Author Archives: Davez

2016 Water Lily Celebration Contest

2016 Water Lily Celebration Contest

I entered the 2016 Water Lily Celebration Contest at Mckee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach, Florida again this year. McKee has been hosting the Waterlily Celebration annually for the past 12 years. This is their forth year for their annual water lily photo contest held in conjunction with the annual Water lily Celebration .

One of my photos received a second place in the manipulated category. Shown below.

2016 Water Lily Celebration Contest

2016 Mckee Waterlily Celebration Entry – 2nd place manipulated

This photo is available for purchase. You can contact me from the Contact page.

I also entered 2 other photos. There were 3 categories, same as last year, color, black & white and manipulated. Below are those photos.

2016 Water Lily Celebration Contest

2016 Water Lily Celebration Contest

These photos are also available for purchase, contact me from the Contact page.

You can also view my 2nd place winner from 2015 here. 2015 Water lily contest.

All photos are copyright protected.

Please leave comments below.

 

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On1 Photo Challenge 16.1

On1 Photo Challenge 16.1

This is a contest open to all members of On1 coaching. The rules are simple, post 12 of your favorite photos from 2015. Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.

On1 Photo Challenge 16.1 Photos

Please Leave a Comment Below

Posted in Contest

Conowingo Dam Photographing Bald Eagles

Conowingo Dam Photographing Bald Eagles

If you are a Bald Eagle photography lover, then the Conowingo Dam Maryland is your destination. This is a hydroelectric dam on the Susquehanna River and is known to attract bald eagles in the fall. This has attracted a lot of people who come to take photos of these beautiful raptors and while they are fishing.  The view is amazing and being able to capture in a photo is gold. The dam is a good place for the Bald Eagles because fishing there is easy. This is because the fish making the trip through the generators will be stunned. Conowingo Dam Photographing Bald Eagles is a must-go adventure for any bird photographer.

Conowingo Dam Photographing Bald Eagles

Flying Bald Eagle With Fish

This ritual is usually predictable, allowing the photographers to get multiple shots at the fishing eagles, and this increases the chance of getting a money shot. One hour there can deliver more payback that spending hours on other places such as the Hudson in Mid-winter.

The season usually starts at the end of October and ends at the beginning of December, although there are always some eagles around all year long. The photos on this page were taken on October 4-5, 2015. The height of the hunt is usually around the Thanksgiving holiday. If you want to have an easier time at Conowingo Dam photographing Bald Eagles, then you should consider going there on weekdays. During the weekends, there are a lot of photographers, fishermen and onlookers and the parking space can be very limited.

Flying Juvenile Bald Eagle

Flying Juvenile Bald Eagle while at Conowingo Dam photographing Bald Eagles

When you visit during the season, you will find a lot of photographers in a line. These photographers come from all over the world to get a good shot, and many have top notch gear. Another choice you have to make is on the exact month to go there. In October, the eagles are not as plentiful as November, but the leaves are still on the trees and showing their fall colors, making a better background compared to November where the background will be just bare trees.

There are a couple of challenges that you must expect. The first is that the dam is located in a valley, so the light disappears relatively early and lasts longer in the far shores so you will require longer lenses to get the shots.

There are a number of things that can interfere with you shots. They may fly in the front of the dam, fly through power wires or the high power towers. Other birds can also interfere with your AF tracking although they can also be a bonus.

You should know when the dam is opening for power generation because you can waste a lot of time just waiting. It is important to know the power schedule, because the eagles start appearing when they hear the warning horn prior to opening the gates (for power generation). It seems that is their dinner bell.

Here is a link to a site for directions to Conowingo Dam. This is the phone number (1-888-457-4076) for the release schedule.

Conowingo Dam Photographing Bald Eagles will be one of the best destinations for your bird portfolio.

There are more Bald Eagle photos in the Nature Gallery. Please leave a comment below and follow me on Google + or Facebook on the right. Share with your friends!

