"Follow this blog, you must," says Yoda....

I've been taking a bit of a break from blogging and shooting for the past few days, to finish up on Mandy's Senior pics, and to catch up a bit on some other work I've been doing lately.  I'll be out and about shooting tonight, however, as well as later in the week, so expect more photos to come real soon :) 

In the mean time....I've received a lot of questions about purchasing prints of some of my work.  If you are interested, all of the photos in this blog can be purchased directly from my website, which is linked to each photo, so click on any of the photos in this blog to be taken straight there!

Stay tuned......more to come :)

-MT

First Senior Portrait Shoot of the Season :)

When I started this blog, I didn't initially intend to post only landscapes and architecture.  Since the winter time in Michigan is usually a bit slow for Weddings and Senior Portraits, I've been occupying my time shooting whatever I can find that I think will interest people.

Tonight I had the pleasure of hanging out with my dear friend Maria, who I haven't seen in quite a few years, and her niece, Mandy.  Mandy is graduating this year, so we met up to do some head shots for Mandy's yearbook photo!

Mandy was a little shy at first, but as it turned out....she was a natural in front of the camera!  We got several great shots, and had a lot of fun doing it!

We'll be heading out to do location portraits as soon as things warm up a bit outside.  I can't wait to meet up again for some more great photos :)

-MT

Hogwarts after dark :)

The Law Quad on UofM Campus......or Hogwart's :)

Tonight's photo is of the very Hogwartesque Law Quad on the UofM Campus.  The funny story behind this shot, is that although beautiful, the very intricate brickwork was incredibly slippery after the rain had stopped, and had a few minutes to ice over!  Just as I set up my tripod, and was preparing to click the shutter, I lost balance and fell hard, straight to the ground!

Can you imagine.....a slip and fall in the Law Quad??  Where's a lawyer when you need one?

-MT

An Old Gothic Library

University of Michigan Law Library

Blogging is a lot of fun, but sometimes it is a huge challenge going out and getting worthy content to present to your readers/viewers.  Last night was no exception....as I pulled in to the parking structure in Downtown Ann Arbor, I knew the weather would be cold and windy.  A thick fog covered the area, rendering some of the buildings I had photographed just a few weeks earlier with complete clarity, unrecognizable through the thick haze.

From the sky, a thin cool mist was falling, which would soon turn into a light rain, before the air turned even colder, freezing the mist to the ground as thin, invisible sheets of ice. 

Depot Town in the Snow....

Depot Town - Ypsilanti, MI

So as I emerged from the depths of Riverside Park the other night....headed back to where I had parked my truck, I came up on the above scene.  On a bar night, in a college town, it's not too often that you can walk up on almost deserted streets, but the heavy snowfall ensured that the sidewalks would be virtually deserted.

My Canon caked with snow, batteries almost dead, I knew I couldn't just head back to the truck, I had to try and make the picture before the last bit of juice was drained and the camera went black.  After all, when would I get a scene like this again?  Not likely anytime soon.

I set up my tripod alongside of Cross Street, wiped the snow and condensation from the front of the lens, and the top LCD, and framed my shot!

I'd like to think that if Thomas Kinkade visited Depot Town, his painting would look something like this. 

-MT

A Little Water Under the Tridge....

The Riverside Tridge

Last night, we finally got the first real snowfall of the season!  Several inches fell, the streets and trees were covered, and as the plow crews worked feverishly to get the roads clear, most people chose to stay in....warm up to a nice cup of hot cocoa and their favorite snuggie, and watch some reruns on TV.

I, on the other hand, was standing in the middle of Riverside Park in Depot Town, feverishly wiping snow from the top LCD of my camera, and lining up a series of shots of the now snow covered area!  To my right, were some college students, riding sleds and tubes down the long steep hill.  To the left, Cross Street leading in to Depot Town, and the hustle and bustle of bar night in a college town.  In front of my...a steep slope down to the rushing water of the Huron River, and just above it, the Riverside Tridge.....a three way bridge that connects Depot Town with both Riverside Park and Frog Island Park.

The night was dark, and the air thick with falling snow.  I knew that in order to snap this capture, I would need an extremely long shutter, so unfortunately the falling snow wouldn't be captured on film.  In the distance, are the lights of Depot Town....the falling snow appears as haze around the lights and buildings.

I spent about an hour and a half walking around the park and shooting.  When I returned to the truck, the camera was completely caked in snow, and dripping all over the the floor mats as it entered the warm cab.  I was definitely glad I was using top gear for this trip.....I couldn't imagine putting my old Rebel through this much torture!

