Stream at Nightfall

DSC_0016, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

One of the numerous streams on the Northern side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Shot after sunset just below Newfound Gap with a tripod-mounted Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 AT-X Pro lens.

Golden Knights

_DSC2615, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A member of the Army Golden Knights Parachute Team makes his landing during the 2009 Army Navy Game in Philadelphia

Stable on a late fall afternoon

_DSC2379, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A stable in the North Georgia Hill Country on a late fall afternoon. Near Martin, GA, Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 AT-X Pro lens.

Eastern Blue Bird

DSC_2315, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A female Eastern Blue Bird on one of our backyard bird feeders. Shot with a tripod-mounted Nikon D90, a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens. The colors are "punched up" with some fill flash.

Toccoa Falls

_DSC2366, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The pool at the base of Toccoa Falls, Taccoa, Georgia. Shot with a tripod-mounted Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 AT-X Pro lens.

Twilight Woods

DSC_0321, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Woods at twilight in the Chattahoochee National Forest, near Desoto Falls. Shot with a tripod-mounted Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 DX AT-X Pro lens.

Victory

DSC_1907, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Victory. Girls practice their cheer leading on the top of a hill. Shot during the 2009 Head of The South Regatta in Augusta, GA. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 DX AT-X Pro lens.

Traffic Backup

DSC_1578, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Traffic Backup. Crews wait their turn to come into the dock at the conclusion of a race during the 2009 Head of The South Regatta in Augusta, GA. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens.

Women with an Umbrella

IMG_0019, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Women with an Umbrella. A women walks across a square between two buildings on Duke Street in Alexandria, VA. Shot with an iPhone 3GS.

I was in Alexandria for meeting and it was one of those scenes that make you wish you had brought a camera. I just got an iPhone and thought I'd take the opportunity to experiment with the camera. I made some adjustments for contrast, highlight recovery, color vibrancy and sharpening to the iPhone image. I'm pretty pleased with the results. I think it's kind of neat.

Turn 6 At Road Atlanta

DSC_1179, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A BMW 3 Series at the apex of Turn 6 on the Road Atlanta course during qualifying for the 2009 SCCA American Road Race of Champions. Shot with a Nikon D90, a Nikon 80-200 f2.8D ED lens and a Kenko Teleplus Pro 1.4x teleconverter.

Clouds Over The Smoky Mountains

72350014, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Clouds roll into the southwest valley of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Shot from the summit of Clingman's Dome just after sunset on Kodak Ektar 100 film with a Nikon N80 and a Nikon 28-70mm f3.5D lens.

Fall In The Smoky Mountains

72350011, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Fall Colors in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Shot with a Nikon N80, a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens and Kodak Ektar 100 film.

Red Berries

DSC_0354, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

An experiment with extremely shallow depth of field. Red berries punctuate the remaining leaves of a wild dogwood tree. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 50mm f1.8D lens.

Turn 10B

DSC_8838, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

One of the Lola B09 86's from the BP/Mazda Team loses control as a Corvette C6 leads the pack out of Turn 10B at Road Atlanta during the 2009 Petit LeMans. Shot with a Nikon D90, a Nikon 80-200 f2.8D ED lens and a Kenko Pro 1.4x teleconverter.

Old Wagon

DSC_9858 - Version 2, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A wagon in a barn in Cades Cove, The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Shot with a tripod-mounted Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 DX AT-X Pro lens.

Unfinished Business

DSC_9507, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Unfinished Business. Two boats in a backyard. Noank, Connecticut. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 DX AT-X Pro lens.

Autumn Gourds

DSC_9647, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Gourds for sale at a pumpkin patch in Alpharetta, Georgia. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 DX AT-X Pro lens.

Reflections

DSC_9522, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Reflections in BeeBe Pond in Noank, Connecticut. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 AT-X DX Pro lens.

Panoz Racer in The Rain

DSC_9066, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A Panoz Esperante GTLM leads the pack coming out of Turn 10B at Road Atlanta in heavy rain during the 2009 Petit LeMans. As you can see, the weather was terrible. The race was suspended shortly after this photo was taken. Shot with a Nikon D90, a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens and a Kenko Pro 1.4x teleconverter. I also used a monopod to improve stability. You can see my complete set of photos for the 2009 Petit LeMans here.

GT3 Porsche

DSC_7275, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A Porsche GT3 Class racer from the GruppeOrange Team in the first turn at Road Atlanta during a qualifier round for the 2009 Petit Lemans. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 80-200 f2.8D ED lens.

First Sergeant

DSC_5510, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A Marine Corps first sergeant wears his history on his chest and sleeve. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55mm f3.5G lens.

Cabin Window

DSC_7146, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Cabin Window. A partially restored log cabin in Red Top Mountain State Park, Ackworth, GA. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Tokina 16-50mm f2.8 AT-X Pro lens.

Great Horned Owl

DSC_7033, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A Great Horned Owl from the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell, GA USA. The Nature Center devotes a considerable amount of its resources to caring for injured birds of prey. All of the birds have injuries that prevent their release into the wild. The center cares for these birds and uses them in various educational programs. You can see the other photos from this shoot here. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 80-200 f2.8D ED lens.

