Showcase 2019, Best in Show, Scapes: Saguaro Cacti Reflected in a Small Pool, Bear Canyon, Tucson, Arizona, © Jeff Maltzman.
Bio:
Jeff Maltzman is an ophthalmologist and avid landscape/nature photographer based in Tucson, Arizona. While he enjoys world travel in the pursuit of nature’s wonder, he is particularly fond of exploring and photographing his ‘backyard’ of the southwestern US, one of the most beautiful places on Earth. His images have been published in Arizona Highways magazine as well as in their books and calendars.
Your Name: Jeff Maltzman
Title of Your Winning Image: Saguaro Reflections at Seven Falls
About your winning Showcase image:
1) How I Got the Shot
When photographing reflections, one typically includes both the subject and reflection in the image. In this case, however, the presence of the small puddle offered the opportunity to present an intimate scene, somewhat out of context, while using the reflection to establish its location within the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona. The slightly disorienting nature of the image requires the viewer to spend a bit more time exploring the scene, which I feel gives it more power. An image such as this is only possible in the days immediately following the infrequent desert rain, as these potholes evaporate fairly quickly.
2) What I Used
This photograph was made in Bear Canyon, Tucson, with a Canon 5D Mark II and Canon 24-105 mm f/4L lens at 28 mm, f/11, ISO 200, with a 1/15th second exposure. The camera was mounted on a Really Right Stuff series 2 tripod with BH-40 ball head. A circular polarizer was employed to fully enhance the reflection.
3) About Me
I am an ophthalmologist and extremely enthusiastic, semi-professional landscape/nature photographer based in Tucson, Arizona. While always interested in this medium, I’ve been shooting seriously for about 8 years. My location in Arizona’s Sonoran Desert offers a phenomenal launching point to beautiful locations across the southwestern US. While I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit and photograph in a number of countries, I remain drawn to my home state. I particularly love to make images of water in the desert, an element that is frequently ephemeral yet so vital to life.
4) My Photographic Journey
I grew up in the forest around my home in suburban New Jersey, coming home nearly every day with a newly discovered critter, much to my mother’s chagrin. I’ve always loved nature and have long been interested in photography. But after moving to Arizona and experiencing the stunning beauty of the Sonoran Desert, I was compelled to try to capture in images what I felt when exploring the wilderness around my new home. I’m proud to share my interpretations of the places I visit. I hope to compel others to enjoy and appreciate the fragile beauty of our natural world and to be responsible stewards for its future.
Several mentors have been critical to my development as a photographer. At the very start of my journey, Derek von Briesen provided encouragement and critique that truly propelled my interest. More recently, Kerrick James has selflessly shared his time and talent, inspiring me to keep moving forward.
5) NANPA and Me
Though I should have joined long ago, I’ve been a member of NANPA for about two years now. I’m proud to be part of an organization that supports photographers in their endeavors to share the world’s beauty while promoting responsible enjoyment and protection of the environment. This is the first time that I’ve entered a NANPA showcase, and I’m honored to have an image selected in the top 20.
6) Where Can People Learn More About You?
My website can be visited at www.jeffmaltzman.com. I’m also on Facebook, where I post images much more regularly, at www.facebook.com/jeffmaltzmanphotography/. And I try to remember to also post images to Instagram as jeff_maltzman.
My NANPA Portfolio is: https://nanpa.org/portfolio/jeff-maltzman-2019/.
