Cousin Curtiss {Alaskan, Michigan-Native Musician in Ann Arbor}

I first met Curtiss while shooting his sisters wedding earlier this summer. However, this was not the first I had heard of him. His sister was a friend in college and as we have grown up I have heard things about how he is this amazing musician through the grapevine of friends. Before the wedding my friend Anissa (the maid of honor at the wedding as well) told me I should listen to some of his stuff. So I did. It was pretty great, he has a fresh sounding voice and a style I would consider a mesh of Keller Williams and Jason Mraz.

At the wedding we got to talking and he asked me if I ever photograph musicians. My short answer = YES. The longer answer is if it has a human being in it I am down. I have been enjoying pushing myself to shoot in new locations and for different reasons. This was the perfect opportunity. Curtiss is a musician/9th grade English teacher living in Juneau, Alaska. He is originally from Onekema, MI where his awesome parents live… I know this because they were just awesome at the wedding. I love them :D. Well and they totally produced a super talented, amazingly kind and hilarious kid.

Originally the plan was to meet before his Ann Arbor show at Old Town Tavern but then I found out he had a show the night before in Grand Rapids at The Hideout Brew Co. and asked if we could meet up there. The weather was not our friend so we had to push the shoot but I was so excited to spend 2 glorious evenings listening to this guy perform and hang out with him for a few hours in the, what turned out to be very hot and sunny, afternoon. These are just a few of my favorites from the concerts and photo shoot. You can check them all out at my smug mug if you would so like. He still has 3 shows on his summer tour (in Oregon and BC) but that’s it for this year because he has to get back to his students. How cool is that? I am thinking a trip to Alaska is in order!! I have never been and music / photography seems like a perfectly good excuse.

Check him out in all the ways:

Website (featuring some of these photos!) | Facebook (love his update videos as he travels across the country!) | Instagram (he’s a pretty great photo maker himself)