Every environment is full of unique beauty and strength. Taking the time to admire the views around you can further connect you with your surroundings. It is so important to get out and explore the world, even right outside your front door, just don't forget to appreciate it.
Growing up in California, I thought I had the best situation possible. In some ways, I definitely did; I could swim outdoors all year, I could go to the beach literally any day if I wanted to, there was never a shortage of fresh produce, Winter was essentially Fall, plants went dormant but never really died, there weren't many bugs, it was wonderful. However, the beauty that I have witnessed in Michigan is astounding and worth the weather changes, though I could do without mosquitoes and giant ants.
I remember the first time I truly appreciated all the Midwest had to offer. We as a family traveled to Illinois every Summer to spend a few weeks with our grandparents in the town our parents were raised. We would drive across the country and while I spent most of the time reading, I would look out the windows to see the giant mountains in Nevada, the Salt Flats in Utah, amazing shows of red rocks in Colorado, and endless rows and rows of corn throughout Nebraska and Iowa. Obviously there were marvelous fields and lakes and other impressive feats of nature surrounding us at all times. I most vividly remember falling in love with the greenery of the Midwest my junior year of high school. My family road tripped to drop my two older brothers off in college: one in Arizona and one in Illinois. Due to the fact that I would be missing the first two weeks of school, my newspaper teacher instructed me to write about something different on each day of the trip. Our last day in Illinois, I just wrote about how beautiful it was to see massive green trees, luscious grass, blooming flowers, and so many examples of thriving botanical life. California is beautiful all year, but the Midwest can be stunning in different ways each season.
During the quarantine portion of the pandemic, a friend and I would get together outside, safely-distanced and taking all precautions in our every day lives, and we would take pictures of the nature surrounding us. From local parks, to a three hour drive just for prime photo opportunities that didn't pan out, we wanted to enjoy and capture the natural art that is alive and well in the Midwest. Though life has gotten busier than the days of the pandemic, we still schedule time now and then to take pictures, to create things, or just to explore without our cameras. Appreciating nature is an amazing feeling, but having a friend to share in that beauty with you is incomparable. Thank you Emily for being my adventure buddy!
These are just a few examples from the thousands of pictures I have saved. I do make some edits to them using Adobe Lightroom, essentially a more simplified and affordable version of photoshop. I found that using the editing programs also allows me to have a better eye for what I want to capture while photographing. It is all a learning experience that allows me to gain confidence, skills, and joy.
Independence Oaks County Park, Clarkston, MI
This park has actually come to be pretty special to me. It is the first location Emily and I went exploring when starting this artistic journey and recently my family went to take professional family photos there (which I highly recommend). We went almost exactly three years ago, about two months into quarantine, and spent the day walking around, getting sunburned, and enjoying a bit of friend time. We certainly weren't sure what we were doing this time; I took a photography class in college, but didn't remember most of it, and she'd done a lot of research and practice. There was no rhyme or reason to our pictures, we just kept capturing and snapping away as we walked around the park. It was an especially wonderful time to venture through the park as very few people were there.
Here are just some of my favorites from our first trip out:
The weather was perfect that day which allowed for some stunning pictures. Just the amount of detail we picked up on in these alone is outstanding. So many times we see a marvelous landscape and try to capture that energy in a photo and it just doesn't do justice to what you are seeing. I think we maintained some beauty in these. Picking a favorite is so difficult because I love aspects of all of them, and the dock really steals my attention, but I will always be partial to a sunbeam coming through the trees.
Lavender Labyrinth at Cherry Point, Mears, MI
This trip was one I wanted to do for quite some time. A friend of mine came out from California for my brother's wedding and spent an extra week out here with me. I planned out all of these fun Michigan things to do and this place was at the top of my list. Then, I found out that this friend, I have had since we were three years old, is allergic to lavender. That plan went out the window. I still wanted to make the trip and the three and a half hour drive to see fields and fields of lavender, majestically blowing in the wind. So mid-July of 2020, Emily and I hit the road, having nothing but time to spare.
What we didn't know was the lavender was hit hard by the frost in the beginning of 2020 and there were very few blooms. They had a gorgeous garden and a really cool maze set up with herbs and bushes and rocks. We still managed to snag some great pictures and enjoy a beautiful day in Northern Michigan. Since we drove all that way, we found a local winery and did a tasting, stopped by a donut shop with "award winning" donuts (they were delicious), and drove by a very crowded beach that we weren't ready to stop by and be around that many people yet.
