I have lots more time to indulge my newly rediscovered passion for photography than I did when I was working full time, although I consider myself only semi-retired because I still work three days a week.
So far I am shooting primarily flowers and insects and am learning more and more about shooting closeups and macro shots. My friend Cindy Dyer, an award-winning photographer and graphic designer, has been teaching and encouraging me and helping me to improve the quality of my photographs.
I look at this blog as a way to share with others the steps of my journey into photography. I expect that there will be detours and side trips during this adventure but I genuinely believe that these aspects of the journey are more important than the destination itself.
Do you sell your work? Thanks Jane
I don’t have much experience selling my photos. Is there something in particular you are interested in?
Hello Mike,
Happy August to you! Many of your photos are really excellent in quality. Since you have been “shooting primarily flowers and insects” with such finesse, I would like to invite you to allow me to feature some of your relevant photos to my special post published at https://soundeagle.wordpress.com/2016/08/17/do-plants-and-insects-coevolve/
Please kindly visit the said post to see the photos already featured there to familiarize yourself with the kind of photos suitable for inclusion. Thank you in anticipation.
You are welcome to feature some of my photos in the posting on Co-evolution. The subject is a fascinating one and I look forward to exploring a bit bit more on your site.
If you like, you could email me your own selections for me to choose from.
Hi Mike,
I would like to inform you that I earlier replied to your comment at https://exploringcolour.wordpress.com/2017/09/23/on-beauty-and-art-guest-post-by-harold-davis/comment-page-1/#comment-371
Your comment, dated September 25, 2017 at 1:21 pm, is as follows:
I felt that your comment is beautifully written and very reasonable in the points that you made, and therefore decided to reply to you with a comment.
Unfortunately, Liz deleted my comment, along with another of my comments directed to the guest post, Harold Davis. Before the deletions, I have fortunately save a copy of the comment made to you on August 19, 2018 at 5:56 pm, as follows:
Hello Mr Mike Powell,
Thank you for your excellent comment. I am inclined to agree with you to a large extent, insofar as the subject matters of beauty and art need to be investigated from multiple perspectives to be sufficiently well-balanced, nuanced and detailed. There are indeed some sweeping, lopsided, insufficiently critical, analytically fragile and/or inadequately substantiated statements in the post, even though it has been beautifully written by and large. Even so, the post exhibits its own charm and logic as well as considerable persuasiveness. In that regard, it is well done.
My feedback to Harold Davis is as follows:
Nevertheless, Harold has given an excellent effort and written a reasonable piece of work on art and beauty within the approach and scope of the post. There is a very good flow of text interspersed by images.
Mr. Powell,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for taking time to read our introductory post about my mom’s fight against colon cancer and me and my brother’s attempt at starting a cancer relief fund for her. It really means the world to me that you took time to check out our page.
Thank you. Seriously.
Love your photography, by the way!
– Christopher Michael
Christopher, I was very much moved by your post about your Mom and wish you the best as you work to help in her fight.
Mr. Powell, thank you TREMENDOUSLY for your generous contribution and words of encouragement and kindness. Seriously. We are just a small family and things are very difficult so your help will go a long way!
You are most welcome. Best wishes to you and to your whole family.
Hi Michael, after many years I reconnect with you on your photography site! Beautiful work. I now live 6mos. each in Cape Cod, MA and San Diego, CA. I lead walking tours throughout the world (website http://www.walkabout-int.org) after a career as a trial lawyer. Also manage my rental props in both places. You can reach me at danielbhaslam111@yahoo.com or by phone 619.318.4870.
Wow. I guess it’s been about 45 years or so since we’ve been in touch. I’ll send you an e-mail soon, Dan.
