Summer

Today we hosted a birthday dinner for Brad, at his house. We had such a good time that I forgot I hadn’t made my photo for the day! David Benjamin had a jar of corn that he wanted to grind into corn meal. He helped me set it next to a frame sample to create a mirrored reflection.

A Pure Ludington moment of two tourists enjoying a wonderful sunset off Stearns Beach. I love meeting new people, especially when they love Ludington as much as I do!

As the sun rises over the Northern Michigan countryside, I find myself mesmerized by the sight of corn waving lazily in the morning breeze. It makes me crave Michigan-made Kellogg's Corn Flakes. F2.8 at 1/640, ISO 200, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Ralph Lundberg stands by a bale of straw on the sprawling Lundberg Brothers Farm south of Scottville, Michigan. The patchwork of big fields beyond is part of the 1,200 acres of land the Lundbergs farm for their dairy operation. Farming, like most career paths, has its ups and downs, but I think it is one of the noblest Michigan professions. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

Simplicity.

Rachel and I went for a drive looking for photographs. We headed down North Lakeshore Drive along Hamlin Lake. Between the Middle and North Bayous, we found this colorful tree. I lay on my back and used my external flash to light up the underside of the tree to pop the colors.

Ralph Lundberg stands by a bale of straw on the sprawling Lundberg Brothers Farm south of Scottville, Michigan. The patchwork of big fields beyond is part of the 1,200 acres of land the Lundbergs farm for their dairy operation. Farming, like most career paths, has its ups and downs, but I think it is one of the noblest Michigan professions. F7.1 at 1/250, ISO 100, 14-24mm lens at 20mm

Of the more than 100 bales of straw in a farm field south of Scottville, Michigan, this one appears to me the most photogenic. It lies close to a country road right-of-way lined with Queen Anne's lace. I like the way the flowers provide a visual vignette. F3.2 at 1/800, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Brad and I took a drive around Ludington this afternoon. He made an image of a tree with fall color near Hamlin Lake, and then we ended up on his aunt and uncle’s farm on the Pere Marquette River. I positioned myself to capture the shadows in the water as my leading line into the photograph in the lower left side of the frame and placed the sunburst in the tree in the upper right.

Using our "twice-as-close" rule, I move right in on some lavender flowers to zero in on a bee harvesting nectar and pollinating the flowers in the process. I want to be as close to the bee as my lens will focus so that almost nothing else is sharp in the picture. I want the image to feel like a bee's field of dreams. F3.2 at 1/500, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

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

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

I get a sailor's view, from a Shepler's cruise vessel, of one of the two main towers of the Mackinac Bridge rising 552 feet above water level. Another 200 feet-plus of the tower extends below water level to help support one of the longest suspension bridges in the Western Hemisphere. F9 at 1/1250, ISO 800, 14-24mm lens at 14mm

Michigan is a state with endless beauty. One of the most beautiful areas in Michigan is Leelanau County. When exploring the northern region of Leelanau County, you may feel like you have traveled back in time. Life seems to move at a slower pace and it is magnificent! F8 at 1/800, ISO 400, 18-50mm lens at 18mm

I have never had the pleasure of going to North Manitou Island, but enjoy viewing if from land when I am near the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Today, I got to experience the island from over 11,500 feet above sea level. What a view! F8 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 14mm lens at 14mm

From over 11,500 feet above sea level, it is easy to see why the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was just voted the most beautiful place in America. I love how the clouds were in just the right spots in this photograph to add to the composition. My ace pilot, Ryan Johnson, dipped the plane at the perfect angle so I was able to get the wing out of the top of the image and the wheel out of the bottom. F8 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 14mm lens at 14mm

When I was flying 11,500 feet above Crystal Lake earlier today, I chuckled when I noticed that the lake is a similar shape to a bottle of syrup. Do you see it? F8 at 1/1000, ISO 400, 14mm lens at 14mm

A few years ago, my younger brother Willie, my dad, and I were lucky enough to play 18 holes of golf at Arcadia Bluffs. The world-class golf course sits high above Lake Michigan and is considered by most serious golfers to be the prettiest golf course in Michigan. The restaurant at the clubhouse is also one of the nicest places to eat in Michigan. F8 at 1/800, ISO 400, 70-200mm lens at 70mm

I love stopping by the pastures of Michigan's highways and byways to observe farm animals. Today I crest a hill on M119 between Cross Village and Harbor Springs and spot dozens of sheep grazing in the early evening light. The rim lighting on their coats makes me want to stop my trusty Suburban as quickly as the brakes will permit. A bird perched on the back of the center sheep is a "Where's Waldo?" bonus. F7.1 at 1/125, ISO 100, 80-200mm lens at 200mm

Today while taking aerial photographs for "Tuesdays with Todd and Brad Reed," I noticed that Pentwater Lake is similar in shape to a sea horse. Pentwater has to be one of the most charming and romantic villages in all of Michigan. F7.1 at 1/800, ISO 400, 18-50mm lens at 46mm