Multipassionate Creative Person
It’s hard being a serial hobbyist. Erin’s advice and strategy are solid.
An Ode to the Canon EOS M
Call this a love letter to a 13-year-old camera.
I purchased my Canon EOS M 12 years ago during a Canon fire sale. Very quickly, I appreciated the M’s size, portability, and image quality.
As the years went on, the M was always there. It went everywhere: to the beach, on family trips, on urbex adventures, and in my front seat as I drove around Michigan grabbing anything that caught my eye. The M is still my grab-and-go kit, my reliable everyday carry camera.
Last year, I tried to replace it – first with the M200 and then the M6. But like a comfy, broken-in pair of shoes, I kept the original M out of – what – loyalty? Insecurity?
I’m glad I did, because on my recent Detroit trip, my Canon M6’s shutter button started to malfunction. Then, in a terribly frustrating mishap, I dropped my M6 and the EF-M 22mm on a sidewalk, denting the lens and leaving scuff marks on the M6. I’ll have to replace the lens, which is expected. The drop was my fault. But the M6’s shutter button? It’s a known issue and it hit me at the most inconvenient time while we’re on vacation. Despite my attempts to fix it, the problem is still there, and repairing it will cost more than what the camera is worth.
I tried replacing the OG Canon M. Twice now. But the hits keep on hitting.
The first week I owned the M, back in 2013, I dropped it on a street. I was so mad at myself. Here was this brand-new camera, and I had already tried to wreck it.
Do you know what happened? Nothing. The M has consistently kept shooting ever since. Despite all the drops, all the bangs, all the dust and sand, it just keeps going. In 2013, I wrote:
The camera itself is a solidly-built little instrument. It feels dense, but not heavy, so that it feels like a good, quality hunk of camera.
Here we are, 12 years later, and that sentence is still true. No, the dial pad won’t let you go up in selections anymore, and yes, it flakes out now and again. But I’ll take manageable reliability over a complete lack of functionality during critical times.
I grew to love the M6, too. I love the look, the convenient dials, and the grip. But if the shutter button gives me problems, that becomes a core issue with the camera’s operation.
Luckily, I kept the M. It’s still my everyday carry, it still travels in my vehicle front seat, and it’s still there when I need it. I could replace it with a new-in-box model, and it would probably last me another 12 years. Apart from my Canon 5D mark 1, it’s my favorite camera of all time. I talk lovingly about it in ways film photographers talk about the Leica M2 or M3, or Nikon users talk about the F series.
Canon’s M series is a dead system. I still love it.
I’m not sure where to go from here. But whichever way I go, the Canon M remains by my side.
All images captured on the Canon EOS M and EF-M 22mm f/2.
Artists In Jackson: Madison McCarver
When Madison McCarver walked into 21Blooms Tattoo Studio in Jackson, portfolio in hand, she was terrified.
She was looking to leave her job in Toledo, where she had apprenticed and worked as a tattoo artist, but she wanted to be closer to home in Ann Arbor.
Taking a deep breath, she introduced herself to the 21Blooms team, laid out her work, and braced for rejection.
Instead, they simply asked, “When can you start?”
It was a moment of validation for Madison, who believes she manifested the life she wanted—one filled with good people, a welcoming environment, and creative freedom.
“This is a good environment,” she says. “Usually, I want to leave work and go home, but here, we’re hanging out in the studio until 8 p.m. because we love what we do.”
From Fine Arts to Tattooing
Art has always been Madison’s escape. As a child, she dabbled in fine arts, portraiture, and even fashion design. In school, her art teachers recognized her talent and submitted her work to competitions, boosting her confidence.
Though she once dreamed of moving to Los Angeles to study fashion, life took a different turn when she enrolled at Washtenaw Community College, where she fell in love with figurative arts and painting.
In 2020, stuck at home during the pandemic, Madison often found herself painting and drawing for 10 hours a day—until burnout set in.
Looking for a change, she took a job at a beauty spa in 2021 but quickly realized the environment wasn’t for her. When she got her first tattoo that year, something clicked. Madison realized tattoo art could become a career.