Hello Mike
I am writing to get your permission to use some pictures from an album that you have related to snake predation (Eastern Ribbon Snake and Gray Treefrog) to a snake predation group in Facebook. Should you agree, the post will look like this:
Predator: Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus sauritus)
Prey: Gray Treefrog (Hyla versicolor)
Location: Alexandria VA
Photo: Michael Powell
Link: https://michaelqpowell.wordpress.com/…/eastern-ribbon-snake/
#Thamnophis_sauritus_sauritus , #Hyla_versicolor
then 5 of the pictures
Wild Snakes: Preys and Predators is an educational and research oriented group focusing on snake predation.
http://www.facebook.com/groups/840025989503306/
Thanks for considering the request.
salimian
group admin
You have my permission to use the photos for the purposes that you stated. I definitely support educational efforts when it comes to all kinds of wildlife.
Hi Mike. Thanks for the “like” on my blog. I’ve seen you out and about in the neighborhood with your camera, and I’m glad to see some of the output here. Great photography! I’ll be checking in frequently for more.
Thanks for the kind words, Bret. I came across your name when I was researching the Kingstowne Communion after I received a card in the mail outlining some of your programs. I help to lead singing as part of the worship team at one of your “competitors”–Church of the Spirit. We’re in a kind of transition period as we look for a pastor and rediscover who we are as a congregation. I hope to be able to join in soon in some of your activities.
Mike, after firing up my WordPress app for the first time in months, I just now saw that you had replied. We’ve had a lot going on at Kingstowne Communion since October, a whirlwind in many ways. I’m sorry to hear about the transition period at your church, but I hope you all find (or maybe have already found?) a pastor that will lead you all into becoming the church you need to be. And I wouldn’t think of you all as a “competitor,” just another group of people with a similar purpose. Different strokes for different folks and all that. We’d love to have you join us one of these Sundays.
Great blog! Just wanted to say hello! I’m Rocky, I blog over on The Rocky Safari http://www.therockysafari.com So nice to meet you!
Hi Michael,
The Instagram account @savanas_canvas has been claiming your work as their own. The account has done the same with many other photographers as well. We have submitted a report to Instagram, but you may want to message the account as well.
Best,
Copyright Flags
Mike, you won a folding journal! I’ve tried contacting you! Check your email for instructions!
I would like permission to use your photographs of hidden blue heron to develop an etching series I am working on.
You are welcome to use the photographs. I would love to see what you end up with. Best wishes on your project.
Dan Antion told me about your site. Happy to see all your beautiful photos!
Thanks. I am always happy to welcome new viewers. I started this blog six years ago and its serves as a creative outlet for my thoughts and my photos.
Hi Mike, still waiting for an email from you…only 3 years now. Time flies. I’ll be in DC/VA leading a walking tour 5/7-5/14. My company website is walkabout-int.org. Maybe we can meet up? Dan Haslam, 619-318-4870.
Guilty as charged. Maybe I can do better at meeting in person than I do with e-mail.
Your command of the English language also intrigued me as an English teacher. 😉 I’m officially a follower.
Thanks, Laura. Languages have always intrigued me. I majored in French as an undergraduate and later in life got a Masters in Russian Area Studies while I was serving in the Army. I originally intended for the blog to be simply an outlet for sharing my photos, but quickly discovered that I enjoy expressing myself creatively with my words just as much.
I’m equally enjoying your words and images. 🙂 I took French to fulfill my undergrad requirements (and in high school). I prefer trying to decode it when written rather than verbally communicating, as I fear I did not retain much! Maybe it’s just buried in there, and I can tap into it somehow. My major was English; my Masters is in Education. I’m happy I found your blog! 🙂
Nice blog, beautiful pictures and a lot of usefull information. Love to see more of your work.
Mike Powell
I just realized that I never provided the actual link to the post I got permission for on February 14, 2018. Please accept my apology. Here is the link:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/840025989503306/permalink/874089899430248/
Salimian
No problem. Thanks for providing it now. There are some wild encounters documented in that Facebook group. My photos are relatively tame by comparison.
Hi Mike! We enjoy reading your blog and viewing your pictures. We’ve been following the two mating pairs for a while now and have noticed a possible third pair on Conrad Island. Either they’re flying over from Mason Neck State Park or they’re the pair in the hard to find second nest. Can you give us more details about the exact location of the second nest.
