This year has flown by really quickly and took me kind of off guard as far as coming up with my Best of 2022 or favorite images of the year. This is a group of images that I both enjoyed making and really love. I hope you all enjoy them as well!
“Loon Lake Pink Fog”“Point Betsie Sunset 1”“Kingsville At Home Again”“The Way You Move Me”“Light of the Pines”“Greening of the Forest Floor”“Spring Tulips 1”
“Detroit Skyline 101”“Solar Burst Summer 2”“Lake Erie Lights and Reflections”
2022 was a really different year for me. These past 2 years honestly have been quite unusual for me and all of us I’m sure, in one way or another.
I hope that the New Year, 2023 brings all of you excellent health, great experiences, wonderful times with friends and family, and joy and success in your lives!
Here we are again at the end of another year. And as has been customary for the past many years I have selected some of my personal favorite photographs from the current year, 2021.
These images aren’t in any particular order, but they do show some of where I’ve been this year and the scenes that gave me a feeling of peace, or a sense of excitement.
I hope you all enjoy them as well!
“Atmospheric Engagement” A very calm and peaceful start to sunset. The horizon in the distance is almost invisible and the clouds above seem to be hovering heavily over Lake Michigan! “Sun Going Down on Me” One last look at sunset on Lake Michigan in summer. High above the beach on the stairs I was observing the golden glow making everything shine and placing the trees in silhouette!“Pittsburgh Scenic View 5” On a beautiful late evening in Pittsburgh, I stayed watching the cable car go up and down Duquesne Incline. Such a gorgeous summer scene of this fabulous city!“Sunset Upon Colchester Ontario” Deep orange and gold hues in the sky and over Lake Erie as the sun set in Colchester, Ontario! “On A Quiet Marsh Morning” I enjoyed many hours along the Marsh Boardwalk at Point Pelee National Park in Ontario this year. The lush green aquatic plants, beautiful clouds, and peaceful sounds of the new day were very special!“Point Pelee Marsh A New Day” Another fabulous morning looking out at the boardwalk and marshland at Point Pelee National Park during summer! “One Day At A Time” I really enjoyed this sunrise on a warm late summer morning in Colchester, Ontario on Lake Erie.“Point Pelee Endless Skies and Sand” I enjoyed many days at Point Pelee National Park this year, and one of my favorite things was to experience the ever changing view both of and from the tip of Point Pelee. “Swiftly Moves the Storm 2” Strong current and heavy storm clouds when a early autumn rain storm passes by on Lake Erie. “Take A Walk With Me” We had a late but amazing fall color season in Michigan this year. The maple trees put on quite a show! “Winter Wonderland Dream” Who doesn’t love a winter wonderland! This was a particularly inviting scene to me with the snow laden branches in dark contrast to the water, as well as the slight glow of a morning sunrise!
I hope that all of you have a very happy New Year, and that 2022 gives you plenty of adventure, enjoyment, good times, and most of all to stay healthy while enjoying whatever it is that you love to do!
I had the pleasure of being able to photograph Lake Ontario at different times of the day on a recent visit to South Eastern Ontario. These images are just a few of the moments that I enjoyed! Have a look!
“Lake Ontario Morning Reflections”
This photograph was made on a very cold and windy morning on the shores of Lake Ontario near Hamilton, Ontario. The sunrise was spectacular though, with golden reflections all along the water near the shore!“Waves Keep on Rolling” The waves were rolling in fast and furious on Lake Ontario this cold but sunny morning near Burlington Ontario!“Then the Wind Came” Another wonderfully windy but gorgeous view of Lake Ontario from the grassy area above the beach!
“Cotton Candy Over Ontario” Last light of the day and the sky turned into cotton candy for just a few short minutes!
One very early morning just a few days ago I decided to take a drive in the countryside on some local dirt roads. It was foggy and nearly dark when I started, but as the sun rose I was rewarded with an amazing sunrise with golden rays of light streaming through the trees as I drove along.
The image above is a tighter version of the first tree I saw, with many streams of light coming through the fog. Simply dreamy to me!
“Your New Day Rising” Stunning Golden sunrise through the fog!
In this next image I got as close as I could to a cornfield with a lone tree and an amazing sunrise just atop the tree! What a glorious morning! As the nights are cooler with autumn having arrived, I hope for a few more mornings to enjoy the fog before it turns to frost!
I always enjoy a beautiful sunrise or sunset, especially over a body of water. The clouds and colorful hues are reflected on the surface making it absolutely glorious! Scroll down to see two sunset and one sunrise image from this summer on two of the Great Lakes.
I’ve also included several quotes on the topic of sunrise and sunset. Enjoy!
“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
~ Rabindranath Tagore ~
“When the sun has set, no candle can replace it.”
