Maria Montano Colorado Photographer

Found Objects

2010-04-21T10:36:00.001-07:00

A while back my co-workers got me these really neat dried flowers for my 5th anniversary at work. They have been sitting in my office for quite sometime now - and everyday I had been telling myself to do something with them. I studied them for a long time - and finally decided to shoot them.

While shooting these flowers I came up with a new project that I am going to do once a week, called "Found Objects". The objects must be found only around my neighborhood where I live - or around the area were I work. They will all be lit with only natural light - and shot on a textured piece of fine art paper.

Here are my 1st seven images from the new project - My goal is to do this once a week for the next couple of months (should be fun now that spring is starting) and hopefully put together a new series of images.

Dried Flowers

Decaying Leaf

Purple Flower

Dandelion

Allergies

Leaves

Dried Flowers #2

the FACES project

2010-04-01T18:03:00.000-07:00

Each year, for the past 5 years, I have had the honor of working with local survivors of Sexual Assault in Northern Colorado. These brave men and women have stepped forward to put a face, and a voice to an issue that has caused a great deal of pain, to too many people in our community.

The FACES project is meant to Honor those affected by sexual violence and empowering them as survivors Please join us for a night of inspiration that gives both a face and a "voice" to sexual assault !! This powerful exhibit combines black and white photos, artwork, and writings to empower, heal, and provide hope.

Opening Reception: April 2nd, 2010 6:00-9:00
Poudre River Arts Center (406 N. College Avenue)

The exhibit will be on display from April 2 to April 9
For more information, contact Vida at 970-472-4204 or visit http://www.savacenter.org

If you can't make it to the recpetion to view the images in person - please visit the online gallery of FACES photos - Click Here -

Also for the month of April I will be donating 15% of all my sales through my online gallery on Art for Conservation to the SAVA(Sexual Assault Victim Advocate)Center.

To view my work online - Click Here -

24% (1 in 4) of Colorado women and 6% (1 in 17) Colorado men have experienced a completed or attempted sexual assault in their life time. That is equal to over 11,000 men and women each year who have experienced a sexual assault in Colorado. Unfortunately, only 16% of rapes are reported to Colorado law enforcement

Approximately 73% of rape victims know their assailants.

College age women are 4 times more likely to be sexually assaulted.

In 2006, there were 272,350 victims of sexual assault, not including victims 12 years old and younger.

Every 2 minutes someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.

Hearts and Horses

2009-09-01T08:46:00.000-07:00

Being a member of the Art for Conservation website means that I have to donate a portion of my profits to a cause that I support each month. Since I am involved with several organizations that I care deeply about, I have decided to do a featured charity of the month.

Each month I will be promoting these charities, and will be donating 15% of my profits to that charity.

This month I have chosen Hearts and Horses. Hearts and Horses is a therapeutic riding center that works to promote the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well being of people with special needs through equine assisted therapy.

To learn more about Hearts and Horses, visit their website: http://www.heartsandhorses.org/.

And to learn more about their volunteer opportunities visit: http://www.heartsandhorses.org/volunteers.html.

I will be donating 15% of all of my profits this month through the Art for Conservation program to Hearts and Horses. So Support this great cause, and get a great piece of art!Http://www.artforconservation.org/artists/mariamontano

Other News

I have entered three of my images into the Center for Fine Art Photography's next competition, "The Art of Nature".

I also have three new images for sale online through the art for conservation website.

Don't forget, that you can be a fan of my photography on Facebook! See the widget below to become a fan today! I always run specials, and give aways through facebook, so become a fan and you can win a free print!

Hike to Dream Lake

2009-08-11T10:11:00.000-07:00

When trying to decide what I wanted for my birthday, the only thing that I could think of was to go to Rocky Mountain National Park, and take some pictures of sunrise.

Of course, this meant getting up and leaving my house at 2;30 in the morning, but it was totally worth it!

