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My son Ethan walks along a small sand dune behind my dad and stepmom's house at Crosswinds along Lake Michigan. I follow behind with my camera to photograph his tiny footprints in the sand. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 400, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Jeff and Sarah Tow stroke their way through the water during one of their Lake Michigan practice swims in preparation for swimming 55 to 60 miles across Lake Michigan in Mid-August. Their "Through the Blue" swim is intended to raise awareness about postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 92mm

Thistledown on a milk thistle plant looks especially soft and delicate this afternoon. The thistledown will soon catch the wind and spread the plant's seeds across our land along the Pere Marquette River. F4.2 at 1/250, ISO 400, 105 mm lens at 105 mm

Jeff Tow swims toward shore during a practice session in preparation for swimming the width of Lake Michigan this August between Two Rivers, Wisconsin, and Big Sable Point, Michigan. F5.6 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Sheila Sulak has several unique lawn ornaments in her yard on Tinkham Avenue in Ludington. Tonight she let me photograph one of her favorites in her backyard. I used a slow shutter speed and a rear synced flash to get the look I wanted. F9.0 at 0.6, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

The Fredericks family farm is one of the most uniquely attractive farms in Mason County. Slowing down or stopping when driving by the South Amber Road property provides more time to appreciate all the handmade folk art on the barn and elsewhere in the yard. F22.0 at 1/6, ISO 400, 24-70 mm lens at 29 mm

Running out of daylight, I headed into our backyard and found these leaves and birch stump. Using a sturdy tripod and hoping the wind stayed calm, I made this six-second exposure. It turned out sharper than expected. F22.0 at 6.0, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Bethany Rodenbeck holds up a beautiful Lake Michigan steelhead she caught this morning off the shores of Ludington. If you haven't experienced fishing for salmon and steelhead on Lake Michigan you are missing out on a lot of fun. Charter fishing is a multi-billion dollar industry every year in the Great Lakes region and it is worth every penny. F8 at 1/2000, ISO 1600, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I am impressed by the affection a pair of mute swans display for each other while basking in the sunshine on Pere Marquette Lake with their offspring. It is clear to me they are mates for life. F4.5 at 1/1000, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 145 mm

David Lundin, originally from Sweden, holds up the first Lake Michigan salmon he has ever landed. He and his father-in-law, Roger Anderson, caught this 21-pound whopper while fishing on the charter boat Willie Wonka this morning off the shores of Ludington. F8 at 1/400, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

My dad and I are honored to be the co-chairs of this year's fundraising campaign for the United Way of Mason County. One of the slogans we are using is, "Give a hand up, not a hand out," so I made this photograph to represent that concept. F4.0 at 1/15, ISO 800, 18-50 mm lens at 24 mm

Steaming past the SS Badger early in the morning is a common occurrence for sport fishermen in Ludington. The Badger makes her return trip to Ludington every summer morning around 6:00 a.m. F5 at 1/200, ISO 6400, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I have been watching leaves float by for 20 minutes on Hamlin Lake just above the dam at Ludington State Park. Finally, here is a fresh, colorful view that stands out immediately from all the others I have seen. F2.8 at 1/80, ISO 200, 80-200 mm lens at 130 mm

Tonight at Waterfront Park in Ludington we had a Calvin College Alumni picnic. About 20 local Calvin graduates showed up for the event. At the end of the evening Betsy and I took Julia and Ethan to the playground to burn some energy before bedtime. F2.8 at 1/250, ISO 800, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Lake Michigan is angry this morning. It looked rough from my house. But now, up close to the waves at the base of the Ludington South Breakwater, I can really sense the power of this Great Lake. F3.2 at 1/1600, ISO 400, 300 mm lens at 300 mm

Wanting to photograph some lightning this evening, I decide to head for one of the high spots of Ludington's "fruit country." I am able to catch this bolt as it strikes near windmills recently erected amidst the orchards. F4.5 at 1/60, ISO 800, 14-24mm lens at 19mm

Kelly Lenius from Nader's Lakeshore Motor Lodge on Lakeshore Drive finished her scarecrow display today for the Mason County Scarecrow Competition. She made the entire cast of the Wizard of Oz. It is worth a drive to Ludington just to see her creation. F10.0 at 1/6, ISO 100, 18-50 mm lens at 23 mm

September 25, 2010” “Glorious,” I was thinking as I saw this scene through my viewfinder. While chasing the light at Ludington State Park with weekend photo workshop students, I remembered this nearby interdunal pond just in time. These less traveled spots in Ludington State Park have provided me with some of my favorite landscape views. The sands, water and plant growth are ever-changing. The always-changing light and clouds magnify the difference. Sometimes, all of nature’s parts come together; this was one of those times.

When a storm front sails ashore from Lake Michigan, I not only enjoy shooting the bad side of the storm but the bright side that so often follows. I arrive home on the Lake Michigan shoreline just in time to scamper to my second-story deck to catch the rainbow over the Buttersville Peninsula south of Ludington. F2.8 at 1/160, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 92mm

It is a quieter time of year on the waterfront. And while I miss watching a lot of boats plying in and out of the harbor, there is something to be said for the stillness and the simplicity of the view. F4.0 at 1/60, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 17 mm