small town america

Pentwater, Michigan

Pentwater, Michigan

For our family, summer means trips to Lake Michigan. In two hours, you can be right next to one of the world’s great bodies of fresh water.

Summer also means Pentwater, a little west coast town in Michigan that we frequent – either visiting family friends or participating in our church’s summer camp. 

Pentwater is a classic Lake Michigan town: busy during the summer, but unlike some of the towns to the south, it retains its small-town charm. 

And then, just outside of town, you get these quaint Lake Michigan beaches and fish stores – perfect for a family picnic.

You can’t miss when visiting these little western Michigan towns. Just ask all the Chicago residents who travel this way in the warmer months; their Chicago Bears bumper stickers give away their hometown. 


Homer, Michigan

Homer, Michigan

Welcome to Homer.

It’s hot – early July, mid-day hot. And quiet. Homer is a sleepy rural village in southern Michigan.

Americana was on full display walking around the village square just after July 4.

Shot on the Canon 5D (classic!) and EF 50mm f/1.4.


Stockbridge, Michigan

On our way up north this summer, I took the scenic route (as I often do) through the little towns of Stockbridge and Perry, Michigan. Along the way, I made a mental note to stop by both towns and take photos.

I picked a foggy morning on the first day of autumn to head up to Stockbridge. I’m glad I did, because the mist gave the town square a vibe. I made a whole morning out of it, shooting along the way and back home, and it ended up being a really productive (and fun) day out.

Shot on the Canon 5D with a combo of the EF 28mm and 40mm.


Grass Lake, Michigan

Capturing small towns around mid-Michigan is an ongoing project. A few weeks back, I grabbed a sunny morning in early September and went to Grass Lake, Michigan, a little village on the East end of Jackson County.

A powerhouse in local football, and an old railroad stop along the I-94 corridor to Ann Arbor and Detroit, Grass Lake has a quaint downtown district with some alleyways great for exploring. It was quiet the morning I was there – very few walkers or browsers on the square – but E Michigan Ave is always busy with traffic.

For this trip, I took the Canon M6 and a mix of 22mm and 28mm EF-M lenses.

This fall, I plan to try and visit more little towns around this area of Michigan. So far, I have visited Springport, Parma, Homer, and Brooklyn.