tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2662213396619499982024-03-19T04:49:31.271-04:00Mac Stone Photography BlogMac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.comBlogger170125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-58382749448516708162014-09-04T16:00:00.000-04:002014-09-04T16:00:01.277-04:00Everglades: America's Wetland Pre-Order<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.macstonephoto.com/everglades-book" target="_blank"><img alt="Everglades America's Wetland photography book by Mac Stone" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1MoYZEnoLMn_kMIlr5sFy_Q2xxiYpRBlkJWz-HYyCLZ573fEUGpnXgJcJpTRQDtlwnM1EsErSveKR33SgbFJD36WDnUvB60vL6eiZK_WrsqO7mULaDUQ2upuCRlQ1FTCmMWgw0OaP0aQz/s1600/Everglades+Book+Cover.png" height="522" title="Everglades book by Mac Stone" width="640" /></a></div>
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The time has finally come. Five years in the making, I'm proud to start the unveiling of my book, <a href="http://www.macstonephoto.com/everglades-book" target="_blank">Everglades: America's Wetland</a>. Published by University Press of Florida, this large format coffee table book contains 304 pages with over 240 images. I've had a hard time keeping these photographs under the covers, but I'm glad I waited. Along with some of my best unpublished (until now) work, the book has 15 essays from some of the top minds in Everglades conservation.<br />
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Before the book reaches it publishing date, I wanted to offer a pre-order opportunity for those of you who want signed copies and a discounted rate. I'll also be discounting a series of fine art prints to accompany the book. The book's website is <a href="http://www.evergladesbook.com/">www.EVERGLADESBOOK.com</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.macstonephoto.com/everglades-book" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE AND RESERVE YOUR COPY</a> </h3>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-28263847370562721512014-05-01T21:00:00.000-04:002014-08-20T09:48:51.061-04:00Crystal River - Three Sisters Spring<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbX5OGWyobhRU7pZfewA6kZo7fPIfRNOyqxEP3BUaXn2ONkRljOkni3-UACiwK8QrWshHFxcvMVsdfNfijAmJCnj1GnASrxdAsLUZuZuDAv0CMTfxefmDn2VzLoXIOwC4I1w_IoY3brqQ/s1600/MacStone_-2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Two manatees show affection in Crystal River" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifbX5OGWyobhRU7pZfewA6kZo7fPIfRNOyqxEP3BUaXn2ONkRljOkni3-UACiwK8QrWshHFxcvMVsdfNfijAmJCnj1GnASrxdAsLUZuZuDAv0CMTfxefmDn2VzLoXIOwC4I1w_IoY3brqQ/s1600/MacStone_-2521.jpg" height="426" title="Two manatees show affection in Crystal River" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption">"<a href="http://www.macstonephoto.com/north-florida/h32ba975b#h32ba975b" target="_blank">Thicker Than Water</a>" - Manatees in Three Sisters Spring</td></tr>
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Growing up in Gainesville, swimming with manatees in Crystal River was somewhat of a rite of passage. I remember my first time so clearly, waking up before dawn and heading out into the cold morning, boating along a smoking river. I remember the initial struggle of convincing myself to jump in the water while my breath still materialized in a crisp cloud. And I remember seeing the giant mammals three times my size yet graceful, pensive and at home in Three Sisters Spring.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carlton Ward boats out before dawn on Crystal River. In the background a tour boat full of eager passengers. </td></tr>
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When I started getting into underwater photography, I knew I'd eventually return to immortalize that same wonderment I felt nearly fifteen years before. This winter, when I got a call from <a href="http://www.carltonward.com/" target="_blank">Carlton Ward Jr</a> to spend a few days looking for aquatic cows, I packed up my truck and headed out.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gray snappers school near the main vent in Three Sisters Spring</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Florida snapping turtle walks across the sandy bottom in search of its mate.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carlton walks to the put-in.</td></tr>
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The forecast called for rain and thunderstorms on the second day and we were a little discouraged because we came to an empty spring on the first. By this time in the season, the daily temperatures were rising and we weren't too hopeful that we'd find manatees. That morning, a massive storm cell was pounding at the roof and with a only a few hours of sleep under our belts, the snooze button cried for mercy when the alarm went off. It was a combination of the fear of total failure and faith that something good might happen that ended up dragging me out of the house. So, at 5:30am albeit reluctantly, we geared up and took off to the water. </div>
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We swam, hauling our gear and a dive flag for what seemed like a mile. Going into the spring run, it was dark but crystal clear. Floating at the surface, all I could hear was a barrage of rain pounding hollow notes on my wetsuit while thunder bellowed overhead. When I submerged, there was silence. Ten yards ahead a group of manatees slept next to the spring boil. It was absolutely magic. </div>
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The rain created an incredible atmosphere. Looking up, the intoxicating arctic blue of Florida's springs was accompanied by liquid diamonds dappling the surface. I couldn't believe my luck.</div>
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We enjoyed the intimate session with the manatees for almost an hour before a group of eager snorkelers showed up. I hate to admit it, but I loathed that they intruded on our private session. I had heard <a href="http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2013/04/manatees/white-text" target="_blank">plenty of stories</a> about tourists scaring the manatees and murking up the water. </div>
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It was a rainy day, though, and the groups were small, maybe 60 people total came through. The longer I spent in the water I started to notice that the tour operators corralling the visitors were deliberate and extremely attentive to how the manatees were approached. Each visitor was required to watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YP3Erf3Kc2Y" target="_blank">an instructional video</a> on how to swim with manatees beforehand and it showed. The visitors floated at the top of the water column, not disturbing the sandy bottom, and they enjoyed their safe distance, probably never to forget their experience of swimming with the gentle giants. Then, they left, and the manatees stayed, sleeping in their cool blue sanctuary. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mullet school along the mangroves in Three Sisters Spring.</td></tr>
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There's something to be said about proper wildlife management and responsible business owners working in tandem for a mutual goal. In my years of being outside and working my way around tour groups, I've never been so impressed with how well they balanced their excitement with their stewardship. Education is the key, and I'm stoked to see it worked. USFWS invested in making the videos and speaking with their local tour operators and it has paid off. Go team.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mac Stone and Carlton Ward pose for a photo in Crystal River. </td></tr>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com8Crystal River, FL, USA28.901495544791477 -82.59761810302734428.873692544791478 -82.637958603027343 28.929298544791475 -82.557277603027345tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-39539659096469230932014-04-01T12:20:00.000-04:002014-08-10T22:07:09.266-04:00The Dreaming Tree<br />
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When I first visited Cypress Lake I fell in love and I knew I'd come back. Actually, I knew I'd return for one particular image but it took a few years. This is a recurring pattern for me, especially regarding locations I shot early in my career. Looking back on old images with fresh eyes, the ideas of what could have been start flooding in, and burrow under my skin, itching.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A combination of four images, I had to individually light these trees and hammock. Such is the price of working solo.</td></tr>
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As a child sees a covert fortress in a pile of couch cushions, I saw days of entertainment in this twisted wooden jungle gym. So, when the time was right, I called up my good friend Joe Guthrie and told him we'd be sleeping in trees for the weekend, again.<br />
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In classic form, we didn't get out on the water until well after dark. With his dog Wallace in tow, Joe paddleboarded while I stuck to my trusty kayak. Reaching the shoreline, the moon was on the rise and everything turned to magic. </div>
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The hierarchy of the species, egrets roost closest to the water while the vultures and anhingas stayed towards the tops of the trees. This 30-second exposure was made possible by my 10-foot tripod that spared only a foot above the waterline. The trees were illuminated by the moon.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF2ERVQQugH2-qAt0cIY_RsJD1z3jhZZgQXRHt1mV4XNuRKdl7mvCUO8qay2OtAoEexrcQNyO8muIJuo6VajA5xycNvvGXeozkZXYR69t9I2dUj18CffUKkylcQvwn7vBuKzrIRjpcX5a/s1600/MacStone-9133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF2ERVQQugH2-qAt0cIY_RsJD1z3jhZZgQXRHt1mV4XNuRKdl7mvCUO8qay2OtAoEexrcQNyO8muIJuo6VajA5xycNvvGXeozkZXYR69t9I2dUj18CffUKkylcQvwn7vBuKzrIRjpcX5a/s1600/MacStone-9133.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe looks for a place to camp amongst the cypress trees.</td></tr>
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The first night, I didn't get any sleep. I was fired up exploring the shoreline and making long exposures. The moon was so bright I didn't even bother using a headlamp. Weaving in and out of the cypress trees, floating on a mirror of stars, I couldn't have been happier. Around 3:00am I set up my hammock and began playing around with different compositions. Everything takes much longer with night photography, especially when you throw people into the mix. To make this image, I had to set up my tripod, then set an intervelometer to expose an image every 30 seconds. This gave me time to paddle to the hammock, light it up, and try again, and again, and again to make sure I got one usable image. I'm pretty sure you need to be some kind of insane to go through this process at this hour, but I was so drunk on insomnia and delirium that it felt like a good idea. The glow of a nearby city gave a soft gradation to the sky, but at this point the moon was so high that the stars were only a faint glitter. I knew I was onto something, but it wasn't the image I had in envisioned. I made photos all night, cracked out on adrenaline, and before I knew it, dawn was fast approaching.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOLDJ1CbTRN0hsguN-ldf5LnygzGK_hFZSGT-VT0u-SFbF7BIkjx60xPYndtMeUxZV5eQ6XhwAOgL8ujwmQ3Je5QZ284afB1g-qnIS7YHEU0SD0C1dOjfLP0ClecSff3xFMPMOTulXxYd/s1600/MacStone-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOLDJ1CbTRN0hsguN-ldf5LnygzGK_hFZSGT-VT0u-SFbF7BIkjx60xPYndtMeUxZV5eQ6XhwAOgL8ujwmQ3Je5QZ284afB1g-qnIS7YHEU0SD0C1dOjfLP0ClecSff3xFMPMOTulXxYd/s1600/MacStone-.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></div>
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Predawn was spectacular, and it came faster than I anticipated. I had to act quickly to take down my hammock and get the right composition, slowly moving my massive tripod through the water. The clouds couldn't have performed a better symphony of color and form, radiating from the leafless branches of the tree. Mustering the last of my energy reserves I paddled out further and made a few more compositions along the shoreline of the other gnarled cypress trees in morning light.<br />
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By this time, my body started to shut down. The soft winter sun and crisp breeze flapped through my hammock, calling me to bed. It was 10:00am and I slept hard for an hour. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw_TN05eNePWlm9rktHxlh8pole5UvRZdb0zeVeqgHiL32JYow43vjNu5pluamMqe-gP3_P3c2RCnRtVyUCfXBf98hbjrzoY9YV_Wh4Yujmm5Mn4RNANyE3JVlEUHKmHw29l05HWv2aor/s1600/MacStone-50.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrw_TN05eNePWlm9rktHxlh8pole5UvRZdb0zeVeqgHiL32JYow43vjNu5pluamMqe-gP3_P3c2RCnRtVyUCfXBf98hbjrzoY9YV_Wh4Yujmm5Mn4RNANyE3JVlEUHKmHw29l05HWv2aor/s1600/MacStone-50.jpg" height="478" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My digs for the night. Photo by Joe Guthrie</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe gets his fill of water, filtered from the Lake. Packing these bladder bags instead of gallon jugs helps cut down on a lot of extra gear. <br />
All you have to do is pretend you're drinking unsweetened tea. </td></tr>
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When I woke up, I began scouting a better composition for my ideal hammock image. After eating some warm mac n cheese and tuna (my favorite camping food), Joe and I paddled out to prepare for sunset light. We were not disappointed.<br />
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Once the sun set, we gathered up our gear and headed back to camp. A waning gibbous moon, I knew I had a couple of hours until the sky was dark enough for stars and moonrise. Still, I didn't want to be caught unprepared when the good light presented itself. Just like sunrise or sunset, during long exposures, a rising moon casts a warm and low angle light, exaggerating contrast and texture. Just as planned, the stars put on their show, the moon was right on time, and Joe crawled up into the hammock while I worked the camera.<br />
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After five years of living under my skin, The Dreaming Tree was finally born. That night Joe and I stayed up planning the next adventure, thinking of ways we could top this trip. I slept like a baby.<br />
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In the morning, I fought every urge in my body to get up before dawn and sit in my wet kayak. I knew it could be another year or two before I came back, so I wanted to squeeze every little drop out of this place. It paid off, because when the sun reached the trees, it was one of the best light shows I've seen. All in all, I'd say the two nights and two days on the Lake were pretty productive. I'd love to hear your thoughts.<br />
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-13717386105563835722014-03-10T20:13:00.000-04:002014-08-10T21:11:24.775-04:00Night Moves - Photographing the Blue Hour<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eO-RyGY6L_lYzFUUGFT51VwoCxQhzJvyvkfcl57Oy4jBeqWdiSVxX7_sAyBydw_tL8E0XkEJWuopiGiw9uScMvciRnIYYWITfkmBDzMP9w8KZxHOOpSgU9fXilT6zaLSjTpeiY9q9b-a/s1600/MacStone-4376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_eO-RyGY6L_lYzFUUGFT51VwoCxQhzJvyvkfcl57Oy4jBeqWdiSVxX7_sAyBydw_tL8E0XkEJWuopiGiw9uScMvciRnIYYWITfkmBDzMP9w8KZxHOOpSgU9fXilT6zaLSjTpeiY9q9b-a/s1600/MacStone-4376.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Venus and the Milky Way shine bright over the pine uplands in Everglades National Park.<br />