 

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Gray Angelfish Photos

Gray Angelfish Photos

Saturday I took some Gray Angelfish photos at the Blue Heron Bridge in Phil Foster Park located in Riviera Beach, Florida. This is a great place to dive and for underwater photography. You never know what you will see, the marine environment is very diverse.

I ran into this very cooperative Gray Angelfish.

Gray Angelfish With A Sergeant MajorGray Angelfish-3Gray Angelfish-4Gray Angelfish-2

Pomacanthus arcuatus, the technical name for Gray Angelfish, considered a large angelfish which is part of the Pomacanthidae family. They can be seen in the Atlantic ocean; New England area to Brazil, Caribbean, Bahamas and the Gulf of Mexico. Sponges being their main food source, they will be seen around coral reefs in warm water. They are usually unafraid when approached by divers.

The photos above can be purchased, just click this link underwater prints.

Click on the link for more information on Pomacanthus arcuatus, Gray Angelfish.

Check out other posts in Underwater Photography.

Please leave comments below or click the Facebook “Like Page” button ( if you enjoyed this) on the right and please share the post.

 

 

Posted in Underwater Photography

Underwater Photography Prints

Underwater Photography Prints For Decorating Your Home or Office

What could be more relaxing then starring at a fish tank? There is something very soothing about watching colorful fishes swim or admiring marine plants. However, fish tanks can be a lot of work since they require regular cleaning and they can be expensive, especially if you like tropical fish and plants.

If you love underwater life but cannot afford a fish tank or do not have the time to take care of one, your best option is to purchase some underwater photography prints. These prints can be displayed anywhere in your home or in your office to create a relaxing atmosphere. You will find that taking a few minutes to contemplate a marine landscape makes all your problems disappear and helps you refocus on your work.

Underwater photography prints of Gray Angelfish

Gray Angelfish swimming with a Sergeant Major fish.

You can find underwater prints that depict many different marine creatures and types of underwater landscapes. You could for instance create a decor based on a certain fish, type of coral or color pattern. You could also select several different prints to illustrate the diverse life that can be found under the ocean.

If you enjoy diving, you should invest in a quality waterproof camera so that you can take pictures of your adventures under the sea. Having these underwater pictures printed and displaying them around your home is a great way to remember your latest diving trip. Don’t worry if you have never been diving or are not good at taking pictures. There are plenty of professional underwater images you can have printed.

There are a few things to consider when ordering underwater photography prints. You should start by making a few plans for your interior design to make sure the prints you select will go well with the rest of the room. Avoid selecting prints with colors that will clash with the colors already present in the room.

Underwater photography captured Giant Anemone

Giant Anemone captured in Grand Cayman.

You should also consider the size of the underwater prints you want to order. You can opt for smaller sizes if you want to display several prints in the same room or want to have an underwater photograph among other decor elements. A larger print is ideal if you would like to have a marine landscape or image of an underwater animal as a central point of focus. You can then design the rest of the room around the print, for instance by repeating the color pattern with other smaller pictures or decor items.

The framing of underwater photography prints is another thing to consider. Take the time to select a framing option that will go well with the atmosphere you are trying to create. It is definitely worth it to choose a quality framing option to protect the print. The right frame and glass will make the colors of the print pop and turn the photograph into a real work of art.

Start looking for some underwater prints you would like to decorate your home or office with. You will find that these underwater photos help lower stress levels and go great with many different decors.

Find more Underwater Prints. Click the link!

Should you have any comments on underwater photography prints, please leave them below.

 

 

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Nature Photography

Nature Photography

If there is something in the whole world that is unique, serene, and quite beautiful, then it’s nature. From the beauty of sunrise, to tall trees, landscapes, oceans, mountain tops, wildlife, and more. You would not argue that there is a great creator with a good sense of art. One would be amazed when they observe nature and the relationship that exists between various natural elements.

However, when it comes to showing love to nature, different people have different ways of showing appreciation. One of the many ways is by buying or selling nature photography prints that are devoted to exhibiting the natural elements. There is nothing wrong in decorating the walls of your room or office with a few nature photographs.

