Weathered Way

This photograph earned 3rd Place in the 2025 Spring Port Huron ArtHop, as voted by a panel of judges from Grand Rapids ArtPrize.

Artist Statement: I’m new to the idea of seeing the photos I take as art. I’ve always been someone who talks a lot—sometimes so much that I miss the quiet moments worth remembering. But when I have my camera, it’s different. I don’t feel the need to speak as much as I feel the need to see.

I love capturing the moments that often go unnoticed—the small details we miss while we're busy focusing on the bigger picture. The lighthouse photo I submitted earlier is one I truly adore; it offers a perspective not many people get to see.

My new submission, titled Weathered Way, is a close-up of a freighter ladder. I had the rare opportunity to ride on the captain's ship that transports pilots to freighters out on the lake. During that ride, we pulled up alongside a moving freighter. I watched as a new captain climbed up the ladder and the outgoing captain climbed down. It was one of the most fascinating things I’ve ever experienced up close.

Growing up in St. Clair County, I’ve seen freighters pass by my entire life—but always from a distance. We see their massive presence, but we rarely consider the stories, the transitions, the people aboard. We don’t often see the journey.

With Weathered Way, my hope is that viewers take a moment to notice the smaller details that make up something so large. Maybe even see it as a metaphor for life—how every big story is built from quiet, weathered steps.