Winter

An ice fisherman is oblivious to cold because good fishing luck could arrive at any time. I eagerly waited, on a bone-chilling winter morning, for the sun to rise over the Pere Marquette River. My perseverance netted a good catch. A day like this helps me understand ice fishermen better.

The old oak tree continues to grow as the house and barn continue to fade away. I see more than a picture here; I see a story to be told with my camera. It is an evolving story of the tree and the farm growing old together. I wish I knew more of the story, including whether the tree was already growing along Schoenherr Road in rural Mason County when the original homesteaders arrived, probably more than a century ago.

After putting on a slide show in Fremont yesterday as part of a United Way fundraiser, my dad, my daughter Julia, and I drove to the Waste Water Treatment Plant in Muskegon. We got our permits and then drove around the property looking for snowy owls. My dad's keen eye spotted this one out in a large field near a utility road. We pulled over and I got my cold weather gear on and my giant lens and tripod, and slowly walked towards the beautiful bird. This was the first snowy owl that Julia has ever seen.

Looking westward in the Pere Marquette River Flats, on the same morning I photographed the preceding scene looking eastward, revealed a similar view but one with the Dow Chemical Plant in the background.

PM River

PM River

I love studying clumps of dune grass looking for pleasing arrangements of patterns and shapes. Sometimes I see an arrangement I love but the background is too cluttered. Today, a fresh coat of snow along the Lake Michigan shoreline near Pentwater creates a clean, simple background for an arrangement I find simply splendid.

The Lincoln River Outlet, which bustles with small watercraft in the summer, lies still on an icy January morning. My son, Tad, and I each found several good photographs that frigid morning when good light and fresh snow coincided.

Wind Blown

Brad and I are winter persons. We love being outside in the snow, photographing, hiking, cross-country skiing, downhill skiing; you name it. But on a winter day as magical as this, we'd better be shooting pictures. We were, and I am glad we were. Following a deer trail through the pines south of the dam at Ludington State Park led me into a winter world of white.

Winter Has Arrived - panoramic

I had hiked through heavy snow for several hours on a January morning, occasionally finding a picture worth taking. On my way back from making the image I had pre-visualized on Lost Lake, I got an added bonus when these deer peered out from their snow shelter. The bonus shot was an example of what we preach to our workshop students: look for what you expect or plan to shoot, but be alert and ready for the unexpected shot.

Winter Has Arrived

Little Sable in the Dark

Ludington North Pier and Lots of Snow and Ice

One of my ultimate dreams in photography has been to capture the Northern Lights with my camera. On Dec. 14, 2006, my dream was realized. Around 8:30 pm I trekked to the top of a large dune within Ludington State Park. Five minutes later, the entire evening sky over Lake Michigan erupted into a bright red and green palette of color. As I was exposing this photograph, two large meteors blazed through the sky. The rush of emotions I felt that night were overwhelming.

Ludington Frozen Light Gold

Wednesday

White River Light Station looks frozen in time on this January morning. I love the classic design of this historic lighthouse and keepers' dwelling. I am grateful to the Sable Point Lighthouse Keepers and their many volunteers and donors who maintain the lighthouse and keep it open for tours.