2026 Badlands National Park Photo Adventure

Camera: Sony A7R IV, Lens: Sony 12-24mm f/2.8

Settings: 1/6 second, f/9, ISO 100

Filters: Haida M15 Filter System with Haida ND Grad Filter(s)

On Saturday, May 23, I set out on our annual Four Elements Photo Adventures trip to Badlands National Park in South Dakota with fellow instructor Mike Murray. There’s nothing quite like hitting the road at 3:00 AM and shortly after seeing your GPS display, “Take Exit 110 for SD-240 in 621 miles.”

Camera: Sony A7R IV, Lens: Sony 12-24mm f/2.8

Settings: 2.5 seconds, f/9, ISO 400

Filters: Haida M15 Filter System with Haida ND Grad Filter(s)

We arrived a couple of days early to scout the area and look for new locations to share with our group. Not only did we find several new areas, but the weather also cooperated throughout the week. We spent much of our time photographing the cracked mud found in several locations throughout the park.

Camera: Sony A7R IV, Lens: Sony 12-24mm f/2.8

Settings: 0.4 seconds, f/9, ISO 100

Filters: Haida M15 Filter System with Haida ND Grad Filter(s)

The cracked mud at Badlands National Park is mostly made of clay-rich sediment, including mudstone, claystone, shale, and siltstone. These cracks form because the Badlands contain swelling clays. When the clay gets wet, it expands. When it dries out, it shrinks and splits apart. Some of these clays came from volcanic ash that weathered into clay minerals. The park’s rock layers also include sandstone, volcanic ash, and ancient floodplain deposits.

Camera: Sony A7R IV, Lens: Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7

Settings: 1/80 second, f/9, ISO 100

Filters: Haida M15 Filter System with Haida ND Grad Filter(s) and Circular Polarizer

The colors and textures were phenomenal. On several days, the scenery seemed to come to life. Sunrise brought beautiful color most mornings, even if only for a short time. Sunset gave us one truly spectacular evening and another where the golden hour simply glowed. Even the moon illuminated the landscape for us, making it feel like we were standing on some distant planet.

Camera: Sony A7R IV, Lens: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8

Settings: 1/80 second, f/9, ISO 64

Filters: Haida M15 Filter System with Haida ND Grad Filter(s) and Circular Polarizer

Camera: Sony A7R IV, Lens: Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7

Settings: 1/640 second, f/5.6, ISO 800

Camera: Sony A7R IV, Lens: Tamron 150-500mm f/5-6.7

Settings: 1/640 second, f/5.6, ISO 800

Photo courtesy of Mike Murray, North Sand Photography.

All in all, it was an amazing week. We are already looking forward to returning and, with a little luck, capturing one or two passing storms next time.

My Favorite Dock

Camera: Nikon D800, Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8

Settings: 1.6 seconds, f/13, ISO 100

Filters: Circular Polarizer, ND Grad Filters

From the first day I discovered this dock, I was drawn to it. It faces north-northeast, offering an almost wide open view of the eastern sky over Lake Kegonsa—ideal for sunrise photography, especially in the summer. Another bonus is how close it is—just two miles from home. There have even been mornings when I’ve spotted a promising sky from my window and made it there in time to capture a few shots.

Camera: Nikon D800, Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8

Settings: 1 second, f/13, ISO 100

Filters: Circular Polarizer, ND Grad Filters

There is one challenge, though. Amundson Landing in Stoughton, Wisconsin, tends to get busy early, as anglers arrive hoping for the catch of the day. Just before sunrise, the first vehicle with a boat appears, then another, and another. It becomes a balancing act—waiting for one boat to launch while quickly taking photos before the next arrives. While I’ve occasionally included boats in my images, I much prefer capturing the quiet calm of Lake Kegonsa before most people are awake.

Camera: Nikon D800, Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8

Settings: 1/13 second, f/13, ISO 50

Filters: Circular Polarizer, ND Grad Filters

I’ve also managed, after many attempts, to photograph a passing storm here. It’s not easy—often I have to wait in the car while rain and lightning move through before I can step out and shoot.

Camera: Nikon D800, Lens: Samyang AE 14mm f/2.8

Settings: 1.6 seconds, f/13, ISO 2500

Filters: Circular Polarizer, ND Grad Filters

What keeps me coming back is how much the scene changes from day to day. The colors can range from bold and vibrant to soft pastels, always offering something new.

Camera: Nikon D800, Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8

Settings: 3 seconds, f/13, ISO 160

Filters: Circular Polarizer, ND Grad Filter

Add a layer of fog on the horizon, and the lake and sky seem to blend into one.

Camera: Nikon D800, Lens: Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8

Settings: 2 seconds, f/13, ISO 320

Filters: Circular Polarizer, ND Grad Filter

It’s been a while since my last visit, but I plan to return more often this year. It just takes an early start—sometimes as early as 4:15 a.m.—to beat the crowds and have time to set up, settle in, and capture the shifting light of dawn.

