Rock on, Michigan in Pictures

Posted on by farlane
Frankfort Rock Garden by Andrew McFarlane

Rain Comes by Andrew McFarlane

9 years ago I started a Michigan in Pictures Patreon page to allow folks to throw me a few bucks in support of michpics. A big thank you to all who have done so – it means a lot to know you care.

My best friend Ken who has since passed on & I took these photos way back in August of 2007 after an honestly incredible rock stacking event on the Lake Michigan shoreline just north of the village of Frankfort. I still have no idea who did this, but I know that I will never forget it!! I hope you enjoy these photos & the video and also that you’re able to make or discover magic in your corner of the Great Lakes State.

Frankfort Rock Gallery photos by Andrew McFarlane & Ken Lake

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Frigid Sunrise at Wawatam Light

Posted on by farlane
Frigid Sunrise at Wawatam Light by Robert F Carter

Frigid Sunrise at Wawatam Light by Robert F Carter

Pure Michigan shares that Wawatam Lighthouse started life in 1998 as a Michigan Welcome Center travel icon at Monroe, Michigan. In 2004, the Monroe Welcome Center was being revamped and the lighthouse was put up for relocation. The City of St. Ignace was the lucky recipient and the structure was trucked north in five pieces. It stayed on the Chief Wawatam Dock for a time, awaiting the construction of its new platform … The Wawatam Lighthouse beacon was first lit on August 20, 2006. Visible for more than 13 miles out over Lake Huron, it is now an official aid-to-navigation. The 250 millimeter Fresnel lens casts its light in a 152 degree arc.

Robert writes “Four of us from my camera club decided to visit Michigan’s U.P. in search of the Snowy Owl. We left early and before we got up to the hunting grounds, we stopped by St. Ignace to see the sunrise. This area of Lake Huron was not frozen over yet even though it was about -5 degrees this morning. One did not stay outside the car very long with the blowing breeze.”

See more in Robert’s Lighthouses gallery on Flickr & see lots more lighthouses on Michigan in Pictures.

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It’s time for the 2025 Detroit Auto Show!

Posted on by farlane
Here it comes by Detroit Auto Show

Here it comes by Detroit Auto Show

The Detroit Auto Show starts today and runs through January 20th. The Freep shares that in addition to no longer putting on airs as the North American International Auto Show, there won’t be any concept cars or earth-shaking demos. Instead, the show will include more than 30 car brands showcasing their vehicles. Luxury cars will be returning to the floor, and there will be test tracks, charity drives and engineering exhibits.

Being a place for buyers to meet sellers & see the range of cars in the market is for sure cool, but can we just have just a couple concept cars? For science?? Here’s two from past Michpics posts…

1938 Phantom Corsair by Alden Jewell

Speed Racer by Michael Doyle

Speed Racer by Michael Doyle

“Without Detroit, cars wouldn’t be cars, culture wouldn’t be culture, and music wouldn’t be music. My family wouldn’t be what it is without this city.”

– @stephen_mcgee, Filmmaker, 2x Emmy Award Winner, Photographer MY DRIVE. MY CITY. MY SHOW.™

The Auto Show had a cool series of photos last fall showing notable Detroiters & their rides. I’ve featured Stephen McGee’s pics here so I thought it would be nice to share this one his daughter took of him. Follow him on Instagram & get lots more Detroit Auto Show goodness on Michigan in Pictures!

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Michigan offers Winters like no other!

Posted on by farlane
Winter Sunshine Waves by Matt Kazmierski

Winter Sunshine Waves by Matt Kazmierski

mLive’s Mark Torregrossa is my favorite Michigan meteorologist most especially for articles like the one he shares today about why Michigan’s winter weather is unlike anywhere else in America:

Several times a year I can point out to you weather we see nowhere else in America. One of those times is when we get Arctic air crossing the 40-degree water of Lake Michigan.

Look at the low temperature forecast for tomorrow morning, Jan. 9. You could call a friend in northeast Lower Michigan, and they will tell you it’s very cold and near zero degrees. Look at the “warmer” air that blows off of 40-degree Lake Michigan. We will have spots around Kalamazoo, South Haven and Benton Harbor that only drop to 20 degrees. Southeast Lower Michigan can be colder than the northwest shoreline of Lake Michigan at this time of year. Thursday morning’s map clearly shows that strange temperature pattern. We also see the warmer air under the clouds and lake effect snow stretching southeast off Lake Michigan.

Matt took this at Nordhouse Dunes back in March of 2022 & the one below in March of 2023. Head over to his Flickr for his latest!

Ice, Sand, Snow & Water by Matt Kazmierski

Ice, Sand, Snow & Water by Matt Kazmierski

Low Temperature Forecast graphic by mLive

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Detroit Lions secure top playoff spot

Posted on by farlane
Spirit of Detroit Number One Playoff Seed Edition by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

Spirit of Detroit Number One Playoff Seed Edition by Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions

Last night the city of Detroit erupted in celebration after the 14-2 Detroit Lions destroyed the also 14-2 Minnesota Vikings last night for their 15th win & top seed in the NFC. It’s an absolutely incredible moment for the long suffering franchise & Lions fans everywhere!