My partner and I left early in the morning, and were treated to a wonderful early morning hike up to Dream Lake in the park.

We had our headlamps out, but with the near full moon we could have hiked the trail without them. This was Deanna's first time up to the park, and she was excited to see what it looked like coming back down.

The best part of the hike, was sunrise at Dream Lake. the moon was setting just to the right of Hallet Peak, providing for an interesting photo opportunity.

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The starburst in this image, is actually the moon setting over Hallet Peak. I was hoping for better color on Hallet for sunrise, but it just didn't happen.

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After the moon set, I wanted to move up a bit, and get a different angle. This part of the lake was so still, I was able to get a perfect reflection off the water of Hallet.

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After I took the Hallet shots, I was looking around, and almost missed this one. This is one of my favorite shots of the day, I really love the way the rocks are lit up, and the depth of the trees in the background. It is easier to see this when you click for the larger view.

click for larger view

After we were done at Dream Lake, we decided to go the extra little bit up to Emerald Lake. The shot above, and the one below were both on the trail on the way up. You follow the river that feeds into all the lakes on the way up to Emerald. Gorgeous hike, I highly recomend it.

click for larger view

This is the last picture I took. This was up at Emerald Lake.

Birthday Sale

2009-08-03T10:24:00.001-07:00

It is my 28th birthday, and I have decided to have a sale on all of my work though the Art for Conservation website!

From now, until the end of August, I am lowering my prices 28% off their normal prices!

You can get an 8x12 fine art photographic print for as low as $36.00! Normally $50.00!

You can also purchase gallery wrapped canvas giclees of my work, they come with wire, and hanging hardware, so you can take it out of the box, and it is ready to put on your wall!

You will not only be supporting me with your purhcase, but a percentage of all sales from the website go to support conservation causes around the world!

So go to: http://www.artforconservation.org/artists/mariamontano before time runs out!

Art for Conservation

2009-07-23T09:55:00.000-07:00

Several of my images have been selected to be availalble for sale through the Art for Conservation website.

This website is dedicated to promoting artists and photographers around the world who are dedicated to using their images to promote conservation or social justice causes.

Each piece of artwork on the site has been jurried in, and a portion of all sales goes to support conservation causes around the world. I am honored to be a part of this select group of people chosen for this!

So go to: http://www.artforconservation.org/artists/mariamontano and buy some of my photography. Your purhcase supports conservation, and the conservation photographers who are dedicated to making this world a better place to live!

Also, become a fan of Maria Montano Photography on Facebook! When I hit 100 Fans, I will have a drawing, and the winner will recieve the print of their choice!

Become my fan!

Nature Photography Day

2009-06-24T10:14:00.000-07:00

Each year over the past four years, I have taken part in National Nature Photography Day. Each year I try to get out on the same day, roughly the same time, at or near the same location as the year before.

I am in awe of how I have been able to capture such a wide variety of different images over the past four years, and I thought I would share them with you, starting from the 1st year back in 2006.

Not only is it neat to see the landscapes change, and how the same place can look so drasticly different in a years time, it is fun to see the progression you make as a photographer. To see how my tone has shifted as I finally found my tone this year, and the way I see is different too...fun to look back at these!

This is on the Poudre River taken in the early morning on June 15 2006. A fairly typical summer morning, created some stunning light on the trees.

Click the image for a larger view.

This is the same location, same day, exactly one year later. This morning had some warm morning light that was being filtered through some really think fog. I was so excited when I looked outside my window to see the fog!

Click image for larger view

This was taken the same morning as the one above, but on the Colorado State University Campus. This one was serendipity! I was trying to rush to a different location to get a shot of the fog before it lifted, when I got stuck at a train...argh! While waiting, I looked over and saw this gorgeous field with the fog, and had to pull over and shoot it.

