Search

With the stress and fear that COVID-19 has created for everyone worldwide, it sure is nice to be able to drive down to Ludington’s Stearns Beach and watch a calming sunset. This pandemic has proven to me that Ludington is “Home” for me and where I belong.

Happy Thanksgiving! Today in Ludington the weather was gray and ugly almost the entire day. But just before sunset, the sun broke through the cloud layer and everything turned neon orange and pink. Luckily, I was ready and waiting at the end of the new pier near the Loomis Street Boat Ramp. F22.0 at 1.0, ISO 100, 14 mm lens at 14 mm

Bone chilling temperatures today made it very difficult to take this photograph. My fingers were so cold I could barely operate my camera. With a huge rush of adrenalin from seeing the incredible sunset unfolding before my eyes, I was able to push through the pain and make the needed adjustments. F5.0 at 1/6400, ISO 100, 600 mm lens at 600 mm

God beams were shining bright this afternoon at Stearns Beach in Ludington. One positive of COVID-19 is that it has tuned our 366 Project into a hyper-local book project. Besides my dad’s and my book on the Ludington State Park and his 50 Year Book, this book will have more shots from Mason County than any project we have ever done.

It is a good thing my son Brad does CrossFit training almost every day because fighting off breaking Lake Michigan waves while trying to make good images in Lake Michigan is strenuous work. I observe that Brad seems to thrive on his photography battles with the big lake. F22 at 1/100, ISO 800, 80-200mm lens at 165mm

January 1st 2024 Ludington Celebrates New Years

With temperatures in single digits the last few days, it didn't take long for Ludington North Breakwater Light to become a giant ice sculpture. The mix of light, wind, and blowing snow turned the frigid waters of Lake Michigan a gorgeous green color this morning. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 600 mm lens with 1.4 extender at 850 mm

I knew steam would be rising from icy Lake Michigan when the sun came up on this 10-degree morning. I got out early to photograph Ludington harbor from near the Ludington South Breakwater Light. I am pleasantly surprised to see this outbound tug and barge come into view to complete my picture. F4.5 at 1/320, ISO 200, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

This day started with a massive double rainbow in the west and now we have some of the largest, most distinct God beams I have ever seen. Days like today make my job as a photographer a whole lot easier, but more importantly, more fun. F11 at 1/60, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 145mm

By setting my camera aperture to F22 and shooting directly into the sun, I was able to make it appear like the Ludington North Breakwater Light had a crown of sunshine. Shooting on full auto would have never allowed for this look or feel. At our weekend workshops, we teach our students how to use their own cameras on full manual. F22 at 1/80, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

The God beams have quickly disappeared and now the sky is flaming red, yellow, and orange. My favorite part of this composition is the lone fisherman standing at the end of the breakwall. He became the little person in the big world and he gives the photograph a sense of scale. The tiny fisherman makes the sky seem 10 times more powerful. F2.8 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

The rich blue winter sky and brilliant sunshine are making my day as I venture with ice cleats out the ice-coated Ludington South Breakwater. The South Breakwater Light looks like a white candle this morning. F7.1 at 1/800, ISO 100, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

The God beams have quickly disappeared and now the sky is flaming red, yellow, and orange. My favorite part of this composition is the lone fisherman standing at the end of the breakwall. He became the little person in the big world and he gives the photograph a sense of scale. The tiny fisherman makes the sky seem 10 times more powerful. F2.8 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

I have always been impressed with the brilliant engineering of the Ludington North Breakwater Light. Obviously it was designed well before computers were ever imagined, but they still had the foresight to make the portholes line up with each other on opposing sides so that the sunlight during a sunset would shine through the entire lighthouse. F2.8 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 200mm

As the colors of tonight's sunset changed by the minute, I watched the orange, red, and yellow sunset quickly turn to purple and magenta. Luckily, I was exposing as the purple and magenta started to take over the sky. Experiencing sunsets in Ludington never gets old. F2.8 at 1/200, ISO 100, 70-200mm lens at 92mm

The last couple of nights before sunset I have seen large God beams in the sky. Tonight I had to rush to my Uncle Budde and Aunt Sheryl's house on Lake Michigan in order to line up the Ludington North Breakwater Light with the gorgeous God beams behind it. F22.0 at 1/8, ISO 100, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

The amazing God beams were back tonight and even more defined. I waited for the sun to peek through a hole in the thick cloud layer. When the sun finally broke through, the light show was even better than I predicted it would be. F6.3 at 1/200, ISO 100, 70-200 mm lens at 70 mm

For a truly dramatic photo of a Lake Michigan sunset, try using a large telephoto lens. With a very narrow view of the Earth, a large telephoto lens will intensify the color and drama in any sunset. The foreground in this photograph is a small dune at Stearns Park between the breakwall and the playground. F4 at 1/4000, ISO 100, 600mm lens at 600mm

For a truly dramatic photo of a Lake Michigan sunset, try using a large telephoto lens. With a very narrow view of the Earth, a large telephoto lens will intensify the color and drama in any sunset. The foreground in this photograph is a small dune at Stearns Park between the breakwall and the playground. F4 at 1/4000, ISO 100, 600mm lens at 600mm

One of the most surreal Northern Lights shows I have ever seen dances across the sky on the Ludington waterfront. Thanks, Brad, for waking me up. I had turned in early after a long day of shooting. Now I am back outdoors with my camera living the dream. F2.8 at 30 seconds, ISO 800, 24-70mm lens at 24mm