Winter

All I can think of is the Roadrunner cartoon character as this ring-necked pheasant speeds across a Northern Michigan cornfield. The colorful ring-neck is one of the many planted and naturally reproducing pheasants at the 800-acre Thundering Aspens Sportsman Club near Mesick. Thundering Aspens has created one of the best habitats for pheasants in Michigan. F7.1 at 1/100, ISO 1600, 500mm lens at 500mm

Ring-necked pheasants are one of the most beautiful birds in the world. I was excited tonight to finally get a nice environmental portrait of these elusive birds. This guy was heading into a recently disked cornfield to eat some dinner. I photographed him at Thundering Aspens Sportsman Club near Mesick, Michigan. F4 at 1/800, ISO 1600, 600mm lens at 600mm

The sweet little songs of chickadees and other small songbirds always brighten my day. By using my 600mm lens, I am able to bring the birds closer to me visually. This beautiful chickadee was singing in the sunlight this evening at Thundering Aspens Sportsman Club near Mesick, Michigan. F4 at 1/1000, ISO 800, 600mm lens at 600mm

The sunrise in the east was casting a turquoise light to the west over Lake Michigan this morning. Luckily, I was ready with my camera and found a strong foreground of dune grass to build my photograph. F4.5 at 1/80, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

This lone tree at Charles Mears State Park in Pentwater looked extraordinary this morning with the colorful sky above Lake Michigan as the backdrop. I had to stand on top of my pickup truck to make this photograph because I wanted the split in the trunk to be right at the horizon line. F8 at 1/30, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

A few months ago I photographed this tree when it was full of leaves. Today, the tree is bare and all the leaves have blown away. With the driving snow, the scene looked delicate, yet strikingly beautiful. F8 at 1/25, ISO 100, 300mm lens at 300mm

This morning, as I stood on the edge of a farm field near the corner of Schwass Road and Hawley Road, it was snowing so hard that I could barely see the three massive wind turbines in the distance. Normally, the wind turbines are visible from miles away. The wind was blowing pretty strong so the blades were really bending. Even with the driving snow and the whipping blades, the countryside seemed so peaceful and still. F8 at 1/25, ISO 100, 300mm lens at 300mm

Betsy, Julia, Ethan, and I picked out our Christmas tree a few weeks ago and decorated it together. We bought it pre-cut from a local tree farm. This row of evergreen trees along Hawley Road reminds me of the good old days when my parents took us out in the woods with a saw to cut down our own tree. Maybe next year I will do that with my kids. F8 at 1/15, ISO 100, 300mm lens at 300mm

Lone trees in the middle of farm fields have always been one of my favorite subjects to photograph. While driving around in a blizzard this morning I found this incredibly beautiful scene on Kinney Road. So far, this is the best lone tree photograph I have ever made. F11 at 1/10, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 78mm

One of Santa's reindeer appears to be on the loose this morning along Hawley Road south of Ludington. I captured this moment as she flew through the snow during a short-lived blizzard that hit Mason County. F2.8 at 1/320, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm

Christmastime is one of my favorite seasons to drive through the Michigan countryside. I love seeing many of the farms decorated for Christmas. Roger and Marcia Hansen and their family spread Christmas cheer by placing this wreath on their beautiful barn on Conrad Road between Ludington and Scottville. F9 at 1/25, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 80mm

I can appreciate the work that went into cutting, hauling, splitting, and stacking this wood that will keep the outdoor furnace stoked at Cherry Hill Farm. However, today I am interested in how attractive the woodpiles look after this morning's fresh snowfall. F11 at 1/60, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 26mm

I believe that if John B. Sobanski were alive today he would be proud to see how well his homestead at the end of Victory Corners Road has been maintained by his descendents. Nestled along the Pere Marquette River, this has to be one of the most beautiful farms in Mason County. This monster oak tree looks beautiful all year long, but I think it looks best covered in snow. F22 at 1/15, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

The old chicken coop and storage barn on the John B. Sobanski homestead in Amber Township was bathed in magic light this morning. With the giant clouds, blue sky, and sunshine, I felt like I was photographing a farm in Wyoming or Colorado. F8 at 1/320, ISO 100, 14mm lens at 14mm

My friend, Brian Mulherin, is the outdoor writer at the Ludington Daily News. Today he tagged along with my dad and me to write a story about our Tuesdays Project for the paper. Brian spotted these icicles lining the snow covered eves of an old farm building on the John B. Sobanski homestead in Amber Township and pointed me in the right direction with my camera. F8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 50mm

Someday I would love to photograph Roger Hansen working on rebuilding this old car in his machine shop at Cherry Hill Farm on Conrad Road. Until then, I will enjoy looking at our neighbor's car sitting next to his magnificent barn and photographing it in different seasons. F22 at 1/6, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

Meandering our way through Oceana County, my son Brad and I venture down a side road near Crystal Valley that looks less traveled. After driving a short way, this classic old farm comes into view at the end of a snowy harvested cornfield. Everything about the farm, including its neatness and lofty location high atop a hill, looks grand to me. F6.3 at 1/160, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 120mm

This classic barn on South Custer Road between Sippy Road and Anthony Road looks like it will blow over in the next big wind storm. Maybe the tree that borders the barn is helping to keep it upright. I am just glad that I was able to document this beautiful piece of Mason County history before Mother Nature takes it down. F22 at 1/4, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

These rocks on the Ludington waterfront look hand-painted with snow today. Sometimes the snowfalls at the beginning of wintertime create crisp, interesting patterns. Soon these rocks will be covered with ice and will be picturesque in a more severe way. F13 at 1/125, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

My son Brad and I know even before climbing high atop this dune along the shoreline at Ludington State Park that the bird's eye view of the fresh snowfall on the dunes and Lake Michigan beach is going to be good. When the sunlight breaks through the clouds the view goes from good to great. F22 at 1/50, ISO 100, 24-70mm lens at 65mm