Chihuly

I had a blast shooting the glass Chihuly sculptures throughout Frederick Meijer Gardens. Basically, it's a massive scavenger hunt, where you get a map with all the different sculpture locations and you tromp throughout the beautiful grounds to find them. These photos were taken for the press, since the exhibit opens this weekend. Blue skies, plus golf cart, plus colorful lines for me to photograph=one pretty fun workday. (Grand Rapids Press Photos)

Nature Center in Trouble

I got to hang out at Blandford Nature Center the other day for a story about their lack of funds for the Wildlife Department. If Blandford is forced to close this department, they will no longer be able to rehabilitate and provide a home for birds of prey, mammals, and reptiles that cannot survive in the wild. The program coordinator, Lori Martin, worries about where all the animals would go, and fears some of them would end up euthanized. Full Story: http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2010/04/blandford_nature_center_seeks.html (Grand Rapids Press Photos)

Schools of Hope

James Vonk of Grand Rapids gives a high five to Daisy Rodas, 8, a third grade student at Southwest Community Campus during a half hour tutoring session. Vonk reads with Daisy every Monday as part of the "Schools of Hope," program. The two have been reading together since the beginning of the school year. (Grand Rapids Press Photo)

Fish Bowl.

(Grand Rapids Press Photo)

Word War II Veteran

World War II veteran Virgil Westdale, 92, of Ada entered flight school in 1940 and signed up for the Air Force after Pearl Harbor. Westdale loved to fly. "It just felt like God had given me that gift," he said. Because Westdale's dad was Japanese, he was asked to leave the air force and was moved to a lower rank in the U.S. Army, where he fought in Italy, France, and Germany. (Grand Rapids Press Photo)

Weekend in Traverse City

Chris took me to Traverse City for the weekend to celebrate my birthday. Blue skies and red wine are never a bad combination for a relaxed sigh and reflection on 27 years of life.

Umbrella

Pretty much describes the weather here in Michigan right now. (Grand Rapids Press Photo)

T.V. Timeout

The Good 'Ole Speaker Assignment

Yep. I shot a lot of these assignments for my college paper, CM Life, and still get them every now and then for the Press. This, however, was my first speaker assignment with the 5D Mark II and I took an inappropriate amount of satisfaction in the fact that I did not have to light the subjects, nor did I have to sacrifice grain. (Grand Rapids Press Photos)

Bare Feet, in the Air

As Seen on a Walk Through Heritage Hill

Easter Eggs in the Dark

The Zoladz lost power the night before Easter due to high winds so we dyed our eggs in the dark. The tradition of coloring eggs combined with candle light felt oddly like Halloween and Easter rolled into one. It was quite cozy.