Guest Comments

If you wish to make a comment, please send mail to jlw@michiganlighthouse.com

I bought your Michigan Lighthouses book from you back in October 2000 at the Lighthouse Festival in Alpena. Thumbing through the aerial photos. Once again, simply amazed at the beauty of the lights captured by your camera. Wonderful! In particular, the breathtaking and seclusiveness caught on film of Stannard Rock from above! AWESOME! Anyways, you signed my book and seeing your kind words to my wife and I was a nice memory of a wonderful time at that festival. Thanks!

Mike Ebel

From Amazon.com

Phenominal (sic) & Outstanding
December 11, 2002
Reviewer: A reader from Grandville, MI United States

You’ve never really seen a lighthouse until you’ve seen it from the air. This perspective is totally new. The pictures are wonderful and the history of the lighthouses is fascinating. If you have any interest at all in lighthouses or boating this book is a “must have.” It’s a great coffee table book—you can pick it up and open it to any page…there’s no beginning or end.

Dear John,

We received your book today from my children; it is just beautiful, and we enjoy it immensely. My daughter, Amy, from Dallas, TX is the one that contacted you and had you personalize it for me. That makes the book all the more special to me. I can’t wait to show it to our friends who are also interested in Michigan’s beautiful treasures.

Thank you,
Patricia Dankert

Dear Mr. Wagner,

I received your book on Friday as a heartfelt thanks from a patient’s daughter I had the privilege to know for a short time. I work for Hospice of Little Traverse Bay in Petoskey, Michigan as a patient care tech. During one of my visits to the patient’s house, I had mentioned my love for visiting and learning the history of our Michigan lighthouses…the character each one holds, from the stories passed on, to the solitude each one brings, leaves me at awe. How it touched my heart to receive such a gift. I found myself so enthralled when I finally got to sit down and look behind the cover. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and talent and for letting us get a glimpse at such breathtaking views.

Sincerely,
Carol Phillips

John,

Being an avid lighthouse collector/aficionado—but especially Michigan lighthouses (because I live here)—I was impressed and awed by the beauty of this book. I appreciate very much the time, care and hours of flying and photographic manipulation necessary to create this wonderful endeavor. I love your artistry and the words by which you describe it. I also enjoy the symbolic nature of lighthouses.

Thank you so much for “bringing to light” Michigan’s heritage of lighthouses and their treasured nature.

Dennis Kelley
Lansing, Michigan

John,

Our 9-year-old grandson, Kyle, spent Friday night with us, and he told me the next morning that he stayed up late going through this great book on the Great Lakes. He commented that it was so interesting he just couldn’t close the cover. His family spends time in the summertime camping along Michigan’s shores, and he has visited some of the Lake Michigan Lighthouses…

MaryAnn Fedewa,
Fowler, Michigan

Dear Mr. Wagner,

Hello, my name is Johnny Gin. I have just had the tremendous pleasure of receiving two of your beautiful limited edition, personally inscribed books for my birthday from my friend Carrie Chan.

I would like to congratulate you on this spectacular collection of aerial lighthouse photographs. This is by far the most extensive and the most breathtaking collection I have ever seen. You are a man of many talents and a truly accomplished photographer. I hope you will continue to record these wonderful images for people around the world to enjoy.

Thank you!

Johnny Gin
Hong Kong

John,

The books are perfect. I got them and opened mine. What a great book. This will be the perfect present! Thanks for getting them so quick for me.

Jeff Rochefort
Bad Axe, Michigan

From Amazon.com by permission of the writer

Unique perspective of lighthouse locales
September 22, 1998
Reviewer: rgurskey@erols.com from McLean, Virginia

Having recently completed a self-guided lighthouse tour of Michigan’s lower peninsula, I found this provides many pleasant reminders. The aerial perspective uniquely shows why lighthouses are built in the locations selected by the government. The stories of trying to fly an airplane and use a camera simultaneously are a delight. After my short aerial journey over the Straits of Mackinaw, I can appreciate the difficulty the author had. The large format of the book allows one to study the details of each color photograph. The photos of Great Lakes cargo vessels and icebreakers are an added bonus. I recommend this book to all lovers of lighthouses, whether you have been to Michigan or not.

Dear Mr. Wagner,

I wanted to let you know that I received the Round Island poster in the mail yesterday and it is great. Thank you for signing it—that made the poster even more special to me. I also wanted to thank you again for working with me and being so patient.

I am hoping to come to Michigan some day and visit the Round Island lighthouse. You have just brought my dream a little closer.

Thanks again. I really love the poster!

C. B.
Lawton, Oklahoma

Dear John,

A month ago I ordered, and have since received, your aerial photography book. I sent it to my parents in Grand Rapids and my Mom’s response is with much appreciation for the great book. She thinks it’s wonderful. My Dad agrees and is waiting to take it on vacation when he can sit for hours and view it. Thanks again for a fine book.

Bob Scholten
Kissimmee, FL

Dear Mr. Wagner,

I received your book, Michigan Lighthouses, as a Christmas present and have enjoyed it immensely. I have gone through it three or four times so far and each time was as though it were the first. I majored in photography in college and have also done some recreational flying with a friend, so I have some idea of what skill it requires to do either—much less both—at the same time. Each of your photographs in the book are nothing short of a work of art. My great grandfather was a lighthouse keeper at the Marquette, Michigan lighthouse from 1909 through 1921 or 22, so I have a sort of vested interest in lighthouses.

Perry Laing
WNMU-TV
Northern Michigan University
Marquette, MI

Hello John,

I love your photographs. You know my uncle, Bill Craig, a fellow pilot and photographer. He had a copy of your book, which I also purchased. I spent most of my formative years in Michigan and try to get back there as often as I can. I love the water and everything associated with it, especially the lighthouses! I've lived in Chicago for 22 years but make it a point to visit Michigan’s lakeshores, mostly on the western edge.

I, too, love photography and truly enjoyed your book. Friends from the East Coast have also marveled at your work. I happened on your web site while surfing, and the picture on your home page struck me, since it’s the one on the cover of your book! I hope you’re doing well.

Lisa Diment

Dear Mr. Wagner,

I am a recipient of your marvelous book, Michigan Lighthouses. A friend…presented a number of these to our group at a Christmas luncheon. I have thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent photographs and the very interesting prose. While an employee of Ryerson Steel, a subsidiary of Inland Steel at the time, I enjoyed three separate cruises aboard ore-boats from Indiana Harbor to Escanaba, MI. In fact, one trip was aboard the Joe Block pictured in your book.

Gil Kett
Carmel, IN