~ George R.R. Martin ~
“Spectacular Sunset” An amazing sunset on glassy waters of Lake Michigan!
“There’s a sunrise and a sunset every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them.”
~ Jo Walton ~
“Sunrise paints the sky with pinks and the sunset with peaches. Cool to warm. So is the progression from childhood to old age.”
~ Vera Nazarian ~
“Dawn’s First Light” A Soothing and peaceful sunrise on Lake Huron!
“The blue of daylight
fades and chills as the sun sinks
beneath clouds of fire.”
~ Richelle E. Goodrich ~
“The sunset was a splendid display. I wondered if it was showing off for my benefit or if it was often that spectacular. Rarely had I seen such a gorgeous scene; the riotous colors flamed out over the sky in shades that I had no words to describe. Birds sang their last songs of the day before tucking in for the night, and still the darkness hung back. Now, I thought, I understand the word “twilight.” It was created for just this time – in this land.”
~ Janette Oke ~
“Magnificent Sunset” Another gorgeous sunset from Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula!
“But even the longest day wears to sunset.”
~ Marion Zimmer Bradley ~
On a misty morning as the sun begins to rise. I watch gulls fly wildly and happily through the air. The color of darkness has left and the hues of a bright day begin. This is a brand new start, I begin it with a heart that is free!
“With a Heart that is Free”
Here are just a few of my favorite quotes about life and freedom:
“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
~ Nelson Mandela ~
“What light is to the eyes – what air is to the lungs – what love is to the heart, liberty is to the soul of man.”
~ Robert Green Ingersoll ~
“Life is a song – sing it. Life is a game – play it. Life is a challenge – meet it. Life is a dream – realize it. Life is a sacrifice – offer it. Life is love – enjoy it.”
~ Sai Baba ~
“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
~ E. M. Forster ~
“All the art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.”
Last month on a fall color trip I got to enjoy a beautiful sunrise and sunset on two of the Great Lakes.
What a soothing and peaceful sunrise I had this day on Lake Huron! The only sounds to be heard were of gulls, ducks, and geese as they appeared on the scene as daylight broke! This was the beginning.
“Peace at Sunrise”
After a day of hunting for scenic places with fall color I went out along Lake Michigan for a sunset. It was what I call a nearly endless sunset. It didn’t get going with much color at first, but when it did, it didn’t want to stop! I stayed photographing the color until I knew I really had to leave. Even after I left the scene I had a hard time keeping my eye off of the side and rear view mirror as the color kept changing!
Red Sky at Night.
You know what they say about Red Sky at Night? A sailors delight! I have to say that it was for sure, the night was clear and the waters smooth. The next day also brought beautiful clear weather. I guess the mariners of old knew their skies! 🙂
In the last post I gave us a bit of summer warmth and cheer. Something I think lots of us needed at the time! In this post I’ve brought you an abstract image of a sunrise from earlier this the fall on a cold morning off of Lake Huron.
The colors in this were just like an apricot with golden tones. Really beautiful in it’s own right. This didn’t start out as an abstract, but as I went to process it, it seemed to me that’s just where it fits.
You won’t find anything in this image except pure gorgeous color, a clear horizon, and a calming spirit. Relax and enjoy! 🙂
This year has be an interesting one for me. I had the chance to do more travelling than usual, which gave me many more photographic opportunities. Sometimes though it’s the images you take that are close to home that you end up liking the best. Here are ten images mostly from the late summer through autumn that I like the best. I have many more that I could say the same for, but for the sake of brevity I will limit it to Ten. The images are in no particular order. Enjoy!
A stormy day on Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lake Shore.
Upper Tahquamenon Falls in early autumn. In Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
A stormy windy day on Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula.
Loving the beauty of early autumn on a scenic rural road in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Beautiful reflections along an inland lake.
Beautiful Arch Rock on Mackinac Island. Girls down below are writing messages with rocks.
Shimmering sunrise on Lake Huron with Mackinac Island in silhouette.
Gorgeous fall foliage on a beautiful winding rural road.
Loving the rails on a stormy autumn day.
Gazing across one lake, through fall foliage, over Lake Superior, and onto Canada.
After going through so many images, it was really difficult to decide, and had to leave out many that I would have liked to include. You can find links on this blog to my sites and where to view more images.
Best wishes to everyone, both now and in the coming year!!!
The sunrises over the Great Lakes tend to be exceptionally beautiful in my opinion. This image here was taken over Lake Huron in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The colors in the sky were awesome. I’ve noticed that Michigan’s UP has many types of cloud formations that are quite common to the area, but are less common, or even unseen in many other places. They aren’t completely represented here, but in future posts I’ll be showing you some of what I think are some wonderful and beautiful cloud formation images. Enjoy! 🙂
