Optim.

Baldwin is Pure Michigan. Woods and water, beautiful sweeping landscapes at sunset. Farms and houses with character.

So when Cullen Finnerty, a former star quarterback at Grand Valley State University, went missing after a fishing trip, the New York Times sent me out to capture a sense of place and mystery.

The mood settled heavily through the woods throughout the day.

Retracing Finnerty's last known whereabouts.

Talking with locals about the lay of the land.

Trekking across the acres of state land as the wind whipped through the leaves.

In the back of your head, Finnerty's last phone call, where he thought he was being followed.

An unsettling feeling, even as the sun pierced the tree canopy and the woods looked beautiful.

Walking the area where he was found. The remnants of police tape. The eerie conclusion of where he lay when they found him. Strange.

Xiameter OFS-2306.

Last week Central Middle School closed it's doors for good. (This is a long blog post, by the way.)

Population shrinkage and declining enrollment led to the decision.

Students and faculty are moving to the two other middle schools in the area.

However, Central is a unique building, a unique place.

So I spent a couple days wandering the halls hanging out and shooting features.

By the end of it, Principal Poole (below, he's a cool dude), joked saying I was basically a substitute member of the staff.

Most all of the kids knew who I was as I walked the walls, camera in hand, sometimes with Poole, sometimes with a group of students.

On another note, being homeschooled my whole life, it was an interesting experience for me.

Sitting in classrooms, hanging out by the lockers after the bell rang.

Waking up too early in the morning and going to school...

God, I'm glad I don't have to do that any more.

It was also interesting to hear some of the students talk about the closing.

Some took it harder than others.

Some have been through it before, when Midland closed a couple elementary schools a few years back.

And there were a handful who have spent much of their lives moving around anyway, so this was nothing new.

But they all had Central Pride.

And no, this photo was not posed.

It'll be weird to see the 8th graders at the high schools next year.

And, if I'm around long enough, photograph some of them playing varsity sports.

But, that's the cool part of community journalism. They'll know me, and I'll know them.

Some by name, some by "hey, you were that photographer!"But, it's the thought that counts. (Thanks to Nick and Neil for giving me time to work on this, and for the editing and design help. Y'all rock.)

Opti-Clear.

I picked up an assignment for the New York Times to photograph a 9U baseball team who recently discovered that their coach had used club funds for personal purposes.

 He took about $25,000 dollars, threatening to end the kids' season before it even began.
Through the power that is community outreach, several teams and local businesses pitched in to cover costs.

 It's that classic feel good story. They get to play ball.

 It was pretty fun to hang with the kids for the evening.

 They welcomed a new teammate into the fold, and they got their first win, too.

And, you know. Kid features.

Unival.

 I don't know why I get so behind on blogging.

 It always leads to three or four different blog posts crammed over a couple of days, if I want to post by theme, at least.

 Otherwise it's basically a grouping of completely unrelated photos, no flow, no feel. Just here it is.

 Because, you know, presentation is important and everything.

 It's all about the flow.

 Colors, compositions, subject matter...

 It was a busy month, and June is shaping up to be just as busy.

 But it keeps me out and about, meeting and photographing new people.

 As long as I take some time to have some fun, too.

Of course, it's hard to deny a picture when it just pops up in front of you.

Echelon.

I think I've shot Bullock Creek more than any other high school since I got to Midland. Football, basketball, soccer and baseball.

They're always pumped and always have fun. And now, because they know me so well, I can get in on some of the fun and jokes, or just step back and shoot a picture.

Here are three baseball pictures from the last couple weeks of May.

Tamol.

Playoffs in any sport is a pretty fun time. Odds are you'll end up shooting a lot of one team, so you get to know them a bit better.

And each new game brings a new opportunity to shoot something different.

Shoot action a bit different. 

And know their pre-game rituals and routine.

And then they get knocked out.

Oh well.