black & white photography

Waterfall Wednesday: Manido Falls in the Porcupine Mountains

Posted on June 10, 2015 by farlane

Turbulence (Manido Falls, Porcupine Mountain), photo by Jiqing Fan

The Waterfall Record’s entry for Manido Falls says:

Manido Falls did not impress me at first, at least not as much as the downstream Manabezho Falls. After seeing the pictures I had taken, though, I discovered what an amazingly beautiful waterfall Manido Falls is. Its beauty comes from its complexity. The waterfall itself is not very tall at all. It is wide, though. As the Presque Isle River tumbles down toward Lake Superior, it comes to this set of rocks that create a beautifully cascading waterfall. I think what makes me like Manido Falls so much is that the water has taken such an interesting course here, erosion taking its effect in an oddly unique way.

Add to it that the just as spectacular Manabezho Falls is only hundreds of yards away, and Lake Superior not much more distant, this makes for one of the most beautiful waterfall stretches in the Upper Peninsula.

Visit #2: When my father and I visited Mandido Falls in late September 2010, the falls looked completely different due to the significant amounts of rainfall in the weeks previous.

Read on for directions and some photos.

View Jiqing Fan’s photo bigger and see more in his Houghton & UP MI slideshow.

More black & white photography and (many) more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures!

Don’t Forget Why You Have Today Off Work

Posted on May 25, 2015May 24, 2015 by farlane

“Don’t Forget Why You Have Today Off Work, photo by J.M.Barclay

Indeed. Enjoy your extra weekend day but take some time to remember the incredible sacrifices that have been made for our nation.

View J.M.’s photo bigger and see more in his slideshow.

Clouds of Michigan: Mackinac Bridge Edition

Posted on May 18, 2015 by farlane

Mackinac Bridge, Michigan by Zack Schindler

Zack says that he shot this in B&W with the red filter turned on in the X-E1.

View it big as the sky and see more in his My Other Stuff slideshow.

More black & white photography on Michigan in Pictures.

Photographer Friday: Bill Schwab

Posted on March 27, 2015 by farlane

Pier Ruin, Cross Village, 2006, photo by Bill Schwab

One of my favorite Michigan fine art photographers is Bill Schwab, and I still remember the day when I pulled up the Absolute Michigan pool on Flickr to find he’d added some of his photos to the group, including the one above.

This morning I learned that he will be presenting an artist lecture “Across Iceland” for the Charlevoix Circle of Arts:

Fine art photographer, Bill Schwab has been taking photo-expeditions to Iceland since 2009. He will share some of his favorite photographs of Iceland’s harsh, yet beautiful, landscape. Schwab is also the founder of PhotostockFest held annually in Harbor Springs. The Artists Adventure Lecture Series are free and open to the public.

Click above for more on the event and visit the Charlevoix Circle of Arts for more about them. Bill’s PhotostockFest takes place June 18-21 and you can register and get details on workshops and the event at that link.

The photography site RFOTOFOLIO has a great interview Seeing the Beauty: Bill Schwab that starts out:

My father’s side of the family was very much into photography. My Great Grandfather, Frederic C. Lutge had a portrait studio in late 19th and early 20th century Detroit and it branched out from there. My father always had interesting cameras and my uncle had a darkroom. I was fascinated by the gear. Even when I was too young to have a camera, I would draw pictures of them. After cutting them out I would pretend to use them and then draw the pictures “taken” with my cut out cameras and show them to people. Apparently I was hooked at an early age, but it wasn’t until I was twelve that I started processing and contact printing my own film from an old Ansco kit. After that, it is all a blur.

…Growing up in Detroit, pretty much everyone worked in the automobile manufacturing industry and I knew very well at a young age that wasn’t going to be my destiny. I can remember very clearly my dad asking me what I wanted to be at about age five. I said that I would get a job like his and he basically said, no way. Then there was my mom with her unbridled curiosity. She was an early news junky and I seriously think she missed her calling by not going into journalism. The major happenings of the day were right there on the TV during dinner and I was very aware and interested in what was going on. We had subscriptions to Life Magazine and Look and I loved to go through the pages looking at the photographs.

Read on for lots more and some beautiful photos.

