Joe Lane…Muskegon, MI
Joe Lane: Finding His Voice Through the Lens
By Doug D. Sims
In 2011, Muskegon artist Joe Lane picked up a camera to take senior portraits for his nephew. He didn’t know it at the time, but the shoot would mark the beginning of a new creative journey. A lifelong musician and performer, Lane quickly found that photography gave him the same outlet for expression—bold, dynamic, and deeply human.
Music was Lane’s first love. He grew up performing gospel, jazz, classical, and even country, touring from the time he was seven. That versatility now shapes his photography. Whether he’s shooting athletes, seniors, or community events, Lane approaches each subject with the same intensity he once brought to the stage. His style leans bold and cinematic, often defined by high-contrast lighting and a flair for the dramatic. “I don’t want to lock myself into one thing,” he explains. “Every style I learn makes me better.”
The first few shoots snowballed into more. Within a year, Lane had a steady flow of clients and a growing passion. Yet he resists calling it “work.” For him, photography must remain fueled by love. “I want people to look at my photos and say, ‘Joe Lane took that,’” he says. “But I also want my clients’ vision to shine through. It’s about meeting them where they are, and then taking it further.”
Muskegon, where Lane has lived for 30 years, quietly shapes his perspective. “It’s a simple city, and I mean that in the best way,” he says. “Here, you don’t have to dress things up—you just have to make them quality.” From food truck rallies to the Unity Christian Music Festival and countless high school sporting events, Lane has become a fixture in capturing Muskegon’s community spirit. His sports photography, in particular, has become a visual record of local pride and perseverance.
Sometimes, the most powerful images aren’t planned. Lane recalls shooting a cross-country team on the beach when he stumbled upon a raw, chaotic scene: a man in distress and a woman wrapped in an American flag bikini confronting him. Though he’s never published the photo, it remains unforgettable. “It was humanity, unfiltered,” he says.
Lane admits his greatest challenge has been the lack of formal training. As a musician, he knows the value of structure and theory. In photography, he’s taught himself by shooting relentlessly—sometimes hundreds of frames a day. His advice for newcomers is simple but firm: “Shoot a lot. Learn from what you don’t like as much as what you do.”
More than anything, Lane sees photography as a way to connect. While photographing high school seniors, he often asks about their dreams and goals, turning a photo session into something more personal. For him, the ultimate reward isn’t technical praise—it’s human recognition. “The best compliment I get isn’t that my pictures are good,” he says. “It’s when people tell me they can see I love what I do.”
Now, Lane is preparing for his most ambitious project yet: photographing 59 marching bands across Michigan. It’s a daunting challenge, but one he approaches with the same passion that’s carried him from the stage to the lens. And when asked how he hopes to be remembered, Lane doesn’t hesitate: “That you could tell I loved what I did.”
About Joe Lane
Joe Lane is a Muskegon-based photographer whose work spans portraits, sports, events, and community storytelling. A lifelong musician and creative, Lane brings bold artistry and human connection to every image he captures.
