Four Leaf Brewery
I’ve gotten to work with the Four Leaf Brewery in downtown Clare, and it’s owner Amy, several times over the years. I was recently hired to photograph their back room which is rented out for events. They’re always great to work with and have amazing food and beer.
McDonald’s Headshots
I recently got to photograph some headshots for employees of the local McDonald’s. These were shot inside the restaurant right next to PlayPlace.
Hayley Fashion and Easter
I’ve been working with Hayley from Hayley’s Wild for Modeling since 2019. For this shoot we did a handful of fashion outfits on a grey background under a pavilion at Island Park in Mt Pleasant. Then we did some promotional shots for the Clare Jaycees in an Easter bunny outfit!
Mike and Amy Wedding
I always like getting to photograph the weddings of people I’m close too. I’ve been a member of Christ Covenant Church OPC since 2016 and have been a deacon since 2021. I’ve know Mike for years and Amy recently joined our church. It was great getting to photograph their wedding in late March and getting to spend time with church friends.
JCI Michigan 100 Year Celebration and Conference
I had a great time getting to photograph JCI Michigan’s 100 Year Celebration and Conference at Webers in Ann Arbor! I’ve been a member of the Jaycees since 2018 and am now serving as President of the Clare chapter. It was great to spent time with and strengthen the relationships I’ve made with fellow Jaycees. I’m looking forward to continued JCing with Clare and other chapters around the state this year!
Falconry with Lisa Clements
I had a great time getting to go on a falconry hunt with Lisa Clements and her Red Tail Hawk Flare last Saturday!
Departure from the Michigan Photography Network
I recently stepped down as admin of the Michigan Photography Network Facebook group.
Back in 2017 I was trying to find ways to network with other Michigan photographers. I tried joining several groups, like the Rising Tide Society, but most wouldn’t let me join due to my rural location. I decided to create my own group for networking with local photographers called the Michigan Photography Network. During the first two years I coordinated a few in person meetups. The group continued to grow to over 9000 members by the beginning of 2024. From 2017 till early 2024 I was the sole admin. I approved new members, removed spam, and dealt with people’s complaints and conflicts. These are things I dealt with on a daily basis from 2017 early 2024. I’d also had a few photographers from the group who wanted to meet in person whom I met with. These meetings were always pleasant. In the beginning of 2024 I realized this group was taking up way too much of my time. I asked for assistance with the admin duties and several individuals came forward, which I was thankful for. Last week posts in the group got increasingly contentious to the point that threats of lawsuits were being made and admins were banning each other from the group. I shared with several admins that I wanted to delete the group at this point. After sleeping on it, I decided to step down as an admin and leave the group in other people’s hands. I’d like to thank those who privately messaged me and thanked me for the work I did in the group.
Chelsea Olsen Modeling
I had a great time getting to work with model Chelsea Olsen again in Cadillac! Thanks to Chelsea and Dylan for baring with the cold. These images where shot outside near the bathrooms at Kenwood Park in Cadillac, Michigan.
Doug and Courtney Wedding
I had a great time getting to photograph Doug and Courtney’s wedding at Saint Agnes Parish in Marion, Michigan! I was pleasantly surprised to run into so many guests I knew at the wedding. The reception took place at one of my favorite wedding venues the Riverwalk in Gladwin, Michigan.
2024 Michigan Hawking Club Field Meet
Huge thanks to Lisa Clements for inviting me the 2024 Michigan Hawking Club Field Meet. I’ve thought falconry was cool since I was a kid and I spend years trying to get in touch with local falconers to photograph them and their birds. I got to photograph the field meet for the first time in 2023 and was very happy to return this year. These photos are of Selena Creed and her Redtail Hawk Lofin.
