honorable mention
Steve Zmak united statesPhoto © Steve Zmak
title
Primal Falls II, Yosemite National Park
photography that speaks to the soul.
A native Californian, Steve’s love of the outdoors, science and history inspired him to begin capturing the awesome beauty of the natural world and interpreting it for others to enjoy. Today, he continues to find inspiration in wild corners of the world.
Steve is a fine art photographer, commercial advertising photographer and graphic designer. In 2009, he published “A Year in the Vineyard.” This stunning collection of more than 100 photographs takes readers on a visual journey through four seasons in four vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation of Monterey County, Calif. Steve also teaches photography workshops in around the Monterey Bay.
Steve’s photographs capture an ideal of the West, pristine and untouched by encroaching development. His photography celebrates the culture, history, and lifestyle of California and the West, and illustrates his deep spiritual connection to the natural world and our place in it.
“I believe we are all elements of nature, and we cross a line when we believe we can elevate ourselves above nature. We have a place in the greater scheme; we are not the greater scheme.”
Working from his Marina, Calif. home studio, Steve enjoys shooting the West’s most breathtaking landscapes. He works to protect the environment through his local activism and contributions to conservation causes. He donates 10 percent of the proceeds from every photography sale to nonprofits working for the environment.
Steve’s photographs have been exhibited museums, galleries, photographic institutions, wineries, and businesses throughout California and the Pacific Rim.
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entry description
I've shot Cascade Falls in Yosemite many times before sunrise from the water's edge (before the light blows out the scene), but on my last trip, my friend Greg Weeks spotted this distant angle on the way there. There was just enough space in the opening of the rock wall along the highway to fit 2 tripods crossing legs to get our shots. I spent about a half hour trying out different speeds before settling on 1 second at ISO 100, f22 with a 400mm lens with a 3-stop ND filter on a Canon 5D mIV.about the photographer
Steve Zmak captures the essence of California and The West throughphotography that speaks to the soul.
A native Californian, Steve’s love of the outdoors, science and history inspired him to begin capturing the awesome beauty of the natural world and interpreting it for others to enjoy. Today, he continues to find inspiration in wild corners of the world.
Steve is a fine art photographer, commercial advertising photographer and graphic designer. In 2009, he published “A Year in the Vineyard.” This stunning collection of more than 100 photographs takes readers on a visual journey through four seasons in four vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands appellation of Monterey County, Calif. Steve also teaches photography workshops in around the Monterey Bay.
Steve’s photographs capture an ideal of the West, pristine and untouched by encroaching development. His photography celebrates the culture, history, and lifestyle of California and the West, and illustrates his deep spiritual connection to the natural world and our place in it.
“I believe we are all elements of nature, and we cross a line when we believe we can elevate ourselves above nature. We have a place in the greater scheme; we are not the greater scheme.”
Working from his Marina, Calif. home studio, Steve enjoys shooting the West’s most breathtaking landscapes. He works to protect the environment through his local activism and contributions to conservation causes. He donates 10 percent of the proceeds from every photography sale to nonprofits working for the environment.
Steve’s photographs have been exhibited museums, galleries, photographic institutions, wineries, and businesses throughout California and the Pacific Rim.
back to gallery