She started her tattoo apprenticeship that same year, driving from Ann Arbor to Toledo three times a week, practicing on fake skin for nearly a year before moving on to real clients. By 2022, she had graduated from her apprenticeship and officially entered the industry.
Now, three years in, she’s found her rhythm.
“This industry has its challenges, but at the end of the day, I get to draw on people,” Madison says. “Now, I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.”
Artistic Style Fusion
Madison’s art is a fusion of influences: her mother’s love of Rococo, the powerful works of Kehinde Wiley, and the delicate textures of Laura Brevner’s feminine portraits.
She leans into period fashion, the female form, and a mix of vibrant, poppy colors with classic undertones.
Music also plays a significant role in her creative process, from ‘70s funk and soul to modern pop.
“Music influences how I create art. I’m both visual and auditory,” she says. “And that’s my style: colorful, poppy, but classic.”
Teaching and Future Aspirations
Early in her tattoo career, Madison needed a way to make ends meet, so she took a job as a painting instructor at a paint-and-pour studio. Teaching helped her develop patience, communication skills, and a fresh perspective on art.
One moment that stuck with her was working with an older couple who doubted their abilities.
“I had to reassure them: ‘It doesn’t have to look like mine,’” she says.
When they later told her she was an excellent teacher, it reminded her of the impact art—and encouragement—can have on people’s lives.
Looking ahead, Madison wants to continue exploring new artistic avenues. She still paints and is learning oil techniques, dreams of a solo art show, and even dabbles in fashion and cosplay. While tattooing remains her main focus, she hopes to blend her passions in unexpected ways.
“My canvas is skin, but I still love painting,” she says. “I just have to figure out how to meld the two.”
Madison manifested art into her life. Now she can’t live without it.
“If I don’t have art, I might die,” she laughs.
Luckily, at 21Blooms, she’s found a community that supports her growth, shares clients based on specialties, and encourages creativity.
“I’m a lot happier here. Things are good.”
Follow Madison Sky on Instagram
Canon Picture Styles and Film Simulations
Over the last few months, I’ve spent a lot of time testing Picture Styles – Canon’s version of Fujifilm’s in-camera film emulations.
I’m not typically a JPEG shooter. I prefer to grab my RAW files and edit them in Lightroom, but in a few cases, using film-like simulations was very efficient and convenient.
In this video, I show the results of those tests and try to explain the benefits of shooting with Picture Styles. It’s also a nice option for those Fuji users if they ever have to pick up a Canon camera and shoot film-like emulations. Picture Styles don’t have the legacy of Fuji making their own film, but it gets you pretty close.
There are two groups of Picture Styles I tested:
- Thomas Fransson’s Kodak and Fuji simulations
- Vision Wrangler’s collection of 158 Picture Styles (sadly, only available on the Cinescopophilia archive page)
Canon also lets you build your own Picture Styles using the Picture Style Editor software.
Canon + Kodak T-Max Film Simulation
Black and white is tough.
You’d think shooting monochrome with only two “colors” – black and white – would be easy. But photographers’ opinions on black and white film and presets are almost as strong and varied as their opinions on camera companies.
Canon’s standard monochrome picture profile setting is…fine. It’s just not special or unique.
But thanks to the power of custom picture profiles and film simulations, you can get the look of Kodak T-Max film on your digital Canon EOS camera.
This T-Max film emulation comes from the Vision Wrangler collection – like the previous Kodachrome film style.
I took a sunny, spring evening in downtown Jackson, Michigan, to try out this black and white emulation. Maybe it was the lighting, maybe it was the simulation, but this was good stuff.
For a contrast-y film simulation, this T-Max picture profile was a good walk-around monochrome standard. If you want to shoot JPGs and not worry about editing, this film emulation is reliable and consistent.
My one suggestion with this profile is to try cranking up the ISO setting on your digital Canon to get more of a filmic grain.
But the deep blacks and good microcontrast? It’s all here.
