The Waterfront in Al Khor

The Waterfront in Al Khor, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Fishing boats hauled out along the harbor's edge after a night's work in Al Khor, about 30KM north of Doha, Qatar. We don't think of Arabic countries having an ocean-going tradition. However, fishing and pearl harvesting are historically important parts of Qatar's economy. The dhows are particularly interesting. They're ancient hulls that have been periodically updated. The larger ones have newer diesel engines and marine electronics. However, they're still maintained with hard labor and hand tools. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Nikon 18-55DX lens.

An Alley in Al Gharrafa

An Alley in Al Gharrafa, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

I just completed a three week assignment in Qatar. I had the opportunity to see most of the country during my stay. The souq (shopping area) at Al Gharrafa is a network of alleys, each containing numerous small shops. Each of the doors in this photo is an entrance into a shop. Shot with a Nkon N80, a Nikon 28-70 f3.5D lens and Fuji Superia Reala 100 film.

Trucks

trucks, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

This photo is one of my all-time favorites. I shot this with a Canon AE-1 and scanned it for use on a commercial website for the trucking industry. What you can't see in the image is the driver of the red & white Freightliner. He became pretty agitated when he realized what I was doing. The location is a rest stop on Interstate 85 Northbound, just north of Atlanta, Georgia. The original negative for this photo is long gone. I've tried to duplicate this shot numerous times and I've never been able to achieve the same composition.

Turn 5 at Road Atlanta

DSC_5073cr, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A pair of Porsches from the Flying Lizards Race Team mix it up with two American Le Mans cars in Turn 5 of the Road Atlanta course during the 2007 Petit Le Mans. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Nikon 500mm f4 telephoto lens.

Hanging on in Mid-Air

Hanging on in Mid-Air, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A group of teenagers are spun upside-down on a thrill ride along the midway at the Georgia National Fair. The fair, held in Perry, Georgia USA each October celebrates the state’s farming agriculture industry and farming heritage. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Quantaray 70-300mm f5.6 telephoto lens.

I can now say that I am officially published. This photo was selected by Lonely Planet, a major travel guide publisher for inclusion in an upcoming book about celebrations around the world.

Hartwell Railroad #3016 at UGA

Hartwell Railroad #3016 at UGA, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

The Hartwell Railroad is a short-haul line in Northern Georgia. It is operated by the Great Walton Railroad Company and is also part of the Athens Line LLC. Great Walton operates 37 miles of track and transports coal, paper, plastic and oil. It links to Norfolk Southern in Jackson County, GA. The Athens Line exists to deliver coal to the electrical generation plant on the University of Georgia campus.

This locomotive is a General Motors Model GP30. It was placed in service in 1963 by the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad and operated in Colorado and Utah. It was sold to Progress Rail, a rebuilder of locomotives in 1995. The Hartwell Railroad acquired it one year later. Shot with a Nikon N80 (35mm), a Nikon 28-70 f3.5D and Fuji Supera 400 film.

Departure from Salt Lake City

DSC_3618cre, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

A long line of departing flights stack up at the Salt Lake City airport as a thunder storm passes overhead. I got this shot while sitting in the window seat on the last row of a 737 just as it was taking off. The photo partially made up for not being able to secure an aisle seat for the long flight home. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Nikon 18-55 f3.5 DX lens.

Boats Keep Out

Boats Keep Out, originally uploaded by frank.mara.

Dropping water levels in Lake Lanier have made worrying about boat traffic a moot point. Shot with a Nikon D50 and a Nikon 18-55 f3.5 DX lens.