Photography to Explore
Mesick, Mich The temperature was hovering around 15 degrees Fahrenheit in northern Michigan; that's not a bad temperature because it wasn't windy, you see. So the question becomes: Where should I travel to for pictures? Mesick, Mich.Camera: Leica M6 Most photographers would make their way to Lake Michigan, possibly to explore any of the nearby…
Always Have A Camera On You With the holidays being upon us, we're waist—maybe even neck, or higher—deep in obligations, commitments and responsibilities. It can seem like a miracle to find the time to even eat or breath; time flies by at such a dizzying pace. Petoskey, Mich.Camera: Canon 6D If you're the type of…
Small Town Texas There was a brief period of my life when I called Houston, Texas home. Houston is an amazing city. As one of the United States' most populous cities, it offers something for everyone. I'd moved there in 2009, when the recession was in full swing for much of the U.S., and was…
Also: Why Less is More with Photography Gear It's usually at the five-hour mark of our nine-hour trip when our convoy of cars pulls over to eat something quick, fill up our gas tanks and stretch our legs and backs before continuing our travels northward. Copper Harbor, Mich.Camera: Canonet QL17GIII Our journey? Every year we…
Forgotten but not Gone...Yet Water skiers buzzed by shorelines as they waved to onlookers from rich blue waters in California's Coachella Valley. Meanwhile, picnics by the plenty were had under palm trees as vacationers and seasonal folks enjoyed all that could be offered in this Southern California paradise. Salton Sea, CaliforniaCamera: Canon 1V This was…
It Started with National Geographic When I was just starting out with photography, my main source of inspiration—and countless other photographers' inspiration—was National Geographic magazine. In its pages, you could be transported to a Hawaiian volcano, a Mongolian steppe or in an Italian village. Vanderbilt, Mich.Camera: Mamiya 7 Not only that, but National Geographic magazine…
Continue reading ➞ Why You Don’t Have to Travel Far to Make Great Pictures
Exploring an Asylum When you think of an asylum for the mentally ill, you might think of old buildings with tall, decorative spires; wide hallways with checker-board floors; and of course, the residents who spent their time there. Traverse City, Mich.Camera: Canon 6D All of this existed and continues to exist today at the former…
An Epic Race Returns Let me tell you about Wilco Road: It's a narrow, tree-lined road with high banks and a bevy of turns that connects the village of Empire to the Empire Bluffs trailhead at the top of the hill. It's steep and short—I'll say it's a half a mile from start to finish.…
Documenting a Fading Way of Life in Northern Michigan As is the case with a lot of tips and information gathering in northern Michigan, I was talking with someone in a bar. This wasn't just any bar though, it was Dick's Pour House in the small community of Lake Leelanau. Dick's was a favorite hangout…
Surf's Up! Michigan is a funny place; if there's a way to have fun doing something—no matter the weather— it'll be done. Recreation-wise, it's a one-stop shop playground: four seasons and infinite terrain from sand dunes to woods and rivers. Water provides a host of activity potential since the state is surrounded by the Great…
