“Against the Current” - 5/22/19 | 1 sec, F/16, 95mm, ISO 100

Photo of the Month | May 2019

Vincent Petro June 1, 2019

May’s photo of the month is my attempt at expanding my photographic creativity past the obvious. In the last few months, I have focused on looking at the finer details while out with the camera. Such as the shapes made by cascading water, the reflections of a rock, or in this case a small branch with fresh leaves flowing in a stream. I have really enjoyed the process of looking closer at the smaller pieces to the larger landscape.

“What Really Matters” - 4/6/19 | 1/1000, F/5.6, 500mm, ISO 1600

Photo of the Month | April 2019

Vincent Petro May 1, 2019

I’m very proud of my photo of the month for April because it was the culmination of numerous things I have learned while photographing deer. I have failed more than I can count while attempting to take the perfect photo of this very skittish animal. Through my many failures, I have learned how to treat an encounter with deer to achieve the photos I’m after but, also ensure the comfort of the deer. The knowledge I have gained came together like pieces to a puzzle on this very chilly Saturday morning.

“Eye Catcher” - 3/31/19 | 1/1000, F/5.6, 390mm, ISO 800

Photo of the Month | March 2019

Vincent Petro April 14, 2019

Taken on the last day of the month, my photo of the month for March is a minimalist style photo of a Red-winged Blackbird. This was also one of my first photos with my newly acquired Nikon 200-500mm lens. On this morning I was fortunate enough to come across a spot where someone had dropped a hand full of bird feed on the ground. This created the perfect opportunity for some bird photography. It also snowed a couple inches the night before, creating a very beautiful scene to work with. To take this shot I simply setup on the ground, sat back, and watched the endless stream of birds coming to feed. The hardest part about this particular shoot was walking away. It was one of those shoots that is so good you wish it never ended.

“Moon Rise” - 2/19/19 | Cloud Exposure: 1/160, f/6.3, 300mm, ISO 1600 & Moon Exposure: 1/250, f/6.3, 300mm, ISO 100

Photo of the Month | February 2019

Vincent Petro April 14, 2019

It was an easy choice for me when deciding what my photo of the month for February would be. This photo of the rising full moon was the result of a spur of the moment decision to got out to shoot. It was a very chilly yet very relaxing night of photo taking and moon gazing. I look back on this night as one of my favorite photo shoots so far this year. I wasn’t expecting to take any thing special that night, but I ended up walking away with a photo I really love. The clouds formed perfectly around the bright full moon to create a very moody and atmospheric scene. I took one exposure for the clouds and one exposure for the moon and blended them together in Photoshop. I love the eerie and moody look I was able to achieve with this photo.

Photo of the Month | January 2019

Vincent Petro April 14, 2019

I have decided to start a monthly blog where I share my favorite photo(s) from each month. Even though we are half way through April I thought it would be good to take a look back at my favorite photos so far this year. These photos of the month may not always be my “best” photos but instead will be my “favorite” photos. They may be my favorites because of the experience of taking the photo, the conditions on that particular day, or just simply because I really like the photo. I want this monthly blog to be a platform where I can share the background on some of my photos. I also want this blog to be a way for me to continuously review my work, ensuring I’m always learning and taking steps to improve as a photographer.

“Companions of the Void” - 1/18/19 | 8 Shot Vertical Panorama, 1/13, f/9.0, 86mm, ISO 100

I chose this minimalist panorama as my photo of the month for January because of the absolutely perfect wintry conditions I got to experience. The complete white-out was caused by a heavy Michigan snow storm, making for a calm, quiet, and peaceful morning out with the camera. I love shooting in these conditions because of the way it simplifies the landscape and allows for the creation of minimalist photos. I was originally unsure about this photo because of the visual tug of war created by the two lone islands. As time has passed I have grown to love this photo and love the connection created by the two subjects. I like to think of these islands as one an others only companions in a world void of anything else.