DJZ PHOTOGRAPHY
Aerial, Real Estate, Landscape & Architectural Photographer serving Grand Rapids and West Michigan
Starting my photography career in real estate photography allowed me to spend years learning about camera gear, lighting, composition, post processing, and advanced Photoshop techniques. As a real estate photographer I was thrilled to introduce aerial photography to my services in 2017 after becoming an FAA Part 107 Certified Remote Pilot for the commercial operation of camera drones. I eventually expanded into other industries such as architecture, hospitality, interiors, and Michigan landscape photography. I also have a Gear Blog where I discuss camera, lighting, and drone gear as well as techniques for beginners.
Whether it’s about licensing inquiries or starting a new project, feel free to contact me!
Currently based in West Michigan.
Michigan Landscape Photography
I have hundreds of Michigan landscape photos available to purchase as prints on metal, canvas, acrylic, and more. Be sure to also check out my Michigan landscape photography website featuring photos and aerial panoramas of Michigan lakes, lighthouses, beaches, beach towns, and more.
Recently Added Michigan Landscape Photos:
Dewey Lake is located near Dowagiac in Cass County in Michigan's lower peninsula. This aerial photo was taken from southeast of the lake on a summer day in 2024.
Lobdell Lake is located near Fenton and Linden in Genesee and Livingston Counties in Michigan's lower peninsula. This aerial photo was taken during peak fall colors from west of the lake on a sunny fall day.
This photo of the Little Sable Point Lighthouse was taken on the night of October 10th, 2024, as the Northern Lights made an appearance in Michigan and around the world.
This photo of the Muskegon Lights was taken on May 23rd, 2024 as the full moon positioned itself behind the South Pierhead Lighthouse before setting into the waters of Lake Michigan.
This aerial photo of the Manistee Golf & Country Club was taken from southeast of the golf course, with Lake Michigan and the Manistee Piers & Lighthouse in the distance.
This photo of the St. Joseph pier and lighthouses with the moon was taken on November 8th, 2022, during the latter phases of a lunar eclipse.
This aerial photo at the Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon features the beach, piers, lighthouses, and The Deck bar & restaurant. (June 2022)
This aerial photo along Grand Traverse Bay was taken on a summer morning in July 2021 from north of the marinas facing southeast towards Traverse City.
Kalamazoo Lake is located along the Kalamazoo River between Saugatuck and Douglas in Allegan County in Michigan's lower peninsula. This aerial photo was taken from southeast of the lake on a sunny summer morning.
Northport Bay is located near the northern tip of the Leelanau Peninsula in Leelanau County near Northport, which is about a 25 mile drive north from Traverse City in Michigan's lower peninsula. This 2022 aerial photo of the bay features E Nagonaba St in the lower left, pointing towards the marina and the turquoise waters of the bay.
This photo of the Grand Haven south pier lights was taken on September 10th, 2022 as the full moon was centered over the outer lighthouse.
Cable Lake is located near Dowagiac in Cass County in Michigan's lower peninsula. This aerial photo was taken from east of the lake on a summer day.
Architectural & Real Estate Photography
Whether it’s a quick real estate photoshoot or an all-day architectural interiors project, I always enjoy photographing new spaces and places. I have photographed thousands of residential and commercial buildings from the air and on the ground in Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana. I primarily work in West Michigan between the Lake Michigan Lakeshore and Grand Rapids, but if the hotel is free and (and my wife can come too) I’m happy to travel if necessary!
Camera & Drone Gear Blog
My gear blog features camera & drone reviews, tutorials, comparisons, news, and info. Here are some of the more recent articles:
I was doing an internet search for a consolidated timeline of DJI product releases over the past few years because I was curious about how often they come out with new drones, gimbals, and cameras. I couldn't really find any page that had a consolidated list... all I could find with product release dates was their news archive. So, I went ahead and while I was "relaxing" and watching a movie one evening, compiled a list of (most of?) DJI's product releases of interest since July 2012 based on their press release archive.
DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and creative camera technology, today introduces DJI Mini 3 Pro, its most powerful lightweight and portable camera drone.
I have written a few articles that mention the gear that I use, but I wanted to make simple list of the gear I use for different scenarios. My list includes cameras, tripods, lighting, lenses, backpacks, drones, and more.
Well it’s finally here… the DJI Mavic 3! This announcement was exciting (if you’re a camera nerd like me) because it is the first time I’m aware of that we have a compact, foldable drone with a 4/3 sensor (17.3mm x 13mm). This size sensor was previously only available on a Zenmuse X5, which requires an Inspire to use. Ever since the Phantom 4 Pro was released in 2016 any drones smaller than an Inspire maxed out with a 1” sensor (13.2mm x 8.8mm).
Having a larger sensor should mean less noise and more detail. So naturally I wondered… does the new DJI Mavic 3 beat my previous compact favorite, the DJI Air 2S?
Mavic 3 is redesigned from tip to tail as worthy of the Mavic series’ reputation as the world’s best and most popular drones. From its 4/3 CMOS Hasselblad camera and 28x hybrid zoom camera, to its omnidirectional obstacle sensors with a maximum 200-meter range, [1] to its redesigned batteries that provide up to 46 minutes of flight time, Mavic 3 provides unprecedented flight performance and a peerless content creation experience.
Autel Robotics has announced their new Nano and Evo series of foldable drones to compete with DJI’s Mavic and Mavic Air series drones.
The core of the EOS R3 features a Canon designed and manufactured 24.1-megapixel back-illuminated stacked CMOS sensor. The sensor is the first of its kind from Canon, and when combined with the DIGIC X processor, delivers a high-speed readout allowing for continuous blackout-free shooting1 at up to 30 fps in electronic (silent) shutter mode and up to 12 fps in mechanical shutter, with minimum rolling electronic shutter distortion. The combination also increases the high sensitivity, light-capturing efficiency of a native ISO range of 100-102400, expandable up to 204,800 for still images. Like the EOS R5 and R6, the camera features the improved Dual Pixel CMOS AF II with 1,053 AF Points and evolved EOS iTR tracking down to EV -7.5 for subjects such as eye, face, head, animals2, and select cars and motorcycles. In addition, the camera features up to 8 stops3 of in-body image stabilized (IBIS) shake correction.
Sony Electronics Inc. today announced their first-ever professional drone, the "Airpeak S1"i. An introductory model in the new Airpeak line, the S1 is the world's smallestii drone that can be equipped with a full-size mirrorless interchangeable-lens Alpha camera, opening up a new world of creative possibilities.
A review of the Pelican 1400 Protector Case, which is a waterproof hard case perfectly sized for the DJI Mavic series of drones.