A set of photos from Kings Canyon National Park.
California dreamin'
Whelp, I just returned from being in California for 11 days. Landed in Los Angeles and flew out of San Fransisco. Not remotely enough time to really appreciate all the abundant beauty, but I was able to explore a few different regions and drove around 1,500 miles during that time. The first place I wanted to visit was the Alabama Hills where these photos were taken during sunset a few hours after I arrived.
Goodbye to winter
I never like seeing the snow go away but spring is always a beautiful time of year.
A day to remember
A few photos from Ed & Tanya’s beautiful elopement shoot on a snowy morning in northern Michigan.
Winter wonderland.
Snow has been in short supply in my area of the state so far this year, but I’ve had a few opportunies to get out and photograph birds in fresh snowfall. New prints are available and more to come!
Winter is coming... again.
As autumn comes to an end and winter starts to set in I’ve been focusing more on wildlife photography. Specifically songbirds in fall foliage, and eventually fresh snowfall as the ground begins to get colder and colder. This photo was very exciting to capture! I’ve been seeing bluebirds at a distance for a couple of weeks and finally had a moment where they were close enough to photograph. Luckily it was still in the tail end of the mornings golden hour and they were more focused on berries than me passing by.
Change in seasons
A beautiful and somewhat frantic time of year as a photographer. I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the beauty of mother nature preparing for the oncoming winter.
Over the bridge and far away.
Winding down after my trip up north. After visiting the Keweenaw Peninsula with The Wild Honey Collective (playing music) I knew I wanted to return with my camera and visit the Upper Peninsula again this year. So I did just that and revisited where I was before and enjoyed a multi-day slow drive back home to West Michigan. I’ve been holding off on photographing the Mackinaw Bridge, waiting for the right conditions while going to or from the U.P., and I finally had that the other day. Still need to go through a lot of pictures but this is a strong contender for my favorite from the trip.
The coast of Maine
It’s hard to put into the words my first experience exploring the coast of Maine. Such a beautiful area and I can imagine a lifetime of taking photos here. I woke up at 3:30am after performing in Portland, Maine the night before with The Wild Honey Collective. Two hours of sleep and I woke up and drove to a lighthouse recommended by our host for the couple nights in the state (such a wonderful host and human being). I arrived about 45 minutes before sunrise as soon as I could see the water I found myself in a playground I’ve never encountered before. I was only able to get away this one time to take photographs but I’m so happy this was the day and place I was able to experience it.
Ending in the Keweenaw
In late July of 2020 I started a journey of visiting all of Michigan. 2 years and close to 50,000 miles driven later I ended that journey while visiting the Keweenaw Peninsula to play a show with my good friends in The Wild Honey Collective. Looking forward to returning to so many beautiful area in this state while starting to branch off and photograph more of the U.S. and Canada.
Focusing on water
A draft post I forgot to publish. Earlier this summer I spend a couple days in the same spot on Lake Michigan’s shoreline with the idea of relaxing and focusing on water (with the occasional clouds that rolled through). One of the great things about Michigan is that if I ever feel uninspired in the hot summer months the Great Lakes can usually hold me over until late summer/early fall.
Summer is here... almost.
I’m grateful to be home from my recent adventure before the near 100F heatwave hit. I visited some area of Michigans NW Lower Peninsula that I haven’t been before and hiked up some of the biggest sand dunes in the state. The Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore is such a beautiful area and I hope to spend some time there again during the fall.
Into the mystic
A wonderful night and morning roaming for compositions. Came home with a few photos I enjoy and have available in the shop. This is about as foggy as it got the first night, but it made for a very pleasant and cool hike. The next morning brought a beautiful sunrise at a second location.
A new year. Wait, it’s April?
Spring is a beautiful and revitalizing time of the year, but I have a hard time saying goodbye to winter. I enjoy the cold season more than most and often get puzzled looks when I say summer is actually my least favorite season. There’s a calmness in the winter that you don’t experience in the other seasons.
I’ve spent this last winter alone in a cabin growing and trying to better understand who I am and what I want from this life. Personal growth stuff that everyone goes through in some form or another in their life. I’m hungry for exploration and pushing myself to be a better photographer. To see new places and have new experiences while using all I’ve learned to continue to grow in my art. I’ve been contacted to have one of my photographs featured by Pure Michigan, which is very exciting. I have plans for landscape photography trips and have been focusing on taking my best wildlife photos to date. I’ve also been teaching photography and find it very fulfilling.
This image, in my opinion, is my best black-capped chickadee to date and I think I’ll have a hard time taking a better one. Close encounters with wildlife are rare and often very brief. I’m up for the challenge though and look forward to what I’m to come across in the wild.
Harborcoat
It’s not all wildlife and landscapes. Harborcoat is a Lansing, Mi band that’s gearing up for the release of their new album. You can check them out at www.harborcoat.bandcamp.com
Spring in full swing.
It’s really been a pleasure this year being able to see the animals set up their nests and now start to raise their young. I’ve photographed this pair of Sandhill Cranes earlier this year and being able to see their newly hatched baby was a real pleasure. Looking forward to hopefully getting some baby Blue Heron photos in the next couple of weeks.
Northern Water Snake
I love the excitement that comes from a close encounter with an animal. Especially when it’s something new that I haven’t seen up close with my camera before. While exploring the waters edge looking for migrating birds and potential spots to hunker down for possible duck photos I happened along this beautiful young northern water snake.
Into the woods.
A morning meander through the forest of Huron County. With a rising sun and a touch of mist in the air this scene caught my eye.
Awake.
I didn’t really know what to expect on the drive and through the woods. A mile hike to the water’s edge and I would be facing northward. I was greeted with one of the calmest and most peaceful sunrises I’ve ever experienced. The gentle sound of a calm Lake Huron with a subtle conversation between geese.
