thedjchillwill

I will make a biography soon.

So I said to her: Where are you from? And she said: Let me show you. Still discovering pink sand in places it wasn't before. One of the important aspects of my photography and experiences that I haven't mentioned before is the social aspect. Sometimes finding these incredible places involves talking to locals and getting information. A guy that we woke up next to in Colorado recommended this place in an entirely different state. I trusted his input and, a few days later, we loved in this place. Technical details: this is one photo - no photoshopping multiple pictures together

An explosive sunset in Florida filled with mammatus clouds.

I was exploring the coast of California with my friend. We decided to call it a night and find a place to camp. We ended up finding this place and going down a mile or so of steep, STEEP hillside with rocks and loose dirt. Of course we were guided by an ounce of moonlight. We set up our tent, but didn't use it. There was a cool zephyr and the stars shone lightly. We woke up in the morning to loud birds swooping low and making a ruckus. By the time I officially woke up, I realized that in actuality, it was just one bird. And it was a bird that strikes fear in the heart of many - including me. A peregrine falcon - the fastest animal in the world. It is like a bullet with razor sharp claws that weighs up to 1.5 kg. Anyway, birds are territorial and will not go out of their way to be aggressive for no reason. I just couldn't figure out what the reason was. I carried along and went closer to the edge of the cliff to see if I could see anything as to why the bird was acting this way. When I got there I saw a nest with the mother and a baby. It finally clicked - this is why the falcon is being so loud and diving so close. Then I remembered - the falcon! Where was it? I looked up with my camera and almost fell back. The peregrine was in the middle of its fastest dive yet, and heading right for me. I took this shot practically at ground level because I was in the middle of getting low. After the shot I fell to the ground on my stomach and felt the wind from this magnificent bird on my back. It was an incredible moment to be alive and I'm so grateful these species exist. After I realized why the aggressive behaviour was occurring, I left so that the falcons wouldn't be stressed out by what they assumed was a predator.

landscape

This photo was taken during an awesome hike in Colorado. The light went behind this rock face and cast these lovers in a artful silhouette. The light also danced with the horizon and the mountains (and the birds) creating a warm layer of colour that can be seen in the distance. Definitely a highlight of the hike. Eventually I hiked past these lovers up higher and watched the light slowly fade out above the mountains until we were basking in a cool blue haze.

I call this photo, "Serenity Now." Shot in the Florida Keys at sunset.

Spark. A photo of lightning taken at the blue hour in Florida. Florida is the Lightning capital of the world. Unlike many places where playing outside in the rain is welcome and encouraged, in Florida it often involves danger of being struck by lightning. The most dangerous lightning is typically the lightning that comes to an area ahead of the storm. These are often the strongest strikes and can cause the most damage. A friend of mine in high school actually died from being struck by lightning at the beach while the storm was still a few miles away. RIP Sammy. Nature is beautiful, but needs to be respected and protected.

I think I'll call this one "Daybreak." This shot almost never happened. You may have read these words before from me. They are still relevant and true. I was en route to work at around 7:30 in the morning. I was running about 5 minutes late. I glanced to my left and saw some incredible fog. The following conversation happened in my mind: -"Oh my _______ goodness this is incredible." -"It's nice. It's nice. But we need to go to school." -"No it's more than nice, damn it! Pull the vehicle over." -"I don't think I should." -"You must!" -"Are you sure?" -"Absolutely! ...pretty sure." -"Okay I'll do it!" I'm very glad I did. I was able to see the fluctuating fog flow through the trees. As the fog relocated, I saw new objects emerging. These objects were birds (Sand Hill Cranes) and they were out looking for an early morning meal. By the time the cranes had made their presence known, the sun had begun doing the same. The Sand Hill Cranes and I both looked to the East to watch the new day begin. Then I remembered I needed to go and reluctantly left. I will treasure the time I had to enjoy this moment though.

Some of the beautiful trees in Yosemite.

This photograph was captured in Utah. Some of the nightly homes we had in Utah were the most incredible. This night was warm, but we had a blanket. The stars were that layer of light that kept our minds cozy and our eyes comforted.

Reflecting back on a wonderful journey.

My favourite animal ever. Only three (3) people died WORLDWIDE in 2014 from shark attacks, none of them in the United States. The estimated amount of sharks killed each year JUST FOR THEIR FINS IS 26 million - 73 million (76,000,000). Source: UF International Shark Attack file This is a Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezii). They grow up to 3 m long. The Caribbean reef shark is one of the largest apex predators in the reef ecosystem, feeding on a variety of fishes and cephalopods. This species is designated as Near Threatened. This is due mainly to hunting them for their fins and jaws. They are used as ornamental pieces and in the Asian market as shark fin soup as well as for medicinal uses. Sharks are in a huge decline and the loss of this keystone species will wreak continued havoc on our precious and vital ecosystems. Florida needs sharks - MORE SHARKS. The world needs more sharks. This photo is cropped to show detail. I get messages where people ask me to teach them to be a good photographer. I can only teach so much. Most of what is required is to see the world differently and to show others your vision. One of the most beautiful visions I've seen underwater is a shark swimming near the surface. The hypnotising, rhythmic motion with with they swim, coupled with the playful, dancing light from the sun refracting through waves, creates a dreamlike, intoxicatingly beautiful vision. My goal was to capture that so that you could enjoy it.

Movement. Movement can be beautiful. Movement can have style. Movement can be timeless. Movement can create life. Movement and how to capture it is one of the things I will be going over in the photography course I offer. I am trying to develop some of the course this weekend. This is one photograph. This photograph was made while watching "The Nutcracker" for the first time. What an experience.

Earning a sunset.

It's not about when you get there, but the journey. Finding some epic man-made snakes along the way to Zion National Park.

I was invited to shoot a ballet performance of the Nutcracker. I had never shot anything ballet until about 3 weeks before this performance. Nevertheless, I love trying new things and going outside my comfort zone. After watching the performers for a while, I realised that one of the most crucial aspects of ballet that I wanted to capture was the movement. It was so fluid and, at times, rhythmic. It was controlled in a graceful manner that I found captivating. It took me a few tries to get a photo that encapsulated this beautiful art, but I felt that this one did it justice. Good note to end on this year. Encouraging exploration, creativity, and appreciation of new things.

A magical place.

Oops. We couldn’t find any results for "mission".

Check the spelling or try to modify your search.

Oops. We couldn’t find any results for "albums".

Check the spelling or try to modify your search.