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Grand Island Ice Caves

After the Super Bowl last night, I decided to stay the night in Silver Lake at the hotel with Julia, Ethan, and the gang. On my drive back to Ludington this morning, I had to pull off the road and climb the observation tower near the corner of Conrad and Old US-31 in order to photograph the awesome clouds and colorful sunrise.

I have a passion for photographing ice. The abstract shapes and the contrast of tones make for great images. I discovered this scene along the Lake Michigan shoreline in the middle of February. It is one of my favorite photographs.

Brad and I put on another of our annual photography tips programs at Big Sable Lighthouse this evening and within a half-hour of its conclusion nearly everyone is gone. Brad and his daughter Julia head up to the top of the light to check out the view from the top while I stay below and wait for the sweet light. Here it is! F16.0 at 1/6, ISO 100, 12-24 mm lens at 24 mm

I have appreciated these grasses for several years in the Pere Marquette River Flats near the former city dump site. They look splendid to me tonight rising above the marsh, backlit by the setting sun. I am glad I took this route home after a long day teaching photography at West Shore Community College. F11.0 at 1/200, ISO 100, 80-200 mm lens at 86 mm

Was Superman born here? That is what I kept asking myself as I stood in wonder looking at the glorious ice caves on Grand Island near Munising, Michigan. The colors and formations were like nothing I had ever seen. They did not look real and it is hard to get a sense of scale from this photograph of how large these caves actually are.

A few years ago, they took the catwalk down off the pier in Grand Haven. Tonight was my first time photographing the lighthouses without the catwalk being in place. I have heard that a private group is trying to raise enough money to pay to have the catwalk refurbished and then put back into place. I hope that happens soon!

One of the highest dunes in Ludington State Park offers a bird's eye view of one of the forests tucked between dune ridges at the park. Lake Michigan lies beyond as I look west.

Emerging from the White Birch Forest in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore after searching for images of the birch trees and maple leaves in autumn color, I was about to put my camera equipment back in my trusty Suburban when I took in this view less than 50 yards away. It looked and felt like a melody of color, pattern, and texture.

Dandelions and Fruit Trees

Tuesdays With Todd and Brad Reed

Driving towards Ludington this morning, I knew that I had missed the color that the sunrise brought, but the clouds in the sky were superb! With the calm morning, they would reflect in the water. I headed towards the Pere Marquette River Flats to quickly compose my shot. I didn’t know that Brad had shot near here almost an hour earlier. Such beauty in God’s work!

 

Sometimes it seems like we wait forever for the leaves to turn along the shores of the inland lakes tied to Lake Michigan. Then, seemingly overnight, a glorious change greets us on a morning like this one on Hamlin Lake. My son Brad and I encountered this fleeting scene at Victory Park on Upper Hamlin Lake in mid-October. Brad was still running with tripod and camera for a different vantage point while I made this picture along the park waterfront. Fortunately, I got off one shot before a cloud dropped the curtain on the fall color light show.

I love taking giant scale photos that show vast scenes, but I have also disciplined myself more to see details, to move closer, then (as I tell my photography students) twice as close again. This shows less of a scene, but reveals more detail, allowing me to see and show what is often overlooked. One winter morning, going to a grand vista at Epworth Heights to view Lake Michigan, the window of an old garage caught my eye. It is an unanticipated detail that often makes the best picture.

One of my favorite parts of winter is looking for patterns in the ice along Lake Michigan. I found this ice formation at the Loomis Street Boat Launch around 5:45 this evening, just as the sun was setting. F14.0 at 1/500, ISO 500, 18-50 mm lens at 18 mm

Tonight I took our college intern, Brett Whitehead, out on the Ludington North Breakwater so he could shoot video of me as I photographed the SS Badger carferry going by from one of my favorite "hot spots." The fog was an added bonus. D800, F6.3 at 1/640, ISO 3200, 14-24mm lens at 24mm

I love viewing wildlife through natural vignettes. It gives me the feeling of looking through a peep sight and provides framing and layers to my pictures. I have to be careful not to crowd the deer with the framing as I "shoot" her with my camera at the Sable River Outlet at the Ludington State Park.

I walked as far west of Big Sable Point Lighthouse on land as I could tonight to make this photograph of the historic structure. When you view a map of the state of Michigan, you can see why they named this lighthouse Big Sable Point. Both Big and Little Sable points stick farther out into Lake Michigan than any other points of land in the lower peninsula of Michigan. F18 at 1/20, ISO 100, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I am at first overwhelmed by all the color and patterns bombarding my senses amidst the birch trees and maple leaves in the famous White Birch Forest. I know not to hurry. Finally, I find my prize. The patterns of these maple leaves and birch bark are music to my eyes. I have probably spent an hour looking for strong compositions in this magical forest in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Every minute has been a joy. F11 at 1/250, ISO 800, 300mm lens at 300mm