Here’s how to install picture profiles on your own Canon digital camera.
Shot on the Canon EOS M and EF-M 22mm f/2.
Bare Limb Shadows
I try so hard to not be trendy. But here I am rucking around the neighborhood.
It is good exercise, and I walk all the time anyway.
As my joints ache, I notice that there’s a time of year, in the early spring, when the trees and bushes haven’t budded yet. At the edges of the day, in the morning and evening, the trees cast these stark, defined shadows on buildings.
I tried to think of a name for this phenomenon. The best I could do: bare limb shadows.
Shot on the Canon M6 and EF-M 22mm f/2.
Spring Sunrise at Cascades Park
Spring has finally – and for real – sprung here in Jackson, Michigan.
I woke up early on a Saturday morning, just as the sun was coming up, to walk around Sparks County Park (popularly known as the home of the Cascades) to hear the geese fighting in the water and watch the last of the frost melt away.
Shot on the Canon M6 and EF-M 15-45mm.
Spring Break in Detroit
Much like last year, we stuck close to home for spring break – this time, to downtown Detroit, Michigan.
Eastern Market
One of the largest markets in the country, Eastern Market was fairly quiet in late March. It’s not quite farmers market season yet.
We still saw, and tasted, plenty.
Downtown Detroit
Mondays are quiet, so we took the People Mover downtown to stroll around the Renaissance Center and midtown.
That might have been a mistake. First, it was chilly, with the buildings acting as a wind tunnel for a cold breeze off of the Detroit River.
Second, we had a few mishaps, including me dropping my Canon M6 and busting my beloved EF-M 22mm lens.
So we headed back to the hotel and just chilled. It wasn’t worth it outside.
Detroit Institute of arts
This was my jam.
The DIA is a world-class art museum, and the light was just perfect inside to get some dramatic shots inside the main hall and near the Diego Rivera mural.
After the museum, we ate at Hop Cat and watched the Detroit Qline come and go.
Heading home
A few more photos as we finish up at the hotel, have some diner-style breakfast, and head back to Jackson.
All images captured on a busted-ass Canon M6 and a variety of EF-M lenses.
Amazing Habits
An oldie but goodie: Merlin Mann, giving the same advice on writing as Nike does for sports: just do it.
Take this advice for any hobby.
Monterrey, Mexico: Macroplaza & Barrio Antiguo
Last year, Jaime and I visited Monterrey, Mexico, for work.
My wife and I have been to Mexico several times, but Monterrey was new for us. On the first day, we visited the Macroplaza – the main square in the heart of the city, home to museums, government buildings, and a riverwalk.
It was busy: tons of people strolling the main plaza, selling goods, and enjoying the city. What’s so fun about traveling is to be a stranger in a strange land, and to observe.
Be there with a camera and capture what’s interesting.
After a river boat ride on the Santa Lucia riverway into Parque Fundidora, we strolled through the Barrio Antigua neighborhood just in time to browse a flea market on the street.
We grabbed dinner and stepped inside the largest antique store we’d ever seen – a multi-story museum of collectibles.
Colors, light, sound, smells – it was a great first day in a new Mexican city.
Photos shot on the Canon M6 and EF-M 32mm and 22mm lenses.
Walking In Monterrey
Sharp, colorful, and clear in golden hour – one of my favorite photos from the trip.
Monterrey, Mexico, shot on the Canon M6 and EF-M 32mm f/1.4.
Birthday in Ypsilanti
Got to spend my birthday in Ypsilanti on Sunday and check off something on my bucket list:
Meet my wrestling hero, Bret “Hitman” Hart.
We also attended Astronomicon, a wrestling/geek culture convention.
Shot on the Canon EOS M and EF-M 22mm f/2.
Artists In Jackson: Dione Tripp
Dione Tripp doesn’t just make art—she builds it, reconstructs it, salvages it, and reimagines it.
Growing up in a family of carpenters, inventors, and tinkerers, she was surrounded by the idea that anything could be created with the right tools and vision. Her father was into music, her mother into art, and somewhere in between, Dione found her own voice—one that blends mediums, textures, and emotions into something distinctly her own.
