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Michael Hickey

I'm very proud of the fact that I'm a self-taught photographer; I consider myself a product of “technique over technology”
- using a mostly-manual 32-year-old Nikon F3 up until this very April when I finally made the switch over to digital. And I can't tell you how happy I am with this new camera!! I'm so mad at myself for taking so very long to convert....I'm already experiencing new avenues of creativity that I would never even attempt with film! I'm literally a kid in a candy store with this new camera.

I'm also proud to give the credit for my photographic endeavors to my wife, Janet, for it was she who placed a camera into my hands for the first time in 1995. After seeing my first attempts at image-making, she saw promise and potential, and continued to support any and all of my experimenting. I will gladly say that from that point on, a ‘monster’ was created!

My primary subject of interest is Nature photography. While I also shoot a bit of architecture and wild-life, my passion clearly lies with Nature. I see Nature as a never-ending series of changes and moments, and I try to capture just a few of those special moments with my camera. I strive to give to the viewer a sense of the mysterious, intimate, quietly beautiful and powerful aspects of my subjects. I look for lines, shapes, textures, patterns and moods, and how the interplay of light and shadow affects them. Weather conditions are paramount to my style of photographing - I'm of the philosophy “the conditions determine the subject matter for any particular time”.

My primary goal in photography is to continue to enjoy it, simple as that. I feel honored and blessed to not just be at the various locations where I’ve been, but to have the privilege to capture just a small portion of that magic with my camera. Nothing can top the sense of truly being inspired when I'm out in the field and feeling at one with my surroundings. To have the added bonus of touching others with my images just brings it all over the top for me. I just want to be in a constant state of gratitude when it comes to my photography...as I like to say, I want gratitude in my attitude. I enjoy what I have, and I don’t try to look to the next image - sometimes the image finds me. I feel my introspection helps strengthen my work.

All of the images I have in my spotlight here are from my film days; I can't forget my roots and I will always be extremely excited about, and proud of, my film images. But let it now be known: my film days are so over! Digital really and truly is absolutely amazing, and I can't wait to build up my digital portfolio. With my film images, I used to combine slides to form what are known as 'dreamscapes', with one slide in focus and the other purposefully out of focus, with the resulting image appearing dreamy and ethereal, similar to an impressionistic painting. And some of my slide combinations were simply montages of, for example, a moon and a mountain landscape image. I've always loved doing these combinations - and now I simply do them in-camera, and no longer have to worry about scanning and going through that awful process of cloning out dirt marks, scratches, etc. in PhotoShop....believe me, that's a LOT of time saved!

I'm not totally abandoning my slides, however; my newest avenue of excitement has been converting my scanned color slides into black and white using PhotoShop. This brings in an entirely new aspect to my work. I love how it enhances the shapes, lines and textures of images that literally cry out for it. So this, in addition to continuing to learn more about my new camera, will keep me quite busy for some time, I'm sure. If you'd like to see more of my work, as well as Janet's, please visit  www.sharedvisions.u.s

MJH autumn snow
Autumn Snow

MJH back portrait

Back Portrait

MJH blue moon

Blue Moon

MJH early morning hyatt lane

Early Morning Hyatt Lane

MJH foggy forest dreamscape

Foggy Forest Dreamscape

MJH forest pan blur

Forest Pan Blur

MJH moon over lufty valley
Mountain Over Lufty Valley

MJH moonset at timber hollow overlook

Moonset At Timber Hollow Overlook

MJH ricketts forge 4

Ricketts Forge

MJH texture in the snow dreamscape

Texture In The Snow Dreamscape

MJH the orient in the smokies2
The Orient In The Smokies

MJH three lilies dreamscape

Three Lilies Dreamscape

MJH roaring fork in summer2_jpegtotif

Roaring Fork in Summer

MJH finding peace2
Finding Peace..

Note: As with all of the images on this site, the above images, are the exclusive property of the photographer.  You may not copy or use any image without

written consent of the photographer.  Failure to comply constitutes copyright infringement and may be punishable by law and subject to fine.  To comment on,

purchase, or request permission to use the above images, please contact Michael Hickey via email at  mikejhickey@verizon.net