Mackinac Studies

Sometimes those walks where one clears the mind is necessary to appreciating the ease and spontaneity of photographing. When I become disdainful of my craft, I move as far away from it as possible. Take the dogs for a walk. Without fail, my eye starts to function on an unhindered level. I start to see again. After my relinquishing walk, I ran back to the house to get my camera. The frames I saw had inevitably disappeared. I found these instead.
I am working towards publishing a book on the unseen parts of Mackinac, and sell it in the island bookstore next summer. Perhaps these images will be included.

I like the notion of transition in these. The part of the year where pillows are collected from hotels, or when the grain is packaged and brought to the horses. Falling asleep, waiting for the load to be taken.
The dollhouse in the second image works perfectly with the color of the home. I like the play on what is real and what is artificial--a theme very pertinent to the island. I think these two images fit handsomely as a pair--the upside down burley and the drey--both cut off by the framing--seems to denote a sort of incompleteness.

Mackinac Island Music Festival Favorites

Although it was a few weeks ago now, I still cannot seem to get the joy that the Mackinac Island Music Festival brought me out of my heart--but why would I want to?

These award winning musicians don't fail to put a smile on my face, whether backstage or onstage. I think the biggest compliment came, when several of them came up to me and requested that I crawl around onstage and get in their face, because they like to have me up there, jiving with them.
I was floored. This may be the only event that I am not seen as the annoying photog, and welcomed as a friend and a collaborator. Thanks guys!

Jill Jack plays with my heart, and her lovely scarf.

Gary Rasmussen

Billy Brandt and Sarana Verlin

Billy Brand, Sarana Verlin and Dennis Forbes

The Alex Graham Quartet

The extraordinary Audra Kubat finds inspiration backstage

Senior Portrait

Okay,
I LOVED doing little miss Hannah Chamber's senior portrait, because it gave me another opportunity to spread my wings with staged location shooting in my favorite place in the world. My dream: high end fashion shoots on Mackinac--the most beautiful set I can fathom.
So ordinary, yet so ethereal.
Here are some faves from the shoot: