MUSKEGON, Mich. — Some of the most beautiful photos are sunrises and sunsets unique to West Michigan, and one man knows all too well the beauty of the beginning and end to the day.
Meet William "Bill" Beatty.
He’s been sending photos to FOX 17 for many years. But his love for photography started well before that.
“I started in high school; I was a yearbook photographer and school newspaper photographer. And then just continued from there," said Beatty.
And if you couldn’t tell by his pictures, there are a few West Michigan spots he enjoys photographing.
“One of my favorite spots is Duck Lake State Park, and then Little Sable Points," said Beatty. "And then, of course, Pure Marquette Park here in Muskegon.”
To get those perfect shots, he immerses himself and his camera.
“It's water resistant. That's the main reason why I switched to this one because I used to do Sony and this has actually been dunked in the water a couple of times when I'm out with my waders and it’s held up pretty good," Beatty said when talking about his camera.
If you take a peek into his archive, you’ll find a slew of sunrises, sunsets, lighthouses and interesting-looking clouds.
“I just have literally hundreds of pictures,” said Beatty.
Some of his photos tell the story of an ever-changing West Michigan landscape.
“This past year [I've noticed] definitely a lot less ice than previous years," said Beatty. As an avid kayaker, he's noticed some changes in the depth of the water. "There's some spots on the Muskegon River you can only walk because it's that low.”
Along with scenery changes, there are also those daily weather changes. Bill pays close attention to the forecast.
“When [meteorologists] say that Lake Michigan is really calm, I'm taking off to go take pictures," said Beatty.
You’ve probably seen many of those pictures on the news. If you snap a photo you'd like us to feature, we’re always happy to share them. Send them to weather@fox17online.com.
