May's Artist of the Month, Joe Diehl

I had the good fortune of meeting this month's artist of the month, Joe Diehl, while we both watched our respective 5 year olds hone their dance techniques during a ballet class.  Amidst a sea of Lululemon clad dance moms, it was a real treat to meet an outdoors loving, Army veteran, bear of a man with a great sense of humor with whom I could share fishing and hunting tales.  Little did I know that, in his spare time, Joe shot amazing photos of the spectacular scenery he stumbled upon during his adventures in northern Michigan and points beyond.

Joe's work represents a stunning mix of landscape, flora and fauna, and personal moments that truly capture the essence of why so many are passionate about northern Michigan.  The front page of our website, www.homewaters.net, features just a few shots from Joe's portfolio but his website, www.joediehlphotography.com, is packed with images that will remind just about anyone how special our region truly is.  Next time you have a few spare minutes, scroll through the images.  It will likely inspire you, like it did me, to spend more time exploring new places, wandering outside your normal routes and maybe trying your own hand and capturing those sights you see with your own camera lens.

If you find yourself at The Dance Arts Academy in Traverse City on Wednesday evenings, say Hi to Joe, he's the one with the broad shoulders and shaved head.  You won't miss him...