Spring on the Gulf Coast

Well, the weather has started to warm up. It will be a matter of time before all the Snow Birds will be returning to their sumer nesting grounds up north. That can mean only one thing... those crazy adolescents will soon ascending on us, to create havoc and fun. This is the start of the Spring season on the Gulf Coast.

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Addicted to taking photographs

I wonder if I am the only person that must take photos on a regular basis. If there is a day that I don't hit the shutter on a camera, any camera, I just don't feel like my day is done. I love it. I am addicted to it. It calls my name. It's like a drug. It is my passion. So I find myself carrying my Nikon D3 around with me all the time. Given the size of this unit, not an easy thing to do for the past 3 years. My friends have given the camera a nickname… “Precious”. They know that she comes before a lot of other things, and she is very important to my sanity. Precious and I have been through a lot. We get out on a regular basis and explore. I can hardly tell she is on my back when we are out there away from civilization. That is, until I get back home and my backs stiff from carrying the extra weight. She and I work like a team, and she is a great partner. The photos that we...

Planning to Shoot

Ever wonder how your favorite photographers capture those magical moments? Those shots were planned days, weeks, months, and in some cases years in advance. In may instances a photographer will keep a journal of conditions or times to revisit certain locations. For me I plan my shots out to the next season. In the Spring, when I go to a particular location, I try to imagine what the Summer, Fall, and Winter scene will look like from that spot. I write it down and set reminders in a calendar a week or two in advance, to revisit that area. And, depending on the weather conditions this may even be a year or two away. Have you ever anticipated the bright colors of Fall to only wake up to a heavy rain fall? The leaves disappear almost over night. Below are a couple of shots that it took me some time to get just the way I wanted them. From the type of light to the amount of water flowing over the waterfall. I by no means...

Entering My First Photography Contest

Entering a Photography Contest was a hard thing for me to do. This meant I would be going head to head with other photographers to see whose final photo would be the judged, "The Best". I found out quickly that doing this is more about the experience, than the win. It gave me the chance to appreciate different photography styles and techniques. After seeing the winning photo, I felt quite honored knowing that I was judged at the same level. I like to study the winning shot to find out why it won and captured the judges eye. The above shot was my first entry into a contest. It didn't make much of an impression on the judges. Looking back, I see a lot of things I could have done better-- under exposed wrong angle for that time of day should have had less sky dust specs on the actual waterfall burn out on the top of the waterfall ...and the list could go...

Ray McMullen Fine Art Photography

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