Today's bonus photo, was shot a few days ago in Willow Metropark.  This shot was taken about an hour before the shot of the Detroit Skyline I posted a few days ago, and gives a better glimpse at the dark stormy skies!  I'll have to go back, and see what it looks like now that it's covered in powder!

-MT

Problems with Amazon, and the M.A.S.H. photo!

So tonight I had a nice looooong conversation with Amazon Customer Service.  I had ordered a piece of equipment for a shoot I have lined up next week, and UPS brought it today!  Like most guys, when UPS brings a new toy, you have to go home and play with it, so I figured rather than head out for another landscape, I would do a shot at home, using the new gear.

So I headed home after work, grabbed the box, and excitedly opened it up!  Then I saw it......the wrong item!!

I realize mistakes sometimes happen, but it always sucks when it's something that you ordered to do a job, and now you're unsure if you will be able to get a replacement before the upcoming shoot.  I hurried to Amazon to grab the customer service number, and see what could be done to remedy the situation......

Another Bridge at Elizabeth Park

Tonight's shot is another one from Elizabeth Park, shot a couple of days ago.  You can still see snow along the banks (that didn't last long), and just before the bridge, a group of ducks swim playfully in the icy water. 

Off in the distance, the stream opens up into the Detroit River, and if you look real close, you can see the distant banks of Grosse Ile. 

Due to a slower shutter speed, the water looks like glass, but in reality, the wind was whipping by pretty quickly, and the water was rushing fairly steadily. 

A few minutes later, the sun fell behind the horizon, and the weather quickly turned too cold to shoot, so we headed back home.

-MT

A Tale of Two Countries....

Detroit Skyline, from Grosse Ile, Michigan

Some people look out of the window, and see dark, overcast skies, and think man this is crappy weather!  Others, called photographers, look through the same window, see the same dark gloomy skies, and see a thing of beauty and drama! 

The skies were dark, and the wind was cold and heavy.  The sky was filled with dark, dramatic clouds, that were moving very quickly by as I stood along the Grosse Ile coastline, framing my shot!  In the distance, the Canadian Coastline, and a little further off, Detroit's Renaissance Center, and the rest of the Detroit Skyline.  I crouched down in the mud, and composed the shot!

For those of you who like trivia....it is a little known fact that Detroit is the only place in the United States, that you can stand along the shore and look South and see Canada.  It is an even less known fact, that along the coastline of Grosse Ile, you can look North, and see the edge of Ontario, Canada, with the Detroit Skyline towering from behind! 

Had a great time shooting, and got a lot of great shots......they may all be dreary and grey, but that's ok!

-MT

Sunset over Elizabeth Park

Elizabeth Park, Trenton, Michigan

The sun would be setting in minutes, and the sky was filled with streaks of orange and magenta. My brother David and I were headed to Elizabeth Park in Trenton, to take his dog Trent out for some fresh air.

I had a spot in the park that I wanted to shoot, so before we let Trent loose, I walked over to my spot to see if I could make a picture. As is often the case, when you get to a spot where you have planned to take a photo, you always need to look around. Although the shot I had planned to take was there waiting for me, a better shot was just over my shoulder. While walking back to the truck, I spotted this scene, and quickly set up the tripod to get the capture!

A few seconds later, the sun dipped below the horizon, and the beautiful magenta sky quickly faded away.

-MT

The Towering Cathedral

Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Wyandotte, MI

If there's one thing the city of Wyandotte is know for......it's retirees!  Lots and lots of them, they're everywhere!  If there's two things the city of Wyandotte is known for, it's of course retirees, then second, would be small corner stores, bakeries, bars etc. spread throughout it's neighborhoods.  Back in the day, you didn't have to go downtown to do your shopping, you could just walk a couple of blocks to Art's General Store, the local Pharmacy or the Butcher Shop.  While many of these businesses have long since closed, with their buildings being converted to residential housing, many are still around and doing well, as much of their clientele has continued to shop with them for a few generations!

If there's three things that the city of Wyandotte is known for......first off....retirees, they're practically everywhere.  Second......tiny corner stores, and third would have to be the Churches.  It's hard to go more than two blocks in any direction in Wyandotte, without hitting a century's old cathedral.

The rest of the story, and a bonus photo, after the jump....

First Snow of the Season!

This winter has been pretty strange, as far as the weather is concerned.  Usually, we get quite a bit of snow, and by this time of the year, we usually have already had a foot or two.  Other than a few light dustings, that haven't been heavy enough to cling to the ground.

