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    • CREATING A FISHWHEEL in ALASKA for NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
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Charlotte Smith | Photographer

Michigan based. Available for travel.
  • POSED
  • CANDIDS
    • PROJECT APOLLO in MICHIGAN for FORD MOTOR CO.
    • BUILDING BRIDGES GALA in DETROIT for POPE FRANCIS CENTER
    • NATALIE & JACK'S WEDDING in MICHIGAN
    • CREATING A FISHWHEEL in ALASKA for NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
    • DYER'S RUN FOR SHERIFF in YPSILANTI for WASHTENAW COUNTY DEPUTY SHERIFF CAMPAIGN
    • LOCALS CELEBRATE in DETROIT for MICHIGAN CENTRAL
    • KIM & DAVYD'S WEDDING in NEW MEXICO
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  • RECENT WORK
  • ABOUT ME
  • WORK WITH ME
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A love letter to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Charlotte Smith September 19, 2025

I just spent three days back in my hometown of Grand Marais, Michigan. After a year with a lot of loss and most recently the passing of my father, it felt grounding to return and tend to my roots. Growing up, I was so eager to leave the place I grew up. Yet now, there are moments when I ache to return—to wade into the cold water, wander the dirt roads, and feel the warmth of the sun on my back.

A photograph of an airplane flying above clouds in the evening at Grand Marais, MI

Photography has always been how I process this human experience. I can’t fully explain it, but it’s been with me since childhood. At 13, I would save the few dollars I earned picking up sticks in our yard or shoveling snow and spend them on a $5 disposable Kodak camera during our family grocery trips to Marquette. That small act of preservation—capturing what I saw and felt—still echoes through my work today.

A photograph looking down Agate beach, towards Grand Sable Dunes and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Grand Marais, MI

This trip reconnected me to those younger parts of myself, the ones who found comfort in the water, the dunes, and the sun. These landscapes are more than just scenery—they hold memory, healing, and belonging.

A photograph of sunlight reflecting on the sandy bottom of Lake Superior
A photograph of ferns and moss growing at an old logging spot in Grand Marais, MI
A photograph of dappled sunlight illuminating a pine tree and ferns in a forest in the Upper Peninsula

As I share these photos, I hope they serve as a reminder of the beauty and fragility of nature. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the Great Lakes (HOMES, as we learned in school), and all the wild spaces that sustain us deserve to be protected. They are more than backdrops to our lives—they are vital, living parts of our stories. Conserving them ensures future generations will also find the same peace, wonder, and connection that I continue to find each time I return home.

A photograph of clouds reflected in water at Grand Sable Lake, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
A photograph of a percolator coffee pot on a camping stove in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
A photograph of ferns being illuminated in the woods of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
A photograph of new growth of pine trees in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
A photograph of the sunlight reflecting on water on Lake Superior
A photograph people silhouetted on shores of Lake Superior in Grand Marais, MI
A photograph of the sun reflecting on the waters of Lake Superior
A photograph of the Big Dipper and the northern light in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
In Photography, Storytelling, Creative Process, Michigan, Upper Peninsula, Travel and Places, Personal Reflections Tags Grand Marais Michigan, Upper Peninsula Michigan photography, Upper Michigan Photography Photojournalist, Michigan Photographer, storytelling photography, nature photography Michigan, photography and grief, creative healing through photography, returning to roots, Michigan Travel Photography, personal storytelling through images
Charlie Engelman filming OddAnimalSpecimens in his creative studio space

Charlie Engelman at the University of Michigan Research Museums Center filming a moth for one of his videos for his social media channel OddAnimalSpecimens, which provides facts about the natural world.

OddAnimalSpecimens, Endless Curiosity, and possibly one of my Coolest Shoots Ever!

Charlotte Smith August 15, 2025

I recently had the pleasure of photographing Charlie Engelman, the creative mind behind the TikTok and YouTube channel OddAnimalSpecimens, as he was recognized by TIME Magazine as one of the TIME100 Creators—a list celebrating the most influential digital voices today.

If you haven’t seen OddAnimalSpecimens, it’s a fascinating series where Charlie shares quirky facts and debunks myths about the animal world. Since launching it five years ago, he’s built a loyal following—not because he’s trying to “teach” in the traditional sense, but because he sparks curiosity and inspires people to care about science.

Charlie Engelman searching the University of Michigan Natural History Museum's archives for a specimen to film for his Odd Animal Speciman Series

Charlie Engelman at the University of Michigan Research Museums Center looking through their collection of animal specimens to feature in his popular video series, OddAnimalSpecimens

Photographing him inside the University of Michigan Research Museum Center’s animal specimen collection was an unforgettable experience! Behind the doors is every kind of specimen you can imagine—rows and rows of preserved wonders. Walking through the hallways felt like stepping into a secret archive of the natural world.

Charlie Engelman poses in front of the University of Michigan Research Museums Center. An Ann Arbor native, Engelman films his popular social media series OddAnimalSpecimens at the research center, where he uses the expansive collection of animal samples stored.

Charlie looking off camera for a posed portrait with his camera while wearing the iconic blue gloves that are featured in his videos.

Charlie posing for a portrait with his trusty camera and iconic blue gloves.

Photographing Charlie wasn’t just about documenting a milestone—it was a reminder of why I love what I do. His passion for curiosity is contagious, and I left the shoot with a deeper appreciation for the quiet magic that happens behind closed museum doors.

A huge thank-you to Charlie—and congratulations on the incredible success of OddAnimalSpecimens!


Source: https://time.com/collections/time100-creators-2025/7299105/charlie-engelman/
In Portraits, Science and Nature, Behind The Scenes, Photography Tags TIME100 Creators, Charlie Engelman, OddAnimalSpecimens, Youtube Creators, University of Michigan, Natural History Museum, Ann Arbor Photographer, Michigan Photographer, Science Storytelling, Science Communication, Museum Photography
 

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