bmcdonough

I loved reading this article on the Sony Ambassadors most meaningful photos of the year! It got me thinking about my most meaningful photo... This is a photo of my grandpa, Captain Jim. He has Parkinson's Disease and is declining pretty quickly. I took this photo when we were camping over the 4th of July and we were all sitting around the bonfire. Though it's not my most technically incredible photo, I think it really captures his personality. Every time I see him, he's changed a bit - either physically or mentally. I've spent the past few years taking a ton of photos of him as my way to capture his personality and presence. This is how I will always remember him - an outdoorsman who loved a good cigar. My family went camping all throughout my childhood, so this is a familiar sight. These types of reflections help me remember why I love photography so much. You can tell a story and make meaning through your camera. It's hard for me to face what's happening with my grandpa, and by focusing on taking pictures, it helps me stay in the moment with him and just let go of my fears, for a while. I took this with the Sony Alpha 7V and the Sony 24-70 GM. I also made a film about Captain Jim for the Michael J Fox Foundation. You can see it here: https://alphauniverse.com/stories/captain-jim-filmmaker-tells-a-personal-story-of-a-veteran/ What's your most meaningful image of the year?! I'd love to see them and hear about why they stand out!

I love this! It really does give it that "hero" look. How far away were you when you took this?

Wahoo! I'm loving these opportunities to speak to photogs I really admire! 🙌

Wow I'm imagining this on a tapestry and it is stunning!! I have a lot of images from other photographers I admire (and a couple of my own). Mostly wildlife and nature photographers. My mentor Dave Showalter takes incredible landscapes and I have this one of his in the place of honor above my fireplace:

These are beautiful! How do you like the A7 CII? Seems like a great all-around camera.

What are y'all asking for this holiday season? My family is pushing me to make a wish list and I want to put some fun camera / photo related items on there! What is something you can't live without?

Congratulations Naty! I love this shot and I love seeing your blue & orange aesthetic on Instagram 🙂

Heck yes! I'm totally going to give this a try over Thanksgiving - this is way out of my photo comfort zone but I love a challenge 🙂

Congratulations on getting your first camera! That is SO exciting! My biggest piece of advice is to learn the basics and then just learn what you need in little pieces. I find that trying to learn everything on a camera all at once gets too overwhelming. What kind of photography are you interested in? There are a ton of great courses out there that are tailored to specific interests. To start, I would recommend @erinoutdoors online course: https://erinoutdoors.com/the-confident-photographer sounds like it might be a great jumping off point for you!

Congratulations! I love this image! So cool to hear how you made it

I know @Naty is based in Europe and is a super successful photographer! Maybe she has some advice?

Wow congrats on the new camera!! Love these shots 😍

I loved the article on Alpha Universe that highlighted eerie imagery! Are y'all planning on making any Halloween themed photos? Are there surrealist photographers you admire? Brooke Shaden's work is STUNNING! I really admire her creativity. I might try to emulate her for a fun spooky photo shoot. I am obsessed with Brooke DiDonato's work, which isn't super Halloween but still surrealist. I swear I'm not purposefully picking artists named Brooke! 🤣

These shots are stunning!! I have the A7RV and the 90mm macro as well and they are fantastic for insect photography. Upgrading to an R series camera with so many more pixels has been a game-changer for photographing bugs. The cropping capabilities have changed the way I photograph insects in flight. Plus the insect eye-autofocus is a dream

This is so cool! Congratulations on such an accomplishment. Not only being able to do this but also being able to fit it in a backpack is incredible!!!

Hi Ryan! So excited for this event!

These are the crops I'm talking about - I just took screenshots to visualize it a bit better! 😁

@damian these are beautiful! I shoot weddings myself occasionally and I second shoot frequently - mostly for my friend (and fellow Sony shooter) Margaret Wroblewski. I think you did a great job overall! And for these two, I would also crop slightly tighter. don't be afraid to get really intimate - it's romantic! For the one of them leaning next to the car, I would be mindful of where you cut off limbs, cutting off the hand just feels slightly awkward to the viewer - so keep an eye on the edges of your frame and either get a bit tighter or back out a bit. They're gorgeous! I'd love to see more!

@damian you definitely should! Do you have a project in mind for your application? I think joining the society is a great way to support National Geographic and keep in the loop on their events! I love the programming they put on so it's fun to be updated on them

I totally understand the daunting feeling. Your project sounds great! I think it's important to remember to be very clear in your project description - don't assume the reviewers know anything about who you are or your project. And ultimately, I try to focus of driving home three points in my grant narratives: Why is this project important (this can also include what impact it will have) Why you're the right person to do this project -- what sets you apart from others? Is it your relationships? Your experience? How are you set up for success? - Have you already made contacts and established relationships? Have you done something similar successfully in the past? That's the best general advice I think I have - I'm happy to chat more about specifics or answer questions!

I love that creative challenge idea! A photo mentor of mine used to take away my favorite lenses to make me switch up my perspectives. And the shots you made are beautiful! I'm going to give this a go this month. Thanks for the idea!

Can't wait!! I love Ryan's landscapes 🏞️

I love this challenge! Though it does make me realize how little I take landscape images 😅 I think my trips to Jackson, WY how the best grandsacpe moment - I haven't spent a ton of time out west and I was in awe of the mountains. In this image I knew I wanted to put the sage in the front of the frame to add some texture. Then the treeline leads to the mountains which i liked. I also liked the splash of yellow, hinting at fall.

@Bbeck If you're looking to be able to shoot a little bit of everything I would suggest getting a set of zooms that can cover a big range. Maybe the 16-35, 24-70, and 70-200. Then for the fourth lens if you lean more towards wildlife and/or sports then I would go for a longer lens, like the 100-400 or 200-600. If you prefer night skies or something you could go for the 20mm or 14mm!

@ChithamparanathanGreat shots! I especially love the first one! Looks like it was a great trip