Last night, we finally got our first real snow fall of the year.  To commemorate this event, I knew that the photo I chose, had to be a snowy one!  Unfortunately for me, the snow still wasn't heavy enough to create that "Winter Wonderland" kind of feeling in any of the locations that I visited.  Sure, I could have always photoshopped in some extra snow, but that would have been cheating!

After work, I was heading to my car, when I noticed the lamp posts in the parking lot had kind of a cool halo effect around them due to the falling snow.  My SLR was in the car, but I decided instead to get the capture with my Canon Powershot G7 (a point and shoot).  The G7 was up to the task, I set it to manual, ISO 200, with an f/2.8 aperture, and fired a test shot.  I then increased my shutter, until most of the ambient light was gone, getting the photo you see here. 

-MT

Sunset through the trees

Today's photo, is another one from the River Walk in Wyandotte, Michigan, right along the Detroit River! 

As I finished the shot of the willows, I noticed that the sun was only minutes from dropping behind the horizon.  I had originally intended to shoot the sunset at another location, but I definitely wouldn't have time to make the drive.  As I scanned the area, I noticed how the rays of light were coming through this set of trees, and leaving long, dark shadows on the ground, and I knew it was the shot I was after!  I set up, framed my shot and snapped off a few, before heading back to the truck.  By the time I had my tripod collapsed, the sun was completely gone. 

-MT

Mist over the Mighty Huron

Huron River, Dexter, Michigan

Today I was headed to Dexter, to go grab some supplies from George at Huron Camera.  First off, let me just say that, if you're in the Ann Arbor area and into Photography, you should definitely know George and the staff at Huron Camera.  If you've never been there.....what's wrong with you??

So anyway, I was headed to Dexter to see George, and grab some sensor cleaning supplies, and get some pricing on tripods.  The other day I had mentioned to a customer that I would be in the area, and he decided to give me a "Short Cut" that was sure to get me there faster!  As usually happens......I got lost!  Let me just say that, if you have to pick a place to get lost, Dexter isn't a bad place to be!  It's a quaint little town, surrounded by farms, fields and woods, along with the Huron River weaving in and out as you drive through.  Although I was most definitely lost, I didn't care, I was enjoying the ride......

Willows Weeping by the River

Weeping Willows on the River Walk in Wyandotte, Michigan

Last night I went down to the River Walk in Wyandotte, to get some fresh air and watch the sun set.  The weather was in the upper 40's, and was very nice compared to the below freezing days we've had as of late. 

When I arrived, the sun was very low in the sky, and cast a warm orange glow over the ground and trees.  I found these two weeping willows alongside the river, bathed in the orange glow, and decided to make a frame.

A few minutes after I took this shot, the sun dropped down over the horizon and was gone.  The sky darkened, and the weather quickly turned colder.  Off in the distance, the Detroit Skyline popped up over the river, but I was without my 70-200 f/2.8, so that picture would have to wait for another day!

-MT

The Greatest Generation

WWII Memorial, Lincoln Park, MI

This morning I was out and about Downriver, and caught site of a spot that I had passed by thousands of times before, but had never really stopped to take a close look at. 

Erected in 1949, the granite memorial, flanked on both sides by American Flags, pays tribute to the brave men of Lincoln Park, that gave their lives in the second world war, that others may be free.  Additional plaques were later added, including the Korean and Vietnam Wars, along with a newer addition to the left, with boots, a rifle and helmet that pay tribute to those that served in the more recent Middle Eastern conflicts.

Midnight in Gotham City

State Theater, Ann Arbor, MI

Last Night I decided to venture out into Downtown Ann Arbor, to see if there was anything interesting to see.  The night was a bit chilly, but not too unbearable, and although the streets below were still pretty busy.....from the top of an eight story building everything was quiet.  The sky was a sort of reddish color that had quite a dramatic effect, like something you might see in one of the many comic book inspired movies that have hit theaters of late.

Above, the moon was very bright, and was casting a halo effect on the low hanging clouds that looked like some kind of cosmic worm hole that was slowly pulling the earth into certain doom!!

Dock on Belleville Lake....

Today's weather was interesting..... unseasonably warm (40's) and there was actually blue sky and sunshine!  I was out running errands in Belleville this morning before work, when I noticed the incredible blue sky and dramatic clouds that were hovering over the lake.  I pulled into the parking lot of a small park alongside of the lake, grabbed my tripod and headed down to the dock to try and snap a shot.......

The Old Caboose

NYC Caboose, Depot Town - Ypsilanti, MI

So you would figure, that in a college town, on a bar night, in one of the more popular bar sections of town......that you could hold an 8 minute shutter on a public street (next to the largest parking area) without people walking in front of your camera.  Apparently not!  People just don't respect the artists anymore! 