View Bill’s photo of the ruins of the pier at Cross Village bigger on Flickr and see lots more from across the state in his Michigan slideshow. You can view and purchase prints at billschwab.com. He’s a good follow on Facebook and also just started up an Instagram @bill_schwab, so you might want to follow along there too!

More Michigan photographers on Michigan in Pictures.

Detroit Street Photography with Brian Day

Posted on January 8, 2015 by farlane

resurrection, photo by brian

The opening reception for the show Cardiovista: Detroit Street Photography takes place next Friday (January 16) from 5-7:30 at the University of Michigan Dearborn’s Alfred Berkowitz Gallery (in the Mardigian Library). The show features the work of Carlos Diaz, Bruce Harkness, Tom Stoye and Michigan in Pictures regular Brian Day. Click the link for details!

Brian took this shot of the reborn Cobo Center in 2012. View it bigger and if you’re in the metro Detroit area, I hope you get a chance to check out one of the most original and creative photographers I know in person! Also see his street photography at brianday.org.

Driftwood detail

Posted on December 1, 2014 by farlane

Driftwood with great detail…, photo by Brad Terry

View Brad’s photo from the Lake Michigan shore in Grand Haven background big and see more in his Pier Series slideshow.

More black & white photography and more winter wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!

Presque Isle Fog

Posted on October 10, 2014 by farlane

Presque Isle Fog, photo by Mark O’Brien

On Thursday October 16 from 6-8 pm, Mark’s show of black and white prints opens at the Argus Museum at 525 West William Street in Ann Arbor. The show runs through December 5th, and the museum is open 9-5 weekdays.

View Mark’s photo bigger and see more in his Recent monochrome work slideshow.

PS: There’s a nice feature on the Argus Museum on Michigan in Pictures that features one of Mark’s photos!

$80 Million Michigan Central Station Makeover?

Posted on September 17, 2014March 18, 2025 by farlane

Michigan Central Station, Detroit, MI 2013, photo by brian

The Lansing State Journal reports on Ambassador Bridge owner Matty Maroun’s plan for an $80-million makeover of Michigan Central Station:

Michigan Central Station, a well-known symbol of Detroit’s decay, is expected to get $80 million in renovations over the next three years, according to a top aide to depot owner Manuel (Matty) Moroun. The revelation was made by Moroun associate Dan Stamper as he went before the Detroit City Council last week to discuss alternative plans to the city selling land needed for a new bridge to Canada.

…At Tuesday’s council meeting, Councilwoman Saunteel Jenkins said she was happy to see Moroun’s associate promise to help that community.

“There is one building that you all have not demolished,” Jenkins said of the depot. “Whenever they show the demise of Detroit there are two buildings they always show — one is the Packard Plant, the other is the train station.”

“We are going to renovate the train depot,” Stamper replied. “It’s probably another three years to secure the building watertight.”

…Jenkins didn’t seem impressed with Stamper’s description of plans to renovate the train station.

“That’s a pledge that I’ve heard multiple times,” Jenkins said.

So the short answer: don’t hold your breath. Read on at the LSJ for more.

Brian shot this photo of MCS last September and suggests John Coltrane’s In a Sentimental Mood as the soundtrack. Put it on as you view the photo bigger or enjoy his b&w: land and city slideshow.

Lots more photos of Michigan Central Station on Michigan in Pictures.

Winter is Coming

Posted on August 22, 2014 by farlane

Hesperia Propane Tanks, photo by John Mickevich

“Winter is Coming.”
~ House Stark

A little reminder to soak up summer while we have it. If you need a little more, the Old Farmer’s Almanac says:

Published Wednesday, the New Hampshire-based almanac predicts a ‘super-cold’ winter in the eastern two-thirds of the country. The west will remain a little bit warmer than normal.

Publishers claim their forecasts–based on a ‘secret’ formula that looks at weather and astronomical trends–have an 80 percent accuracy rate.

‘Colder is just almost too familiar a term,’ Editor Janice Stillman said. ‘Think of it as a refriger-nation.’

John says this row of propane tanks caught his eye on a recent drive down M-20 near Hesperia. View his photo bigger and see more in his Ilford film slideshow.

More black & white photography on Michigan in Pictures.