While delving into the Upper Thumb’s hidden gems, I stumbled upon something truly extraordinary. I was browsing the Detroit Public Library’s digital collections in search of material on the Historical Bay Port Fishing District. My initial disappointment at finding only a few black and white shots from the 1970s turned into fascination when I discovered the photographer behind them, Steven W. Donahue. Born and raised near Port Hope, Steven’s journey led him to Chicago to study the arts, including photography, and to serve as an MP during the Vietnam War, where he photographed deaths and burials.
So, who was this photographer? Steven W. Donahue was a local lad, who grew up on his family farm near Port Hope, and later moved to Chicago to study arts, including photography. His stint in the military during the Vietnam War saw him in the role of an MP, where he had the daunting task of photographing deaths and burials. He would occasionally return to his parent’s farm to photograph the area. A selection of his shots from the thousands in various collections are shown below.
[Images]
About Steven Donahue – Steven was born in Harbor Beach, Michigan on July 28, 1944. He grew up exploring and studying nature on his parents’ 160-acre farm near Port Hope in Michigan’s Thumb. He developed an interest in photography from a young age, which led to a career spanning over 50 years. He even studied blues harmonica with Corky Siegel while living in Chicago during the 1960s.
[Image]
I was lucky enough to get in touch with Paula Donahue, Steven’s wife, who provided further insights into their life in the Upper Thumb. Steven and Paula were part of the back-to-the-land movement and moved back to the family farm, where Paula took up a job in the Harbor Beach School system and Steven opened Steven’s Studio in Harbor Beach. He loved photographing the local area, capturing its towns, people, woods, farms, old machinery, winter, and water shots, always in black and white.
Later, they moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Steven established Central Photographic and Paula became a city planner. Steven continued to work as an artist and photographer, teaching others about the art of the darkroom and studio, until his death on June 14, 2013.
Today, Steven’s collections can be found at the Detroit Public Library, University of New Mexico Center for Southwest Research, and Ryerson and Burnham Archives of the Art Institute of Chicago. You can also learn more about him and view his work on the Steven Donahue Photography website.
Related Reading
[Links]
Steven W. Donahue was a true artist with a camera, capturing the essence of Michigan’s Thumb in black and white. His work, which provides a unique glimpse into the area’s past, is a testament to his lifelong passion for photography and the arts. Today, Steven’s legacy lives on through his stunning collections, which continue to inspire and captivate viewers. His story serves as a reminder of the hidden gems that can be discovered when we delve into our local history and culture.
#StevenWDonahue #MichiganPhotography
You can explore more of Steven’s incredible work in [The Amazing Michigan Photography of Steven Donahue](https://thumbwind.com/2021/04/14/the-amazing-michigan-photography-of-steven-donahue/?fsp_sid=1527).