Titled "Into the Dream" - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Lately, I've been enjoying spending longer hours outdoors, shooting well after dusk and painfully many hours before sunrise. The cool tones of a cold night under skies peppered with millions of celestial bodies brings us into a world that is today too commonly choked out by unfeeling fluorescence. Photographing these nightscapes has doubled the size of my artistic palette while also incentivizing me to strive for multi-day trips.<br />
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By packing up our cameras after sunset, we're missing out on the most magical hours to be outside. When I was growing up, the main course of swimming and paddling was only made sweeter by the dessert of campfires, stars, and rumbling thunderstorms. At the edge of night I feel alive, and in some places <i>chewed</i> alive by mosquitoes. But no matter what the case, it's always worth clicking a few more frames.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the Everglades, the difference between late afternoon and early evening can change the tone, mood, and structure of an image entirely. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For this image, I kept my shutter open for 30 seconds and shot at f/3.5 ISO 1250. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This image was really tricky to make. I was photographing this composition in Everglades National Park just as the storm was splitting apart, meaning that there were probably only a few more good strikes left to capture. I knew I wanted the reflection in the water to complete the image, but if I kept my shutter open for too long then the image would blow out once the streaks of lightning came. So, to account for this, I dramatically underexposed and consecutively took 30-second images at f/8 ISO 2500, essentially exposing for the lightning which I had to guess would be 4 stops brighter than mid tone. It took about 8 frames of total black before this powerful strike made the image, exposing perfectly. Sometime you get lucky, I guess. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwRtUOR76YjqqS5OPP5-aRfkYQC6A3b2saNYgznUZWfZ__yDomMVD9GmS64-3noB_6RG9HR_irChmqUUKquh6ie8VcTYFRN9fjMEQVsbEevrBLPMQT4-xQE8Oz4qELV2tp3REraxs58nX/s1600/MacStone-4339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwRtUOR76YjqqS5OPP5-aRfkYQC6A3b2saNYgznUZWfZ__yDomMVD9GmS64-3noB_6RG9HR_irChmqUUKquh6ie8VcTYFRN9fjMEQVsbEevrBLPMQT4-xQE8Oz4qELV2tp3REraxs58nX/s1600/MacStone-4339.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Great egrets roost along pond cypress in Everglades National Park. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Camping on East Cape in Everglades National Park at the fringe of a storm. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMQxnF-N_K1obmbTcrAdGJ6mZq7mG8atg__7YN8BTvX4KJiytVeHw2eANk3A9_uuOP_O1k0vm-X3ioOILAFhWNwZmDXkQESDwa98VpnrmZ8M80TZ3_JRbulEwhFXYGd7oLU_2ZfUgPbdw/s1600/MacStone-9410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLMQxnF-N_K1obmbTcrAdGJ6mZq7mG8atg__7YN8BTvX4KJiytVeHw2eANk3A9_uuOP_O1k0vm-X3ioOILAFhWNwZmDXkQESDwa98VpnrmZ8M80TZ3_JRbulEwhFXYGd7oLU_2ZfUgPbdw/s1600/MacStone-9410.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A full moon lights up a cypress tree in North Central Florida just before dawn. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course things are always harder at night. While leaving Everglades National Park after shooting "Into the Dream" a rear tire blew on a loaner car. Still, not missing a beat I changed the tire and managed to make some lemonade out of this lemon of a situation. Lesson: there's always an image to make. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-90578564168873734402014-01-09T10:03:00.002-05:002014-01-09T10:03:46.329-05:00Swamp to Sea - South Carolina<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In a perfect world, I would be out on a new expedition every other week. The thrill of packing up everything you need and living out of a kayak for four days is as liberating and empowering as walking around the house you bought, naked. When I start brainstorming these trips, it's always fueled by some type of fanciful photo I want to make and then the rest of the trek becomes a blank canvas to be filled with adventure and discovery.<br />
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My friends Van Whitehead, the deputy director of <a href="http://www.upstateforever.org/" target="_blank">Upstate Forever</a>, Mark Musselman the property manager of <a href="http://beidlerforest.audubon.org/" target="_blank">Francis Beidler Forest</a>, and Joe Guthrie from the <a href="http://www.floridawildlifecorridor.org/" target="_blank">Florida Wildlife Corridor Expedition</a> all thought this was a pretty good idea after looking at maps back in May. A bold one, though, it looked doable—or at least worth a try. It would be a maze of braided cypress sloughs and lots of backwoods portages over fallen trees through Four Holes Swamp for roughly 80 miles until we reached the ocean at Edisto.<br />
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As with all adventures, nothing goes as planned, and that's alright with me. The purpose was to follow the blackwater through Four Holes Swamp, down the watershed and natural corridors to the Edisto River (the largest free-flowing blackwater river in the US), and out to the ocean. South Carolina's state director of Audubon, Norman Brunswig, along with many other organizations has been protecting properties along this watershed for over 40 years, including the largest stand of virgin cypress and tupelo swamp in the world. Navigating some of these areas on a four-day trek would hopefully lend better insight as to the great accomplishments that have been made and also what more can be done.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joe Guthrie pauses for a breather while hauling his kayak and gear .75 miles to the put-in. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van Whitehead hauls his canoe to the water through the dark of night at 11:00PM. Off to a great start. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our first night in the swamp, Joe and I set up hammocks between tupelo trees. Unfortunately we didn't get to sleep until 5:00am, running on the adrenaline of the adventure to come and the photos being made. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only good light we had all trip was the first morning, but it did not disappoint. The cypress trees and braided channels of Four Holes Swamp are without match. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course we found many snakes, we lost count after 30. This water mocassin posed nicely for a few minutes. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kcxU8JFMwjmpeYFxUQZSFU8qK-QnUArLYQbwhqGR7TbT8LKG1r3KD44xIRlhDSNKeuGTno7S-r4wE78anCAlHL-p9cRqsPHKY4LxRGDhJXM9vvuk2vVkfsL7IBrHEHyP4DLJP5aGVfbc/s1600/MacStone-0422.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6kcxU8JFMwjmpeYFxUQZSFU8qK-QnUArLYQbwhqGR7TbT8LKG1r3KD44xIRlhDSNKeuGTno7S-r4wE78anCAlHL-p9cRqsPHKY4LxRGDhJXM9vvuk2vVkfsL7IBrHEHyP4DLJP5aGVfbc/s1600/MacStone-0422.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The first day was the hardest, with a long slog through the swamp, portaging our gear nearly a mile to avoid encroaching on private property. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVQo6O6HWKc1iGUFVuMnuRlkR19P4t1_pJonVV6Xi2_kD75txjK4GMxvVabkF6eB2bt6jw0PAJHEa-MMXuuz64h585VaNbM3I66ExeI161Ddanv60xfBd6H0dlfdLMlrK7A4bfQM38Lxo/s1600/MacStone-0441.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrVQo6O6HWKc1iGUFVuMnuRlkR19P4t1_pJonVV6Xi2_kD75txjK4GMxvVabkF6eB2bt6jw0PAJHEa-MMXuuz64h585VaNbM3I66ExeI161Ddanv60xfBd6H0dlfdLMlrK7A4bfQM38Lxo/s1600/MacStone-0441.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mark Musselman navigating skinny water in Four Holes Swamp. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeVnI0GdNSVP-staTJ-7x7lAOdK_uYO1XLyAFZ8GxXLMbUb_vdtMBP6jl8IXpYkhyoWc643k6c7uqV_5GQWgLyuHWal5a002h5NT6tb3kDjPxA2lLittlOCkzzSiAmB-O3e44-pi8cHRM/s1600/MacStone-0471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFeVnI0GdNSVP-staTJ-7x7lAOdK_uYO1XLyAFZ8GxXLMbUb_vdtMBP6jl8IXpYkhyoWc643k6c7uqV_5GQWgLyuHWal5a002h5NT6tb3kDjPxA2lLittlOCkzzSiAmB-O3e44-pi8cHRM/s1600/MacStone-0471.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the remote sections of the swamp, we saw lots of wildlife. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenVS9eG-zxVGSxMmeowNU3_RUWHSvwVTQlF_qFUpUXNVcoX61jilB5iWQpVrp3S0Yu2bsI2QD44KDB53b_FXeKox1kxtE-n0XI_NWUSyOve77qBWjND2xm5qigbSvrpAb0qrYZybwRh64/s1600/MacStone-0489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihyphenhyphenVS9eG-zxVGSxMmeowNU3_RUWHSvwVTQlF_qFUpUXNVcoX61jilB5iWQpVrp3S0Yu2bsI2QD44KDB53b_FXeKox1kxtE-n0XI_NWUSyOve77qBWjND2xm5qigbSvrpAb0qrYZybwRh64/s1600/MacStone-0489.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwI-rYFqgjEwF6kqFoBYgclNlwzMgB6nFulkHoUnU63ps8hPhuueek1anTtLEW7a46VSoQjl_cVdLEfaqC5YuYj8mxchxsAeUIcSMqtTTtH5slv4KfjbnmA1XtvvPWiuW1jpwZReojKXY/s1600/MacStone-0517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlwI-rYFqgjEwF6kqFoBYgclNlwzMgB6nFulkHoUnU63ps8hPhuueek1anTtLEW7a46VSoQjl_cVdLEfaqC5YuYj8mxchxsAeUIcSMqtTTtH5slv4KfjbnmA1XtvvPWiuW1jpwZReojKXY/s1600/MacStone-0517.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">When we started approaching the Edisto River, we started to see clear signs of civilization and the difference between old growth swamp and timber lands. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjim4xSLyVC5E9AXLia90ic1o4lFwkwPRoPmf6PZqqYzbsuXEBicvP1dya-P9lPSOG5oLRzacrhU9CT76sBgDk3hMVI-mlvh39h8BAykocQMdq4Wlu5BdeL2fLFEzyObsnQu41BjzQ-MMB7/s1600/MacStone-0546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjim4xSLyVC5E9AXLia90ic1o4lFwkwPRoPmf6PZqqYzbsuXEBicvP1dya-P9lPSOG5oLRzacrhU9CT76sBgDk3hMVI-mlvh39h8BAykocQMdq4Wlu5BdeL2fLFEzyObsnQu41BjzQ-MMB7/s1600/MacStone-0546.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Along the Edisto River the fall colors started to show on the high bluffs. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FoyGjPr72XxKcYfd3cCxXoRRjQygMiwqJYnMawnDriQc5Opkcsxo8ihYA1SmvVkTGKKU5qnxRr_OM471RsIcsSVUI3Y7GFpeoieUiM9MNx84-_-RRnna6NSQfUaFWGVtjis6xiafd8O6/s1600/MacStone-0101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1FoyGjPr72XxKcYfd3cCxXoRRjQygMiwqJYnMawnDriQc5Opkcsxo8ihYA1SmvVkTGKKU5qnxRr_OM471RsIcsSVUI3Y7GFpeoieUiM9MNx84-_-RRnna6NSQfUaFWGVtjis6xiafd8O6/s1600/MacStone-0101.jpg" height="428" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the third night I was surprised when my hammock ripped open and birthed me out the bottom. Fortunately, I was over dry land this time: a very rare and fortunate thing. Photo by Joe Guthrie</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiam4c5r8fTaTdndutx9I8WcXf9f9PwyF4jlUTypHYse4m8yJoCgxzmREtJf7etI5JKiOKjpAuAK-dSTBp2NlcTUZgBsPK7m_nWJAzqIBlkVhPpgVkz6k_2pZKGAw0nglpg2MOki3GBtvvn/s1600/MacStone-0665.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiam4c5r8fTaTdndutx9I8WcXf9f9PwyF4jlUTypHYse4m8yJoCgxzmREtJf7etI5JKiOKjpAuAK-dSTBp2NlcTUZgBsPK7m_nWJAzqIBlkVhPpgVkz6k_2pZKGAw0nglpg2MOki3GBtvvn/s1600/MacStone-0665.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of course we couldn't resist the rope swings. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AWhSnhify5NduNSe6ycOBz7nphxtKAM9LUeXMKUVynrhm1bO2Cv9XRKWEptVCwkUD6DqLq2ukGqDwhJE58XlbYA1rJ2E2cBAxUkWnQNjfgNlm6kbx50lZaSgEogsE71q_n092e1G6Jlm/s1600/MacStone-0675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8AWhSnhify5NduNSe6ycOBz7nphxtKAM9LUeXMKUVynrhm1bO2Cv9XRKWEptVCwkUD6DqLq2ukGqDwhJE58XlbYA1rJ2E2cBAxUkWnQNjfgNlm6kbx50lZaSgEogsE71q_n092e1G6Jlm/s1600/MacStone-0675.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUedi-aQRp-zFVPe0rMZP3jPQYLmClekgkMFXgQyYRF0OmXyFEAVQO8R-uBGQmrE_AxNuNJd1BFAb5HlVT8PdfhBSGoZ9LrQHjXuzzO0t8HCnyrqIs6LITmmnkA1aHAo5oy5FlcYltwqc/s1600/MacStone-0721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUUedi-aQRp-zFVPe0rMZP3jPQYLmClekgkMFXgQyYRF0OmXyFEAVQO8R-uBGQmrE_AxNuNJd1BFAb5HlVT8PdfhBSGoZ9LrQHjXuzzO0t8HCnyrqIs6LITmmnkA1aHAo5oy5FlcYltwqc/s1600/MacStone-0721.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdB7L9nf2SOWorDZ-Wg8IRWEchDOXHrGCJaVEjYswj3xYJsyJVXiLi8Tjv75CLKQt0ycZutlmtrcKGMwKQkCcHKDfNZUu-Rcf2q3eiYX7dacS-HWFykqd6QzZcR-1tp_2d5xJz-R_oKwo/s1600/MacStone-0765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDdB7L9nf2SOWorDZ-Wg8IRWEchDOXHrGCJaVEjYswj3xYJsyJVXiLi8Tjv75CLKQt0ycZutlmtrcKGMwKQkCcHKDfNZUu-Rcf2q3eiYX7dacS-HWFykqd6QzZcR-1tp_2d5xJz-R_oKwo/s1600/MacStone-0765.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our last night on the trip, we camped on a small dry spit of land and built a small fire. Drying clothes and making PB&Js, we were dreading the 6:00am departure to beat the tides. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-zo1AlK8_Nm8-e8VyE1FvW1BCyLDm1Gci5MzA2jWG_Jqy1n9-HC7KIh-7-_h3g0s5SvfhCFtFnfW99s54GgZ4oCutMIGnEa_GmF5ae7SJKrX4e6DKduTK9Nf0shgsA3Eh3NG2o56aUBL/s1600/MacStone-0800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-zo1AlK8_Nm8-e8VyE1FvW1BCyLDm1Gci5MzA2jWG_Jqy1n9-HC7KIh-7-_h3g0s5SvfhCFtFnfW99s54GgZ4oCutMIGnEa_GmF5ae7SJKrX4e6DKduTK9Nf0shgsA3Eh3NG2o56aUBL/s1600/MacStone-0800.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Van checks his gear, readying for the arduous paddle to the coast. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmY3iFyKexM6CZRtLB9yjWMvcpuDPfjZbE_EC-ztd8HuA_tfEvGORQuf77-CxBxtWrzsnANCaxZwcCHQx3YgM_ZXtIpuCyN05wopJhszy5D8zYXCFDtmVypRZh6oIIr5p3JY0TG8rHdou/s1600/MacStone-0825.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmY3iFyKexM6CZRtLB9yjWMvcpuDPfjZbE_EC-ztd8HuA_tfEvGORQuf77-CxBxtWrzsnANCaxZwcCHQx3YgM_ZXtIpuCyN05wopJhszy5D8zYXCFDtmVypRZh6oIIr5p3JY0TG8rHdou/s1600/MacStone-0825.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-YajJD7LGmZJS7yggn-KKpLVo3Q4vZjSzXZx02ENhEWfI2_W2Y9dE_FdU15W6HrUXh2VZERQx_7AeBnU8ff4SFHEYOQL0hIuo-XtZFtqgL4drs7l_vHbqdeMOZhtJEO4ubLdYsAeH26V/s1600/MacStone-0875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT-YajJD7LGmZJS7yggn-KKpLVo3Q4vZjSzXZx02ENhEWfI2_W2Y9dE_FdU15W6HrUXh2VZERQx_7AeBnU8ff4SFHEYOQL0hIuo-XtZFtqgL4drs7l_vHbqdeMOZhtJEO4ubLdYsAeH26V/s1600/MacStone-0875.jpg" height="426" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaten and battered, we finish strong and then have to find a way of cramming all of this gear and four people into my truck. From left: Mac Stone, Van Whitehead, Joe Guthrie, Mark Musselman. Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-62237523947753111072013-11-22T08:00:00.000-05:002013-11-22T08:00:06.692-05:00New Website Rollout and Promo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdrEGtMJCmY9pnqy44G2VuUrYwwycdF8xQT4GpXJbpL7crtD_TQFgNnjha-w4CL8u_Y9z6WThHcmNJpT7TU18o4YY6vOID7N1jsjLWqGNrT0s7dRt9LIKSP2yoIDX2wBEtQGfsYFqTLS4/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-22+at+1.25.36+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="542" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvdrEGtMJCmY9pnqy44G2VuUrYwwycdF8xQT4GpXJbpL7crtD_TQFgNnjha-w4CL8u_Y9z6WThHcmNJpT7TU18o4YY6vOID7N1jsjLWqGNrT0s7dRt9LIKSP2yoIDX2wBEtQGfsYFqTLS4/s640/Screen+shot+2013-11-22+at+1.25.36+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Well, this has been a long time coming, but I'm proud to finally announce the new <a href="http://www.macstonephoto.com/" target="_blank">Mac Stone Photography website</a>. With an integrated eCommerce platform, clients can order prints and gallery wrapped canvas directly and safely from the website.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6dhd-QrArw6wOpLdmUd51HlINjpCOmFABSsvk6EftHGLYe_UfK2CdMmGsKGGqMblvRsst7FaaYoZYdXigXYLsgWHSioIUS4CRfDMpYV3D7ID8ItZ4KKT9wJQwOwngDQsToIPX9-IVrpf/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-22+at+1.27.09+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv6dhd-QrArw6wOpLdmUd51HlINjpCOmFABSsvk6EftHGLYe_UfK2CdMmGsKGGqMblvRsst7FaaYoZYdXigXYLsgWHSioIUS4CRfDMpYV3D7ID8ItZ4KKT9wJQwOwngDQsToIPX9-IVrpf/s640/Screen+shot+2013-11-22+at+1.27.09+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Visitors to the site can also use a search bar to narrow down a collection of images based on specific keywords like color, theme, subject, and location. So, to really test out the engines on this thing, starting on November 22, 2013 until December 1, 2013, all orders will receive a 20% discount. Just enter in the coupon code: <b>GIVEALITTLE</b> at checkout. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMJlj3Oqn-fSEZAZTrEhyphenhyphenc-EWDUiRdGEAN052yTgzN4jKtF1u5ORdPNwMinhBgGm86lTXqhoxjlO7cj-77iWM8gcIOdockhg0BQaWGXNMtC7yjmp08Aq0Qj4qns0ka_BlxJcXzUAZQtIm/s1600/Screen+shot+2013-11-22+at+1.28.29+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMJlj3Oqn-fSEZAZTrEhyphenhyphenc-EWDUiRdGEAN052yTgzN4jKtF1u5ORdPNwMinhBgGm86lTXqhoxjlO7cj-77iWM8gcIOdockhg0BQaWGXNMtC7yjmp08Aq0Qj4qns0ka_BlxJcXzUAZQtIm/s640/Screen+shot+2013-11-22+at+1.28.29+AM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-9683381819317723952013-10-15T23:53:00.001-04:002013-10-15T23:54:53.485-04:00Swimming with Alligators... again<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm haunted by photo shoots that could have been a little bit better if the light was brighter, the conditions different, or subjects more cooperative. I think this is the case with any artist. We are simply never satisfied. Maybe it should have been different after I climbed out of the alligator pool with Chris Gillette and Ashley Lawrence still owning all of my digits, but I knew there were better images to be made.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSvO-whGo8JCdsx3OjpthDqOW_ToZcZ6BRKK-qvpn0ZLia5KVXpGItJPPRUGELg1t8TGIHVWCtswvVeiKnOoOYAsspHO171z_IlskSuvBmjVOIRRia2SHZM1kvujDl_WTyEMX5mt19FEj/s1600/MacStone-7435.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNSvO-whGo8JCdsx3OjpthDqOW_ToZcZ6BRKK-qvpn0ZLia5KVXpGItJPPRUGELg1t8TGIHVWCtswvVeiKnOoOYAsspHO171z_IlskSuvBmjVOIRRia2SHZM1kvujDl_WTyEMX5mt19FEj/s640/MacStone-7435.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, I went back for round two. This time, the water was warmer and gin clear; and a fresh crop of alligators inhabited the pool. I still used the same rig to shoot Chris handling the alligators but without the backscatter of debris and a better understanding of what I was going for, it went without a hitch.<br />