Jahmyr Gibbs by Detroit Lions

Jahmyr Gibbs by Detroit Lions

The Lions running back lived up to his Sonic nickname with 139 yards on the ground, another 31 through the air, and FOUR touchdowns. Gibbs became the first Lions player to lead the NFL in scrimmage touchdowns (20) since Sanders in 1991 (17) while setting a single-season franchise record for TDs!!

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Top 5 Photos for 2024 & looking ahead to 2025

Posted on by farlane

Every year I like to look back on the most popular photos from the previous year of Michigan in Pictures, and this year is no exception. Joey’s incredible drone shot of workers laying the last girder in place to connect the deck of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge to the Detroit Port of Entry was not only the most popular post in 2024 — with 2.9 MILLION views it also became the most popular post ever on Michigan in Pictures! This astonishing project has been directed and paid for by Canada & opens in November of 2025! Learn more about the Gordie Howe Bridge on Michigan in Pictures & for sure follow Joey on Instagram and view & purchase photos on his website!

Gordie Howe’s Last Girder by Joey D

Checking in at number two is this peach of a photo of Turnip Rock near Port Austin in Michigan’s Thumb. Tom shared that this gigantic stone developed its signature look after millennium of being worn away by waves thumping across its bow to the point where it’s just an island inhabited by some trees and very little else. Head over to Tom’s website to view & purchase his work!

Turnip Rock at sunset by Tom Clark

Fly Me to the Moon by Morgan Andrew Somers

This shot from Flint by Morgan Andrew Somers of a plane flying into the eclipse was the 3rd most popular pic of 2024. It is also one of the coolest eclipse photos & photos in general I’ve ever seen!

MASPhoto has the receipts – it’s not fake. View & purchase prints including this one at morganandrewsomers.com.

Mackinac Bridge Walk & Herbert C Jackson by the Mackinac Bridge Authority

The 4th most popular post was a pair of pics showing the freighter Herbert C Jackson passing under the bridge with Mike Rezabek’s photo of the walk below from the deck of the Jackson completing the 360 view!

Bridge Walk from Herbert C Jackson by Mike Rezabek

Milo and the Morazan by Chris Roxburgh

Milo is a good boy & this photo by his owner & Great Lakes shipwreck explorer Chris Roxburgh was our 5th most popular photo of the year.

Follow Chris on Facebook, view & purchase his work including coffee table books on his website, and learn more about the shipwreck of the Francisco Morazan off South Manitou in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore from Leelanau.com!

Eastern Hognose Snake by Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

The most popular post from previous years was the 2014 feature on the Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon platirhinos). The “puff adder” is one of only 17 species of snake in Michigan and like all but one of the, it’s harmless to humans.

FYI, the only poisonous snake native to Michigan is the Eastern massasauga rattlesnake which has the weakest venom of any rattler.

I promised a look at what’s in store for 2025, so here are five goals I think I can achieve in the coming year:

  1. Visiting or revisiting places I’ve talked about on Michigan in Pictures, either in person or real life. One of the biggest reasons I created Michigan in Pictures was to provide a window into the many cool experiences available in the Great Lakes State. Back in the day when I started, I was able able to get out and about to all corners of the state, but these days I just don’t have the same time to do that. I’m hoping that in addition to pushing myself to do more, I can find some photographers exploring them.
  2. Highlighting more photos from our Michigan in Pictures group on Facebook and creating addition virtual & maybe even real world opportunities to share photos. There used to be some very fun Exposure.Detroit shows & meetups back in the day, and I was even able to lead a field trip to the Grand Traverse Commons with the group. These days I work & know folks at some cool spots here in Detroit that would be fun to explore, and there are a lot of photographers featured here that have deep roots in all corners of Michigan. Social media is cool & all, but for my money, the real world is where things are going to be at in the years to come.
  3. Reaching out to some of the amazing Michigan photographers I’ve profiled over the years to see what they’re up to now & what they’re thinking about photography. And of course to do profiles on some of the great new photographers I’m sharing. I didn’t do a whole lot of Michigan Photographer Profiles, but the ones I did were absolutely fascinating to me both as a photographer and as a lover of Michigan.
  4. Find more Michigan companies & photography companies to donate swag to give away. When we were running Absolute Michigan at full steam, we used to get a lot of free promotional items like concert tickets, museum passes, free lodging stays, outdoor & other gear, and lots more.
  5. Featuring more of my own photos. Because I enjoy taking them!

Stay tuned & thank you for being a part of Michigan in Pictures! Click for more Michigan in Pictures Year in Reviews & related posts.

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