In Focus: Favorite Images of 2023
2023 marked my third full-year of making photographs. While this year wasn’t the most exciting year from a production standpoint largely due to major life changes such as my wife and I purchasing our first home, and a trip abroad to Ireland in August, it was still a great year with memorable trips. This year I went on three photography trips to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.). Each trip had it’s ups and downs accompanied by memorable interactions with other photographers. Below are my favorite images of 2023 accompanied by the stories and experiences that went into making them.
Image #1: “Sculpted” - Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park - July 2023
“Sculpted” was made on July 9th, 2023 at the beginning of a backpacking trip to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (or commonly known as “The Porkies”). This image is a smaller scene found along the Union River. I had perviously shot this section of river in 2022 but wanted to focus on the water twisting and turning around the smaller cascades. This image was created by traversing over and around some pretty slippery rocks, which isn’t highly advised. By crouching down and extending my tripod over the surrounding rocks I was able to get close to this scene with my 16-55mm lens. What I enjoy about this scene is how the water smoothly flows through the scene. I also like how the light highlights the wet, slippery moss-covered rocks that cradles the flowing water. This was the first image I created on my July trip to the Porkies, a trip that can be read about in more detail here.
Image #2: “Green Manalishi” - Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park - July 2023
“Green Manalishi” was made on the morning of July 13th, 2023. I found this scene as I was leaving my campsite along the Little Carp River. What I enjoy about this image is the old-growth Hemlocks which have been growing in the Porkies for hundreds of years surrounded by new(er) foliage adorned in their summer greens. The morning sun was just starting to peek through the trees which illuminated the tree trunks and portions of the surrounding landscape adding depth to the scene. When I was making the image, I was continuing to fight the bloodthirsty mosquito horde that aimed to end me throughout the trip. I remember waving the bugs away from my front lens element while my camera was on a two second timer to eliminate mosquitoes from being in the frame. This image is my favorite from my July Porkies trip and it’s one that I didn’t expect to find. “Green Manalishi” exemplifies the importance of exploration in photography. You can plan out images to your hearts content, but nothing beats finding and creating unique images along the road less traveled.
Image #3: “Primeval” - Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park - October 2023
“Primeval” is a portrait of the old-growth Hemlock forest that the Porcupine Mountains are commonly known for. Established in 1945 to protect the virgin Hemlock-Maple forest, the Porkies are home to the largest old-growth forest in the Midwest (35,000 acres). In this image, the primeval hemlock forest rises above the Little Carp River in the valley below. I came across this scene on a hike along the Little Carp River on October 5th, 2023. After a morning that was filled with rain showers I decided to head out to the Little Carp River Trail to explore parts I perviously had not ventured to. When I came across this scene I was actually stopped under a larger tree further away from the edge of the trail. It was just beginning to rain and I was quickly rushing to put my raincoat on. After I got settled, I noticed this grouping of hemlocks and got my camera setup. Once setup, the rain subsided and the ambient light from the sky and river below began to slightly hit the trees. What I enjoy about this image is the organization amongst the chaos of a mature woodland. One of the compositional skills I have began to focus more on is taking complicated scenes and organizing them into a cohesive image. I think that “Primeval” is a great example of this idea and I look forward to exploring more woodland areas in 2024.
Image #4: “Razors Edge” - Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park - October 2023
“Razors Edge” was created on the evening of October 5th, 2023. Fellow photographer Nick Albert and I decided to wander down the rugged Lake Superior shoreline near Union Bay Campground. Here, the fading evening light was cast beautifully along the rocks and relentless waves pounding the shoreline. I love how this image beautifully illustrates the jagged rocks that line Lake Superior. The waves added to the effect, spilling over the rocks and reflecting light throughout the scene. I made the decision to include some of the foreboding skyline, as I quite like how the cool colors of the sky that evening compliment the warmer colors in the foreground of the image. This was the final image I captured during my fall Porcupine Mountains, which can be read about in more detail here.
Overall, 2023 was a great year that furthered my growth as a photographer. While I am happy with the quality of the work I produced, I am also excited with the connections being made during my travels. The Michigan photography community is fairly small, and quite often you see familiar faces throughout the year. This year I connected with fellow photographers whose work and feedback I sincerely enjoy. These photographers include:
Nick Albert - Website
Neil Weaver - Website
As I look ahead to 2024, I have a February trip planned to the Western Upper Peninsula, ideas of Summer backpacking trips, and my annual October trip to the Porcupine Mountains. Additionally, I am excited to grow as an artist and as a member of the Michigan photography community. Here’s to a great 2024!
Thanks for reading and supporting my work,
Josh