Top 5 Photos with Todd Maertz

Photography

This is the seventh installment in our blog series where we ask local photographers to share with us their 5 favorite photos of the Grand Haven area. This week we are pleased to feature Todd Maertz.

Todd Maertz is a nature and wildlife photographer who is a Grand Haven High School graduate who now lives in Muskegon, Michigan. Growing up on the West Michigan lake shore has ingrained in him a deep appreciation for the beauty of nature. He is truly at peace in an old growth forest or by a fresh running stream of water. Watching wildlife in a natural setting feeds his soul.

Travel has also long been Todd’s passion. Quickly into his journey, he realized he could share what he had seen with his friends and family. It did not take long for photography to consume Todd. It has allowed him to see the beauty in everything around us. With that mindset, travel does not need to be a priority. There is beauty in your own backyard, your home town, or the state in which you live. Todd wakes up each day, excited about what he might see and capture through my lens. Todd shoots because it inspires him. That one picture, that one moment in time, cannot be seen again but through photography. Michigan is a treasure of natural beauty and Todd is fortunate to call it home.  

Here are Todd Maertz’s Top 5 Photos he has taken in the Grand Haven area and why!

#1
I love taking photographs that show the fury of Lake Michigan. Often times when I am at an art fair, a customer will ask me what ocean that is in one of my photos. I am delighted to inform them that it is not an ocean, but indeed a Great Lake!

#2
This is a classic shot of the Grand Haven pier. I was actually laying on my stomach for this photograph. The pier is such an iconic symbol of Grand Haven and Lake Michigan.

#3
I love the Kite Festival in Grand Haven and I go every year. I have always had this photo in my mind of kites flying with the lighthouse in the background. The trick was that I didn’t want any people in the photo! I finally made this shot happen at last year’s festival.

#4
Most people run to the Grand Haven pier for sunset. I, on the other hand, run for the pier when the weather is at its worst. The ice and the waves make for such dramatic photographs. I remember this day last December. I made the mistake of taking off my glove for 5 seconds to click the shutter button. I also remember that it took the rest of the day to get it warm again!

#5
If I had a nickel for every time I have walked the Grand Haven Boardwalk, I would be a rich man. To me it’s every bit as iconic as the pier. Walking it in the evening on a warm summer night is as good as it gets!

To learn more about Todd Maertz or to purchase any prints of his work, check out his website and his Facebook and Instagram!