California Sierra Nevada

DSC_0514, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

California Sierra Nevada. Shot from approximately 35,000 feet through the window of a US Air Airbus 320 between Phoenix and Sacramento. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 50mm f1.8D lens.

Reflections in The Wall

DSC_5866, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Tourists are reflected in the panels of the Vietnam Veternas Memorial on the National Mall in Washington DC. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 80-200 f2.8D ED lens.

Night Table

night table, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A neighbor's patio is illuminated by a lamp. Shot with a nikon D90 and a Nikon 50mm f1.8D lens. Edited with GIMP to enhance color, contrast and luminescence.

Water Lilies on a Mountain Pond

DSC_6273, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Water lilies on a pond in Highlands, NC. Shot with a Nikon D90, a Nikon SB-600 flash and a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens. I used fill flash to brighten the color of the blooms.

Another view of the Canyon Rim

33410020, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A view of Providence Canyon from the northeast rim. Shot with a Nikon N80 using Kodak Ektar 100 film an a Nikon 18-35mm f3.5D ED lens.

View from the Canyon Rim

DSC_6245, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A view from the northeast rim of Providence Canyon in Lumpkin, Georgia. Providence Canyon is not a naturally occuring canyon. It's the result of poor land management and erosion control techniques employed on farms that occupied the site during the 19th century. Providence Canyon is one of the "seven natural wonders" of Georgia. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-35mm f3.5D lens.

Another version of this photo. I converted the image from color to black and white using a custom monotone filter in Apple Aperture. I'm torn between the two versions. The first version depicts the unique combination of colors and textures of the landscape. The B&W version provides a more geometric understanding of the scene. It more clearly shows the underlying pattern of erosion that created the canyon.

The Big Moment

DSC_6023, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The incoming class of midshipmen prepare to take the oath of office marking their entry into the Navy and Marine Corps at the Auburn University ROTC program. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55mm f3.5G lens.

Transitions

DSC_5980, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The high school letter jacket is left behind as our youngest son heads off to Auburn University and Marine Corps ROTC. Shot with a Nikon D90, a Nikon 18-55mm f3.5G lens, on-camera flash and a remotely operated Nikon SB-600 speedlight

Shadows at the Washington Monument

DSC_5895, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The silhouettes of tourists during a night-time visit to the Washington Monument in Washington DC. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 50mm F1.8D lens.

Suspicion

DSC_4559, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Should somebody investigate? Tourists outside the White House gate in Washington DC. They've obviously spent some time at the Spy Museum. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55mm f3.5G lens.

Houses On The Point

DSC_4758, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Houses on the Point. Houses are painted in light as the sun breaks through the clouds on an otherwise gloomy day in Groton Long Point, CT. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55mm F3.5G lens.

Reflective Moment?

81430019, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

One of the great apes at the Atlanta Zoo appears to be in a comtemplative mood. Shot with a Nikon N80 and a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens on Kodak Ektar 100 film.

Broken Window

DSC_5255, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A window of an abandoned barn near Gerton, NC. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55mm f3.5G lens.

Sleeping Lion

81420031, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A lion sleeps on a hot summer afternoon at the Atlanta Zoo. Shot with a Nikon N80 and a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens on Kodak Ektar 100 film.

WWII Memorial Washington DC

DSC_5101, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Tourists at the World War II Memorial on the National Mall in Washington DC. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 28-70mm F3.5D lens.

Iran Election Protest in Washington DC

DSC_5042, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The image of Neda Agha-Solton becomes a rallying symbol during a protest against the recent Iranian election in Washington DC. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 28-70mm F3.5D lens.

Mystic Seaport

DSC_4637, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Mystic Seaport shrouded in an early morning fog. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55mm F3.5G lens.

Presenting the Colors

DSC_4499, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A Navy honor guard presents the colors at the beginning of a Navy Band concert in Washington DC. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55mm F3.5G lens.

The Lagoon at GLP

DSC_4616, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A view of the lagoon at Groton Long Point, near Mystic, Connecticut just after sunrise. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55mm F3.5G lens.

Department of Justice at Night

DSC_4831, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The Department of Justice building at night, along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-55 F3.5G lens.

Backyard Chipmunk

DSC_4421, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Caught in the act. A chipmunk peers over the concrete pad at the base of our back porch steps. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens.

Whitewater Rafting

DSC_4312, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Onlookers watch from shore as a raft navigates the rapids at the Ocoee National Whitewater Park in the Cherokee National Forest near Ducktown, TN. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8D ED lens.

Black and White Pearls

Black and White Pearls, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Water droplets adorn a spider web in the early morning. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Nikon 18-55mm f3.5 G lens.

Faces of Graduation

DSC_4006, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Students and faculty celebrate at the conclusion of the Northview High School graduation on May 24, 2009. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 AF ED lens.

Arabia Mountain

DSC_1724 V2 stacked, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Remains of the Quary Operations on Arabia Mountain, Arabia National Heritage Area, east of Atlanta. Shot with a Nikon D90 and a Nikon 18-35mm f3.5D lens.

USS Midway at Sunset

DSC_2359, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The sun sets in front of the USS Midway (CV 41) in San Diego Harbor. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Nikon 80-200mm f2.8 ED telephoto lens.