Didja know October is “Adopt-a-Shelter-Dog Month?” Did you also know I love animals?
… yeah, you probably knew that.
The Most Beautiful Place in America
If you live in Michigan, you probably know that Sleeping Bear was voted “The Most Beautiful Place in America.” After all, we do the “state pride” thing right, so of course you knew that.
The Older They Are, The Harder They Party
A number of years ago – maybe 3 or 4 – I did a class project, designed to make use of my major for someone’s benefit. My mother manages nursing education at Sanctuary at Faser Villa, a Metro Detroit senior care center, part of the Trinity Health System. This particular center hosts a number of yearly parties for their residents.
In other words, things lined up nicely.
Throughout the growth into my career, I got a boatload of experience shooting events and operating on-site photobooths. For a couple years my girlfriend and I brought a photobooth setup to the senior center; she ran the booth, I shot candids. Over time I began dabbling in video and eventually brought it into the mix. Now each time we attend an event, she shoots pictures, I shoot video.
It’s kind of interesting, working within a set group of people. When you shoot any given event, be it a wedding, or Mitzvah, or company picnic, you have to read the crowd and get a feel for the people. Pinpoint the couple guests who are super outgoing and seem to exude happiness into whatever group of people they happen to be near. You’ve gotta learn the venue and figure out where the best light is. You also have to try to anticipate the event schedule and be in position before things happen. In the end, you’ve gotta do the best you can and work with what you’re given.
But shooting the same event each year gives a different edge. It’s especially pronounced in a setting like a senior center. Activity schedules tend not to change much (it’s difficult for the residents if things change all the time). The setting is the same (it’s in the same building each time). Also, for the most part, the residents live there full time, meaning the attendees at the parties tend to remain fairly consistent.
So, instead of a reset each time, I get to work with the information about the event, guests, and venue I had from the previous party and build on it. It’s unique in comparison to my experiences shooting parties and events.
The most recent party we attended was the Annual Harvest Ball, an Autumn-themed event they host every October. Check out the video below!
– Jon
Adventures in the Mitten (& Above).
Over the past couple years, my girlfriend (Ashley) and I have taken a few trips. They usually end up getting planned months in advance then going through so many itinerary changes, we just give up an pick somewhere at random 2 days before we leave.
True story – that’s how it was when we went to Chicago. We were planning a 6 day trip. 36 hours before departure we still had no idea what city we were going to. We’re very forward-thinking individuals.
Anywho… this time around we were actually pretty meticulous. It was mostly because we were camping the whole time and it would be super inconvenient to have to drive 40 miles to the convenience store to buy socks or something.
Every time we plan to go traveling, we usually just default to a trip somewhere in Michigan (we live in Michigan). It might not seem terribly adventurous, but after 30 years I’m still finding awesome stuff in the state I never knew about. There’s also the topography. We have forests, swamps, plains, mountains, dunes, cliffs, over-developed cities, and true wilderness. Not to mention that the entire state is pretty much surrounded by freshwater oceans. Oh – and we have, arguably, the best cider mills on the planet.
But back to the trip! Departing from Metro-Detroit, we hit up Mackinaw City, Mackinac Island, Tahquamenon Falls, Grand Marais, Munising, Pictured Rocks Lakeshore, St Ignace, Cross Village, The Tunnel of Trees, Harbor Springs, Petoskey, Traverse City, Glen Haven, Glen Arbor, and Sleeping Bear Dunes.
We were pretty busy.
It was also Ashley’s first time camping, so that was neat too.
Here are some of my favorite shots, as well as a brief Go-Pro video of our adventure. If anyone is interested in any prints, please be sure to let me know. I’ll be get these images posted to my fine-art site along with some other recent work and I’ll be sure to let you know when they’re up.
Thanks!
– Jon
JonKPhoto 