When you think of Detroit, what comes to mind? Undoubtedly, it’s different for everyone – every person experiences the city differently.

Do you have happy memories celebrating the Detroit Tigers win at Comerica Park? Biting into a Lafayette Coney Island Coney dog? Or perhaps you think of watching the Thanksgiving Parade roll down Woodward Ave on Thanksgiving Day.

When Lou Peeples imagines Detroit, all he sees is “my city.” The city that he loves to photograph and tell stories about through his images. He explores his city through his camera lens, often in the early morning hours of the day, because no one else is awake at that time. There are no cars or people walking the city at 5 or 6 a.m., and he captures a city paused in time.

Half Artist, Half Tech Fan

A self-described “technology geek,” Lou loves photography because it satisfies his technology interests just as much as his artistic side.

“I really enjoy using different equipment and trying different lenses for certain shots. I’ve been playing with long exposures where the camera can capture a photo for up to 20 or 30 seconds. Taking those kinds of shots at night are some of my favorite to play around with.”

Along with enjoying advancing technical elements of his camera, he’s along learned to love editing in post. Finding ways to enhance certain elements of his photographs are better ways of telling their story.

Evolution as a Photographer

While he loves capturing the city devoid of people, cars and signs of everyday life, Lou also is expanding his portfolio by capturing “street photography” images. These photos are shot while he walks the city throughout the day, capturing people in a moment in time, a snippet of their life.

Lou also describes himself as an eclectic photographer, going to a certain area in the city and shooting whatever strikes him in the moment – inspiration can hit any time.

Lou Peeples lives in Grosse Pointe. Follow him on Instagram at @loupeeples_photography or see his online portfolio at Pointe Photography.