Mar Vista Studios

11/08/2025

Stunning poetry, breathtaking images! 📚
My friend Nükhet Kardam's masterpiece features:
• 15 of my photos in a beautiful hardcover book
• Poetry in both Turkish and English

Perfect gift for loved ones! 🎀🎁
Get your copy now:

From author and poet Nükhet Kardam, this collection of poetry in both in English and Turkish combines the rhythm of words with the visual beauty of nature photography.

05/20/2024

In my 50th year of life, I gifted myself with a trip to Milan, Italy for a much needed dose of art, culture, fashion, food, history, etc. I have always been partial to clean, geometric lines in both photography and illustration. I spent most of my time in the Piazza del Duomo and the neighboring Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the ultimate shopping destination, with its vibrant energy. I couldn't get enough. There is simply no photograph that can capture the sight and experience of this awesome cathedral. It was a real treat viewing the CityLife district from the top of the Duomo, observing how the lines match up between the old and the new structures. So much thought was put into everything.

11/26/2023

Honored and grateful to have my piece, "Spring Lupine" accepted into the Monterey County Government Center's juried exhibition, "Raising Awareness of Monterey County's Native Habitats, Animal and Plant Life" c/o Arts Council for Monterey County

As far as making photographs presented as art, I have put a lot of thought into this image, so this means a great deal to me. It has been my personal tribute to the natural beauty of Monterey County.

And, of course, I'm grateful to all I have met along the way and who have supported my work. Likes go a long way and sometimes that's all you have to convince yourself to keep going. Not all the time, but sometimes.

Even better: This image is also in my 12 month calendar, which is still $5 off for Black Friday week. Oh, let's just do Cyber Monday.😜

🤎🧡🙏🙏🙏🧡🤎

https://marvistastudios.com/product/2024-calendar/

"Bentham’s Annual Lupine" or Spider Lupine, are bluish purple annuals which are legumes, members of the pea family. Lupines grow quickly after seasonal fires and serve as a recovering plant, adding vitamins and nutrients back into the soil of degraded areas. Endemic to the central coast, Spider Lupine are found in the southern coastal ranges of Monterey County."

11/21/2023

Between operating two personal websites and an Instagram page, this page doesn't receive a lot of attention. Just the other day I heard from a colleague, "You know, there are still people out there who actually use Facebook." That said it all for me. 2023 was another year of transition. My kids moved out of state, then shortly after, I moved my mother into an Alzheimer's facility. Not fun. Mar Vista Studios in some ways, was the one thing that kept me centered this past year.

Since my last round of calendars back in 2021, I've made many creative acquaintances, and have taken many creative ventures. I continue to add more images to my ever growing library of digital photographs, forcing me to create a better filing system and workflow. So much fun. Also, in 2023 the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey acquired 6 giant canvas prints of my work for their student housing on Munras Ave. It was exhilarating to see my work blown up into large scale. Very grateful for it.

Photo credit. Brian Mack

And here we are, the week of Black Friday. Calendars are back and $25 each, including shipping. Same price for everyone until 12:00 AM, Nov. 27th.

https://marvistastudios.com/product/2024-calendar/

05/06/2023

Seasonal shots from Point Lobos, early May, 2023. I've known that Sea otters blanket themselves in kelp leaves, but I've never actually seen them do it. In fact, the last time I had been to Point Lobos was before I had a full frame camera. This was my first time there with my current gear. It was a real treat to see these animals in their natural habitat, and flowers I haven't seen elsewhere along the peninsula. Beautiful place. I am glad it's a protected area.

04/29/2023

We're 4 months into 2023. Where did the time go? Photography always manages to remain in my life. Taken late winter in Santa Cruz.

03/14/2023

It has been a tumultuous winter in California. This snowy egret, photographed in Santa Cruz, somewhat emulates my frustration. I lost power for two days. I might lose it again. My feet are wet and l am grumpy.

01/25/2023

Cruz'n through Pleasure Point, Capitola, CA.

01/17/2023

Came up with this reel for Instagram. Got a lot of likes in a short amount of time.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cndgj0_uKRU/

12/29/2022

"Great artists steal" is a phrase long attributed to Picasso but it remains debated. In any case, he started it. My vision was to make a reel, a collection of winter photos with Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" as the soundtrack. Instagram served a sub-par recording, which, in the end, would not post. I guess Don Henley was not available to approve a notification allowing me to stream his music. The reel could still be downloaded, which I'm re-posting. Sorry, Don. Much respect for your musical masterpiece.

Wishing everyone a prosperous 2023.