Mary Lee Dereske Blogs

I am no stranger to photo contests. I create and enter them regularly at Pixels.com (also known as FineArtAmerica.com). I enter local contests and international contests and I've placed in a few. Based on my experience, entering a contest helps you l... 

2022 EDIT: I've decided to continue creating blogs on this site. That said, still check out maryleedereske.com for meditative and gift photo books you just can't find at maryleephoto.com! All new blogs are now posted at my main website, maryleeder... 

Anyone with a camera and basic know-how can make excellent landscape images. The key to a good photo is in the eye of the photographer, not the pixel of the camera. Most people have heard to take photos during the golden hours - those hours right... 

Giving Back with your Photography I am a photographer because it gives me joy. When I look through the viewfinder and frame a scene, there comes a moment when the image falls into place. I find a sense of wholeness to the scene and nothing else en... 

With the greater availability of quality cameras, zoom lenses, cameras on phones and tablets, “street photography” has increased exponentially. And rightfully so - we are intrigued by our own nature and want to capture those candid moments occurring ... 

Jumpstarting Yourself from a Photographer’s Block We’ve all heard the term “writer’s block.” It’s easy to envision a writer ensconced away in their writing room, snapping #2 pencils in half, wadding up paper balls and hurling them across their ro... 

Smartphone Birdsong Apps can be Harmful Imposters I have seen many beautiful images of tropical and migratory songbirds. I know how hard photographers work, and the often insanely expensive equipment they use to make these images. The bird phot... 

If you've come to this page, you've seen some of my images. Please feel free to comment on images that you like, and please visit again as I add and change photos available for purchase. Thank you for the time you've spent with my site today. ** Mary...