The 2013-2014 Winter season has been great for viewing eagles in my area of the country.
Due to the extreme cold temperatures in Canada and other northern territories, and what I think is probably a lack of open, unfrozen water where they can hunt, we have seen an unusually large number of eagles in the last few months. I have seen some eagles here and there (usually just one) as I'm out shooting, but I had never seen so many at once. A couple of weeks ago, I counted 17 in the same spot. It was quite amazing [for me] if I may say so. As with a lot of photography subjects, patience is key. They are quite tough to photograph sometimes (I'm referring to above average images) as they can just sit there for hours while they stalk prey. It's ridiculously cold outside, so even with appropriate outerwear, it's uncomfortable after a while. I never did get the shots I was after, but managed to capture a few images as I enjoyed watching them. Enjoy! -Mario
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Above ↑ - It was a bit tricky to get to them as it was incredibly slippery due to the ice and snow, but it definitely paid off once I was able to reach the falls. Below ↓ - A bird's eye view of another of the falls. A couple of people decided to climb the falls (with proper equipment, of course). It was quite interesting to see a waterfall from behind, while suspended in time. I could hear a bit of water trickling deep inside it and could also see bits of light coming through the water crystals. Above ↑ - A view from directly underneath one of the canyons.
Below ↓ - A "selfie" of sorts. :) Winters in Chicago are quite tough. If you're not from here, you'll hate it. On the flip side, if you are from here, there's a pretty good chance that you don't have the kindest of feelings towards it either. Some of us try to make the best of it as we await the arrival of spring. I like to sometimes go out with a small camera and shoot whatever catches my interest at any given moment. Sometimes I get lucky and run into some great image opportunities, but more often than not, it's just cold and my fingers can only take so much cold before they start hurting. I have managed to capture some interesting imagery during a few of such walks.
Above ↑ - The river comes to a standstill as it freezes due to the cold temperatures. Below ↓ - No matter if it's cold, snowing, sleeting, etc. When January rolls around, you'll see these guys (or gals) in costume advertising a tax preparation business. Above ↑ - While parks remain open during winter, some areas are restricted or closed due to the snowfall. Below ↓ - People still don't seem to remember how to drive in winter conditions and end up sliding through intersections and causing traffic accidents. Above ↑ - Pigeon frozen to death.
Below ↓ - If you live in Chicago, you know what this means. I've been asked a few times by certain folks, why I put my name in my photo images or in some cases a watermark (faint mark) across a photo.
The reason is actually quite simple. It's my work. I'm proud of what I do and so I put my name on it, just as painters and many other artists do. In my particular case, I've spent countless hours in class, training and working to perfect my craft in addition to the thousands of dollars spent on schooling, equipment, software and other things that have allowed me to offer such quality work. It's also a marketing thing. More than 65% of my paid work, comes from folks that I don't know and have contacted me after seeing my name (or website) on an image or photograph that they have liked. Another reason is to deter theft. The case in point here is of a fellow photographer who recently found out that one of his photos has appeared on a commercial billboard at an undisclosed location. Of course, nobody asked him to use the photo and the only way he'll see any payment from this use of his work, will probably be through some sort of legal process. We all want exposure for our work and I'm positive he (the image owner) would have made a reasonable sale or exchange of commodities for the use of his work, but that, sadly, was not the case. This situation has unfortunately happened to me as well and is one of the reasons why I mark my images. Most people understand that and don't give me a hard time about it or "demand" an explanation as it simply makes sense. A few years ago, a former friend said that having my name on my work as I typically do was "immensely distracting when trying to see, enjoy, and understand a good photo". -Some "friend" huh? Well, I'm glad not many folks think that way and no one had [ever] before or since, made such an absurd comment to me in that regard. Bottom line is, whether it's photography, music or other types of art, if you like something, let the author know you do. Send them a note, a nod or a "like". We love what we do and positive feedback is always a good thing. If you REALLY like something, support that author and allow them to keep doing what they're doing by buying the image or photograph or song or art piece from them. It may not seem like much in some cases, but I can assure you that it means the world to us. Thank you for your continued support and checking out my website. Until next time! -Mario This is a funny clip depicting some of the comments we get from ordinary folks on a regular basis as we do what we do. It's not meant to be a "slam" to anyone in particular as I have found out that many people don't quite "get" what we do. In addition, technology, while helpful in making our workflow easier, is also a double-edged sword as it makes people think that all it takes to do what we do, is a nice camera and not much else. In any event, I thought this was comical in its own weird way and figured I'd share it here. Enjoy it for what it is and have a great day. -Mario I've added a new page with samples on various topics on the popular FLICKr network.
This will allow me to expand on the number of samples I offer for public viewing on any given topic without overwhelming the main website and portfolios. You may access the page by clicking HERE. Hope you enjoy the samples and thank you for your continued support. -Mario Here's a look at the recording of the song "Sunset Beach" which plays behind the turtle documentary I posted yesterday.
I enjoy writing and producing music for the various projects I'm fortunate enough to be involved in and hope you enjoy this look into that aspect of production. -Mario This clip contains scenes from a project I filmed and which relates to a couple of types of sea turtles which are in the endangered species list. This was an incredibly fun and challenging project to film as keeping a steady hand while shooting at sea wasn't as easy as I expected. Projects such as this one are a treat for me as a photographer, videographer and musician because they're not just beautiful to look at as I film and experience new locations but they also inspire new music and melodies such as that heard on this clip. The main melody idea came to me while underwater and I wrote the piece based on that basic idea. This video clip is meant to be fun and it hopefully will inspire you to do your part, however small, in saving the turtles, their environment and making the planet that we all share a better place to live. Enjoy! -Mario
Waking up to fresh layer of snow in winter is quite beautiful. The snow sparkles when it gets hit with the first rays of sunshine as the new day dawns. As pretty as all of that is, in order for us to function properly as a civilized society, certain things need to happen: snow removal and cleanup.
I must say, while winter is a fantastic time of year when it comes to photography & certain outdoor activities, 'winter cleanup' is not in my Top 10 list of fun things to do, but for me it is nice getting out there, [and even if only by a very small degree], changing my immediate landscape with a shovel and a snowblower. It's another opportunity to see, run into and chat with neighbors that we usually don't see, as we're all so busy with our coming-and-goings, it seems our relationships sometimes don't go beyond a "hello" or "hey, wassup!". Since we're all sorta stuck-in until things are cleaned up, we're forced to, ...well, not really "forced to", but we interact more than usual and I think THAT is cool. Plans sometimes are made for hot cocoa afterwards, maybe plans to get together to watch a game, organize a snowball fight with the kids or just to hang out and be neighborly. So come to think of it, winter cleanup actually is kinda cool and I'm thankful for those things that happen from time to time and slow us down enough, so we enjoy more of what and who is around us. I now gotta go meet my neighbors for hot cocoa...! |
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