Frozen Lighthouses

Camera: Sony A74 IV, Lens: Tamron 70-180mm 2.8

Settings: 1/1000 seconds, f/9, ISO 640

Since the first time I saw photographs of the St. Joseph Lighthouse covered in ice, I knew it was a scene I had to capture for myself. Lighthouses are fascinating structures and make compelling subjects for landscape photography, whether captured in a photograph, drawing, or painting. Perhaps it’s because they often stand isolated, tall and watchful, guiding ships along the shoreline.

During periods of high wind, waves from Lake Michigan crash against the lighthouse, and when temperatures drop low enough, the water slowly freezes onto the structure. Over time, the lighthouse becomes encased in thick layers of ice. It’s a rare and unusual event that only a handful of lighthouses experience.

The St. Joseph Lighthouse sits along the southwestern coast of Michigan, about a five-hour drive away. Because of the distance, careful planning is required to photograph it in the right conditions. Prior to 2024, I had traveled there three different winters hoping to capture the lighthouse covered in ice, but none of those trips worked out. Timing is everything, especially when temperatures don’t stay below freezing for long.

On January 18, 2024, I decided to make the trip to photograph both the St. Joseph and Grand Haven Lighthouses, which sits about an hour and a half farther north. I was joined by fellow landscape photographer and Four Elements Photo Adventures instructor Mike Murray, along with Robert McGaffin, Creative Director and Co-Founder of Wheel Hub Magazine.

Camera: Sony A74 IV, Lens: Tamron 70-180mm 2.8

Settings: 1/400 seconds, f/11, ISO 400

The conditions were nearly perfect—below freezing, but not brutally cold. At 26°F with light winds, it was actually quite comfortable considering how harsh the weather can be along the lakeshore. We spent the entire day photographing both lighthouses, capturing their beauty under the icy conditions.

This winter I decided to return after hearing that the southwestern Michigan shoreline had experienced nearly a week of strong winds and extremely cold temperatures—conditions that often create dramatic ice formations. On January 24, 2026, I took a half day off from work so I could leave early and avoid Chicago traffic on the drive to Michigan.

This time the plan was more ambitious. I intended to spend the weekend photographing five different lighthouses coated in ice, traveling as far north as the Point Betsie Lighthouse in Frankfort, Michigan. The trip would be 458 miles each way, and the weather forecast suggested it would not be easy. Snow was expected throughout the region and road conditions were likely to be poor.

The conditions changed quickly once I crossed into Indiana. What had been sunny skies turned icy within minutes. Interstate 90/94 had essentially become an ice rink, and my entire drive across Indiana was done at no more than 35 miles per hour. Once I crossed into Michigan, heavy snow began to fall. However, I was relieved—it was safer driving through fresh snow than on ice.

I went straight to the St. Joseph Lighthouse, but visibility was nearly zero. It was clear the best plan was to get some rest and return before sunrise the next morning.

Camera: Sony A74 IV, Lens: Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7

Settings: 1/4 seconds, f/16, ISO 160

Saturday morning I headed back to the lighthouse. The conditions were far harsher than they had been in 2024. The temperature was -2°F when I arrived, with a wind chill of -13°F. While extremely cold, it was actually milder than just a few days earlier when the area experienced winds near 50 mph and wind chills approaching -40°F.

But these are the conditions that create the incredible ice formations I had come to photograph. The lighthouse was beautifully frozen, and I was also able to photograph the St. Joseph South Pier beacon completely encased in ice.

Camera: Sony A74 IV, Lens: Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7

Settings: 1/15 seconds, f/16, ISO 160

Camera: Sony A74 IV, Lens: Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7

Settings: 1/13 seconds, f/16, ISO 160

Camera: Sony A74 IV, Lens: Sony 12-24mm f2.8

Settings: 1/40 seconds, f/22, ISO 50

After spending a couple of hours photographing the lighthouse, I prepared to continue my trip north. Before leaving, I ran into fellow Wisconsin photographer David Enriquez Lopez, who had just arrived. It was a great opportunity to warm up a bit and talk photography.

David and I made plans to meet again in Grand Haven to photograph the lighthouse there together. The drive north proved just as challenging, with long stretches of icy roads. Once again, I kept my speed below 35 mph, turning what is normally a 90-minute drive into a little over two hours. Along the way, I made a brief stop at the South Haven Lighthouse. It was also coated in ice, though not nearly as dramatically as the others.

Camera: Sony A74 IV, Lens: Tamron 150-500mm F5-6.7

Settings: 1/125 seconds, f/22, ISO 50

After about an hour photographing the Grand Haven Lighthouse, we decided it was time to begin the trip back to Wisconsin. Road conditions were not improving, and another major snowstorm was expected later that evening.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to reach the Point Betsie Lighthouse on this trip. But the goal remains, and it will certainly be part of my plans for future winters.