One eagle nest is the well-known one on Charlie Road–it is the one where they block off traffic while the eagles are nesting. The other one can be seen from Deephole Point Rd looking away from the water, about one third of the way between Fox Road and Easy Road. It is a pretty good ways back from the road, but is pretty visible now that there are no leaves on the trees. It can be seen especially well from one of the inlet/outlets with the culverts–I think it is the third culvert if starting from Fox Road or possibly the second. I hope that helps.
Hi Mike, my name is Ron DiMichele. I am helping a friend (John McCaslin, Crestone, CO) self-publish a book of poetry. John’s poems are short, haiku-length or similar, and we are matching each poem with an image. I am writing to explore the possibility of using one of your images (red robin having bath) in John’s book. My email is rond108@gmail.com. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks.
Hello! I recently stumbled on this blog page and as someone who is just starting to get into photography (with a particular interest in bugs) I want to know what recommendations you might have for lenses! I’m not exactly great with technical expertise, especially since I’m only just starting to learn my way around a camera, and your insect photos are so well detailed!
Thanks for your question, Joshua. I am not an expert, though I have been shooting pretty regularly over the past nine years or so and therefore have a lot of experience figuring out what works for me. For the most part, a macro lens probably works best when trying to shoot small subjects, because it lets you get close to the subject. I started off using a Canon 100mm macro lens, which worked pretty well, but eventually gravitated to a Tamron 180mm macro lens that gives me the same amount of magnification, but lets me stand a little farther away from the subject. However, almost any lens will work for insects, especially when you are starting and I have taken shots of insects with telephoto lenses and even with the 18-55mm kit lens that came with my camera. The only really problem with using those lenses is that you will not be able to fill as much of the frame with your subject and still have it in focus. You don’t necessarily need to use a camera with interchangeable lens to get good insect shots. One of my friends, who takes a lot of insects shots, uses a Lumix Fz300 superzoom camera and gets good results. My best advice is to go out and shoot a lot with the gear you have and you might surprise yourself with the results as you practice more and more. Gear is only one small part of the whole process of getting good photos.
I would like permission to use your photo of American Robin in snow eating Rosa palustris hips for an article on H.D. Thoreau and palustris to be published in an English rose journal.
You are welcome to use the photo. It would be cool, if possible, to see a copy of the final article.
Thank you! Yes, I will be happy to mail you a copy of the journal when it is published (Dec. or early Jan. 2023). If you could send an email with an address. In the meantime I can give you access to the article online via email.
Hello Mike,
I am a PhD student at the University of Exeter completing a doctoral project on Voicing Enchantment. In my research, I write about vocal enchantment among animals and I would love to include this beautiful photograph you took of a toad’s ripples as an example of visualising vocal enchantment. Would it be possible for me to include the image (in the link below) in my written thesis?
Thank you for letting me know.
Kind Regards,
Sophia Edlund
You are more than welcome to use the image for the purpose that you described.
Thank you very much, Mike!
I have been searching for any info on artist Jean-marc Lambert.
You said he was your favorite watercolor artist. Mine Too!!! lbredvik@gmail.com
Mike, I am the editor of the Eastern Apicultural Society Journal and I have been looking for a photo of a honeybee on Purple Deadnettle – I have found one in your May 4, 2020 posting! I believe this photo would be great to show the pollen that is gathered from this plant and am contacting you to ask your permission to use it in an upcoming issue of the journal – with appropriate recognition of the source. Many thanks for the consideration
Linda, You are quite welcome to use the photo that you referenced. Please let me know if the photo is not of sufficient resolution and I can try to find the original shot and send you a higher quality image. A simple attribution would be great, though it might also be cool to see the way that the photo is used in the context of the journal.
Mike, Thanks so much. I do think a higher resolution would be best if you could track it down. Linda
I’ll look for the file this weekend–my filing system is not great and is spread over a number of hard drives. 🙂