Winter

We have dedicated Week 9 of "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed" to our dear friend Carrie Smith Roe. Carrie lost a four-year battle to cancer yesterday, Monday, February 27th, 2012. She is leaving behind three beautiful young children and a loving husband. Carrie was part of Betsy's and my wedding and was a huge fan of my dad's and my photography. Carrie's younger brother, Chris Smith, is my best friend and I made this sunrise photo only a few miles from Chris' house in Lakeview, Michigan.

Ludington is the place to be on New Year's Eve. The fireworks display after the ball drop is even more impressive than the fireworks during the 4th of July. I love my small hometown and I am proud to be from Ludington.

Earlier today in our gallery we were discussing with a Bass Lake couple how fleeting the peak moments of magic light or atmosphere are when they do appear in front of us. Now as I stand on the Ludington Waterfront along with "The Mariner" a drab winter sunset turns into a momentarily electric afterglow. F22.0 at 4.0, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 145 mm

Having a strong foreground close to the camera is vitally important to a composition, especially with wide-angle lenses. Even though the farm field didn't have much snow left, the snowdrift in the foreground was several feet deep. I walked up and down the road looking for a section of the snowdrift that had dynamic lines and deep shadows, then finally found this composition.

By getting very close to the frozen life ring with the front of my wide-angle lens, I can emphasize the orange-red color in the foreground of this photograph. I then compose the photograph so the red lighthouse at Grand Haven is at a dynamic diagonal to the life ring. Together, they create a powerful point/counterpoint of color in this otherwise monochromatic scene.

I am getting more familiar with shooting spots along Lake Michigan in Oceana County. Tonight, I worked my way quickly to Benona Township Park to take in this frigid sight.

An old barn and old tree hang onto life together in a farm field along M46 in Michigan's Thumb region. I am struck by the contrast between the old farm structure and adjacent gnarled tree and the shiny new farm structures and manicured young spruce trees in the distance.

Rachel, Julia, Ethan, and I spent the day in Northern Michigan playing outdoors. I skied for free today at Schuss Mountain because my name is Brad! Every four years on Leap Day, they let Brads ski for free. After I skied, the four of us went tubing down the mountain. Then we drove to Mackinaw City to make these images.

Today I was really struggling to find a good photograph. I ended up at the south end of Ferry Street overlooking Pere Marquette Lake. When I got out of my truck I noticed a bright red spot of color in the distance. I used the snow on the ground to isolate the rose hip against a clean contrasting background. F2.8 at 1/500, ISO 1000, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Brad, Julia and Ethan and I enjoyed a day of adventures today! We ended at Mackinaw City to shoot the blue ice along the straits. What a magnificent sight!

It is kind of scary standing on the Jebavy Bridge while taking photographs because the bridge isn't very wide and the cars are flying past. However, it was totally worth it this morning because we had such a beautiful sunrise over the Lincoln River. I would do it again tomorrow to photograph a sunrise this nice!

Seeing the mysterious blue ice in Michigan never gets old. Rachel spotted this ice as we were driving home on US-31 near Petoskey. We had a lot of fun exploring the mini-ice caves and finding blue ice to photograph.

Sometimes possums can look quite homely, but I am thinking this one looks rather cute huddled under a pine tree near Dennis Road eating an apple. I stop quickly and try to capture a good moment. The possum doesn't seem to mind, perhaps thinking I cannot see it. F4.0 at 1/200, ISO 400, 80-200 mm lens at 200 mm

It is cold but perfectly still this morning as horses catch the rising sun in their pasture at the West Shore Equestrian Center near Sugar Grove, Michigan.

This is the first photograph I've taken from the inner pier walkway under construction at the Loomis Street Boat Ramp in Ludington harbor. The new walkway will allow local residents, tourists and photographers a closer view of both Ludington outer pier heads all year long. F22.0 at 4.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 50 mm

Man's best attempts to decorate fake Christmas trees with fake snow look dismal compared to nature's best efforts using real snow. I have never seen nature paint trees with snow in Northern Michigan better than on this March morning near Bear Lake.

Northern Lights

My daughter Julia and I went for a Sunday drive in my truck looking for photographs today. She is getting good at pointing out things that catch her eye. She asked me to drive closer to the Spartan so she could get a better look at the carferry. Little did Julia and I know that my dad, her "Poppy," was photographing near the Spartan 30 minutes earlier. F9.0 at 1/125, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 23 mm

One of Michigan's most impressive old barns stands out at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. People by the thousands view this barn on busy summer days. Today however, in the wake of the biggest snowfall of the winter, I am one of only a handful of passersby privileged to see it at its winter best.