It was a difficult decision but, all things considered, I have to say this one of the Round Island Lighthouse, Mackinac Island, Michigan, is my favorite for the year.

(Download)

I have another bit of advice for the reception. Assuming there will be a DJ, they usually run the reception from the time the wedding party enters the reception hall until the last dance. Speak to the DJ and let him know you are not a pro. I did that at the only wedding I shot and it worked out very well. He made sure I was ready before he announced any activity that was expected to be photographed. Of course, I had to do my part by keeping an eye open for his signals. He let me know in advance what the general flow would be and then made suggestions for positioning based on his experience with many different pros. Aside from that, try to relax and have fun. Look for those candid moments that produce photos that, 20 years from now, they may look at and remember that day as though it was yesterday.

Thank you. I was born and raised in Bay City.

Beautiful weather in northern Michigan last week. These are two of many pictures taken over a couple of days.

Mackinac Bridge spanning the Lower and Upper Peninsulas in Michigan, also known as the "Mighty Mac",


The Round Island Lighthoust off the coast of Mackinac Island, northern Michigan.

I was born and raised in Bay City, Michigan. I don't get back home very often anymore but, when I do, it is like I never left. Isn't that what a hometown is supposed to feel like?

Byron MacGregor actually cut a recording of Gordon Sinclair's words. A few things were added since the original article. There are also recordings of Sinclair reading his own words but I think Byron MacGregor is a more dynamic speaker.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw2ysu1RWLA

That moment between a father and his daughter where no words are being spoken but, none are required.

I posted this link in the links section. I will post it here too for anyone who wants to see more of the same.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2534548/Michigan-lighthouse-transformed-giant-ici...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2534548/Michigan-lighthouse-transformed-giant-icicle-freezing-storm.html

I guess I might as well toss in my two cents worth. I was there for three weeks in June-July 2009. We flew into Anchorage, took a train to Denali, another train to Fairbanks, and then boarded a bus for a two day trip up the Dalton Highway to the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay. Then we flew back to Anchorage and took another train to Seward where we boarded a cruise ship back to Vancouver. It was an incredible trip. Someone mentioned driving the Dalton Hwy. Please be careful if you do that. It is a very dangerous road to drive, especially in varying weather conditions. Most of it is unpaved. I encountered mosquitoes in several places. Yes, they are big enough to have numbers on the side and I was bitten but, for some reason, I got no welts, and there was no itching. We took the bus deep into Denali. It snowed most of the day. The mountain was not “out” and, from what I understand, it is usually obscured. If you are able to get pictures of the mountain, you are indeed fortunate. I had a tripod but rarely used it until I got on the ship. I would certainly concur with the 18-300mm lens and you would use the entire range, especially at the long end. Most importantly, you wouldn’t find yourself changing lenses in less than favorable conditions. I would also suggest multiple 4-8gb SD cards as opposed to one or two large ones. Enjoy your trip and take the time to just look. You don’t want your only memories of Alaska to be what you saw through the viewfinder.

The "must have" picture for those that get this far.

I bought the Pelican with the padded dividers so I could use it as a carry-on and I love it. It is easy to transport around the airport and, as far as why you need something like that as a carry-on is concerned, how many times have you seen some inconsiderate donkey try to cram a 3-suiter in the overhead bin? A lot of people pay no attention to what they are doing and have no regard for the property of others.

I have gone several times and carry a small bag containing only my D7000 and 18-200mm lens. I want it in the bag for protection if I am not using it. I leave the rest of my equipment (in a Pelican case) back at the hotel. I like taking the DSLR because I take a lot of pictures of scenery and the like. Plus, it is also better for shots in low light. There is always someone in our group who doesn't care for the more extreme rides so I leave the camera with them if I want to participate in the ride. Sometimes I try to get pictures of the kids on the ride and the continuous shooting mode helps get some good ones.

Thank you for your input. Because of the backstory, I still like the original crop as well. At the same time, I appreciate the other advice I have been given. I guess this just shows that different people see different things in any particular photo and opposing opinions can be equally as valid, depending on the overall effect that individual desires. Certainly the blue tint needed to be corrected and other adjustments are in order but, as far as the crop is concerned, I like both the original (or close to it) and I like the panorama.

I do appreciate all the advice and for taking it easy on me on my first venture into this section.

Thanks for your help. That is getting pretty close to my limit as far as post magic is concerned. I usually don't spend a lot of time in post because I take mostly landscapes and they don't seem to be quite as touchy as people. I will work on improving my skills with more practice.

Ok, here is a third iteration. I cut it down to a panorama cropping just below her hand. If I cut it at the waist, she would have lost part of her hand. These skin tones look like a pretty close match to what their natural skin tones are. I will admit, the cropping does allow the focus to fall more on the couple and the panorama allows me to keep all four columns which is what set this picture apart from others that I took.