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Here are the results. These were all shot with an Aquatica housing, 15mm Sigma fisheye, and two Sea and Sea strobes while on SCUBA.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Sq5gCFb1GD8UOMzzQFKVFeYMhId_SSRelmJeVW8aJo0l9zE-rGVAnkiQ3gp6ONwoB4z219fHD0bnPFbf7z3ch0ZGBceOjzUmgqZRT8xtqw5OkqhOTYs2CQLeMfGE4PSpAI03X7zcv2Xq/s1600/MacStone-7442.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3Sq5gCFb1GD8UOMzzQFKVFeYMhId_SSRelmJeVW8aJo0l9zE-rGVAnkiQ3gp6ONwoB4z219fHD0bnPFbf7z3ch0ZGBceOjzUmgqZRT8xtqw5OkqhOTYs2CQLeMfGE4PSpAI03X7zcv2Xq/s640/MacStone-7442.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-81729533885941336412013-10-07T22:49:00.000-04:002013-10-07T22:49:41.977-04:00Savage Race Georgia 2013It's all starting to become a muddy blur of screaming savages and weekends on the road. There are only two more Savage Race events left this year and the big daddy of them all is in two weeks: Little Everglades Ranch, Florida. But before I get ahead of myself, let me just say how much I love the Georgia Savage Race venue at Moonlight Stables; it's a hard act to follow. The thousands of participants showed up, got chewed up, and then spit out on the hardest Savage Race event yet. The course was 6 miles through undulating hills and the creators introduced a new obstacle that forced everyone to drag their tired bodies up a hill by climbing along the underside of a cargo net. Gnarly. <div>
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The weather was beautiful, much warmer than Pennsylvania but it also provided 100% sunshine all day, which made me rely a lot more heavily on my strobes to balance out the harsh light. 3,400 photos later, here is a handful of my favorites from the day. </div>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-57234112958632545402013-09-25T19:20:00.001-04:002013-09-25T19:20:59.597-04:00Savage Race Pennsylvania PoconosShooting for Savage Race is great. I meet thousands of people, I get real physical challenge while photographing, and I get to taste all the different types of mud from all over the country. What's not to love?<br />
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The last event took me to the Poconos of Pennsylvania. There was a good turnout despite the cold front that rolled through. The night before, temperatures were in the low 40s and they didn't get much higher than 55 during race day. My teeth were chattering while I photographed the ice bath, I don't know how the participants survived. Still, all the savages came out guns blazing and I can't wait to go back next year.<br />
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Here are some of my favorites from the afternoon. Next stop, Georgia! <br />
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-24787749995614856442013-08-17T14:32:00.002-04:002013-10-08T11:48:22.305-04:00Reunion: Cooperstown, New York<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabin under the stars - Cooperstown, NY - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Each year, my friends from college and I make it a point to reunite and combat the distance that has us spread all over the country with new memories. My friend Post said it b</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">est after driving 9 hours from Ohio, "You never know what's going to happen, you just know it's going to be awesome." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; line-height: 18px;"><br />This year we picked upstate New York in Cooperstown where my friend Adam Sittler lives and we spent the weekend camped in a cabin up in the mountains. The only time we left was to go into town to participate in a Cooperstown tradition of a baseball/whiffle ball tournament, which lasted 8 hours. We took home the championship and then retreated back to the woods to celebrate.<br /><br />That night was perfect. We explored the woods for hours, bouncing headlamps in the night finding all kinds of wildlife, until we emerged on the opposite side of the cabin. It was an incredible scene. The Milky Way stretched across the sky and polar fog veiled the mountain pond, illuminated by the amber glow of tungsten on wood. I ran back to grab a camera, composing a few images while listening to familiar stories echoing from the porch.<br /><br />Who knows what we'll do next year, but this is going to be a hard one to beat. Long live great traditions.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></span>Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-39829039776750253122013-07-30T20:07:00.000-04:002013-07-30T20:07:02.367-04:00Swimming with Alligators<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Ok, before you start trying to nominate me for the Darwin Awards, read the post.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDGuVD71XX0dVe5xEKrIz7NDSpWIc6xJr5xuHVrIf03QwFowSxwaoT0U-Wo8vwqHMupexNvimB0NVxsuAP3lKDWqRMfTibLlOGbJQ1J5bNoxDerZZGYWsMHb1eJktvVRK82DdKJm9N7sJ/s1600/MacStone_-0203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjDGuVD71XX0dVe5xEKrIz7NDSpWIc6xJr5xuHVrIf03QwFowSxwaoT0U-Wo8vwqHMupexNvimB0NVxsuAP3lKDWqRMfTibLlOGbJQ1J5bNoxDerZZGYWsMHb1eJktvVRK82DdKJm9N7sJ/s200/MacStone_-0203.jpg" width="200" /></a>Meet Chris Gillette. Chris is a professional gator wrestler living in Homestead, Florida. He performs weekly shows at Everglades Outpost Wildlife Rescue and the Everglades Alligator Farm to teach the public about crocodilian behavior and what to do should you ever find yourself in a situation like the one pictured above. You might recognize him from the television show Gator Boys, but I met Chris through our small circle of South Florida adventurers, and after seeing images of him handling alligators the gears started turning on how I might be able to meet him in his element and make a few images of my own. I just bought an underwater housing so it seemed like a perfect way to break in the new equipment. I envisioned a relatively tame shoot where he handled what he called his "big puppy dogs" and my end goal was to create a series of images that showed a more docile side to these feared reptiles. Of course, things don't always play out as you plan them. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGg9RcgQhjYs7HzjCs2BLpkq1s0GRGysjlplSX3s6TzVV-ZhUrIIJ4qDz7Wpqj5Ss33OrvMBtUmfEczYpTYlIo9gILS784wj1t3itFqQG7SmVnQOhNPUT3gS9BSDxqsOXyAP88TuFPoEm/s1600/MacStone_-0135.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGg9RcgQhjYs7HzjCs2BLpkq1s0GRGysjlplSX3s6TzVV-ZhUrIIJ4qDz7Wpqj5Ss33OrvMBtUmfEczYpTYlIo9gILS784wj1t3itFqQG7SmVnQOhNPUT3gS9BSDxqsOXyAP88TuFPoEm/s200/MacStone_-0135.jpg" width="133" /></a>The bad news broke early as Chris let me know that his favorite alligator had recently passed away and instead, we would be working with freshly caught, aggressive nuisance alligators from Big Cypress National Preserve. Great. The good news, however, is that the water was cold, very cold, so they would likely be disinclined to act out. Luckily I brought my wet suit. His girlfriend, Ashley Lawrence who also handles alligators, was there to help spot and make sure nothing went wrong. Admittedly, I was feeling pretty cavalier, because here I had two of the most qualified handlers watching my back and making sure the shoot went smoothly. Plus, I had seen them in similar situations plenty of times so I was hungry to get in the water and start making images. Chris quickly put me in check, saying that I should be nervous and that it was a little unhealthy not to be. It could have been the water temperature, but as soon as I submerged and entered their world, I looked head-on at a 9-foot alligator and peed my wetsuit.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rYvsyQJgbEax8bu4fF3m79LfC0zRoPmzx8rDLlMkKUDcoDr2tpxzN-jBkWiCsibHXpUTjzdCcx5aUm09785oUGKjr5ScTkySNpgrb5Uh1ca3iYCbk7sXK3azSeKjLSBrTxT7k_PEoYpD/s1600/MacStone-4090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1rYvsyQJgbEax8bu4fF3m79LfC0zRoPmzx8rDLlMkKUDcoDr2tpxzN-jBkWiCsibHXpUTjzdCcx5aUm09785oUGKjr5ScTkySNpgrb5Uh1ca3iYCbk7sXK3azSeKjLSBrTxT7k_PEoYpD/s640/MacStone-4090.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gator belly - Homestead, FL - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Before we got in the water, though, Chris told me what to expect. Since these gators hadn't been handled before they would be unpredictable and would likely resist being grabbed or approached. In the event that a gator charged me, he cautioned that I sit perfectly still and just act like a rock. I'll be the first to say that it's one thing to envision yourself in that situation, and something altogether different to actually perform. I was on SCUBA so I didn't have to worry about continually coming to the surface for air. I sat on the bottom, like a rock, just as Chris suggested. But when he reached for the first gator and it wiggled free, it made a bee-line straight for me. I braced for impact and the gator's snout slammed into my shoulder and kept swimming, as if I weren't even there. I looked up and Chris was treading water, smiling, with two thumbs up. </div>
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I've grown up with gators and have had my fair share of close calls in the wild, but in this moment I was really proud of myself. Once I hurdled that obstacle, the rest of the shoot went smoothly. In fact, they were so comfortable with me, that one of the large gators even found a nice resting spot between my legs while I photographed another. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIRlGjpF67U28uGpzOe01clTdJzBKo7OUGZ0EusM62MRaMeGaf7-9jE1gD8t_dEh76jyFsAJOJxQSD6Nhh8MZQq1zrWdBfIQ4IKW_9-O3lwxgmooOGdNgICLCmtIfGkBx4FVJoRo25HAW/s1600/MacStone_-4026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIRlGjpF67U28uGpzOe01clTdJzBKo7OUGZ0EusM62MRaMeGaf7-9jE1gD8t_dEh76jyFsAJOJxQSD6Nhh8MZQq1zrWdBfIQ4IKW_9-O3lwxgmooOGdNgICLCmtIfGkBx4FVJoRo25HAW/s640/MacStone_-4026.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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It was one of the most invigorating shoots I've done and it gave me a new appreciation for the work that Chris, Ashley, Everglades Outpost and the Everglades Alligator Farm do for the public. Normally, these nuisance alligators would be euthanized. These businesses give the gators a second chance and in turn help reeducate the masses that our reptilian neighbors are not blood-thirsty man-eaters. They are the freshwater equivalent to sharks: misunderstood and in need of some good PR.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj_ZPTtAswFmr26X4NtcOFDP4K9ODVFauDJgqJ6xc-8F7AOEg3TpN8YMgpss1dMmBza2rtY7TMk1c6WX6h3Vq5NbklEwykall3q7BscRoTDkcz_a1Hb7DGM03fAHkfwnNLmhrwmavXwz8/s1600/MacStone_-0229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="504" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWj_ZPTtAswFmr26X4NtcOFDP4K9ODVFauDJgqJ6xc-8F7AOEg3TpN8YMgpss1dMmBza2rtY7TMk1c6WX6h3Vq5NbklEwykall3q7BscRoTDkcz_a1Hb7DGM03fAHkfwnNLmhrwmavXwz8/s640/MacStone_-0229.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-9854855865229815472013-07-14T00:14:00.000-04:002013-07-14T00:15:19.753-04:00Weekends on the Fly<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpwVcQdDgqWqqxFpNeUeRu8b5Dfsfj-DoOyeNuHE1m_TkruR2wBfl8DXfGIUv2G3LZrsNkzKRlz5OyTY6mzKrKm0PAbWDytmmRDcgN1e1OiHSPF83-d6EXvI-IS5IGP0Ih2R6BScQ2kxL/s1600/MacStone_-8157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimpwVcQdDgqWqqxFpNeUeRu8b5Dfsfj-DoOyeNuHE1m_TkruR2wBfl8DXfGIUv2G3LZrsNkzKRlz5OyTY6mzKrKm0PAbWDytmmRDcgN1e1OiHSPF83-d6EXvI-IS5IGP0Ih2R6BScQ2kxL/s640/MacStone_-8157.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Micah Groeber hikes in to a favorite fishing hole - North Carolina</td></tr>
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A wild trout stream is the one thing that competes for attention with my camera. When the fishing is good it's impossible to pry a fly rod out of my hands. I won't eat, I forget to drink water; I'm like a labrador chasing a tennis ball. While working as a fishing guide in Wyoming along the North Platte River I once watched a bear cross the river twenty feet in front of me and climb atop a rock, dripping wet and backlit in golden light and my camera sat idly in its bag all because a trico hatch had brown trout slamming my fly after every cast. Fly fishing is the ultimate vacation. Sometimes I can't even force myself to take pictures because I hate the idea of missing even a few moments of good water.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Micah fishing a favorite stretch of stream - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Recently I've gotten better at balancing the two and it's mostly by force. In the smaller streams of North Carolina there's simply not enough room for two people to fish side by side. So when I head out for a day on the water with good friend Micah Groeber, I get to be both angler and photographer. Plus, he gladly helps carry my underwater housing so long as I get photos of the action.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorful brown trout - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Lately, we've been getting into some really good streams. While most serious anglers head west for big fish, Micah and I have been finding some of the heartiest and most colorful native browns I've ever seen in the Blue Ridge. When you're pulling 20'' browns out of three feet of Appalachian mountain water, what's not to photograph? </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown trout - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosy9eoR4Tk9FTSAifOwIUN_M6N2Fup7a18bSG36Ffhl7LRGY8R2iqVPuYNowX-LUen2Jotp9TtVz1ErxA_YBRUmZr1vAB24kKa9AMdAEAJYAIfli61TcVdYLtLkwgltet7HHm4aDdrCJd/s1600/MacStone_-8220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="488" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjosy9eoR4Tk9FTSAifOwIUN_M6N2Fup7a18bSG36Ffhl7LRGY8R2iqVPuYNowX-LUen2Jotp9TtVz1ErxA_YBRUmZr1vAB24kKa9AMdAEAJYAIfli61TcVdYLtLkwgltet7HHm4aDdrCJd/s640/MacStone_-8220.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Micah with his prized brown - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20'' wild brown trout - Photo © Mac Stone </td></tr>