Click image for larger view

I decided to mix it up a bit in 2009. This image is taken farther north of the Poudre River here in Fort Collins. This is a pond that is reserved as a "natural area" by the city that is adjacent to the Poudre. This was taken in the evening..and I was being tortured by mosquitoes while taking this shot!

Click image for larger view

This is taken the same time/year as the one above. Just a little bit earlier in the evening, and a slightly different location. I was loving the reflection of the clouds in the water, but my favorite part is in the lower right hand corner with the star burst coming through the reeds.

Click image for larger view

This one is taken roughly the same time, and at the same location as the previous two, but at a different view of the pond. This is turning into one of my favorite pictures from this series, and I almost didn't go out that night!

Click image for larger view

the FACES project

2009-04-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

Each year for the past four years, I have been working on a project with the Sexual Assault Victim Advocacy Center (SAVA) called, the FACES project.

The goal of the project is to raise awareness within our community that the impact of sexual assault has on the lives of men and women who live here.

The statistics are overwhelming.

1 in 4 women and 1 in 18 men in colorado will be sexually assaulted in their lifetimes. This project helps put a face, and a story to that statistic.

For more information on how you can help raise awareness, and help put an end to sexual assault please visit: http://www.savacenter.org/. Donate money, become a volunteer, help staff the 24 hour rape crisis hotline.

Save the Poudre

2009-04-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

I was recently invited to donate an image of mine to the Save the Poudre foundation. They are working to defeat the Northern Integrated Supply Project on the Cache la Poudre River.

This image, "Poudre Summer" will be available as a 16x20 gallery wrapped canvas giclee print.

This is a great cause, and I am happy to be a part of it. My image will be featured in their next fundraiser on April 30th.

JUNERISE CELEBRATION & PADDLING FILM FESTIVAL
Thursday, April 30, 6 pm happy hour & silent auction; 7:30 pm National Paddling Films
The JuneRise -- the start of boating season on the Poudre -- is just around the corner, so we're having a fundraiser and film festival to celebrate!
Where: Avogadro’s Number - Back patio 605 S. Mason St., Ft. Collins
Tickets: $10, available at the door
Come watch great paddling films from the National Paddling Film Festival and enjoy great food & drink with all your Poudre-loving friends! Shop at our Silent Auction.
For information, contact Gina at info@savethepoudre.org.

Don Ana Church

2009-03-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

This is an image that I found while going through my archives last week. At first I wasn't sure what I thought of it, but I am really liking the way that this one is coming together.

One of my good artists friends had an interesting statement about this image:

"It's oppressing and hopeful at the same time."

I would love to hear your thoughts on this image!

2008-11-06T16:12:00.000-08:00

Rocky Mountain National Park

2008-09-30T16:54:00.000-07:00

Some of my co-workers and I decided to head up to Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday...at the time it seemed like a fantastic idea to leave Fort Collins at 3:30 in the morning...hmm...Actually it was worth the trip. I had a wonderful time, got to do some exploring in nature, and got to experiance some of the most beautiful scenes in Colorado.

Here are some of my favorite images from the day....some more may be coming!

New Mexico....One Year Ago

2008-09-22T17:18:00.001-07:00

So, I'm new to this whole blogging thing...so I thought I would post some of my older pictures.

This set is from a trip last summer to Las Cruces New Mexico...I didn't get a chance to do a whole lot of shooting..but I did get to meet my partners family for the first time.

White Sands was on my agenda, but due to high winds....I was not able to do any shooting there...oh well..always next time!

My trip to Marble, Co

2008-09-19T14:33:00.000-07:00

My partner and I made a trip up to Marble, Colorado last week. I fell in love with the place, stunning views..nice people...and best of it all..no cell phone coverage! It was fantastic!

I love going to new places with my camera, and taking time to just explore somewhere new and exciting, and taking as many pictures as I can...even though it gives me a headache later when it comes time to process them all!

All in all, on this trip, I ended up taking over 300 pictures...and I came away with quite a few that I am proud of...I hope you enjoy!