in the scene are vitally important. My dad's bright blue coat is the only vibrant color in the entire scene so your eye is naturally drawn to it. I also used the rule of thirds and put my dad in the upper left third of the composition.

Be daring as a photographer and don't always photograph the obvious subject. Standing above the Upper Tahquamenon Falls, it was a fun surprise when I noticed this ice formation at the bottom of the falls. I reached in my camera bag and switched my wide-angle lens to my telephoto lens in order to isolate the ice against the dark rock wall and the frozen river.

A captive mature bull elk basks in the morning sunlight in northern Mason County. The light and shadow in this image create nice repetitive patterns.

After celebrating Christmas, my wife Debbie and I headed north to Crystal Mountain Resort. On the way back home I decided to stop in Manistee to make a "Christmas Light" photograph. F10 at 8 seconds, 100 ISO, 300mm lens at 300mm

Blades of Glory

This is my third photo from early Saturday morning of the northern lights and the Milky Way from the Ludington State Park. Big Sable Point Lighthouse is in the distance and the Lake Michigan shoreline is reflecting the lights. D850. F2.8 at 97 seconds, ISO 800. 14-24mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod without a flash. March 20, 2021 at 6:23am.

As I could see the northern lights with my naked eyes dancing in the background, I knew they would be reflected in the strangely calm Sauble River near the outlet into Lake Michigan. The three minute exposure captured the beauty I was experiencing. Nikon D850. F2.8 at 188 seconds, ISO 400. 14-24mm lens at 24mm. On a tripod without a flash. March 20, 2021.

Providing a contrasting backdrop for the heavy snowfall are the hulls of the carferries Spartan (foreground) and Arthur Atkinson, and the Spartan's snow-covered anchor chain.

Before a big house was built in front of our picture windows, my wife and I enjoyed an unobstructed, grand scenic world-class view of the Lake Michigan shoreline from Ludington to Little Sable Point. Now I use the "twice-as-close rule" to narrow my focus and exclude the big house from the images I make in front of our home. F6.3 at 1/125, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 130 mm

I have always liked how oak trees hang onto their leaves long after the maples have fallen. Today some oak leaves and trees look like winter etchings along the banks of the Rainbow Rapids stretch of the Pere Marquette River.

Northern Lights at First Curve