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-12809186292264985462013-06-16T22:06:00.001-04:002013-06-16T22:06:38.962-04:00Outdoor Photographer Feature: Swamp Things<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUoe8pjeFJvQGHaG3VmVbyI16D5PW_UsN9linSeI6tUghZuizx165dUTEh91g4mU0J4tQmwD0b-23spDvt0we4ov1aivD0a0NUoEPnuc8IpMHwezWvbwgHml9f1XIB23xvPQOMiM3Mqjy/s1600/MacStone_-0133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkUoe8pjeFJvQGHaG3VmVbyI16D5PW_UsN9linSeI6tUghZuizx165dUTEh91g4mU0J4tQmwD0b-23spDvt0we4ov1aivD0a0NUoEPnuc8IpMHwezWvbwgHml9f1XIB23xvPQOMiM3Mqjy/s640/MacStone_-0133.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In case you missed it on the newsstands, <a href="http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/" target="_blank">Outdoor Photographer</a>, one of the country's top nature photography magazines, just published a piece I wrote on America's swamps. I've been thumbing through this magazine for nearly twelve years picking up tips and reading insightful columns by some of the greats. I was really stoked when the magazine offered to print my story as it's increasingly difficult to find spread space amidst all the great landscape photographers of the mountains. If you'd like to take a look at some of the images and read the article follow the link here:<br />
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<a href="http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/locations/north-america/swamp-things.html" target="_blank">Outdoor Photographer: Swamp Things by Mac Stone</a>Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-48346279290215325652013-05-26T14:16:00.000-04:002013-05-26T14:40:39.474-04:0024 Hours in the Swamp<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sentinel after a spring rain - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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I know I go on and on about how important our swamps and wetlands are for the hydrology of our southern states, but they're also one of the best places for wildlife and adventure in what's left of our lowcountry wilderness. This month I took two friends, Darrin Hamlin and Van Whitehead from the mountains and brought them into the heart of old growth swamp within the <a href="http://beidlerforest.audubon.org/" target="_blank">Francis Beidler Forest</a> to slog and explore. We met up with Audubon naturalist Rickey Covey on the second day and I promised Darrin, a dedicated waterfall seeker, that before the trip was over he'd understand why these habitats are my bread and butter. The swamp did not disappoint.<br />
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Here's what we discovered in just 24 hours:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvZPlkf56k8Q-vfI8vRJ5kFUe8bKr2JIs1FfCEK0ZPM3S90tZkxoHIbBQYXb3QsHwk_vB_B0Kf4w3ajEQkRePGZ3TYjvCiMOzfgyrjk7sLnLPtmkmtIrpa9htkUEAlpjMn6Udas3BguD3/s1600/MacStone_-7700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHvZPlkf56k8Q-vfI8vRJ5kFUe8bKr2JIs1FfCEK0ZPM3S90tZkxoHIbBQYXb3QsHwk_vB_B0Kf4w3ajEQkRePGZ3TYjvCiMOzfgyrjk7sLnLPtmkmtIrpa9htkUEAlpjMn6Udas3BguD3/s640/MacStone_-7700.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right, Van Whitehead, Mac Stone, and Darrin Hamlin around the "Sentinel" </td></tr>
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My first goal was to find the "Sentinel" which is one of the Beidler Forest's largest cypress trees. Scientists estimate this tree to be around 1200-1400 years old. <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmULJ2cOgmw" target="_blank">You might recognize the tree from our Swamp Stomp video a few years ago.</a> Since the interior is hollow, it's impossible to get an accurate age. Still, the way this tree dominates the forest lets you know it's been anchored here for a very long time.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhje-w7ymzLaJooaBqKgp4565eGG2m-llU-1pYMCZkCLpnCwFvydgUH89xX0DKUwtCSqdjvdw0q2Vad5Z7nJodmtKoCVVdx2wb1TKDBkZxPzHyxpIkym-E-nvMgmk4jyFHNYBasqFm-EPE9/s1600/MacStone_-7598.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhje-w7ymzLaJooaBqKgp4565eGG2m-llU-1pYMCZkCLpnCwFvydgUH89xX0DKUwtCSqdjvdw0q2Vad5Z7nJodmtKoCVVdx2wb1TKDBkZxPzHyxpIkym-E-nvMgmk4jyFHNYBasqFm-EPE9/s640/MacStone_-7598.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nurse log - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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The spring is my favorite time to explore Beidler Forest. The greens are electric, the canopy is full of sound from songbirds and owls, and the water flows, leaving little room for mosquitoes to breed.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Emerging dragonfly - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tupelo - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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On this trip I used my 50mm f/1.4 for several landscapes to help isolate certain subjects. Normally, this would make the small ripples in the water to actually add extra noise to the image, but I added 9 stops of neutral density to get the slow speeds while maintaining shallow depth.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvLnpppox8mFeEfig6niOFy3MtvAZ_5K2rPIn6nFG6ga6uP3DywPR8J1YQX0evySgy1CC0I3_kxFXBVJgm2U4TJ2419V8mv0vXvMqXxY6iCgVT-ITlRiSWyTmRfuEbAVdv7PxkKoCSvGN/s1600/MacStone_-7640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnvLnpppox8mFeEfig6niOFy3MtvAZ_5K2rPIn6nFG6ga6uP3DywPR8J1YQX0evySgy1CC0I3_kxFXBVJgm2U4TJ2419V8mv0vXvMqXxY6iCgVT-ITlRiSWyTmRfuEbAVdv7PxkKoCSvGN/s640/MacStone_-7640.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tupelo and Cypress Island - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lx08w8PDlCtBcPRyTMwGPaFzdmIB2UPI3LTY1XMCzIxzX1OXSH9bgMlRzMUxQWs8CKS2v4PYB4zXy_6haG5QDipW9Z7ivK9DFF2-3DrYo6CBmYAP907qFin6GOpBWpbn_EEt-rzHZek7/s1600/MacStone_-7823.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_lx08w8PDlCtBcPRyTMwGPaFzdmIB2UPI3LTY1XMCzIxzX1OXSH9bgMlRzMUxQWs8CKS2v4PYB4zXy_6haG5QDipW9Z7ivK9DFF2-3DrYo6CBmYAP907qFin6GOpBWpbn_EEt-rzHZek7/s640/MacStone_-7823.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darrin Hamlin slogs through one of the main sloughs - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cypress sapling and Cypress Knee Window - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8sUI90aZ4987wZU7lxxWC8tTT2dAwCXWn0VsxGFpHK1mRqV7ZeyuDRLN79lVHGsuP1dpJc14xf0ZAgWYI9xg1gbubhJ0Ky4poUlPSZgKxQCHH3IF8X1hjiDXSh3mpD6DrR91tUyP347_/s1600/MacStone_-7855.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR8sUI90aZ4987wZU7lxxWC8tTT2dAwCXWn0VsxGFpHK1mRqV7ZeyuDRLN79lVHGsuP1dpJc14xf0ZAgWYI9xg1gbubhJ0Ky4poUlPSZgKxQCHH3IF8X1hjiDXSh3mpD6DrR91tUyP347_/s640/MacStone_-7855.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Water Snake - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brown Water Snake - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSqVDeY_tKAhsxp4ePjfLa0GONXJaGBbDW0tb7mFaF1NSSB1vP619RmFWgbRK8AYEJ8XDCCXPE0uPfhVADkR17uF2jaV71EOmHakNdwzWpCU6DabJlQ6N7QU385X-nqM8kCH8av_ApIEu/s1600/MacStone_-7865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSqVDeY_tKAhsxp4ePjfLa0GONXJaGBbDW0tb7mFaF1NSSB1vP619RmFWgbRK8AYEJ8XDCCXPE0uPfhVADkR17uF2jaV71EOmHakNdwzWpCU6DabJlQ6N7QU385X-nqM8kCH8av_ApIEu/s640/MacStone_-7865.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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After the first night we looked at our maps and decided to head back further into the old growth swamp, getting into the deeper sloughs and exploring some of the more remote sections of Beidler Forest. We left at first light and got into some gorgeous sections of the swamp. While walking through one of the upland islands, we came across this mysterious feature.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hog bed - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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I have never seen one of these before, but as soon as we approached the woven bed of palmettos, 6 piglets scurried across the ground. I had no idea that their parents put this much effort into their babies. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Piglets - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Finally, the much anticipated rains let loose and the swamp came alive. Everything became more saturated and I hurried along with my camera like a kid in a candy shop. There is nothing more magical than photographing in an old growth swamp beneath a spring rain. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Rains - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOK4rQQzcjTzJBxJ-7ZFPpDrtp5S3HHW1gSoRtezTRZiDmjrKeKLdpAdSL2PNoWKIRskUXLWdbEInJnzlXnMOWY9aiGdyys2VhSfnuGduaZD2v0drxvDJLCj2VS5OuWj11rmIS0RGwc99/s1600/MacStone_-8098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="512" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOK4rQQzcjTzJBxJ-7ZFPpDrtp5S3HHW1gSoRtezTRZiDmjrKeKLdpAdSL2PNoWKIRskUXLWdbEInJnzlXnMOWY9aiGdyys2VhSfnuGduaZD2v0drxvDJLCj2VS5OuWj11rmIS0RGwc99/s640/MacStone_-8098.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cypress Knee - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GwKLSXvpAwG01vS3Atn-FPpUuJRN2HgXtcGG019_jNo2hdnUuBNvXMHqlVc_QEZ6iWSmYfphzaZpU2vIlI2p9O0YdPdt9v6pgZOFuhy4513d3fvwrjUt2lDnYeQOardf1r57PJrrIEBv/s1600/MacStone_-8152.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6GwKLSXvpAwG01vS3Atn-FPpUuJRN2HgXtcGG019_jNo2hdnUuBNvXMHqlVc_QEZ6iWSmYfphzaZpU2vIlI2p9O0YdPdt9v6pgZOFuhy4513d3fvwrjUt2lDnYeQOardf1r57PJrrIEBv/s640/MacStone_-8152.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greenish Rat Snake - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-M91csMAqfdMz_WzHPX8HgJjnOKTcMPLBXQ4Rs4oB65rTYMshadfVLtubkHEojNwJoINdmAsyAKQqPXU_wnWgtWecNACLiNliHopmmqF_7o83Sgd6-SnNgPiFfSfN8hDLlnAL2rdVo2_R/s1600/MacStone_-8187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-M91csMAqfdMz_WzHPX8HgJjnOKTcMPLBXQ4Rs4oB65rTYMshadfVLtubkHEojNwJoINdmAsyAKQqPXU_wnWgtWecNACLiNliHopmmqF_7o83Sgd6-SnNgPiFfSfN8hDLlnAL2rdVo2_R/s640/MacStone_-8187.jpg" width="512" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitetail Deer Fawn - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHfbva2wcjfdFcUjnRgbvlYgbgLgJlRzqexek_dzeaIB0Jwhmi4s63exYTIqNXslfpZsW273GnzvBheZjZK3zQYbuPBLZ9myoQ2k-D-8K50-R6okstuGQxyzG2n00yiUP4rLIpyXF2p8r/s1600/MacStone_-8304.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNHfbva2wcjfdFcUjnRgbvlYgbgLgJlRzqexek_dzeaIB0Jwhmi4s63exYTIqNXslfpZsW273GnzvBheZjZK3zQYbuPBLZ9myoQ2k-D-8K50-R6okstuGQxyzG2n00yiUP4rLIpyXF2p8r/s640/MacStone_-8304.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0b85VvZldSp5qAq5aKhEiJb-HN3hX7-jdOAqvgkUDWIJTXqMKIYEYKK7Exsi3TtWCCGwJRDJGFPH-4ThmFRCLgf9VOwqpdg5IDdUrrEv7i95qcTpsUXifLpJmxQAAHBMrW8Fb-le2n49/s1600/MacStone_-8323.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig0b85VvZldSp5qAq5aKhEiJb-HN3hX7-jdOAqvgkUDWIJTXqMKIYEYKK7Exsi3TtWCCGwJRDJGFPH-4ThmFRCLgf9VOwqpdg5IDdUrrEv7i95qcTpsUXifLpJmxQAAHBMrW8Fb-le2n49/s640/MacStone_-8323.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Growth - Francis Beidler Forest - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Only 24 hours and we experienced all this beauty and wilderness. To think, most people associate swamps with a slew of negative adjectives. The highlight of the trip for me was after stumbling upon the whitetail deer fawn and Darrin turns to me and says, "Mac, I've seen more wildlife in the two days I've been here with you than I have in 10 years in the mountains."<br />
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Long live the swamp.Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-25838558012620919012013-04-04T09:35:00.002-04:002013-04-04T09:35:53.102-04:00NANPA High School Scholarship Program<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotGDS6Fr9zqHHmUHNJnGavaIgiNmnHC9cO4CUdf4VDsEv-SxydE6NWGV33GArkAF8k8wsA9rFTYI7uMO70qRarnQNnDx03dPBFKPt83ytAjs_7Bimx77rbWrgmbv_MoSCza7E0qihCj_f/s1600/MacStone_-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjotGDS6Fr9zqHHmUHNJnGavaIgiNmnHC9cO4CUdf4VDsEv-SxydE6NWGV33GArkAF8k8wsA9rFTYI7uMO70qRarnQNnDx03dPBFKPt83ytAjs_7Bimx77rbWrgmbv_MoSCza7E0qihCj_f/s640/MacStone_-.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left to right: Lione Clare, Tim Harding, David Moynahan, Sophie Harrison, Mark Kreider, Larkin Keys, Missy McDonough, Ray Pfortner, Avery Locklear, Carolyn Derrington-Tate, Victoria Cruz, Jenaya Launstein, Mac Stone</td></tr>
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The North American Nature Photography Association annual summit was a success this year in Jacksonville, Florida. As always, it was an incredible experience and great to see old friends and a fresh batch of high school scholarship students. This year I was lucky enough to be chair of the scholarship program which is really great considering that 11 years ago it was me who was one of the students attending the summit in Albuquerque, New Mexico. What a full circle!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_HQq8Ll1_W4OJFcS6BPGi1RhxMqVlhG880oFZRu0e4EMfpYucEaY1A9kmHkFqLQaKSkX5gw5IYAqshPqyNOHBf1oUFENJTyq_ef2frTuohN_0Y4J_r8fSl418oRInr4KzefY585uPGRQ/s1600/MacStone_-9709.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_HQq8Ll1_W4OJFcS6BPGi1RhxMqVlhG880oFZRu0e4EMfpYucEaY1A9kmHkFqLQaKSkX5gw5IYAqshPqyNOHBf1oUFENJTyq_ef2frTuohN_0Y4J_r8fSl418oRInr4KzefY585uPGRQ/s640/MacStone_-9709.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NANPA High School students around a fire on Cumberland Island</td></tr>
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As chair of the program, I wanted to mix things up a bit and try something new. In years past, we would stay at the summit hotel then make day trips out to various locations to shoot. Since I was so familiar with the area already, I knew there was a great opportunity to actually spend a few nights out in the field, camping with the kids and really focusing on making images from dawn to dusk and well into the night. First, though, was assembling a team of instructors: Ray Pfortner, David Moynahan, and Carolyn Derrington-Tate. Along with a solid team, we had great sponsorships this year from Canon, Wimberley, Manfrotto/Bogen, Delkin, and Hunts Photo and Video.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-qwlo8eflUS2VLIsRFwFPWiGU1yzcABy7FSH1F8zEmWV5pmPN9de5ih0smqc6ra2PX-dhyDbHSLVR7nYoScdRJcKw4D2PJpnjAu-AuARCBYvU6ZiVBSRwT8zvZEjw8D694_f5WmcMNOo/s1600/MacStone_-0693.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-qwlo8eflUS2VLIsRFwFPWiGU1yzcABy7FSH1F8zEmWV5pmPN9de5ih0smqc6ra2PX-dhyDbHSLVR7nYoScdRJcKw4D2PJpnjAu-AuARCBYvU6ZiVBSRwT8zvZEjw8D694_f5WmcMNOo/s640/MacStone_-0693.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victoria Cruz runs through a tidal pond on Cumberland Island while photographing wild marsh tackies</td></tr>
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While camping, we had our fair share of obstacles. The weather was not cooperating and it poured for the first day and a half. Still, the kids kept their positivity and thrived in the less than optimal conditions. We ate delicious meals around a blazing campfire, chased wild horses around the tidal marshes, and braved the winds and sands of Cumberland Island's coastline. The images the students made were absolutely stunning and they all have a bright future ahead of them.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ9B4bb0P6tflWnDuP7MMoeC7WKy6mFGLdYkz5zlG02g_8fsbrMVbI81hgYSEmqYpp4gVrNapViIDJsIAHfOV7nqsyvIU5sZFhF19mxv9_YSZ-qFTujW06VSKiyLVlWB4IskRMD2EICBg/s1600/MacStone_-0525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZ9B4bb0P6tflWnDuP7MMoeC7WKy6mFGLdYkz5zlG02g_8fsbrMVbI81hgYSEmqYpp4gVrNapViIDJsIAHfOV7nqsyvIU5sZFhF19mxv9_YSZ-qFTujW06VSKiyLVlWB4IskRMD2EICBg/s640/MacStone_-0525.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Victoria Cruz, Lione Clare, and Sophie Harrison photograph wild horses on Cumberland Island</td></tr>
