I've recently updated my Wallpapers album. It now contains 103 high resolution photos you are free to use as a wallpaper on your desktop, laptop, tablet or phone. Open the album, click on the picture you like and then at the bottom left of the page, select Options > Download Full Size.

underwater paparazzi week #1

This theme is very special for me - exploring interaction of divers and marine life is one of the most rewarding and spectacular subjects.

Diving for me is all about getting very very close to the animals, which is not possible at this extent overland. Nothing beats becoming one with nature and capturing these magic moments, freezing incredible dance into otherworldly, "wow!" stills - while keeping images themselves truthful representation of reality - I don't need to beautify something in Photoshop to look like fantasy world - world I love and share is magic enough without it ! ^_^

So I want to show more of working moments between photographers and animals underwater - underwater paparazzi and underwater celebrities ! ^_^

Today's celebrity is napoleon wrasse living at Maaya Thila dive site in Maldives. He is really friendly and easy to photograph - even for beginners like my brother +Alexey Safonov - even with small compact cameras !

Napoleon wrasses - biggest reef fish in the world - are badly endangered due to popularity of their lips in various Asian medicines - lips are considered powerful afrodisiac. Reproduction cycle is extremely slow and even if they are protected now in many places - it takes very long time for population to recover.

I love photo critique - I believe that in order to get better you have to understand direction, and to understand direction you need to develop view on what are desirable properties of photography, what makes them good and valuable. This is why I joined +Behind the Lens: Photo Critique Group created by +Colby Brown, whom gained a lot of my respect via his photography work and community initiatives - he is real deal. I plan to contribute critique in the framework of this group - and I definitely would like to hear opinions - both positive and negative - and even extreme ones - I don't mind at all - about my own work ! So I add this tag here for this purpose - #BTLcritique

#fineartpls

[no notice gave she, but a change - emily dickinson]

no notice gave she, but a change --
no message, but a sigh --
for whom, the time did not suffice
that she should specify.

she was not warm, though summer shone
nor scrupulous of cold
though rime by rime, the steady frost
upon her bosom piled --

of shrinking ways -- she did not fright
though all the village looked --
but held her gravity aloft --
and met the gaze -- direct --

and when adjusted like a seed
in careful fitted ground
unto the everlasting spring
and hindered but a mound

her warm return, if so she chose --
and we -- imploring drew --
removed our invitation by
as some she never knew --

Copper and rivets
Hamburg, Germany

#bwfineartle by +Joel Tjintjelaar
#fineartpls by +Marina Chen
#plusphotoextract by +Jarek Klimek
.

Ngala Leopard

We all know who won this "stare-down". But I got my shot and this adolescent leopard made my day!

Here is my contribution to #WildlifeWedneday curated by +Mike Spinak

Swinging: sometimes..i feel like my body seems to growing old without me ...

Canon EOS 50D + EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
EXIF: 5 sec • f/14• 10 mm • ISO 100
Filters: Lee Soft 3-stops GND

♫Moby - Forever http://youtu.be/RLiinFzl-WY

Croton Reservoir
#palindromedlb and #infraredpaintingdlb and the kitchen sink went into this one.

Uhm, oh it is available as a file or print at the usual place: http://www.beckermanphoto.com/croton-reservoir-color-palindrome.html

+Andrew Gordon I'd love to return to some of these spots or look for new ones for day trips. I got a lot of mileage out of those trips we took.

#BirdPoker Fledgling curated by +Phil Armishaw

A mothers job is never done...

#photoextractplus

Returning Home

Another experiment in infrared photography.

#PlusPhotoExtract #photography #potd