Meet A Member
Mike Ramy, Decatur Chapter
In our newsletters, we feature short profiles of GNPA members from across the state. In this issue, it’s Mike Ramy, of the Decatur Chapter.
When did you become a GNPA member? I joined in 2016.
What is your occupation? I own and operate Rock Art, Ltd., doing specialized epoxy applications in the motorsports and aerospace industries.
How did you get into photography? I started as an underwater videographer in the mid 1970s, which led to my transition into full-time still photography in 2011. Editor’s note: Mike’s photography website is www.MikieProductions.com.
What are your favorite photography subjects? Nature and wildlife, as well as the guests I host having fun on my photography tours.
What are your favorite places to shoot? Rivers of the Southeast.
What would be your photographic “dream trip”? I conduct my two “dream trips” each year in the form of photography tours. One is a sandhill crane tour on the Tennessee River aboard my custom-built camera boat. The other is a spring break tour on the St. Johns River in Florida.
Which camera body and lenses do you use most often? Canon 1DX MII and MIII with a 70-200 and 100-400 telephotos.
What are your go-to websites for photography information? They are www.naturephotographers.network/ and www.naturephotographers.net/audioslideshows/wnpbirds.html
Have any photographers inspired you? Yes, especially Mark Seaver (http://seaverphotos.zenfolio.com), Brad Hill (http://www.naturalart.ca), Howard Cheek (http://www.howardcheekphotography.com), Alan Murphy (https://www.alanmurphyphotography.com) and Max Waugh (https://www.maxwaugh.com).
What’s your favorite part of belonging to GNPA? The membership of fine people and talented photographers.
Something interesting about you that most people do not know: Not sure what people find interesting anymore. I am finding truth in the old adage: “The older I get, the less I seem to know.”
Where are you from? Atlanta.
Tell us a little about the photos you have provided:
Chickamauga Chickadee – During a visit to the Chickamauga National Military Park to feel the history and enjoy the fall colors, I was privileged to have this Chickadee share some time with me. As one of my favorite images in the series, with the late afternoon sun setting the background leaves aglow, it gave me the feeling of how it may have appeared back in September of 1863 as the cannons fired during this historic battle in Northwestern Georgia. The Chickamauga Chickadee allowed me to see the beauty of nature in a place where you can feel the sadness of war. Canon 7D Mark II at 1/250, f9, Flash Exp Comp -1, ISO 400 at 400mm.
Apart from the Crowd – A very thick fog lay over the Tennessee River during our predawn departure from the marina at Bluewater Resort, so thick that you could hardly see the front of the boat.It was a slow go towards our planned position to see the Sandhill Cranes leaving the roost in and around the Hiwassee National Wildlife Refuge for their daily feeding excursions. Wave after wave, thousands of cranes head north for nearly two hours but this morning was different as the group take-offs were in a weather delay. This image was one of the many sandbars on the east side of the river between the marina and the refuge, and shows the cranes backlit by the rising sun filtered through the thick fog and the trees on the distant shoreline. Canon 1D X Mark II: 1/800, f6.3, Exp Comp +1 2/3, ISO 200 at 400mm.
Waiting – Julie Newsome, a participant on Mike’s Spring Break Photogaphy tour, provided the coments for this image: “…we glided with the current along the Ocklawaha River through the Ocala National Forest near the St John’s River. These beautiful Cattle Egrets, photographed by Mike, appear clearly intent on an unrevealed focal point; most likely a consideration for a potential meal or a birdcall from an unseen origin. Only if a slight breeze ruffles their perfect feathers is there a hint these birds are alive. Poised in rapt attention they appear as exquisite, detailed carvings by a master sculptor. I am deeply moved by the diversity of the environment surrounding me, and changed from the exposure to the wonders I’ve had the privilege to witness first-hand on this beautiful river. Once isn’t enough. I must go back again.”