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After the full week of photography, workshops, and keynotes, the students had a chance to showcase their images to more than 400 photographers on the last evening just before Art Wolfe gave his lifetime achievement speech. The students had 15 minutes to present their work and here is the video of that speech. I can't tell you how proud I am to have spent a week with this brilliant individuals.<br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/62446119">NANPA High School Scholarship Program Slideshow</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/macstone">Mac Stone</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</div>
Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-18235826666398380512013-03-17T11:41:00.000-04:002013-03-17T11:41:39.483-04:00Cangrejal River - Bejuco Waterfall - Honduras<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirk-skz_yr15flK-33Q4yFvbDwyY4BixUl_A0Ny-D1EwUot3PtymOtmodCFne1U16QeCGpODL_-70bs6stI-L7bFh83q3DgTH8oWnq8WXgKUF_QbQ3R4nvFTGo2a7Mv2eExICz7rzAIpnw/s1600/MacStone_-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirk-skz_yr15flK-33Q4yFvbDwyY4BixUl_A0Ny-D1EwUot3PtymOtmodCFne1U16QeCGpODL_-70bs6stI-L7bFh83q3DgTH8oWnq8WXgKUF_QbQ3R4nvFTGo2a7Mv2eExICz7rzAIpnw/s640/MacStone_-2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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If you haven't been following along on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/macstonephotography" target="_blank">Facebook Page</a>, then you missed out on a fun 2-week blog-style story. No problem, though, I'll share the love here too.<br />
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Along the Cangrejal River in Honduras is a lush wall of tropical forest at the border of Pico Bonito National Park. Cascading down from one of the verdant cliffs is a massive waterfall called Bejuco Falls. While living in the small town of Las Mangas, a friend and I set out to explore the primary forests and hike up an unmapped trail of the waterfall system, into the heart of the national forest.</div>
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The journey begins in the basin of the Cangrejal River. On either side, the Nombre de Dios and Pico Bonito tropical forests hug the river, providing a biological paradise of many endangered species and incredible vistas. My friend Jonathan Zoba and I set out to explore these forests and transect the Bejuco Waterfall which drops 150ft from primary forest into the river below. </div>
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I wanted to do this not only for the sake of adventure, but to chase a certain photo I had envisioned for over a year. This series of photos will bring you into that world and show you some of the beautiful landscapes, the dangerous situations, and the eventual payoffs for what would be an unforgettable trip.</div>
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When planning for this trip, the first thing we had to consider was seasonality. If we were hiking up a waterfall system on top of a mountain, the last thing we wanted would be a flash flood that could wipe us off the trail, or disconnect us from getting back home. So we waited until the height of the dry season where we could more easily climb waterfalls and push into the forest.</div>
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In the wet season, just a day of rain is enough to turn a peaceful river into a raging torrent, destroying everything in its path. If you look closely in the image above, you can see two people atop the granite for scale. This is the Cangrejal River, where Bejuco waterfall pours into.</div>
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When the water levels dropped low enough, Jonathan and I packed up our gear and hitchhiked on the back of a vegetable truck winding down the river road. Soon the small farms and bean plantations disappeared, gradually replaced by primary tropical forest as we neared Pico Bonito National Park. We were heading into one of the most ecologically diverse habitats of Honduras, attempting to transect a mountain without trail or maps. Luckily there were plenty of other signs along the way that showed us we were headed in the right direction.</div>
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Into the National Park, the canopy floor was thick with colorful vegetation of all kinds. We managed to gather some of these small palm nuts which taste like miniature coconuts. We had a couple of hours before we would make it up and down the dense ridges to arrive at the base of the waterfall.</div>
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We finally made it to the base of Bejuco Falls, and then looked up to the top where the water was spouting out like a massive jungle faucet. So, we started bushwhacking up the ridge of the mountain at an incredibly steep angle, holding onto whatever small trees and vines we could for secure grounding. Light was fading fast in the late afternoon and we were determined to get to the top before dusk to set up camp and build a fire.</div>
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When we got to the top, the sun was setting and clouds started moving in through the canopy. We were a little worried because our plan for camp was to stay right next to the waterfall's source. If it rained, this could be a big problem. The clouds were temporary though, and pushed through. Jonathan and I found a spot right next to the waterfall and set up our camp. The adventure was the thought of what was ahead, along that tropical jungle mountain stream. We had no idea what to expect. That night, I set out the gear and began to figure the logistics for an image I've been envisioning over a year. First, though, we would need to make a fire and put some hot food in our stomachs.</div>
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For those of you who know me, and those that have camped with me, know that - besides my camera gear - I like to pack light. Primitive camping is the way to go when on a trek so while doing the transect, Jonathan and I decided to go with hammocks to keep us off the potentially wet ground. Here's an invaluable camping tip... for a stove, we just brought a can of beans and ate them first thing and opened the can only halfway to have a top. Then, we cooked any noodles and boiled water inside just by sticking it in a fire. Easy! Sure, it gets a little charred and nasty on the outside, but inside is pure flavor.</div>
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And then we wake up to this. Atop Bejuco Waterfall looking down on the Cangrejal River, Jonathan Zoba takes in the "cuenca" or watershed. We brought climbing rope for safety issues along the unknown trek and also for a photo I had been envisioning for more than a year. This is just the beginning!</div>
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After a solid breakfast we started our trek, up the creek bed. After only a few minutes of hiking we came to our first unnamed waterfall and subsequently, our first obstacle as we wanted to continue hiking into the primary forest. Here, Jonathan and I are assessing whether or not to try and climb the slippery rocks, or to just find an alternate route. Little did we know, but this would be the first of many to come. And since it was an unnamed waterfall, we decided to call it "Tamagas Falls," for what happened next..</div>
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Deciding not to risk a major injury so early on by climbing the waterfall, we skirted the edge and started climbing up the ridge. It was extremely steep, so we committed fully to each step grabbing at the ground and understory and lunging forward trying not to lose momentum. Hurrying is a dangerous game and it almost cost me dearly when I reached forward and came inches from setting my hand on this jumping viper. When my eyes saw the coiled form just in time, I reeled back and nearly slipped down the side of the mountain. </div>
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Can you see it?</div>
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These pit vipers are called "tamagas" by the locals and is a general term in Honduras to describe many different venomous snakes. As remote as we were, a bite on the hand could have very well been fatal. I don't think I would have seen it in time had I not spent several years exploring the forests and slowly calibrating my eyes. I got really lucky on this one, and we pushed onward paying a little more attention to the ground beneath us.</div>
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Once we made it past the Tamagas and the first waterfall, we came to a series of small waterfalls and rock outcroppings. The trail was almost entirely water and with minimal supplies, we were able to cover some serious ground. For my camera gear, I took a medium-sized daypack because it was top-loading, and then stuck a dry bag inside with towels for padding. That way my camera was accessible and I didn't miss a beat when Jonathan was doing something awesome like this. When we came over the top of these small waterfalls, the view was absolutely incredible.</div>
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Coming up over the last small waterfall, my head peaked over a boulder and I saw this. A massive opening in the canopy and a long trail of falling water disappeared into the forest. I couldn't believe my eyes. It's hard to translate the scale here, but imagine the first boulder in the foreground as tall as I am (which is like, giant massive). We tried to climb all the way to the topit became too steep and slick, so we headed back into the dense forest for an alternate route. We came to a cliff about 25 feet high and saw no way of getting around it until we noticed a vine dangling from the branches of a nearby tree. Assuming its strength, we started climbing. We would later call this waterfall "Broken Vine."</div>
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After a near fateful fall off Broken Vine, we got to the top and continued onward. We heard howler monkeys, saw plenty of tracks, and also found this green parrot snake. Only mildly venomous, and not really harmful to humans, I wasn't too afraid of handling it for a photo.</div>
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Heading further into the forest the trees got bigger and the hand of man disappeared entirely. At these heights and depths, the massive cedars, san juans, and mahogany trees were left untouched. At the lower elevations and surrounding the national park slash and burn agriculture is rampant. It was great to come to the next waterfall and see this massive san juan stretched across the basin almost completely intact, serving as a nurse log for the next generation. At this point, the sun started getting low and we were far from camp. We decided to keep pushing onward, but a little nervous about coming down the mountain in the dark, especially after the jumping viper incident.</div>
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As we pushed forward we found a good spot for an early dinner and a quick swim in a waterfall pool. By that time we really needed it. For our dinner, we simply found some kindling, made a fire, and stuck our cooking can on top, boiling water from the creek with dried noodles; couldn't be easier. About this time once we each drank our fill of water, ate dinner, and arrived at the last waterfall, we decided it was time to head back to base camp. We considered sleeping there for the night and continuing onward in the morning, but I had a photograph in mind that was gnawing at me, and I had to be back at Bejuco for it. So, we headed back through the night, down the mountain.</div>
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Well, we pushed it as far as we could while we still had light. The last waterfall we climbed was merely a trickle and provided a natural clearing for a wonderful view of the tropical canopy. Even though I was hesitant to go back to camp, I was really excited for sunrise to attempt the iconic image that brought me up this mountain in the first place. Bombing down the way we came up, we made quick work descending the waterfall trail. There was barely a shred of light when we arrived at Tamagas Falls, and sure enough, the jumping viper was still coiled up in his same spot. We felt lucky to have made it back to the base camp, and we built a fire and celebrated our day with a warm cup of noodles. The morning would bring one of the most memorable sunrises I've ever seen.</div>
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After a much-needed deep sleep on top of Bejuco Waterfall, I awoke to this. Beautiful predawn light spilled over the cuenca and dappled on the waterfall which plunged some 150 feet into the tropical forest below. In the distance the Cangrejal River meandered with its bleached white granite boulders lining the shores. It was an incredible sight and I made a few images, but they didn't quite capture the scene as I wanted. And I guess I lied a little. I didn't wake up to this. It would be more correct to say that I woke up two hours before this scene to start setting up for a different image, one that I had been dreaming about for over a year. It would be dangerous, perhaps foolish, as I would soon find out, but ambition and caution don't always make the best couple.</div>
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It was a crazy idea but I knew it could work if we just planned it out thoroughly. I wanted to rappel halfway down the waterfall and photograph it cascading down the mountain as the sun crested the Nombre de Dios mountain range. Photographically, this would be a difficult image. I needed stability for slow shutter speeds and high depth, so I brought a tripod which I tied to the line. There would be a big difference between the light areas and the dark areas of the frame so I brought gradual neutral density filters to balance the exposure. Then there's the technical aspect of rappelling down a 150-foot waterfall. </div>
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Well, at least everyone told us it was 150-feet. Since we were in Honduras and I didn't have my climbing gear with me (this country is not known for its climbing), I needed to borrow equipment. When borrowing equipment that your life will depend on, you need to know with 100% certainty that gear is dependable. I found a friend who I knew took care of his gear and he loaned me two harnesses, rope, and carabiners. With a 180 feet of rope, the plan was to rappel down the waterfall, make the image, and then meet up with Jonathan at the base to head home. It was a good plan, but is not what happened. </div>
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When I cleared the first large bump of the cliff's facade, some thirty feet down I realized that the end of the rope was dangling, not touching the ground. Bejuco was much taller than 150 feet and all of a sudden I was overwhelmed by the visceral fear of how I would get out of this jam. I couldn't go down, the sun would soon be up, and the rock face was too slippery and loaded with vegetation to climb. Shit. So much for a solid plan. All I knew was that I wasn't going to leave this cliff face without the photo I came for.</div>
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After all the mishaps, adventure, and discovery, this was the best possible way I could imagine to finish the Bejuco Mega Transect. I had been dreaming about making this image for a long time and as you all know by now, there were many obstacles standing in the way, which made capturing it all that much sweeter. Bejuco waterfall is one of the last sources of clean water supplied to the Cangrejal River before it empties out in the Caribbean. The relationship between healthy tropical mountains and the precious lifeblood of water can never be understated in this area and this image would be my homage to that age-old bond. </div>
