Happy to be back from our blogging-break! Can you believe we haven’t done one of these since July of 2021?! We hope your 2022 is off to a wonderful start and we appreciate you taking a few minutes to stop here and read about our first featured maker of the new year - Craig Sterken of Craig Sterken Photography…any guesses where he came up with the name for his small business?! :) Craig has a ton of roots in lots of areas throughout Michigan. He spent his early days in the Grand Rapids area, raised his family in Essexville, and summer-vacations on the westside in Ludington and Sleeping Bear Dunes areas.

Spending time around Lake Michigan is what first got him interested in landscape photography. In 2008, he purchased a DSLR camera to capture scenes from the shoreline on film. He explains, “since then my focus has been to take photos that evoke my own feelings about our natural surroundings.” His first retail gig with his photography was at Maude’s Gallery (now Maude’s Garage) in Ludington. When his prints started selling, he felt encouraged to peruse photography even more, has continued to do it ever since. Craig’s wife Sandy has even started a creative side hustle out of all of this. Because she joins him on so many of his shoreline-trips, she has started collecting stones which she tumbles, polishes, and turns into jewelry!

Craig’s photos have been featured in magazines and Michigan tourism campaigns including the Pure Michigan one that we are sure you are all familiar with. He says that his favorite part of the process is being in the field. “When I’m actively engaged in the process, everything else falls away. I don’t think of anything except the moment. It’s amazing how lost we can get with nature and the sense of peace it brings. Every season has something special to lose yourself in. Michigan is definitely a playground for the senses.” Some customer favorite images are those from the Lake Superior Shoreline, The Tall Ships, and The Bay City Fireworks.

You can find many of Craig’s items in our store, a couple of them are on our site, or you can support him directly on his Etsy Shop or website. Go on, send a little memento from home to a friend that’s moved away or treat yourself to a little something, you deserve it!