Here are my favorites from this trip:
Unfortunately as it was sunny day, I couldn't see much on my screen while taking the photos and didn't notice the smudge on the camera lens. All of the pictures from my camera have a blurry circle in them which doesn't add to the viewing experience at all.
The field on the outside of the wooden archway is normally full of gorgeous, purple lavender bushes all around. One day I will make the trip back to just bask in the beauty of non-stop lavender, but it may be a while before that can happen. Until then, I will continue growing lavender in as many spaces as I can, both at my parent's house and my boyfriend's house. This area is amazing to see though and has many opportunities for beautiful pictures, peaceful moments, and happy memories.
Holly Recreation, Holly, MI
Fall pictures; really, not much more needs to be said about the pictures to expect. Fall is easily my favorite season and it is ten times better in the Midwest. This particular excursion was on an overcast, partially sunny October day, perfect for a moody Fall photo opportunity. It was still a time where few people were out and about so pictures remained unobstructed. I think I have the most pictures from this trip out just because I am so in love with the views and the colors. Seeing the end of a life-cycle for one form of nature while another continues to thrive is astonishing to me and it was my goal to perfectly capture that feeling. Some turned out amazing, others less so, but that is why we take so many.
Enjoy some of my colorful fall photos:
Days like these are perfect for finding natural beauty in your surroundings. The soft, peaceful moments are the easiest to get lost in, which makes for beautiful art. I truly cannot pick a favorite of these photos, they each stand out in a special, unique way that I can sit and over-analyze or just enjoy.
Random dirt roads and surrounding areas, Clarkston, MI
Adding yet another season to my list, we had a pretty heavy snowfall one Winter day which meant pure beauty, still unaffected by traffic or snowplows. Knowing that life would soon take the snow and demolish the stunning qualities of it to make life more manageable, I decided to throw on some boots and a few extra layers and take my camera for a walk, this time solo. Though it is definitely lonely going out on your own, walking with someone in the cold is not as comfortable or peaceful; between the random tears falling and the nose drips, Winter walks are best enjoyed alone. I am very happy to say that I did not fall down, nor did I get lost, and I took some gorgeous pictures along the way. This was definitely a win in my book. So, if you don't love going outside in Winter, don't live where there is snow, or just find more comfort indoors, here are some Winter photos from a perfect snowfall:
So I lied when I claimed that Fall had the most photos. Winter wins, hands down. I love these photos so much, and I honestly didn't have to walk more than a mile from my house. The final photo in the gallery (with an abundance of trees on either side of the dirt road, and the tire tracks through the snow) is my all time favorite view. In the last few years some of those trees have been chopped down to make room for new housing, and while the view is still gorgeous I am happy to have this moment for all time. Snow adds a level of grace to everything it touches, if only it could remain as peaceful and untouched as these photos imply.
Bennett Arboretum, Northville, MI
These are our most recent photos, nearly three years after we started taking pictures together. Emily and I returned to the photography game a few weeks ago after a long break in which life got crazy and busy. She has a two year old now and started her own business, and I have been traveling almost constantly. This time we found a place between where she lives and where my boyfriend lives. The arboretum is in the middle of a park with plenty of walking trails and disc golf courses and playgrounds. There were also lakes that would be perfect for paddle boarding or kayaking so another day trip may come up soon. That is one of the things I love about picture days, we discover new areas to visit regularly. Here are some of the pictures I took that day:
There are a few of these that I love: the close up flowers, the two different angles of the cypress tree, the vines and flowers growing up and around an incredibly dead tree, and the low angle of the tall weeds and grasses. Though we were able to get some new and unique shots this time during our two and a half hour walk through nature, I want to try some new landscapes next time. With Detroit and Ann Arbor being so close to where we live, there is no reason we shouldn't get some fun city photos in the near future!
If you stuck with me through all of this, I hope it gave you the inspiration to go out into your area and find some beauty or even lack of beauty that still makes for a really cool picture. Explore, take some picture, find peace and beauty, and above all bring a friend to share in the experience.
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