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Kicking out horizontally from the cliff's face, I extended my tripod legs to form a monopod and gripped the camera tightly with one hand while positioning the grad ND filter with the other. It was tricky.</div>
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Looking down some 150 feet at the pristine jungle water crashing on the boulders below, it took a lot of focus to give the proper attention to the image before thinking about climbing to safety. I soaked up the scene for a good twenty minutes before I found a solution, since going down was no longer an option. </div>
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I was lucky enough to bring some extra climbing-grade cordage with me to hold my tripod and the camera while rappelling down. Since down meant death, I had to go up. I fashioned two Prusik knots with the extra rope and made big loops where I could stick my feet. Then, slowly but surely, I ascended the rope the old-fashioned way, inch by inch, using the friction of the knots to hold my weight on the main rope. I felt foolish to have been in that situation but never happier than when I reached solid ground and saw Jonathan standing wide-eyed. We hugged it out in true bromance fashion, and he howled when I showed him this image. What do you think, was it worth it? </div>
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For me, without the story, the image is often one-dimensional. I hope you enjoyed the journey. It was an incredible three days and one of the most memorable adventures I've ever lived. Of course, we still had to get down from the mountain and hike back to Las Mangas some twelve miles from where we were. Despite all the close calls, it's only appropriate that it would be the return where something bad finally happened.</div>
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I've always heard and believed that when on a long hiking trip, there's nothing worse than wet boots. Well, I proved that old adage wrong pretty quick. It is much worse to have to hike back 12 miles after lacerating your foot because you're hiking in sandals. </div>
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This happened when coming down from the waterfall and a loose rock rolled down the hill and slammed into my ankle. I tried duct-taping it shut but it wouldn't stick so instead of dressing it properly, while I still had adrenaline pumping I just started running down the mountain. By the time I got to the bottom it was excruciatingly painful. </div>
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At the trail head, I hitched a ride with a school bus and they made me stand in the doorway so I wouldn't track blood everywhere.</div>
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Fortunately, I made it back to Las Mangas in time to clean up the wound. There was only a mild infection and I still have a nice scar to remind me to hike a little more staggered from my uphill friends in the future.</div>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-5221258011911281302013-01-19T22:27:00.000-05:002013-01-20T12:55:44.071-05:00Sandhill Cranes - Mycotoxins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoqsUn29VAdVL6vtxUofe4wAcefemT7Dv1c4TLw3I9DHJfNJyzg6N0mOyoXgHb-rS-6rqS5Rybo4KlNE9MpLPKLjHYbo8JoMSZ_WnSjW1oF7-Ohn3a00zq8CDG6PiD3nOlBG_s0mnCCnl/s1600/MacStone_-1098.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRoqsUn29VAdVL6vtxUofe4wAcefemT7Dv1c4TLw3I9DHJfNJyzg6N0mOyoXgHb-rS-6rqS5Rybo4KlNE9MpLPKLjHYbo8JoMSZ_WnSjW1oF7-Ohn3a00zq8CDG6PiD3nOlBG_s0mnCCnl/s640/MacStone_-1098.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In an ecosystem rife with bobcats, coyotes, alligators, vultures and snakes, it's rare to see a dead animal without any apparent wounds. So when I stumbled on this scene in Kanapaha Prairie I asked myself, what could have done this? I recently posed this same question to a group of fans on my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/macstonephotography" target="_blank">Facebook page</a> and surprisingly, two of them had the right answer. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zFeUfxU3IOxWvciQXHKXksjnWO1yS28jReddjCKLxvhaBKRfLcyENcBMvcHMzl5ir1eaMDsYpEHGnpBVzlVe7LaLF9BL1aITrcFra_eASHJsKxhTWOzXhB-KOpk6N3MTSEdPjwDYG4Pa/s1600/MacStone_-0701.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7zFeUfxU3IOxWvciQXHKXksjnWO1yS28jReddjCKLxvhaBKRfLcyENcBMvcHMzl5ir1eaMDsYpEHGnpBVzlVe7LaLF9BL1aITrcFra_eASHJsKxhTWOzXhB-KOpk6N3MTSEdPjwDYG4Pa/s640/MacStone_-0701.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandhill cranes fly over Kanapaha Prairie - Gainesville, FL - Photo ©Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTFY9UjvvehAVrKerzFSNwMRFTDDZBuee726AFC0X7sx7bd5LXKJ-RE2Uuv03qazkxV5o-4d1mDY7f-Y_9zdGm6_tywvBIKOUuYC73fFFC5V_Hv4V1ThURUo_MbU3J8l0-IUmL-0TwYQX/s1600/MacStone_-8785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlTFY9UjvvehAVrKerzFSNwMRFTDDZBuee726AFC0X7sx7bd5LXKJ-RE2Uuv03qazkxV5o-4d1mDY7f-Y_9zdGm6_tywvBIKOUuYC73fFFC5V_Hv4V1ThURUo_MbU3J8l0-IUmL-0TwYQX/s200/MacStone_-8785.jpg" width="200" /></a>The sandhill cranes' arrival in Florida is the sure sign of winter. They come in with the staccato trumpet calls that pierce the morning air and echo through the prairie's live oak rim. Their migratory populations have ebbed and flowed over the years on the prairie, some years with over 1,500 individuals and other years only a few dozen. There doesn't seem to be a solid explanation for this, but some believe its due to the amount of dog fennel that grows up to 6 feet high and gives the cranes a natural barrier from potential predators like coyotes and bobcats. Without the vegetation, they simply pass over the prairie and onto greener pastures. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandhill cranes at sunrise on Kanapaha Prairie - Photo ©Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u7Rvz_WYXnfE8RcCFr8ZzsgYFFqcMRzq0ibE98qF6LtNNH2jBmwXBD-wMFx9QARrLjs7xPwuv0gMS-ECcq5zgdrYUMxI-5mG1UX5FaQMdsnka1qXZY5sf3ntkS6WoX9lN6JTdX0qsbBy/s1600/MacStone_-8894.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2u7Rvz_WYXnfE8RcCFr8ZzsgYFFqcMRzq0ibE98qF6LtNNH2jBmwXBD-wMFx9QARrLjs7xPwuv0gMS-ECcq5zgdrYUMxI-5mG1UX5FaQMdsnka1qXZY5sf3ntkS6WoX9lN6JTdX0qsbBy/s200/MacStone_-8894.jpg" width="200" /></a>One of my favorite things in the winter is to go out and photograph the sandhills at sunrise. When polar fog exhales from the wetlands, their silhouettes dot the horizon and make for some great images. On these mornings though, I'm not the only one stalking birds. If sandhills usher in the day with their calls, then coyotes are the denizens of the night. Their mad cackling can be heard from a mile away and I can't help but wonder while I'm sitting around the backyard fire, what they're howling about. No matter how close they sound, every time I go looking for them they're nowhere to be found. After their raucous nights, though, I'm always certain to find the remains of their prey in a cloud of feathers on the cold prairie floor. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lone coyote stalks a flock of sandhill cranes on Kanahapa Prairie - Photo ©Mac Stone</td></tr>
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So it was curious to me, the morning I stumbled upon the dead sandhill, left untouched. Then I started replaying the previous day's events and images, and I knew the answer immediately. Out of the flock of cranes I had been photographing the day before, when all others flew away as I approached, there was one crane who stuck around. At first it looked like it had an injured wing as it fumbled about, hopelessly attempting to fly. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCS4rP87Tfcd_HiR4an3LC02dKfxTXiGdHzxRSKRy13g2XcM3ytU_i_PMmWMXnmOAh6Hz98vjRqVjDFn6cryHzMmVBafsjiIyr9lRzSACo3ymu6udGKUGfyreH9mFAP5yUBeHy6sMZQBfi/s1600/MacStone_-1201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCS4rP87Tfcd_HiR4an3LC02dKfxTXiGdHzxRSKRy13g2XcM3ytU_i_PMmWMXnmOAh6Hz98vjRqVjDFn6cryHzMmVBafsjiIyr9lRzSACo3ymu6udGKUGfyreH9mFAP5yUBeHy6sMZQBfi/s640/MacStone_-1201.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandhill crane infected by mycotoxin, fusariotoxin - Kanahapa Prairie - Photo ©Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBs5mGx6AE3RasKFlIuqd-vqzY8mRm_FD39K8wrlZIUBXLwKrjySKC_ysDCc9HNSdIGvRBzbfAERu2Kynz9Q5WvBxoPrm8NiUsK_DAnVOgDV1v9trkuG4kibwfNl1SFZCfdepuYReEEbKX/s1600/MacStone_-1190.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBs5mGx6AE3RasKFlIuqd-vqzY8mRm_FD39K8wrlZIUBXLwKrjySKC_ysDCc9HNSdIGvRBzbfAERu2Kynz9Q5WvBxoPrm8NiUsK_DAnVOgDV1v9trkuG4kibwfNl1SFZCfdepuYReEEbKX/s200/MacStone_-1190.jpg" width="200" /></a>Not wanting to stress the bird or cause it any more pain if its wing really was injured, I stayed back and watched it for a while. It was really sad to watch. The crane would call out to its flock in a broken shrill and the others didn't respond. It's limp neck eventually lost all mobility and hung low as if paralyzed. In the deeper water, it could barely keep its beak high enough to breathe. I apologize for the graphic photos.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandhill crane infected by mycotoxin, fusariotoxin - Kanahapa Prairie - Photo ©Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Finally, I wrote it off as a strange injury and went home knowing it would soon turn into food for the prairie. The next morning when I saw the sandhill laying dead in the water where I saw it yesterday, I wondered how long through the night it suffered, as this was almost certainly the same bird. The images of its broken body were hauntingly fresh in my mind, so I did some research to see if anyone else had documented this behavior. What I found was alarming. </div>
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According to the National Wildlife Heath Center, this paralysis and eventual death is caused by a toxin produced by a fungus found in corn and peanuts, called mycotoxin, or more specifically, fusariotoxin. Fusariotoxin will cause a flaccid paralyses of the neck and wing muscles as well as neurological damange. Wild migratory waterfowl like cranes poisoned by this fungus have thus far only been documented in Texas and New Mexico from contaminated grain fields. Cranes can ingest the fungus while foraging during low temperatures when other food sources are unavailable. Who's to say where the bad corn or peanuts were eaten; it could have been in Georgia a few weeks prior. According to biologists, there are about 300 cases in Florida each year, but this series of photos is the only ones I could find in Florida, although I've seen this condition twice on Kanapaha Prairie alone (if there are other accounts of this in Florida, please let me know in the comment section below). </div>
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Thanks for reading. If you'd like to read up a little more on this strange condition, <a href="http://www.nwhc.usgs.gov/publications/field_manual/chapter_37.pdf" target="_blank">click here</a>, or <a href="http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw222" target="_blank">here</a>. Also, as a side note, I did not do an autopsy on the bird, so for scientific purposes I have to say that based on my field observations alone, I put mycotoxins as the probable cause of death. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sandhill crane, probable cause of death: mycotoxins from molded grains - Kanahapa Prairie - Photo ©Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-11875827849012526702013-01-07T12:03:00.002-05:002013-01-10T10:26:05.794-05:00The Shadow of Superman<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larry Heaton conquers Savage Mountain in Orlando, Florida - August 2011</td></tr>
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As long as I can remember, every year my family traveled up to Virginia for Thanksgiving to visit our cousins, uncles, and grandparents. It was always a big celebration lasting 4 or 5 days, with no one wanting to go home at the end. Our family is tight. From the oldest cousin to the youngest, we are a band of brothers. When all the ten male cousins were younger we would play a big game of tackle football which we called the Gravy Bowl. It was the highlight of the year. I dreaded the plays where Larry, my uncle, got the ball. His 6'7'' 245lb frame would barrel down the field and my only hope to stop the touchdown was to jump on his back and dangle from his neck until the ground rumbled with his fall. Sure, he could have carried me with his free arm while hurdling the other eager cousins if he wanted to, but he played along and gifted me the glory instead.<br />
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Larry always did that. He loved letting other people shine and even when he wasn't extending any uncommon courtesies, it just felt good to be around him. I looked forward to our fireside chats every year. He would recount his latest adventure in humble tones, passing off such mountainous hurdles like summiting Mt Rainier or whittling away at the Appalachien Trail while carrying large rocks in his pack, as if they were mere tasks on a to-do list. There's a wall in the Heaton house that is littered with medals and artifacts of his adventures and when old enough, his sons, Daniel and Matt came with him.<br />
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At 55 years old, this past November, my uncle Larry had just completed an ultramarathon. He ran 55 miles from 8:00 in the morning until 1:30 the next morning, only resting for twenty minutes. When I asked him what kept him going, he said that for each mile, he recalled each year of his life and relived the miles of memories with his high school sweetheart Betty, his sons, work, and friends. His commanding presence and brick build were secondary only to his fortitude as a person.<br />
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Larry's motto in both personal and business life was simple: "Leave on a good one." Don't walk out of the room, come off the mountain, or turn the light off before knowing you had given the day your best. <br />
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Only two weeks after we all held hands and said a blessing for the future of family over Thanksgiving, Larry died in a car accident. Hundreds attended his funeral; so many that they had to set up televisions in the basement of the church he helped build so other friends could watch the service. People traveled from all over the country to pay their respects.<br />
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I realize now, that as I grew up, my childish adoration and reverence for Larry never really matured. I always felt physically and emotionally adolescent next to him, but in a way that made me want to push harder, so I too would have something to talk about when we sat by the fire. <br />
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I will forever remember him as the mountain who conquered mountains and the Superman who proved to the world that a body is merely a vehicle for great things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpvOtD3sxwSl09lQewMxYTPLCO6JCBL6UROpLylcbSBIZuxU1VGapwoNlOAxBfYKgIepR15kO7fAEPtGGGo-3oOgmrgplLe_PcU8-KbMGhx-Rq_Kt0JfgOBR5FmF5iw2I_hJgaRaUQ_02/s1600/MacStone_-8427.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpvOtD3sxwSl09lQewMxYTPLCO6JCBL6UROpLylcbSBIZuxU1VGapwoNlOAxBfYKgIepR15kO7fAEPtGGGo-3oOgmrgplLe_PcU8-KbMGhx-Rq_Kt0JfgOBR5FmF5iw2I_hJgaRaUQ_02/s640/MacStone_-8427.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Larry with family Daniel, Betty, and Matt Heaton at Thanksgiving in Collinsville, VA - November 2012</td></tr>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-37165691345638672182012-12-17T10:28:00.000-05:002012-12-17T10:28:40.198-05:00Garden and Gun Shoot - American Grocery - Greenville, SC<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eZsGMDsFrEJ1b7Ml8AunYFnRn_uaU14jghqqo1IK1VlWcahf-xkLh7jjfgLgWNXT-_stoEEXtQlctCgqjPgqqu7_325YGh04PaFHIzYsBbCMI4fvJhDj6-IcLa15oSyWQgk5aW8jw_iG/s1600/MacStone_GardenGun-2360.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eZsGMDsFrEJ1b7Ml8AunYFnRn_uaU14jghqqo1IK1VlWcahf-xkLh7jjfgLgWNXT-_stoEEXtQlctCgqjPgqqu7_325YGh04PaFHIzYsBbCMI4fvJhDj6-IcLa15oSyWQgk5aW8jw_iG/s640/MacStone_GardenGun-2360.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
