Merry Christmas to All and To All A Good Night

Merry Christmas to All and To All A Good Night, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Backyard Predator

Backyard Predator, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A mature Coopers Hawk in our suburban Atlanta backyard. If you look closely, you can see the hawk's prey, a frog from the creek across the back of our property. Shot handheld with a Nikon D90, a Nikon 80-200 f2.8 AF-D telephoto lens and a Kenko Pro 1.4x teleconverter. (DSC_0802(1))

Rose at Sunset

DSC_3732crev3, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A rose from the Culinary Institute's garden. Taken at the Culinary Institute of America in St Helena, CA. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Nikon 50mm f1.8D lens.

Texas State Capital

DSC_0077, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The Texas State Capital in Austin at night. I shot this hand-held with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-35mm f3.5 lens. The low-light performance and metering capabilities of the camera are amazing.

The Qatar Pearl

The Qatar Pearl, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Qatar characterizes itself as the "Pearl of The Gulf". The slogan pays tribute to both the economic development of the country and its heritage as a center for pearls. The Doha skyline of Al Corniche is visible in the background. Shot on Fuji Superia Reala 100 film with a tripod-mounted Nikon N80, a Nikon 28-70 f3.5 lens and a Nikon SB600 speedlight (used for fill flash to soften the shadows on the interior of the clamshell).

Sunset over the marshes at Groton Long Point

80100003, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The setting sun illuminates two houses along the marsh that occupies the center of Groton Long Point, near Mystic, CT. Shot hand-held with a Nikon N80, a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 telephoto zoom and Fuji Velvia 50 film.

Lines and Curves

DSC_0053, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

I recently had the opportunity wander around the new Mexican American Cultural Center in Austin, TX. I was walking around the city while business, experimenting with my new Nikon D90. The director of the center was kind enough to show me around while they were working to open the building. This photo was shot hand-held with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-35mm F3.5 lens.

Esmerelda and The Eagle

DSC_2380, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The bowsprit of the USCGC Eagle frames the Esmerelda, lit with holiday lighting in San Diego Harbor during the Tall Ship festival in August, 2008. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Nikon 18-55mm F3.5 DX lens.