MacCready Reserve: Buzzing

On a hike through the MacCready Reserve in May. Had these wildflowers growing up just about everywhere.
Processed using VSCO Film 05 Kodak UltraMax 400 Vibrant.

On a hike through the MacCready Reserve in May. Had these wildflowers growing up just about everywhere.
Processed using VSCO Film 05 Kodak UltraMax 400 Vibrant.

Albion, Mich.
As a photographer, and as a designer at my former job, I find color to be tough. I love color, and I make sure that color is a big part of my work. But I’ve always had trouble getting color – understanding it intuitively.
So I’m trying to do more color studies like this one. Pick color as a subject. It started as a daily Instagram project for one week, but now I’m trying to do more of it.
Here’s to color.

Concord, Mich.
One of my favorite sites in the morning is this red barn. The way the sunrise hits it, and the shadows, the deep red – it’s lovely.
Pretty great, and visually interesting, video for “Under the Pressure” by The War On Drugs. Lost In The Dream is easily one of my favorite albums of the year so far. Every song is beautiful.
And man, talk about making a good video on the cheap.
I originally stopped off the side of the road to grab a few photos of sandhill cranes. But the cranes were not cooperative, so I had to work with the sunrise on the side of the road.

Lake Huron – Tobermory, Ontario
That sliver of land way out there on the horizon? That’s Manitoulin Island.

The lodge at Tobermory, Ontario, offered a perfect view of Lake Huron and the Georgian Bay off the back patio. The way the light came into the main sitting room was perfect.

You want a great place to stay along Highway 17 in Ontario, along the Georgian Bay in Lake Huron? Give the Red Top Motor Inn a try.
It’s classic motor lodge, with vintage decorations, Centennial design, and a great dining area.
That’s what’s great about these roadside motels in Ontario: a ton of them have little restaurants attached, with great food.

Horton, Michigan
It’s getting to be that time of year where the sunrise is perfectly timed to my morning commute. From now through early September it will be great for photo making, like with this little shed on my neighborhood street.
This was one of those photos that I screeched to a halt in my car, pulled over, and crept through the trees to get the shot.
Sure, there’s a bit of bravery needed to pull the car over and climb into an abandoned and nearly-collapsed shack on the edge of an overgrown tree farm.
And then you see the creep-tastic shrine someone made out of a skull and carcass bones.
But there’s also adventure, and the gnawing desire to see what’s inside the thing.
So it was that I climbed into this ramshackle little building, probably no more than 15 ft. by 30 ft., after passing if for many years along M-60 just east of Spring Arbor, Mich.
Natural Light Portraits by Cristina Hoch
You want to see what someone with a creative eye can do with a consumer camera and a kit lens?
Selections from Cruise Night in downtown Jackson, Mich.
This was one of the first times I took the Canon EOS M for a spin (ha!), shooting these fantastic classic cars. I came back that night and was super impressed. The level of detail and richness of the images was appealing.
But it was also a chance to explore things like chrome flourishes, and car colors you don’t see anymore.
Faith No More’s Mike Patton at his most handsome.
Check out the color grading in these shots. Lovely cinematic styling.
I’d love to be able to process my photos like that. Time to play with some curves.
“Ashes to Ashes” brought me back into the Faith No More fold. Glad to see they’re back and making new music.