Wonderous West Shore

A local ice fisherman sits patiently on Lincoln Lake today hoping to catch his limit. My dad had spotted this scene while taking my grandma to a doctor's appointment. Luckily for me, he called on his cell phone to tell me about it. A few minutes later, I made this image.

At 5:05pm tonight when I left work from our downtown Ludington photo gallery, I looked up at the sky and knew I needed to go shoot the sunset and waves a few blocks away. I parked next to the south concession stand inside of the Ludington City Beach and walked to the edge of the water inside the pier heads. The wind was kicking and the sunset was incredibly intense. After only a few minutes of shooting, I knew I had made my shot. The drive to continually push on a get better as a photographer was ingrained in me by my father. He was right next to me shooting and making his own art. Life is good!

While my son Brad was focusing on Northern Lights over Big Sable Point Lighthouse, I have concentrated my attention on the Milky Way decorating the Aurora sky.

The view on Old Mission Peninsula from a scenic overlook along Center Road across a portion of the Chateau Grand Traverse Winery vineyards toward Grand Traverse Bay is splendid this October evening.

While my wife is enjoying some wine tasting, I am visually taking in grapes through my viewfinder at one of the many Grand Traverse area wineries. I find just looking at the grapes intoxicating.

I have enjoyed several grand scenic landscape views with countless trees along M22 today. But now, near Elberta, just one lone maple tree is putting on one spectacular fall color show.

I am always moved when I see attractive classic church steeples. I find it especially moving today seeing the First Congregational Church in Frankfort flanked by maple trees in peak color.

I was having a rough day missing my brother who was deployed in the Army. As I was driving around looking for photographs, I found this awesome chicken coop alongside the road. It brightened my day and made me smile. As soon as I got back in my truck, my brother called me from overseas. It was fantastic.

I have now photographed this old McCormick Deering tractor in all four seasons. My dad and I got to meet the family that owns this tractor and the farm it sits on near the Sleeping Bear Dunes. This tractor is a great piece of Michigan history!

Two fellow Team Reed members, Rachel and Dustin, went on a two-day shooting trip with me. Our most northern point was the Grand Traverse Lighthouse. After photographing the lighthouse for a few hours, we headed towards home on M22. We all made many strong images that day along the famous Michigan highway, but this old barn was one of my best from the entire trip.

One of the best places in Michigan for watching salmon and steelhead jump close enough to touch them is Homestead Dam just east of Benzonia.

When I pulled my truck off the side of the road and came up to this horse, I felt like the horse was asking me to set it free. I made my images and then quickly left so I did not disturb the quiet little farm.

I always enjoy trying to find a new foreground for my lighthouse photographs. I was pumped when I found these colorful bushes near Lake Michigan as the foreground at Grand Traverse Lighthouse.

Earlier today I picked Julia and Ethan up after school and told them we were going on a shooting adventure. We rushed north all the way to Stocking Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes. We had to run from the parking lot to the top of a tall dune near the main lookout area. With just minutes to spare, we made this image of the sun setting into Lake Michigan. I love our adventures together!

The Lake Michigan shoreline was glowing orange tonight and the dune grass looked like it was on fire. Using a telephoto lens, I could isolate a section of grass that was particularly beautiful.

Just this year I discovered the Muskegon State Park. It is beautiful and the few times I have been there shooting photographs for our new book, it has never been busy. As I stood on a small dune with my camera and tripod shooting the sunset, I once again realized how lucky I am to be a full time outdoor photographer in Michigan. My dad and I get to help tell Michigan's story and share it with the world.

As the sun rose over Hamlin Lake this morning during our Picture Perfect Weekend Workshop, I made this image of water ripples. I explained to all the students around me that I have discovered the key to these images is to rob the ISO bank and put that extra light into more depth of field and a faster shutter speed.

My daughter Julia spotted this scene as soon as we got out of the truck at the Muskegon State Park. I handed her her camera bag and tripod and she was off. After she made a similar image, I moved a little bit lower and to the right and captured this image. I like her shot better.

For a few short, but very intense minutes, the light show tonight down at the end of Ludington Avenue as incredible. With the first snow of the year today, and high winds, I had been keeping an eye on the weather all day long. Five minutes before sunset, the sun dropped below the thick storm clouds and the colors were amazingly vibrant and beautiful. I love Ludington and I am glad I get to raise my kids in such a wonderful community! Nikon D810. F2.8 at 1/500, ISO 400. 70-200mm lens at 200mm. On a tripod without a flash. November 9, 2017 at 5:25pm.

For a few short, but very intense minutes, the light show tonight down at the end of Ludington Avenue as incredible. With the first snow of the year today, and high winds, I had been keeping an eye on the weather all day long. Five minutes before sunset, the sun dropped below the thick storm clouds and the colors were amazingly vibrant and beautiful. I love Ludington and I am glad I get to raise my kids in such a wonderful community!