Nature Photography-Everglades Anhinga Trail Sunset

Everglades Anhinga Trail Sunset

Nature photography prints could add so much fun to the decor of your home or office. It is always a nice idea to give your visitors something to glance at right from the moment they come into the room or office until the time they leave to their various destinations. Keeping one or more photos of natural elements such as animals, oceans, mountains, landscapes, is enough to tell people about your love for nature.

Nevertheless, you have to understand that not just any nature photography prints will be able to give you everything you are looking for. To achieve the best, you need to purchase only the nature photographs that have been carefully and systematically snapped by an experienced nature photographer.

The internet has evolved so much, and with an abrupt increment in the number of nature photo sellers online, finding the best could be a herculean task. One would have to browse through a huge gallery of nature photographs to enable you choose the ones that would be appealing to you. Doing this, will enable you get something that is truly worth your money.

Nature Photography 2nd Place Winner at 2015 Waterlily Celebration

Photo submitted to 2015 Waterlily Celebration Contest-2nd Place Winner

We know you want the best and we are confident of giving you what you deserve. We have a gallery that is loaded with lots of nature photographs available for printing, and we can ship to any country of the world. You can as well tell us if you desire your photos matted, framed, printed, etc. before we ship. Our products are affordable, so you don’t need to break your bank to deal with us.

A quick visit to www.davezeller.net would tell you more about us as well as well as assuring you that you are dealing with one of the leading nature photography prints providers online.

Please leave a comment below of on my Facebook fan page on the right.

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Flying Osprey With Fish In Talons Photos

Flying Osprey With Fish In Talons Photos

I think are amazing, whether I took them or someone else. An Osprey is a beautiful bird and exhibits such gracefulness with its huge wingspan of (50-71 inches).

Flying Osprey with fish in talons photos

Flying Osprey with fish in talons photo

The fish in the Flying Osprey talons I believe is a Gar.

Osprey Talons With Fish

Osprey Talons With Fish

As you can see in the above photo their talons are very strong. They are capable of carrying prey up to 4.4 pounds. With their very keen vision they can spot prey underwater from heights up to 131 feet while flying above the water.

A popular breeding area of Ospreys in Florida is Blue Cypress Lake, just west of Vero Beach. That is where these flying osprey photos were taken. We were on a pontoon boat at the time which made for some challenging photography.

Ospreys are of the  raptor species and the 2nd most widely distributed.

Flying Osprey with fish in talons photos

Flying Osprey with a Gar in its talons

IF you enjoyed the photos, please click on the Facebook “Like Page” on your right. Thanks!

These photos are available for purchase. Use the Contact page or go to davezeller.net.

References for this page:  Wikipedia

 

 

 

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2015 Waterlily Celebration Contest

 2015 Waterlily Celebration Contest

Mckee Botanical Garden in Vero Beach, Florida.  has been hosting the Waterlily Celebration annually for the past 11 years. This is the third year for their annual waterlily photo contest held in conjunction with the annual Waterlily Celebration .

There are 3 categories for the contest: color, black & white and manipulated. They also have a youth contest for those 17 years and younger with the same categories. All submissions have to be of waterlilies photographed at Mckee.

The photo below was taken at the contest, as you can see it has the second place ribbon.

2015 Waterlily Celebration 2nd-place

Photographers from all over come to Mckee Botanical Garden to photograph their waterlilies. They have the largest collection in the state of Florida, with over 100 varieties and 350 individual plants.

I was very surprised at winning the 2nd place in the “color” category at the 2015 Waterlily Celebration Contest for two reasons.

1. There were so many beautiful photos there it would have been very hard for me to determine a winner.

2. This was my first photo contest.

Below is a large view of the photo submitted. “Waterlily Reflections”

2nd Place Winner at 2015 Waterlily Celebration

2nd Place Winner at 2015 Waterlily Celebration “Waterlily Reflections”

This photo is available for purchase. You can contact me on the Contact page or go to this site.

DaveZeller.net

All photos are copyright protected.

 

 

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