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ALLAN BOVEE - PHOTOGRAPHY ADVENTURES IN NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY SEPTEMBER 2007
This summer I had the opportunity to do a show in Sutton's Bay, Michigan which turned out to be very good. Although I have been through the area before, I got to know it a lot better by doing the show and talking to people attending about the area and photographic places to go. Then, in September, I returned to the area to do photography and enjoy myself instead of working so hard at an art show. In northwest Michigan is the Grand Traverse Bay which is divided into the West Arm and the East Arm. Through the middle runs the Mission peninsula which divides the two halves. The whole western extension is referred to as the Leelanau peninsula and runs from huge sand dunes to cliffs to old growth woods and rich, cedar swamps. One of Michigan's great roads, M-22, runs throughout and shows all this wonderful scenery. Running nearly the whole length of the peninsula is the beautiful Lake Leelanau and out in Lake Michigan you can see the distant Manitou Islands. Sutton's Bay is an inlet in the Leelanau peninsula about halfway between Traverse City and Northport. There is a harbor where summer yachts are moored. The whole area is filled with summer and permanent homes in which people live quite contently. There is no reason to go anywhere else, there is water, the large city of Traverse City, many art galleries and great restaurants. Indeed the people seem to have the attitude that there is no where else to be in the world, at least until winter comes. The above photo was taken from my motel along M-22 near Sutton's Bay. There are many orchards around and the area is famous for its cherries and apples. It must really be beautiful in the spring when the fruit trees are in bloom. And now the wine industry is becoming respectable with nationally recognized white wines. Michigan has four wine AVA's and two are here in this area, the Leelanau Peninsula and the Old Mission Peninsula. I really enjoyed the chardonnay from Leelanau Cellars in Omena, north of Sutton's Bay, and the pinot grigio from Bel Lago along Lake Leelanau. There are many wineries in the area and most offer tastings to see what you like before you buy. On my return trip I wanted to photograph a sunset from Petersen's park in Northport. Patrons from the art show had told me about this place and I drove there Saturday night after the show, but there wasn't a cloud in the sky and so there wouldn't be a great sunset. But it was a spectacular view and I vowed to return later. Looking at the weather report before I
left to go up last week, there was potential for some dynamics which is what I look for, yet it also
could just be a rain out. So, on my arrival in Sutton's Bay at the same motel of my
art show, the Red Lion Motor Lodge, I was very discouraged as the rain was
pouring down. I didn't even attempt to go to the Petersen Park. The next
morning, I went to the harbor, and by covering my camera with a plastic bag,
could get some shots as the rain was intermittent, and clouds were swirling into
and out of the horizon before the sun rose. As I took some shots from the park
where the art show was I noticed blue sky beginning to form and soon
enough the sun rose and came out in all its glory. Looking behind me a rainbow
formed over the Sutton's Bay harbor and I dashed out to the end to photograph it
and the boats in the bay. I couldn't have scripted a better scene! During the day I explored the Leelanau and that evening returned to Petersen's Park for the sunset. All day long the clouds had been rolling by and I wasn't sure what to expect. But it turned out to be a magnificent sunset and I stayed for about an hour to photograph it. The park is on a cliff overlooking Lake Michigan and twenty miles away is North Manitou Island. I set up my Mamiya camera and used different lenses for different perspectives. All the while I was standing there, the wind was rushing at me unencumbered all the way from Wisconsin, a hundred miles away. It was bitter cold, but I really enjoyed the spectacular color shifts as the sun slowly set and a sliver of a moon followed it as the sky darkened. There were several other people to chat with while this was all going on and we all enjoyed it as well as some Leelanau wine to keep us warm. I can't show any of the photos I took unfortunately, because it was all on film. I will share them when I get them back and process them. The photos here are with my digital camera for instant use. The second photo here is in a park in Sutton's Bay looking towards the middle piece of land called the Old Mission Peninsula. Sunday morning was back to clear skies with no clouds and so I took just a few photos and returned home. But Sutton's Bay has become one of my favorite northern excursions and maybe I can get back next spring for the fruit trees in bloom. Return to PHOTOGRAPHY JOURNAL main page. Date this page was edited: September 18, 2007.
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