The Mayan Beauty

The image below is one that I shot several years ago.  Another image of the same lady that I shot only a few seconds after this one has won numerous awards; its the photo I use on the entrance page to my website.  However, I recently came across this image in my files and I like it about as much as the one that has received so much attention.  Let me know what you think.

Another version of Mayan Beauty.  I met her when stopped to shoot a waterfall near Panajachel, Guatermala.  Her car had broken down.  Click on the image for a larger view.

My website features this image of Mayan Beauty.

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com

From my Website to Bauhaus and Back!

Last week, I totally redesigned my website.  The idea was to provide an attractive, user-friendly gallery.  The site skipped the homepage altogether and went directly to the gallery.

My original homepage design is back!

After multiple questions about what happened to my old homepage, it's back!  The gallery is still new and far more user-friendly than the previous one, but the classic look of the original homepage is back.  I agree with the complainers:  the old homepage still works best as a gateway to the new gallery.

Let me know what you think.

http://www.tombellart.com/

From My Website to Bauhaus

I'll keep this post short.

I've totally redesigned my website. 

Please check it out and let me know what you think.

My website is at: http://www.tombellart.com 

Paintings of Antigua, Guatemala

I though I'd post a few more paintings from my recent trip to Guatemala.  You can click on the images for a larger view.  Navigate between the images with the left and right arrow keys. Press the escape key to return to the blog screen.

Agua Volcano from Antigua, Guatemala.

Cart, Hotel Quinta de las Flores.  Antigua, Guatemala.

Antique Chair.  Hotel Quinta de las Flores, Antigua, Guatemala.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com

PX3 - People's Choice Award

I just received word that my "Mayan Women" series won 2nd place in the Portrait category of the Prix de la Photographie, Paris (PX3) People's Choice Awards.  Congratulations to all the winners.

You can see all the People's Choice Award winners at:  http://px3.fr/winners/2011/public.php

My website is at:  http://www.tombellart.com/

WPGA Pollux Awards Announced

I was pleased to learn that my portfolio of Guatemala portraits won first place in the non-professional division of the Worldwide Photographic Gala Awards/Pollux Awards.

There were 18,912 entries from 65 countries.  Congratulations to all of the winners and honorable mentions.

The winners announcement can be seen at:  http://www.thegalaawards.net/announcements/2010-pollux-awards-awardees

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com/.

Children are the Best Photographic Subjects

Most of the time, I don't really want people staring into the lens of my camera.  With children, it doesn't really matter -- because you get an honest image that tells something about the subject.  My example is below:  Mayan Indian children at a rural school in Chimaltenango, Guatemala.  As school children, they are curious as school children should be.  Their curiosity is reflected in every face.  Who is this with a camera?  What is he doing at my school?  What is this all about?  Why is he taking our picture?

Click on the photo for a larger image.

I'm very pleased with the above photograph, not because it's technically a masterpiece or anywhere close -- but it tells a great story-- an after all, isn't that what photography is about?


You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com/.

Boredom Can Save Images from Oblivion

It's 8 degrees Farenheit outdoors at my home in Illinois.  I'm off work because snow and ice have closed down the College where I work. 

It's really a perfect time to go through my archives of old photos that weren't good enough for me to take a second look at until I  got bored.  Sometimes, they're just not interesting in color, so I take the time to imagine them in black & white.  That's when I see the mistake I made in putting them aside in the first place.

Arch of Santa Catalina, Antigua, Guatemala

El Sitio, Antigua, Guatemala

Lily Pond, Antigua, Guatemala



The three images above sat on my hard drive for years before I took a serious look.  I'll be more careful before I put away images.

You can view my website at:  http://www.tombellart.com/.

Some of my more recent images are on my National Association of Photoshop Professionals (NAPP) portfolio:  http://www.photoshopuser.com/members/portfolios/view/gallery/1263242.

Getting the Shot with the Right Lens

Nikon’s AF-S DX VR Zoom-NIKKOR18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED is about the only lens I use anymore. There’s a good reason. If I’m walking through the market in Chichicastenango or Almolonga with a standard zoom, maybe an 18-70mm, and I need to switch lenses for a super close-up, I’ve probably already missed the shot.

The photographs I shoot are fleeting. A versatile lens gives me the ability to instantly decide if I want a close-up portrait with a narrow depth of field, or a wide shot showing activities in the background. Within a second, I can adjust the focal length and be shooting. If I want various focal lengths of the same scene, it's done in a snap.

If I knew in advance that I was only looking to shoot portraits, then it’s fine to use a long, fast lens. However, I have to give up anything that I see that doesn’t fit the capability of the lens.

By the way, the VR (vibration reduction) really does make the versatility of the lens shine through. There are other similar lenses out there. If it fits your shooting style, it might be worth a look.

Take a look at my website:  tombellart.com.

Disclaimer: I am not sponsored by Nikon.