2023 Year in Review
Portrait of Crystal Ellison used in her book Ellivate
Every year I like to do a “year in review” blog post. As 2024 got closer I struggled to write 2023’s year in review. In 2022 my business’s income got back to what it was in 2019 pre-covid, and I had a personal record number of weddings shot. As 2022 was starting to wind down I was starting to get weddings booked earlier than usual for 2023 and even some for 2024. Usually each year most of my wedding bookings come in right after Christmas and Valentine’s Day. When Christmas 2022 and Valentine’s Day 2023 came around, I had very few people book weddings, unlike past years. I had several shoots get postponed or canceled in the beginning of the year making finances very tight. My taxes also went up substantially. I had to get on a payment plan to pay off 2022’s taxes, which I’m still paying towards monthly. Due to these financial hardships, I realized that 2023 would be the last year of me trying to make the starving artist lifestyle work. In September 2023 I took Meat Cutter Training Classes at Michigan State University and received my meat cutting certificate from MSU. I’m now searching for full time employment as a meat cutter locally in mid-Michigan. I still plan on running my photography business in 2024, but it will no longer be my main source of income.
Walter the Harris Halk photographed at the 2023 Michigan Hawking Club Winter Field Meet
Providers Healthcare Headshot featured on billboard in Gladwin, Michigan
Despite 2023 being difficult financially due to less wedding bookings and cancellations, there were still lots of high points. Early in the year I got to work with Michigan falconers, thanks to Lisa Clements, inviting me to a falconry meetup in January. This is something I’ve been trying to do for years and was incredibly thankful to be able to partake in. I also got to teach photography classes through 4H and the MSU extension program in the spring. It was incredibly rewarding seeing the kids I was teaching take photos that they were happy with. I also got to photograph the Mt Pleasant Craft Beer Festival for the Mt Pleasant Jaycees. I ran into tons of people I know from a wide variety of different places making the Mt Pleasant Craft Beer Festival one of my favorite things to photograph each year.
Outside of photography I volunteer with several organizations. This year was my third year of serving as a deacon and trustee at Christ Covenant Church OPC in Midland, Michigan. This was also my last year of teaching the middle school aged Christian Education class at Christ Covenant Church, due to them aging out and joining the high school aged class. This was my fifth year serving as a photographer for Royal Family Kids Camp. I was able to do photography for one of their summer camps as well as their monthly club meetings. 2023 was also my fifth year being a Jaycee. This year I served as Vice-President of the Clare Jaycees and I photographed several state level conferences. I plan on continuing to serve at Christ Covenant Church, Royal Family Kids Camp, and the Clare Jaycees in 2024.
On a personal level I got a gym membership back in December 2022 and have been working out consistently since then. This has greatly benefitted my mental health and has helped me manage my depression. I’m still bad with dieting so I was disappointed to have not lost more weight by the end of the year, but hopefully that will be something I can change in 2024. I learned the hard way you can’t out exercise a bad diet. I also got to read a ton this year. I’m a big fan of Audible and am usually listening to an audiobook while driving, retouching, or working out. I’ve been trying to give myself a self taught classical education, by reading the great books, and made significant progress this year.
2023 Mt Pleasant Craft Beer Festival
2023 Mt Pleasant Craft Beer Festival
2023 Mt Pleasant Craft Beer Festival
Haddad Family Portrait
I had a great time getting to photograph the Haddad family, who are fellow members of Christ Covenant Church, the day after Christmas!
Ernest and Shirley Wedding
My second shooter Nikki and I had a great time getting to photograph Ernest and Shirley’s wedding at the beautiful Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in Bay City and The H Hotel in Midland. During the reception DJ Tuts Tunes did an amazing job assisting Nikki and I during the photo roulette which was super fun!
Jordan and Nasim Engagement Session
It was great getting to photograph Jordan and Nasim’s engagement session on some of their family’s property near Farwell, Michigan. Looking forward to photographing there wedding next year!
Chelsea Olsen Modeling Shoot in Cadillac
I had a great time getting to work with model Chelsea Olsen again! For this shoot we did several studio shots under a pavilion in a park in Cadillac.
Adam and Devorah Wedding
My second shooter Nikki and I had a great time getting to photograph Adam and Devorah’s wedding at the Riverwalk Place in Gladwin, Michigan. The bridal party was really fun to hang out with during this 12 hour wedding.
Darlene Headshot
It was great getting to work with Darlene for a quick headshot session the other week.
JCI Michigan Fall Conference in Gaylord, Michigan
It was great getting to photograph another JCI Michigan conference this time in Gaylord, Michigan!
Ryan and Jesica Wedding in Blanchard
I had a great time getting to photograph Ryan and Jesica’s wedding in Blanchard, Michigan. A very fun laid back wedding!
