“Songbirds have a way of making everyone smile. This little guy is so round and cute, and he gives me hope of a nearing spring.” – photographer Brad Reed.

Hundreds of canvasback ducks take to the air with a thunderous roar over partially frozen Hamlin Lake. Photography by Brad Reed.

Bushes covered in a blanket of fresh snow highlight a view of Lake Michigan as seen from Epworth. Photography by Brad Reed.

“On the morning of Christmas Eve, 1999, I was eager to try out the new camera that my dad had bought me for Christmas. He and I drove to one of our favorite places in the world, Little Point Sable Lighthouse.” – photographer Brad Reed

“The waves were rocking out on Lake Michigan today. I wanted to get in the water to shoot this wave, but it was too rough and too cold. I have been inspired lately by the photography of Clark Little. He shoots photos of waves from in the water; however, he has a waterproof system and lives in Hawaii!” – photographer Brad Reed.

“My uncle, Rod Marble, has a beautiful log home along the Lincoln River northeast of Ludington. This view is on his property and is one of my favorite spots near his home, especially in the winter months.” – photographer Brad Reed.

“The First Curve at the Ludington State Park is one of the most popular places in Ludington to watch the S.S. Badger carferry steam in and out of port.” – photographer Brad Reed.

“Few creatures in the world are as mesmerizing to me as snowy owls. This was the first one I had ever seen in the wild and I was lucky enough to have my camera with me when we came eye to eye.” – photographer Brad Reed

“Magic light is fleeting. How fleeting? The double rainbow, the two main towers of the Mackinac Bridge, and the waves were only glowing with magic light for three seconds.” – photographer Brad Reed.

“Photographing the Northern Lights at Big Sable Point Lighthouse has been towards the top of my bucket list for several years. After the light show on October 24, 2011, I can now cross that off …

An enormous field filled with brightly-colored pumpkins, located on South Scottville Road. Photography by Brad Reed.

“Male whitetail deer in the fall will do the dumbest things when they are looking for love. I was able to crawl on my hands and knees within 30 yards of this small four-point buck.” ~ Brad Reed

“It doesn’t take much exploring of the Pere Marquette River or its adjacent lands to realize how beautiful it is. Late October and early November are my favorite times of the year along the Pere Marquette.” ~ Brad Reed

The ferry Badger heads off into an breathtaking storm front on Lake Michigan, captured in a photo by Brad Reed.

“Lake Michigan has cooked up another molten lava sunset along the shore of Ludington tonight during a private photo lesson. Both my dad and I and our student came away with our appetites for beautiful visual moments satisfied.” ~ Brad Reed

“The rushing waters of Lake Michigan, a large piece of limestone rock, and God’s magic light created a powerful spectacle along the South breakwall in Ludington. I got a little wet taking this photograph, but the reward was well worth it.” ~ Brad Reed

“I have always been envious of my cousin Ryan Reed’s artistic abilities. Not only is he a world class photographer, he also has a talent for drawing and painting. If I could draw or paint well, these wildflowers would be my inspiration.” ~ Brad Reed

The calm beauty of a sunrise over Gifford Lake by photographer Brad Reed.

“Just after my dad and I finished giving a photo talk to over 30 people at Little Sable Point Lighthouse tonight, the sun broke out below the thick cloud layer and lit up the sky and waters of Lake Michigan like the 4th of July fireworks. It was an impressive light show that lasted for several minutes.” ~ Brad Reed

“I have always enjoyed taking photographs that may not feature identifiable subjects but show the beautiful colors and patterns that light creates on water. This photograph was taken on the Lake Michigan shoreline at sunset and is one of my favorites.” ~ Brad Reed

“Over time man has designed and built many beautiful things-the Colosseum in Rome, the Statue of Liberty, and the 1965 Ford Mustang just to name a few. They are each a perfect blending of beautiful lines and powerful angles. However, none of them compare to one of God’s most beautiful creations of all time, the bald eagle.” ~ Brad Reed

A dinner table found at a rental beach house in Manistee, Michigan, with beautiful lake rocks glued down to the top of it. Photo by Brad Reed.

A deer in the field of flowers in Ludington, Michigan, captured by photographer Brad Reed on a summer evening.

The serene scene of a single boat reflected into a very calm Silver Lake, Michigan – captured by photographer Brad Reed.

Simple compositions can become great art as evident in this photo of dune grasses at Ludington State Park by photographer Brad Reed.

“Gorgeous Glory of the Snow flowers cover a front yard of a home on Rath Avenue in Ludington. Using my wide-angle macro lens and carefully getting as close to the flowers as I could; I made this photo in the bright sunlight.” ~ Brad Reed

“I love calm mornings when the water is so still it appears to be a steel-blue mirror. On an early morning adventure these lily pads near the Lost Lake Trail quickly grabbed my attention. I …

On a clear May evening in 2007, Brad Reed made this aerial photo, clearly showing the Lake Michigan shoreline high above the entire Ludington State Park.

“A trio of fox kits was living near Buttersville, south of Ludington and we got a tip on where to find them. These kits were very curious, and slowly came to get a closer look at my camera and me.” ~ Brad Reed

Reflections of the White Fish Point lighthouse captured by photographer Brad Reed. Whitefish Point Lighthouse overlooks Whitefish Bay on Lake Superior. Whitefish Point is known as the “Graveyard of Ships” as more vessels have been lost here than in any other part of the lake. Hundreds of vessels, including the famed Edmund Fitzgerald, lie on the bottom of the bay and the approaches.

One of my ultimate dreams in photography has been to capture the Northern Lights with my camera. On Dec. 14, 2006, my dream was realized. Around 8:30 pm I trekked to the top of a large dune within Ludington State Park. Five minutes later, the entire evening sky over Lake Michigan erupted into a bright red and green palette of color. As I was exposing this photograph, two large meteors blazed through the sky. The rush of emotions I felt that night were overwhelming.

“This is one of my favorite photos that I have taken. All of the different shades of blue are a mix of water and the reflections of the clouds and sky on the rippling waters of Lake Michigan.” – Brad Reed.

Photographer Brad Reed says of his image, “Muddy snow-filled puddles can be a photographer’s dream. I took this photo after work today in the middle of Stearns Park.”

While driving down Conrad Road on a snowy December day in 2008, my dad and I noticed an unusually large American Elk laying in the sunshine at the Amber Elk Ranch.  As I …