Depot Town (named after the old train depot that resides there) is the historical section of Ypsilanti.  Just a short walk from Eastern's Campus, the area is filled with historic buildings and vintage coolness........and also a few very popular bars!  The highlight of the night was when a few drunk girls wandered in front of the camera.....stopped.....then asked if they were in my way.  I asked them if they could move quickly because the shutter is open, and they thought I meant the shutters on the caboose and proceeded to ask if it was haunted!  I told them it was, and I was going to wait all night to get my ghost picture :)  If you stare at it long enough, you can see him (or her) peering through the window, I swear!

As I stated in a previous post, I've long had a fascination with trains, so this subject was kind of a no brainer!  I would have shot the depot, but it is now a parking spot for bar goers, so there wasn't an angle that didn't have some crappy import taking away from the nostalgia of the decaying train stop!  I'll have to return, maybe on a Tuesday or Wednesday night, real late, and get a shot when the place is deserted.  Until then, here's my rendition of the old caboose.....enjoy!

-MT

The Famous Ypsilanti Water Tower

Ypsilanti Water Tower

Ypsilanti Michigan, just a few minutes East of Ann Arbor, is home to Eastern Michigan University, is the birthplace of Dominoe's Pizza, and a giant Water Tower shaped like a.....

Ypsilanti is home to a number of local landmarks, but by far, the most well known is the old Water Tower that sits across from EMU's Campus.  Finished in 1890, the tower was the only water tower in the Ypsilanti area, and was designated as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the State of Michigan in 1974.  The tower has many local nicknames....most with varying degrees of derogatory connotation due to it's most decidedly phallic shape.  Local legend has it that if a virgin were ever to graduate from EMU.....the tower would crumble to the ground!

Today's photo was a challenge.....the rest of the story after the jump.........

Take the A Train

Ever since I was young, I've always been fascinated with trains!  I can remember being about 5 or 6, sitting in the upstairs window of my Grandmother's house for hours with my brother Joe, watching the trains on the nearby tracks going by!  We of course had model trains.....mostly HO Scale, and a few N's.  Eventually, Joe graduated into the bigger Lionel trains, which is what rounds the parents' Christmas Tree each year!

I decided to visit Oakwoods Metro Park while I was out and about today, thinking maybe I would find a nice spot by the lake to shoot.  As I was slowly driving up the 3 mile stretch from Willow Road, to the Oakwoods Nature Center, I came upon the old railroad tracks that cross the main road.  I stopped on the tracks (they don't get used much, so no safety issues) and looked in both directions, and there was my shot!  I figured what the heck, the lake will always be there, but the clouds in the distance looked very dramatic, and the sun was falling quickly, which meant that if I hurried, I could get a nice dark blue sky to go with the scene!

The rest of the story after the jump......

View South of the Border......

 

 Handheld HDR shot from a restaurant parking lot......

For a successful HDR shot, you need patience, persistence, a good camera and a sturdy tripod.  Unfortunately for me, I had none of these with me tonight!  As I was out and about running errands tonight, I made a quick stop off at one of my favorite locations.....Taco Bell!  As the leaves began to fall from the trees a few months back, they gradually uncovered a beautiful view of the West end of Belleville Lake, and I have been wanting to make a picture of the scene for a while now......

Alien in the Water......

I was all set, to venture out into the world this afternoon, tripod in hand, to capture a magnificent landscape.  The location I had in mind was a place I had driven by many times, just off of a main road.  It wasn't until this fall, when the leaves began to fall from the trees, that I noticed that behind them was a great view of the lake below.  I like these hidden gems....places that lie right in front of our faces, yet we pass by them daily without giving so much as a glance.  I love it when I get to make a picture of one of these places, so that when I show it and people ask where it was taken, I can see the look on their faces when I tell them, and they realize they've passed by it a million times.....

So I was headed to lunch with a friend, and then on the way back I was going to stop off and capture that money shot.......then I got called in to work!

Getting off of work 3 hours past sunset doesn't help, when your shooting an unlit landscape!  I'm always up for developing my Strobist skills, but I just don't have enough Speedlites in my bag to light an entire lake......what would David Hobby do?

Come up with a Plan B, that's what......

2012......a Photographic Odyssey!

A New Year always brings with it the promise of a new beginning....a fresh start.....time to change for the better!  For some, that means it's time to hit the gym again, or start that new diet, or quit smoking, or get a new hobby.  For me....it means it's time to take another stab at this whole blog thing!

The whole story, after the jump......