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It's funny to me when talking to my friends in Tennessee and South Carolina how they write Florida off from the confederation of southern states. To many, Florida is the vestigial appendage that doesn't quite fit in with the others. There's probably some truth to that with all the northerners who have come down in their later years, but I always took a little offense. With latitude aside, I grew up with Southern Living magazine on our coffee table, bronze pineapples on the front door which I would always hold open for my mom or any other females that walked through, and I'm pretty sure there were a few monogramed towels laying around the house as well. So why weren't we part of southern club? <br />
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Sure, there's some dirty history with the South, but there's also a lot of rich culture and tradition so I felt a little shafted knowing I was left out of that group. Then, miraculously, in 2007 a magazine called <a href="http://gardenandgun.com/" target="_blank">Garden & Gun</a> hit the newsstands, highlighting southern culture from Virginia to the Bahamas, including Florida, and we were all suddenly part of the same coalition of states that reveled in food-coma-inducing cuisine, outdoor recreation, and bootleg culture. I loved this magazine, maybe in part because it venerated me but also because that southern pride showed through every aspect of the publication. With heavy stock pages, beautiful photography, and soulful writing, Garden & Gun quickly became one of the hottest magazines in the US during their first year.<br />
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From that moment on, I've always wanted to shoot for Garden and Gun. Their stories are compelling, the imagery iconic and original and their pages swell with pride for this intangible thing we all call southern. A few weeks ago I finally had a chance to lend my camera to their magazine and I'm hoping this will just be the start to a long lasting relationship. Here are a few photos from the shoot at American Grocery during the Harvest Dinner in Greenville, South Carolina. For more images, though, you can go to the website and browse the event here: <a href="http://gardenandgun.com/gallery/harvest-dinner-american-grocery-restaurant" target="_blank">Autumnal Harvest Dinner</a><br />
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In terms of photography, it was a tough shoot. Low light and lots of movement made the event difficult to cover. I managed though with two camera bodies: Canon 5d mkii and Canon 7d. One of the bodies worked a 50mm f/1.4 and the other a 70-200mm f/2.8, an overall good combination for these sort of shoots. I also used a strobe to add fill by bouncing off the ceiling. While certainly it's a break from the normal natural history images, it's fun to keep the creative brain fresh and challenged and hopefully this event will lead to something bigger. You just never know.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxLSGjD6yo_sSITIcjIKGem2ecAuD9Om_65xgVepmBZjQdJkubg4Efh-OhF3uQBkzoHwZZW8oAmVklqZdMsR0aQahi7Tdk2zuEggyjPDu5xbDBRUYkXRSyxEF1jFHSX1OlYsZS9G_GUPr/s1600/MacStone_-2810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFxLSGjD6yo_sSITIcjIKGem2ecAuD9Om_65xgVepmBZjQdJkubg4Efh-OhF3uQBkzoHwZZW8oAmVklqZdMsR0aQahi7Tdk2zuEggyjPDu5xbDBRUYkXRSyxEF1jFHSX1OlYsZS9G_GUPr/s640/MacStone_-2810.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvrNKmwVJLHfo2PNlZ8yUCUvIGXJNJqyHFlfiBra3kxCUu1zInzIPwLVk7EgdSY5uXoyn4SyZQme-EFMT8l_DJiE-fxsoJi54ZrJ1QVZRKA0H96Xjhl61fejJl1XEJbHy7hkkj3-mDupR/s1600/MacStone_-2973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQvrNKmwVJLHfo2PNlZ8yUCUvIGXJNJqyHFlfiBra3kxCUu1zInzIPwLVk7EgdSY5uXoyn4SyZQme-EFMT8l_DJiE-fxsoJi54ZrJ1QVZRKA0H96Xjhl61fejJl1XEJbHy7hkkj3-mDupR/s640/MacStone_-2973.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTW1tJiOaOl3WuBhyphenhyphenFA86q4JUkOOgvwlQ1jnEEVsexgH0Ro4pRfigt_zglVnU6OIoA8B7PXGKsAv6iVOnrpc91O-LX4HdJsktn-5nB_IWMP0DkAVXLWn33DGCXmwIpA_mYRE1wMG8pEGqt/s1600/MacStone_GardenGun-2415.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTW1tJiOaOl3WuBhyphenhyphenFA86q4JUkOOgvwlQ1jnEEVsexgH0Ro4pRfigt_zglVnU6OIoA8B7PXGKsAv6iVOnrpc91O-LX4HdJsktn-5nB_IWMP0DkAVXLWn33DGCXmwIpA_mYRE1wMG8pEGqt/s640/MacStone_GardenGun-2415.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPT3DLWOb24FcQaeiW-RZXEiFy9YHud9SQMcVZPr7NZjy6aJxBJY2qm6as_ayyE5016XAgCzr9x5K6ez-HhyCsdX-ZBZGlBCpUTDLW4asn7HAFgIqtnNrxc2-_30_YQLFs1GoYtRWisrVZ/s1600/MacStone_GardenGun-2503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPT3DLWOb24FcQaeiW-RZXEiFy9YHud9SQMcVZPr7NZjy6aJxBJY2qm6as_ayyE5016XAgCzr9x5K6ez-HhyCsdX-ZBZGlBCpUTDLW4asn7HAFgIqtnNrxc2-_30_YQLFs1GoYtRWisrVZ/s640/MacStone_GardenGun-2503.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg777ECen7T2jCkIj3tPLjeLI0mAB3KEi4nj8-kyFwb7ACbVGvtPrbeiaBkk215-So24f_rElx0iBoOHegTz-4U11SNxtBDw3IkrYHRezMk5n1sAPbFYAS1d0vsIbvZdP-avZsarIMmA9gm/s1600/MacStone_GardenGun-2668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="462" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg777ECen7T2jCkIj3tPLjeLI0mAB3KEi4nj8-kyFwb7ACbVGvtPrbeiaBkk215-So24f_rElx0iBoOHegTz-4U11SNxtBDw3IkrYHRezMk5n1sAPbFYAS1d0vsIbvZdP-avZsarIMmA9gm/s640/MacStone_GardenGun-2668.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-41518330967713912042012-11-26T15:53:00.004-05:002012-11-26T15:53:55.401-05:00Everglades Keynote - Miami Beach<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skimmers at Sunset - Everglades National Park - ©Mac Stone</td></tr>
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If you're in the South Florida area on Wednesday November 28th, join me and Audubon in Miami Beach for a wonderful evening of food, wine, and photography, which is always a winning combination. I'll be giving a keynote on Everglades conservation and the work Audubon has been doing to protect one of our national treasures.<br />
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For more information and to reserve your spot, follow the link: <a href="http://fl.audubonaction.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=24722.0&printer_friendly=1" target="_blank">Mac Stone Everglades Keynote Invite</a><br />
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-7182287014009752012-11-11T00:56:00.000-05:002016-07-07T09:17:48.079-04:00Savage Race - Little Everglades Ranch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, the boys at <a href="http://www.savagerace.com/" target="_blank">Savage Race</a> have done it again. Each event has eclipsed the last and on October 20th at Little Everglades Ranch in Dade City, Florida, they proved to 4,000 adrenaline junkies that they're the official peddlers of pain in the mud race community. In a span of only six miles they built 25 brutal obstacles including the three-story "Colossus," a twisted half pipe which leads to a swallow-your-stomach water slide and the innovative "Evil Bars," which is the silverback gorilla to other races' playground jungle gyms.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting line stampede - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Again this year, I was assigned to shoot the race and was stoked to know the participants would be slogging through a mini version of my favorite stomping grounds, the Everglades. As always, it was a tough shoot accounting for a large area, harsh light, and of course, high intensity mud-slinging. All throughout the day I was climbing atop obstacles, chest-deep in water, or waist deep in mud. By the end I felt like I had run the race several times over.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walkers on the "Nutt Smasher" - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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My approach to shooting these events is to make sure I get right in the middle of the action, or sometimes right below it. I've found that if I'm not physically engaged with course, then my photos will feel detached too. This philosophy can be dangerous for equipment, but much like wildlife photography, the safest option usually produces "safe" images and the Savage Race crew wanted edgy. So I tried to give them edgy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSh86rJacqfGrFODkLmDT6GZm6HmulD49cwhf8_75xT2XzPAonxsOx8Vv1JZCg20PmnwWO_Y0Xx9c9TqPQ5lMoY5F5T6JSiC6HjxNblVGgfTIJ-kPjYMlCkrms6IwyPfuWd0D_DXAFeh3k/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSh86rJacqfGrFODkLmDT6GZm6HmulD49cwhf8_75xT2XzPAonxsOx8Vv1JZCg20PmnwWO_Y0Xx9c9TqPQ5lMoY5F5T6JSiC6HjxNblVGgfTIJ-kPjYMlCkrms6IwyPfuWd0D_DXAFeh3k/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5095.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diving over the fire pit - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Here's a handful of some of my favorites from the day as well as a few shots just to show you some of the obstacles. If you're into mud races and a day of fun with your friends, then you need to go and register for one of their upcoming events. Savage Race is creating the new standard for obstacle racing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting line - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hay Stacks - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzSWAAUPZpL4Vf5A4wc0J_Nb7VL39Oh2408PUVnt6T-HBsH2JqvyAMbcmN6h_Bg_WCKfqosgDLuVQdoWcAUgbnpXm4dy6OrimJar6kKF1eJeKQ6qGpp2B5eIWR6Akeopv2IrN2lEzeRcW/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-3976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNzSWAAUPZpL4Vf5A4wc0J_Nb7VL39Oh2408PUVnt6T-HBsH2JqvyAMbcmN6h_Bg_WCKfqosgDLuVQdoWcAUgbnpXm4dy6OrimJar6kKF1eJeKQ6qGpp2B5eIWR6Akeopv2IrN2lEzeRcW/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-3976.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Championing the Hay Stacks - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Ls6RcHTz_g9viX97ND_svAb0JZf2w5a7mjvtpV8wCzwW9z7hw2yI-23h7KM5stbxd4GQ8t910iCHGjJ5WGrG_MCPVFYVPiuSAt75z8rMQc-Kemw5gStknvK4tAQ5xLDIiVogruSQHZkc/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-4839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Ls6RcHTz_g9viX97ND_svAb0JZf2w5a7mjvtpV8wCzwW9z7hw2yI-23h7KM5stbxd4GQ8t910iCHGjJ5WGrG_MCPVFYVPiuSAt75z8rMQc-Kemw5gStknvK4tAQ5xLDIiVogruSQHZkc/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-4839.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain America helping a friend up "Colossus" - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVrR8R7KsvRX4tgfU8Pch2CQcvPD7fRApY9QKGfEBByhuOFC7M0EKr9_whPKCRP6dTigE7YmgZQ62oXKF1Z_INK8W0nmY1PEefTpMWx3EUyJZF5gnLV3rQle0LcS_IoUSONHmP0NU-uH7/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-4226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpVrR8R7KsvRX4tgfU8Pch2CQcvPD7fRApY9QKGfEBByhuOFC7M0EKr9_whPKCRP6dTigE7YmgZQ62oXKF1Z_INK8W0nmY1PEefTpMWx3EUyJZF5gnLV3rQle0LcS_IoUSONHmP0NU-uH7/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-4226.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nutt Smasher - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAYHjor_Ifr72VqxttF7Of_-OdPOT0aU8kH9LO3yL3zYxTcivSHg6hPm6sd7Edch3FZx6anPKrdUe2lfcZ-g2KzTfPoaesAdduqomQkA5nJAkm1k3taw-QqPEdvIy8yDHrhGTXg6eV3Sv/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-6030.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNAYHjor_Ifr72VqxttF7Of_-OdPOT0aU8kH9LO3yL3zYxTcivSHg6hPm6sd7Edch3FZx6anPKrdUe2lfcZ-g2KzTfPoaesAdduqomQkA5nJAkm1k3taw-QqPEdvIy8yDHrhGTXg6eV3Sv/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-6030.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite up the Colossus - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZBgd_vIKuzlvsnr05_tJu1RXEDK6qFHTH6j7oDDcvbqNk4k9kcWlvl9zg4aHVAqO5rEAQxp0HB2MYrnvBzBGdv7eyXY6ARZy-qqSSSSrNwc1pXI0xBY-kgXHFtHK9Ce5cu4gSl7I2r4x/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-4466.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZBgd_vIKuzlvsnr05_tJu1RXEDK6qFHTH6j7oDDcvbqNk4k9kcWlvl9zg4aHVAqO5rEAQxp0HB2MYrnvBzBGdv7eyXY6ARZy-qqSSSSrNwc1pXI0xBY-kgXHFtHK9Ce5cu4gSl7I2r4x/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-4466.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grinding the Evil Bars - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKMjcL_1qmJP0DOmxR1K0qaIkNNIanRwv_C9_tU2K47wmZSPRfsf2ZGJeIUfnUNMzOhWt38guJbFL9inMRLDIBOrzyoAsQioXDaQuCWBvDgyU8u_27Ownl-4xCvvqaKf5SRq_0N7hSw4I/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikKMjcL_1qmJP0DOmxR1K0qaIkNNIanRwv_C9_tU2K47wmZSPRfsf2ZGJeIUfnUNMzOhWt38guJbFL9inMRLDIBOrzyoAsQioXDaQuCWBvDgyU8u_27Ownl-4xCvvqaKf5SRq_0N7hSw4I/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5008.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colossus half pipe - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t7UyOhyphenhyphenkmrioD9WymYhpgUGxZgcUS2XQ6CJYsAI1K2zINl5giWb_28PmMf2MpH_lDmVwMYNiRj5N_f8pgocoo1pes2MWms8AMmsRhk5vFPCBD_8tKTVPv2bpC4EIMZj8yPsLr8a8l8L9/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6t7UyOhyphenhyphenkmrioD9WymYhpgUGxZgcUS2XQ6CJYsAI1K2zINl5giWb_28PmMf2MpH_lDmVwMYNiRj5N_f8pgocoo1pes2MWms8AMmsRhk5vFPCBD_8tKTVPv2bpC4EIMZj8yPsLr8a8l8L9/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5017.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tazed N Blazed - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77mUMRxiiv6q4Tz7pLg7Q1neWp90FLMTm5PZjWYA5BKgsNbdXyUvYzNlY1PmwravVMEQ3lXKAt049fb9feDlLcB7lIg-Wz-nhdQDGUqz27lGv82Xj8LgGIL3ULz7cM0uI_bCxee4HoVWI/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi77mUMRxiiv6q4Tz7pLg7Q1neWp90FLMTm5PZjWYA5BKgsNbdXyUvYzNlY1PmwravVMEQ3lXKAt049fb9feDlLcB7lIg-Wz-nhdQDGUqz27lGv82Xj8LgGIL3ULz7cM0uI_bCxee4HoVWI/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5049.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gettin Tazed N Blazed - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vwjNs64jOkghprMNWfHt2tR9AXYlCZltr2trpbZEaHuETuTFjo7h2VaOMZdupygWBJT4P8YPOaZ5Mil4S7lZoAjaF2AG_vgynEm8yfl1Sejb8DaT1ehMF4K26sfv6Em3_ywIQ8-LJnUK/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5136.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8vwjNs64jOkghprMNWfHt2tR9AXYlCZltr2trpbZEaHuETuTFjo7h2VaOMZdupygWBJT4P8YPOaZ5Mil4S7lZoAjaF2AG_vgynEm8yfl1Sejb8DaT1ehMF4K26sfv6Em3_ywIQ8-LJnUK/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5136.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Priceless face before getting shocked - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lkWjipWy8BtgJS7sPIWzlPH1uV2GDfj3IXx3wDYYw7BGvROi7Z98Vf-bfhVo5A2qjYao3Xx2DaAWnmnaZ_bfibM-jDjNfzgkHHvWJYDtycKDOWix-zBuY1bn4EY87eZlA776azisfShE/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_lkWjipWy8BtgJS7sPIWzlPH1uV2GDfj3IXx3wDYYw7BGvROi7Z98Vf-bfhVo5A2qjYao3Xx2DaAWnmnaZ_bfibM-jDjNfzgkHHvWJYDtycKDOWix-zBuY1bn4EY87eZlA776azisfShE/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5101.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fire jump - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp4CiTtnUG7xwcHiU9arT8DacdhWu2lCiau6iSPUHv1FN9k-Q3gjm1F5as4vB-mNagGnLHQVfgAVbGbwJjmk0TiXuApkiEjvYynEglSOziFKqoCsnuGbLJrbeFr6NTbeFx9p6VgcJrqYt/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwp4CiTtnUG7xwcHiU9arT8DacdhWu2lCiau6iSPUHv1FN9k-Q3gjm1F5as4vB-mNagGnLHQVfgAVbGbwJjmk0TiXuApkiEjvYynEglSOziFKqoCsnuGbLJrbeFr6NTbeFx9p6VgcJrqYt/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5258.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evil Bars - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKV0RtH_nvoalxwatsqcS_GbkKYuRM6hYTaFe9ME-uaIHF9YZOTyrNb7v1ofy8Kq0Xru6-Op3n8yDEocFf2qOVf36de1h4QgLCIRp2uJCm_ZIeV8mKEWMW7ytskodEZA5IlQeGJUi6x0Cl/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5275.