Her artistic journey began with singing, painting, and the idea that she might one day become an art teacher. But she quickly realized her passion wasn’t in teaching—it was in making. Hanging art at the old Thunderbird Café, creating gifts, and submitting pieces for Jackson’s Cool City initiative, she steadily built her presence in the local scene.
Over time, her work evolved beyond traditional canvases into something more layered and more experimental. Even a routine car repair becomes an opportunity. When she gets her brakes changed, she keeps the parts, seeing in them a potential for reinvention.
“How far can you push an object to be a sculpture and not be too crafty?” she asks—a question that continues to shape her process.
Dione pulls from her environment—barn scraps, salvaged materials, even discarded brake parts—to create works that challenge viewers’ perspectives.
“If you’re in a plane, you can see the world differently. I want to express that: the dangers, the fears, the freedom,” she says.
Jackson, Michigan, remains central to her creative world. She studied there, works there, and thrives in its grassroots art community.
“It’s like a blank slate, and we can create our own answers,” she says.
With two to three projects per year, she’s constantly exploring—be it through book illustrations, her new clothing store, or sculptural ideas. While she’s open to branching out, she doesn’t feel limited.
“The only thing limiting me is myself—both in terms of my art and my success,” she says.
Looking ahead, Dione is driven by a desire to amaze herself and find collaborators and appreciators along the way.
“I want to be able to toss ideas around, learn new skills, and try things out,” she says.
Whether it’s trading art, experimenting with new media, or diving deeper into sculpture, she’s on a path of constant evolution—one where every scrap, stroke, and salvaged element has the potential to become something memorable.
Buy the Artists In Jackson book | Artist Dione on Instagram
Engage Locally
The more I make an effort to engage locally with my neighborhood and my city, the better I feel about life.
Canon + Kodachrome Film Simulation
Now this is more my style
I’m aiming to try out the popular film simulations for Canon cameras – like the popular Fujifilm emulations on the X series cameras. While Canon cameras do not come with film emulations baked in, they are available via Canon’s Picture Style editor and camera profiles.
This Kodachrome-style film simulation comes from Cinescopophila: a giant pack of 150+ picture styles featuring a ton of favorites – almost too many to practically try out. But seeing Kodachrome in the list, I had to give it a spin on a recent trip with the family to Detroit.
Unlike the Fujifilm simulation from Thomas Fransson, these Kodak colors are more my vibe: warmer, much better skin tones, and a healthy amount of contrast.
And those reds? They POP. The greens are nice too. There’s none of that washed-out blandness from the Pro Neigh High series.
Overall, this is a reliable film simulation if you’re a JPG shooter or don’t want to worry about editing. Most of these came out correct as-is, with a little tinkering on a few images for exposure and contrast.
Do these photos mimic Kodachrome? Not really. But for my style of shooting, and even some video, these are a good film-like preset to get you started. With a bit of adjusting, you can get this slide film emulation looking just the way you want.
There are plenty of other Kodachrome versions to try, although many come at a cost. This picture style from Vision Wrangler comes with 150 more to try, with everything from wacky out-there stuff to tried-and-true black and white film emulations.
Artists In Jackson 2: The Sequel
Ten years ago, I introduced my first big creative portrait project called Artists In Jackson. Through that project, I got to know our local artists. Together, we told their stories and let our community know we have a talented bunch of people right here in our hometown.
And – bonus! – I met and made some good friends along the way.
Since then, a lot has changed. I worked on a spiritual sequel, Musicians In Jackson, and then the pandemic hit. Here we are five years later, and I’m happy to announce I’m working on my next big portrait project, Artists In Jackson 2.
This one will be a little different. Instead of disappearing for six months and re-emerging with a fancy book and a bunch of pictures, I want to treat this project more like a platform.
Here’s how it works:
- Over time, I’ll work on photo subjects and help tell their stories.
