Between Frames - February 2025
I'm sorry that this was so late. But better late than never ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Introduction:
The last days of February hit hard. I got sick. Then Paloma got sick. Before I knew it, it was today (March 8th) and I hadn’t even started writing Between Frames for February.
In the middle of the month, my friend Robert von Thaden posted a series of photos perfectly depicting Cape Cod in the winter. All of those photos showed beautiful sun over the snow capped peninsula.
Meanwhile, Grand Rapids in February is something else entirely. Less winter wonderland, and more landscape flattened by gray clouds. The photos you’ll see this time around reflect that. A little heavier and a little quieter. Some of that is just the season, but part of it is me. I feel like my style is shifting... toward something simpler, more restrained, and more reflective.
So, here we go. Better late than never, I guess. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
By the Lake:
Earlier last month, Paloma and I celebrated two years of marriage. We booked a last-minute getaway at a cute Airbnb in Muskegon. We spent the weekend binge watching Drive to Survive (to prepare for the new season that dropped yesterday) and exploring Muskegon some more, beyond what we had seen in past visits.
The photo above is one of my favorites from that trip. The way the sun catches the boats, perfectly framed by the broken fence, just feels so right. However, right after taking that shot, I wiped out on some black ice. The asphalt left a deep scar in my hand. It gave me a little keepsake from the photo, I guess.
That afternoon, the whole coast was covered in soft, hazy light, enough to make everything glow. The marina pictured above was one of my all time favorites, there were just so many beautiful scenes to photograph. I’ll certainly be back once the weather gets nicer and some boats get in the water.
Here’s two other frames from our time by Lake Michigan.
Back To Town:
February brought snow—not the 20 inches we were told to expect, but enough to bury the city for a while. I went out and took photos at night a few times over the course of the month, trying my best to show what life looks like here in GR in the winter.
Like I mentioned above, these photos are a bit more depressing than usual. That’s due in part to the environment we were in, but also because I think that’s what’s in me. I’m not depressed, I promise. Maybe it’s because the art I am making is coming from a hole in me, whether from lack of sun, not being near the mountains, or because my dad’s gone.
It’s different art. It’s not the kind of stuff to garner 1000s of likes on Instagram, but that’s okay. It’s what I want to make.
Enough yapping, here are some of those images. I promise they’re better if you click into them and see them full-screen ;)
The snow stuck around for a few weeks before a rainstorm came through and washed it all away. I went back out one night to capture what was left. Here’s are some of those frames:
Okay, a little bit of gear talk…
I am always scouring Facebook Marketplace (sorry, Paloma) for good deals on gear. I saw a 5D Mark III with a handful of lenses on there for a few months, getting cheaper and cheaper with each passing week. Eventually, I reached out to the guy and bought it. My plan is to keep half the gear and sell the other half to cover my expenses for the whole kit.
The 5D3 is my all-time favorite camera. Canon knew what they were doing with that sensor. There hasn’t been a camera like it since. I loved using it, when I was at Liberty University, often choosing it over the much newer R3’s or R6’s. Owning one feels right and I hope to keep it in my rotation as long as possible.
That’s enough gear talk, back to pics of town.
I’m excited to see town come alive in the spring. Until then, I’ll keep documenting what’s around me as I see it.
Things I Loved This Month:
Not a February release (oops), but the new Peak Design Roller Pro is SICK. I’d get one if I didn’t already have multiple roller bags (oops, again).
Really cool piece of history to learn about Zion. The true name of the canyon is “Mau-o-weap,” but we changed it like everything else that explorers took from Native Americans.1
Franconia Ridge is a super sick hike that looks like something from the West Coast, but it’s in New Hampshire (whoa).
Imogene + Willie … why am I just now learning about them?
I haven’t loved seeing the US government crumble in front of our eyes, but I love seeing NPS employees standing up for the lands that mean so much to me. Trump’s executive orders are death sentences for the acres and acres of land that have meant so much to me, but I’m grateful for people fighting for them.2
Conclusion:
Life here in Michigan has been sweet. We’ve met lots of amazing people and have been able to explore a part of the country that we aren’t acquainted with. The snow, rain, and sun-less days haven’t been the easiest, but the coming warmer weather is going to make it all worthwhile.
This month, Paloma and I are going to get out of town some. Western Michigan is nice, but we miss traveling. The next few versions of Between Frames will be a lot more interesting, I promise ;)
Before I go, thanks for making it this far! Your comments, texts, and email replies are always encouraging. If you’re not subscribed and want to stay up to date with what I’m doing, subscribe using this link!
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Peace & blessings!
-C
Sorry to get political. I just don’t believe that renaming historically-significant lands is really the most respectful thing for us to do…
Sorry to get political again. I’ve done research on both sides of these issues. The conclusion that I’ve come to is as follows: Trumps executive orders have a backbone of wanting to strengthen the US economy; however, they bring a lot of other issues with them.
The National Parks Service is essential to keeping America great (look at what it does for the economy), destroying it from the inside is good for no one. Whether this is what Trump wants to do or not does not matter, it’s an unfortunate consequence of his actions.
love! As always!