Above Lake Michigan by Bill Dolak
With full honor & respect to the absolutely brutal temps across Michigan this morning, here are some sweet photos from a series that Bill took on February 1st at Fennville’s Pier Cove Park. There’s even a shot of a sundog in one of the photos!
See more in his Droneography – Autel EVO Lite+ gallery on Flickr!
Above Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park by William Dolak
I’ve been seeing photos from all across Michigan of communities lighting up for the holidays, and for my money Kalamazoo’s Bronson Park nailed it this year!
The man who nailed this drone shot, Bill Dolak, is one of the Michigan in Pictures Facebook group’s most active photographers, delivering great pics from in and around Kalamazoo, Michigan in good times like this and bad ones like this year’s devastating Kalamazoo/Portage Tornado.
You can click on either picture for a bunch more shots, and you should for sure check out all his posts in the Michigan in Pictures group!
Bronson Park Holiday Decorations by William Dolak
PS: The other day Bill shared a photo from above of snow covered, downed trees near Celery Flats Park in Portage.
GlooM Headquarters by Camera Jesus
Yesterday Bedrock and General Motors announced a conceptual plan to redevelop the Renaissance Center (RenCen) and 27 acres along the Detroit riverfront. They say that the plan “preserves the essence of Detroit’s skyline, ‘right sizes’ the RenCen’s footprint, and connects the site to the heart of downtown. The surrounding entertainment district would become a vibrant waterfront destination, drawing international visitors and featuring restaurants, hospitality, residential and market space—complementing Detroit’s award-winning Riverwalk, which draws more than 3.5 million annual visitors to the city.”
Check out the renderings & Detroit News excerpt below for an idea of what’s in store & please share your thoughts. Personally, I’m glad that they’re preserving some of this truly iconic structure but honestly worried that it could end up being a terrifying albatross in the event of an economic downturn. Much more about the Renaissance Center on Michigan in Pictures.
It’s been a minute since I’ve featured a photo by the amazing Joe Gall aka Camera Jesus. He shared this back in January of 2023. Follow him on Facebook & Instagram for the latest and for sure head over to CameraJesus.com to view & purchase his photos including this beauty of a supermoon rising over the Ren Cen!!
Renaissance Center Conceptual Renderings by Bedrock
The Detroit News shares (in part):
The Renaissance Center would shrink to three towers with residential, office and hotel tenancy to create space for a six-acre riverfront park in a more than $1.6 billion redevelopment plan dependent on $250 million in state support that would make billionaire mortgage mogul Dan Gilbert’s real estate firm shared owner of the complex with current owner General Motors … Gilbert is contributing $1 billion in equity and debt, and GM is providing $250 million after having invested $1.5 billion into the building during its ownership. A new entity owning the site will reflect each party’s contribution toward the redevelopment, said Dave Massaron, GM’s vice president of infrastructure and corporate citizenship.
Waugoshance Point by Jim Sorbie
I’m going to try to share more posts about great Michigan trails & hikes that are a little off the beaten path. If you have a favorite, share it in the comments! DWHIKES has the 411 on Waugashaunce Point Trail in Wilderness State Park north of Petoskey on Lake Michigan is a great trail that is DEFINITELY off the beaten path:
Waugoshance Point is easy to spot on a map, just look for the large peninsula jutting out from the northwestern corner of the lower peninsula: that’s it. If only for that reason it was an attractive place to want to take a hike. An added bonus was the fact that it marks the western end of the Mackinac Straits amidst three remote lighthouses and is completely devoid of trails. I simply couldn’t come up with a reason NOT to go.
Waugoshance Point is truly spectacular in the summer when the rock beaches are home to a myriad of waterfowl and a dizzying array of lake shore wildflowers. I just couldn’t wait though. The snow was gone and I needed to get out. The trail head, if there was a trail, is located at the end of Waugoshance Point Road which gives access to the back-country cabins of Wilderness State Park. From there I’d trust my topo-map to guide me along the shore out to the point. Though there are no hills or cliffs to speak of the area turned out to be quite diverse and beautiful, as you’ll see…
Here’s a great aerial photo by Jim – see more in his From the Air gallery on Flickr which also includes another view of the Point from August of 2022.
Shades of Blue .. Waugoshance Pt by Jim Sorbie
500 Drone Lion over Michigan Central Station by Stephen McGee Films
The Detroit Lions open the 2024 NFL Season at home Sunday night at 8:30pm vs Matthew Stafford & the Los Angeles Rams. In celebration, the Lions will hold a drone show over downtown Detroit like the one they held over Michigan Central Station back in January. The show will take place 400 feet above Ford Field facing downtown this Saturday (Sep 7) at 8:45pm.
There’s a huge amount of excitement around the Lions this year following their stellar 2023 season – let us know how you’re feeling in the comments!!
Stephen took this photo in January . Follow him @stephen_mcgree on Instagram. You can purchase this print & get information about his work including Resurgo, a documentary about the rebirth of Detroit on his website.
Golden Rays over Canada by Craig Hensley
Craig got this supersweet drone shot of downtown Detroit last week. In his photo you can see Belle Isle, the sun shining on Canada across the Detroit River at the left, the Renaissance Center towers in the center, and the art deco Guardian Building in the foreground.Â
See more great shots in Craig’s Detroit gallery & view and purchase his work on his website.
Tic Tac Toe in the Woods by Laurent Fady
One of the nice things about drone photos is that they can reveal cool things that are lurking just beyond our perception. Laurent shares that he asked his brother who “makes” trees for a living as a biology engineer, and his brother said that it could be an effort to mark growing areas for growers.
Laurent says that the next time he drives by, he’ll investigate. Stay tuned & see more in his Aerial Photos of Northern Michigan gallery on Flickr & follow Laurent Fady Photography on Facebook!
Mouth of the Grand River by Dan Gaken
Cool shot of the Grand Haven Lighthouse at the mouth of the 252-mile long Grand River. See more shots from above in Dan’s Drone Photography gallery on Flickr.
South Fox Island Light Station by Dusty Klifman / Blueyes Below
My company recently completed a new website for the Fox Island Lighthouse Association. Their website explains:
The South Fox Light Station is located 22 miles offshore in NW Lake Michigan, south of Beaver Island and north of the Manitous. The 115 acres of MI state-owned land has much to offer, with seven original structures still standing and acres of pristine dune and wildlife; it is one of the most unique stations on Lake Michigan. The original tower was lit in 1867; the fog signal and oil house were built in 1895. The Workshop and Boat House were built in 1897. In 1934, the 68’ steel skeletal tower was brought from Sapelo Island, GA and reassembled on the island (automated in 1958). The two-story Assistant Keepers Quarters was added in 1910. The station was decommissioned in 1969.
In 1971, the State of Michigan bought the station from the Department of the Interior with a promise to provide recreational opportunity and access to the public.
You can head over to their website for information & photos about the station, its structures, and how you can help them with their work.
Diver/photographer Dusty Klifman of Blueyes Below, provided some photos for the website & the cool drone footage. Check him out for lots more photos & videos of shipwrecks & other maritime subjects.
Shorts Brewing Kegger Campground in Bellaire
One thing that the Coronavirus pandemic has proven is that Michiganders aren’t afraid to get creative. One of Michigan’s most creative breweries, Shorts Brewing Co of Bellaire, is no exception. Last week they shared this photo saying: A rad aerial view of Kegger Campground across the street from the Bellaire Pub or an original sketch for Pac-Man? Come check it out for yourself! Firewood is available at the Pub, and you can take your food and drink over to your own little winter wonderland.
See the photo bigger on their Facebook page & get details about Shorts at shortsbrewing.com!