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKV0RtH_nvoalxwatsqcS_GbkKYuRM6hYTaFe9ME-uaIHF9YZOTyrNb7v1ofy8Kq0Xru6-Op3n8yDEocFf2qOVf36de1h4QgLCIRp2uJCm_ZIeV8mKEWMW7ytskodEZA5IlQeGJUi6x0Cl/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5275.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shriveled Richard - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii8dD12NWAlcriczm1Oo0RwyZQDlvuP1PfypoX3HJObOKLciL1OqgiqR2D5oewVQmRNN1T2xwP5_p509h-kazJDvfrUT8R86Q1REO2CAYT194_XPPOSY8lZlSyUjG3puDwOrOWormnb6m/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjii8dD12NWAlcriczm1Oo0RwyZQDlvuP1PfypoX3HJObOKLciL1OqgiqR2D5oewVQmRNN1T2xwP5_p509h-kazJDvfrUT8R86Q1REO2CAYT194_XPPOSY8lZlSyUjG3puDwOrOWormnb6m/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5307.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colossus - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNPyYY4zK_oi2KZsRuFWCQ72p16NORzafVorXHxYbQvfICcmKbKE9VW0rDwnZicdwrkEKNbreMFfjfa19qvpmttWtZ1AcXaHIFnQyrMApNRrqZrTP4MOl20obhNWgvZOvgs0caMva_jTw/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQNPyYY4zK_oi2KZsRuFWCQ72p16NORzafVorXHxYbQvfICcmKbKE9VW0rDwnZicdwrkEKNbreMFfjfa19qvpmttWtZ1AcXaHIFnQyrMApNRrqZrTP4MOl20obhNWgvZOvgs0caMva_jTw/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5445.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scaling the 96'' Stiffie - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPg6lt1x6i_fDPSpw3OJlLNYhmoiy_T_j36SFuPluUua5nkCVeo0pvt70tFSnCyGGoFUUDWy1WDqKKS18mZRRWUhkrlne-9YO68_-Z7_BxsGkNssmvlfGhoygbQxKEnSXtJOKngjhGH_d/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMPg6lt1x6i_fDPSpw3OJlLNYhmoiy_T_j36SFuPluUua5nkCVeo0pvt70tFSnCyGGoFUUDWy1WDqKKS18mZRRWUhkrlne-9YO68_-Z7_BxsGkNssmvlfGhoygbQxKEnSXtJOKngjhGH_d/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5557.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nuff said - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHblzOFV6HrMax9g7LPM5Oi8tToOIPVFFD2x6zb1WGpVniLp4i9kKvrmLXQTYiT1zP-lqSZF0GAB3SGRsMuF_ualAyQIhoU-ESwfH-IrUYOm6BJVBlBRDXd10-9m5zUG0hb8oJhwHtCamM/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHblzOFV6HrMax9g7LPM5Oi8tToOIPVFFD2x6zb1WGpVniLp4i9kKvrmLXQTYiT1zP-lqSZF0GAB3SGRsMuF_ualAyQIhoU-ESwfH-IrUYOm6BJVBlBRDXd10-9m5zUG0hb8oJhwHtCamM/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5852.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greg Stone hangin on the Evil Bars - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqbrhU4UTs2HwT-CTfwK5cdkylUi5VNwnvZo7lDih6tftGOvSld6FVrRRYR1RrxBBuwneJ-SHlNeW1sWRr-nOxEJirrOFNwnjA2YDlAYLkiDJ86vz1G-J2AepM42edWYLCumROxfRNQCf/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-4387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimqbrhU4UTs2HwT-CTfwK5cdkylUi5VNwnvZo7lDih6tftGOvSld6FVrRRYR1RrxBBuwneJ-SHlNeW1sWRr-nOxEJirrOFNwnjA2YDlAYLkiDJ86vz1G-J2AepM42edWYLCumROxfRNQCf/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-4387.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Davy Jones' Locker - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPFd1Uok9B3CZBfyRzh_k8Ns4HsrUWFsob3vV47PD3neH_msH5IWmD_rgrdiHIJPIQMqUHWO3AEdVKa0ssQb0HkxYw7M5ZmPhLqDJwSC6tymmQ0S-MgV0YFGjEFutsHV49IbwY8wGfUuY/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5781.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCPFd1Uok9B3CZBfyRzh_k8Ns4HsrUWFsob3vV47PD3neH_msH5IWmD_rgrdiHIJPIQMqUHWO3AEdVKa0ssQb0HkxYw7M5ZmPhLqDJwSC6tymmQ0S-MgV0YFGjEFutsHV49IbwY8wGfUuY/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5781.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backflip off Davy Jones' Locker - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujGER51cxQ8W3I8gkOLk11Nyqf6wj_HiuAh28fQRl4wJdrH5-621JLkO6532NYv5y7PlvDY5zjYeGRKQ7XF_kIsQAenCemxeUCpl5eInXnUoCNdtZBKXSQUNLZE_uKRngeGNnqRjMW-61/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-5863.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujGER51cxQ8W3I8gkOLk11Nyqf6wj_HiuAh28fQRl4wJdrH5-621JLkO6532NYv5y7PlvDY5zjYeGRKQ7XF_kIsQAenCemxeUCpl5eInXnUoCNdtZBKXSQUNLZE_uKRngeGNnqRjMW-61/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-5863.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Savage Race founder Sam Abbitt trying his Wicked Bars - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEnagHsMzThqGW9gdKqetmEW0eTZC3jJRI6CdEsXbvzWbWfSQ9wUcPCcJdmEmwkMvBMNoXpCJT8LW64lcQ5HJoQsmNGLFe4K58NgETbfpXFe7RTgjVeJR2pGo03UHpQi6-1t0by-TauBG/s1600/SavageRace_MacStone-6256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHEnagHsMzThqGW9gdKqetmEW0eTZC3jJRI6CdEsXbvzWbWfSQ9wUcPCcJdmEmwkMvBMNoXpCJT8LW64lcQ5HJoQsmNGLFe4K58NgETbfpXFe7RTgjVeJR2pGo03UHpQi6-1t0by-TauBG/s640/SavageRace_MacStone-6256.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Air Force team looking for their keys - Photo ©Savage Race/Mac Stone</td></tr>
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And my favorite photo of the race: the Air Force team breaking into their own car to get their keys out.Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-1494483570047648812012-11-06T10:53:00.002-05:002012-11-11T00:57:03.423-05:00Election Day<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPWiAJ98o7ZCW8z6uf_TLmLUHWzkE6s_1V9OD7KeSZhuqFcfRhi4-o-sUFp2iJKvJy1bpGvOZdg8xZ4mkTmMBFRYjCwsjLb_sD9DsehSCVUXeP7wjYBcA21bws7IRtzL7yN5OOPVak8E3/s1600/MacStone_Ecuador-5212.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghPWiAJ98o7ZCW8z6uf_TLmLUHWzkE6s_1V9OD7KeSZhuqFcfRhi4-o-sUFp2iJKvJy1bpGvOZdg8xZ4mkTmMBFRYjCwsjLb_sD9DsehSCVUXeP7wjYBcA21bws7IRtzL7yN5OOPVak8E3/s640/MacStone_Ecuador-5212.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Presidential overthrow march - Lucio Gutierrez - Quito, Ecuador - 2005 - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">Seven years ago in Ecuador I watched as Quito fell apart during a violent </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">presidential overthrow. Molotov cocktails rained from the sky and buses burned in the street. It was a terribly sad time. Friends of mine were rushed to the hospital </span><br />
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after getting hit by tear gas bombs and the citizens of Quito lost all faith that democracy was on their side. </div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">On election day, I always think back to this experience and how grateful I feel for America's order, conduct, and civility towards the sacred right of voting. For everyone caught up in the seemingly endless upheaval and turmoil of divisive politics, remember that we're all Americans and entitled to our own view of how our country should be run. Diversity on all levels is what makes this country great. Embrace the process and your friends or family who might share opposing views because no matter the outcome we'll wake up tomorrow and still need to share the streets, restaurants, and this beautiful country together. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margie Boyd - A Bar A Ranch - Wyoming - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-32453801918255799732012-11-01T00:20:00.000-04:002012-11-11T00:57:25.387-05:00Scary Things...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaE9bfDKyarewrwq2ADStolnWN_VEUOBBGLG6cMlaNOnEGnMl6CM6VPSwlBzBO3cyyc7DruRevqG7s7W_OeZegC8pFJNmvEfm5CHINF9g3a778pFJUGSW31TXCiMgnMZmXTXIsDI25Fmh/s1600/MacStone_Everglades-9447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiaE9bfDKyarewrwq2ADStolnWN_VEUOBBGLG6cMlaNOnEGnMl6CM6VPSwlBzBO3cyyc7DruRevqG7s7W_OeZegC8pFJNmvEfm5CHINF9g3a778pFJUGSW31TXCiMgnMZmXTXIsDI25Fmh/s640/MacStone_Everglades-9447.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cottonmouth - Big Cypress National Preserve - Photo © Mac Stone</td></tr>
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We all have things, or maybe ideas rather, that crawl under our skin and cause our heart to beat a little faster. I have a few friends who are absolutely terrified of snakes. In fact, just looking at this photo above makes them extremely uncomfortable. One friend told me "Mac, I mean this in the nicest way, but I hate this (photo)." I've never had this sort of visceral fear of anything tangible, that I can think of. I love snakes, insects, alligators, and all that creepy crawly and squishy stuff. I'm more afraid of situations or of the idea that I'm not in control. Maybe some of you have this too, but I've always been afraid when standing atop tall buildings or bridges that my alter ego is going to rise up and make me jump. This is the same dark side that starts to itch when police walk by and a part of me feels the urge to grab their gun and say, "ha ha, just kidding." Does this happen to anyone else? Weird.<br />
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Well, if you're one of the people terrified of images of snakes and alligators and other denizens of the swamp, then this next part isn't for you. For the next two months I'll have 12 large format canvas prints on exhibit at <a href="http://fl.audubon.org/corkscrew-swamp-sanctuary" target="_blank">Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary</a> in Naples, Florida. Running from November 5th until the end of December I'll be displaying and selling these prints which highlight the Everglades watershed and its many landscapes and fauna. Go check it out if you have the chance, because I will be unveiling a few images which I've never displayed to the public. If you're wanting to jump on the Christmas shopping early, head to the swamp because the canvas prints at 2 ft x 3ft are on sale with part of the proceeds going to Audubon's beautiful Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary. What does a 2ft x 3ft gallery wrapped canvas look like? Well, I'm glad you asked... <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jZ9ybPwvtuU18Nz78PQ_NNh7wvoK9kbaT8J_Z-XXkap0rPk3uDahswhrv33-TeA0xynS-RpCTEfUK8P01KpHJx4L-FL-9mZiQiPRVAwGUeH2PTuN2Jy48Y9n6DNR9YHRiVxEofrbejNw/s1600/MacStone_Everglades-6758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0jZ9ybPwvtuU18Nz78PQ_NNh7wvoK9kbaT8J_Z-XXkap0rPk3uDahswhrv33-TeA0xynS-RpCTEfUK8P01KpHJx4L-FL-9mZiQiPRVAwGUeH2PTuN2Jy48Y9n6DNR9YHRiVxEofrbejNw/s640/MacStone_Everglades-6758.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-14580312277689607922012-10-25T12:13:00.000-04:002012-11-11T00:57:54.430-05:00Get Low<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWcxvna58pfffivjG_s6Btk5igCq1VHRFXq70lZo5DEie-dNC1QM2Syq1P6YT6XjgyaVRSQOLQvs3DxeQr8oEwOECDCqzJAXfOLmd8snj5n3aMH4yQd3uyHIcQUs45i8wOTA8iJjxqXx2/s1600/MacStone_Everglades-0425.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijWcxvna58pfffivjG_s6Btk5igCq1VHRFXq70lZo5DEie-dNC1QM2Syq1P6YT6XjgyaVRSQOLQvs3DxeQr8oEwOECDCqzJAXfOLmd8snj5n3aMH4yQd3uyHIcQUs45i8wOTA8iJjxqXx2/s640/MacStone_Everglades-0425.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Edge of the World" - Florida Bay - Everglades National Park</td></tr>
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It's easy to get stuck in a rut with photography. After your 500,000th image, it might feel like you've done it all before. Luckily though, it's often just as easy to break out and explore new possibilities by simply changing your perspective. I get inspiration from other photographers all the time. In fact, it's part of my daily routine to research other artists and see what they're doing. One photographer in particular, <a href="http://www.apalachphototours.com/" target="_blank">John Spohrer</a>, based out of Apalachicola, Florida would create these arrestingly dramatic images by shooting a low angle on water. Simple, right? This isn't necessarily an Einstein moment but this technique is often overlooked by photographers. When applied in the right situations, it can completely alter the depth and feel of your images.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNJwzZfsqiCo0Qq2is7JhJqVXV8NFqd0LcByx3YSNJ6gKr62IIQRaRkC-c7i6MK990BgOnN3XszB5Sj34KZAwMPpbxNByTfYJtW8wLRqoRBQHmmsP0ZrcwbahGT76qHa_nHfQtGJHDUy0/s1600/MacStone_Everglades-0397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpNJwzZfsqiCo0Qq2is7JhJqVXV8NFqd0LcByx3YSNJ6gKr62IIQRaRkC-c7i6MK990BgOnN3XszB5Sj34KZAwMPpbxNByTfYJtW8wLRqoRBQHmmsP0ZrcwbahGT76qHa_nHfQtGJHDUy0/s640/MacStone_Everglades-0397.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Take this scene for example. To me, this is a standard one-dimensional view of a summer squall in Florida Bay. You have some water, you have some storm clouds, all of which seem to appear on the same visual plane. While this image might be good for an advertisement or calendar, to me, I'm not moved to feel anything when I look at it. </div>
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Holding my camera just above the water's edge over the boat with a wide angle lens (Canon 16-35mm) and employing fast shutter speeds by means of high ISO I made a series of images without looking through the viewfinder. Only an inch above the water, this proved a little dangerous as a rogue wave lapped the base of my camera. Not good. Still, I was able to make a few frames from this new perspective. What resulted was this very multi-dimensional image which gives a turbulent and almost apocalyptic aura. The way the water eliminates the horizon creates a sense of impending doom, like Columbus must have imagined when sailing towards the edge of the Earth. All I had to do was hold my camera close to the water. </div>
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Here are a few more dualities so you can see the benefit of simply changing your perspective. To me, the lower angles just have a way of filling the space more efficiently. Take note how your eyes want to linger a little more. Who knows though, maybe you'll like the standard images better. I'm curious to hear what you think. </div>
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With the low angle, you get much more action and interesting patterns in the water from reflected light. This way, the water doesn't just become empty space, but instead helps define and draw your eye into the subject. </div>
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Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-266221339661949998.post-44731777413247130052012-10-10T00:54:00.000-04:002012-10-10T00:54:29.990-04:00NANPA High School Scholarship Program<div style="text-align: left;">
A year ago I wrote about the NANPA High School Scholarship Program which was held in McAllen, Texas where ten students were chosen from all around the country to attend one of the most prestigious photography summits in the US. If you missed it, you can read about it <a href="http://macstonephoto.blogspot.com/2011/03/nanpa-summit.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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In February of next year, 10 more lucky students will have the chance to attend NANPA's fourteenth high school scholarship program for a chance to learn from the industry's top shooters and photography publishers. I'm extremely excited to announce that I will be taking over as chair of this program and will be joined by instructors <a href="http://raypfortner.com/site/Home.html" target="_blank">Ray Pfortner</a>, <a href="http://www.davidmoynahan.com/" target="_blank">David Moynahan</a>, and <a href="http://marinascarrphotography.com/" target="_blank">Marina Scarr</a> in Jacksonville, Florida. Only ten years ago, I was one of the fortunate few selected for this program in Albuquerque New Mexico and I can't begin to count the ways it has shaped my life. Now, here I am about to take lead on cultivating the next generation of nature photographers in my home state!<br />
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We are seeking talent from all over, so if you know of any high schoolers or students 14-18 years old with a passion for photography please send them this invitation. You never know how it might shape their lives.<br />
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<br />Mac Stone Photographyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10258730927242869324noreply@blogger.com3