Life can get really hectic sometimes. Work and sleep alone takes up such a large portion of a day, it may seem like there’s no time to even brush your teeth, let alone create something meaningful. Worry not my creative friends! Quite simply, the way to stay creative is to do it. My days have …
An Easy Way to Kick-Start Your Photography (Creativity) Read More »
Northern Michigan can receive snow from about October through April. It can actually receive snow any month of the year in these parts, but we’ll deal with weather generalities for now. Being from Michigan, one learns to enjoy all the excursions and variety that each season provides. When winter arrives in all it’s glory, it …
Why Winter in Grayling, Michigan is Amazing (and what to do there)! Read More »
Lodging in ‘Little Paris’; eating Argentinian cuisine; standing at arm’s length from paintings by Van Gogh and buying vinyl records from Motown legends in the city where Motown music was born. All of this, and so much more, is possible with 48 hours in Detroit! The D is a city with history, resilience, grit and …
When I was first going to school for photojournalism, it was highly suggested that we carry our camera with us at all times. As a photojournalist, this is crucial. It’s important to be ready whenever something interesting takes place, breaking news unfolds or just because a photographer wants to make an image for the sake …
Making Images Again in Vehicle City When someone brings up Flint, Michigan, the conversation usually revolves around the topics of lead-tainted water, low income and crime. Flint has had—and continues to have— highs and lows. But, here’s the thing about Flint: the people who live in that storied city are incredible. Most of the folks …
2020. It’s not that I sat down, ready to write after months, weeks or even days of contemplation for an end-of-year post. On the contrary, it just happens that I’ve found myself at my laptop with a few spare moments to jot. A year ago it was 2019; yet it may as well have been …
No Need to Travel Far Imagine this: It’s 14 degrees Fahrenheit in your quaint burg and you’re trying to find the inspiration for making pictures. For those of us in the Midwest’s finest snow belt, a decent pair of warm gloves and boots can be hard enough to find, let alone a dose of creativity. …
Why Small Towns in Winter are Perfect for Photography Read More »
Most Important Though: Use What You’re Comfortable With Readers, my journey through photographic gear started many, many years ago. Gear can be the absolute kryptonite of creativity so what I’m offering here is a simple observation from my point of view. Take what you can from it but understand that it’s not gear that makes …
Let It Snow If it sounds borderline insane to appreciate the benefits of photography in cold and snowy conditions, I understand. Making quality images is hard enough when the weather is perfect. Once the temperature descends to freezing and below, operating a camera can present challenges: batteries run out of juice quickly; film can become …
Chicago, Illinois The gritty and storied streets of Chicago are only five hours away, by car and train, from our front door. Yet, it’s on the extreme other end of the spectrum as far as worlds go. Grit, characters, flashing lights, buildings—so many tall, beautiful buildings—honking and life. Steam and smoke rise out of nowhere …