Dexter Man Makes Hobby Photographing License Plates

Diana Vreeland, the late fashion maven, once said, “I loathe narcissism, but I approve of vanity.”

Apparently so do the 251,000 Michigan drivers, whose vehicles sport vanity license plates.

The plates, which are made up of a combination of seven letters and numbers, are a multi-million dollar commodity in Michigan and range from the creative to the downright bizarre.

Dexter resident Erik Schunerstein has been photographing and cataloguing personalized license plates on his Facebook page since 2009 and said he is always amazed at the creativity of his fellow driver.

“You can learn a lot about someone just by their license plate,” Schunerstein said. “In Washtenaw County, for instance, I know there’s more Red Wings and University of Michigan fans than Detroit Tigers fans based on the number of plates I’ve seen with either a logo or a phrase.”

Schunerstein said his interest in vanity plates is rooted in family road trips to Florida during his childhood.

“My parents would come up with games to play in the car,” he said. “It started with trying to count how many different state license plates we could spot and periodically we would see a personalized plate.”

Though he’s not sure when he started taking photographs of the plates, his Facebook page boasts upwards of 450 pictures from vehicles in and around Dexter.

“It’s just silly fun,” he said. “Whenever I see a plate, I take a photo of it and save it until its appropriate to post. I approach the vehicle's owner and ask if I can take a photo. Most of the time the owner is very welcoming. They put the plate on their vehicle to be seen, so I’ve never had anyone ask me to take their plate off my site.”

Schunerstein’s collection ranges from college and career themes to music and general interest. Examples such as “GOT MSU” and “HOTFUDG” indicate drivers’ interest in Michigan State University and ice cream toppings.

“I take photos wherever I go — Dexter, Ann Arbor, Metro Detroit, etc.,” he said. “My Facebook friends have even joined in and have begun e-mailing me photos of plates that they find."

In a world saturated in communication, Schunerstein said personalized plates are one of the easiest ways to advertise a message. And because no two plates in Michigan can be the same, it provides a unique opportunity for businesses.

“The question I always ask is, ‘what is it about a certain word that commits someone to put it on their license plate?’ Schunerstein said quoting the plate “WOOPTDU.”

Schunerstein’s own personalized plate, HUSBAND, promotes his dedication to the Worldwide Marriage Encounter, a nonprofit organization that promotes the importance of communication between husbands and their wives.

According to Hour Detroit, Michigan motorists have been flaunting their messages since 1973 with 9,494 plates registered alone in Washtenaw County.

“Some plates point out the obvious, and others make you think,” Schunerstein said.

To see Schunerstein's collection, visit his Facebook page online.