- You will see these profiles periodically as I work on them and get them done. You don’t have to wait for a book – you’ll see my progress as it’s happening, either on social media or my website.
- And it will just keep going. There’s no end, there’s no finish line. Artists In Jackson becomes a platform to tell stories, not a website or a book.
At a point in time, when I have enough profiles done, I can collect them all and make a book or a ‘zine of some kind.
But that’s not the goal. The goal is to tell stories about creative people in our community.
And I have some profiles already set up to publish – one, reaching back several years, on Dione Tripp (above). Others I have a head-start on and you’ll see those soon. As always, I’m open to your ideas and tips on creative people in and from Jackson.
I hope you’ll join me in this new experiment. I’m excited to once again share these homegrown artists, their work, and their stories.
Get all the details at ArtistsInJackson.com.
(Photo) Blogs Matter
And it’s a big world out there. There’s always room for one more voice, for one more blog.
– Robert Breen (via Patrick)
The Law of F*ck Yes or No
The Law of Fuck Yes or No states that when you want to get involved with someone new, in whatever capacity, they must inspire you to say “Fuck Yes” in order for you to proceed with them.
Replace “someone” with “hobby” or “project,” and it becomes a pretty helpful thought exercise.
Michigan Rocks
Took the kids to the Michigan Gem and Mineral Society‘s rock show at the event center this weekend.
One of my favorite photography topics in people showing off their niche. In this case, the stone people were all around us.
I’m more into geology—the study of the Earth’s crust and history. My family? They’re rock nerds.
Shot on the Canon M6 and Viltrox 23mm f/1.4.
Street Photography Without People
I take plenty of people-focused street photographs, but some of my favorite photo outings include urban scenes without people—simply capturing light, shadow, and textures.
“What have people left behind,” Sean asks in this video, which is a great discussion about how street photography can include remnants of people if not people themselves.
Email Newsletter Update
So far, so good.
I’ve successfully launched four email newsletters this year. Not bad for starting totally fresh.
Content-wise, I’ve covered everything from sunshine to digicams and shared proud parent moments and books I’m into. Along the way, I’ve also added some new subscribers (thanks!).
Catch some of the action by subscribing here. I hope to see you in your inbox.
Canon + Fuji Film Simulations
I’m back with another Thomas Fransson film emulation for Canon cameras. This time, it’s time for a Fuji film simulation.
Thomas released Pro Neigh High, a Fuji-inspired picture profile pack for Canon. I loaded Pro Neigh Standard, one of the options, into my Canon 5D Mark II and took a few laps around the yard on a cold winter morning to test it out.
And? It’s fine. Lots of strength in the blues, but otherwise, nothing remarkable.
Street Photography Test
Then I took a warm morning and drove up to Leslie, Michigan, to test Pro Neigh Standard, one of the other options in Thomas’s film pack. There, I was truly in my favored conditions: high contrast, lots of light:
And again, nothing remarkable except those bright, saturated blues. Especially against bright buildings and white/beige, the blues truly pop with this film simulation.
Fuji film – actual film – tends to highlight the cooler colors like green and blue. But with this emulation, it’s mainly all about the blues. Every other color takes a backseat.
One additional test I could do is in the summertime, with foliage and greenery, like I did in my Kodak test last summer.
Testing Skin Tones
Another test includes some people photos to test skin tones. I brought along Pro Neigh High to church with us to grab some images of the kids, both inside and outside. Here is where Pro Neigh High does not shine:
Skin tones are, frankly, not great. Everything has this beige undertone, not at all natural or pleasing. In fact, the Pro Neg emulation takes away everything I love about Canon colors. Instead, most everything is flat and unappealing.
After these tests, this pack won’t be one of my three custom Canon picture profiles on any of my cameras. But that’s no shade on Thomas – he does great work, and maybe there are Fujifilm lovers out there who think this film emulation is just what they need, especially for vide work.
Grab the profile on Thomas’s Gumroad page and test it out yourself. He also gives a quick run-down on how to install these film simulations on your camera on his YouTube channel.