What's New?
June 28, 2008: A Beautiful Photograph
Last night I was inspired again. Was watching Warren Miller's Off the Grid, which always sends me directly into "paint snow" mode. This morning while doing a little research on my target market (in the last week I have looked at hundreds of nature photographers websites -- probably yours ;). Anyhoo.... I, found Dave Brosha's website. Pretty typical pro nature/adventure site, but I found an image that reached in and grabbed me by my inspired little soul: http://www.arctic-photo.com/images/nunavut/images/elements.jpg
I don't regularly gush over images --- especially of folks I don't know. But this one is beyond words for me. The photog's attempt at simplicity is betrayed by the scene's ability to throw one into immediate and deep artistic reflection. It is nature's beauty combined with the artist's mind and the magical potential of the viewer's imagination. It's the kind of image I could have on my bedroom walls and be lost in for days. It is magnificent. Gorgeous comp, exquisite, gentle, subtle color. Masterful lines, powerful light and highly, highly interpretable. Love it! Right on Dave Brosha -- out there making beautiful, sublime images of nature's finest. DAVE BROSHA PHOTOGRAPHY
May 29, 2008: NATURAL DESIGN is ready!
NATURAL DESIGN : Image Design for Nature Photographers
A New PDF e-Book on Image Design by Gloria Hopkins
With Foreword by Guy Tal
148 pages and more than 150 full color photographs.
25 Composition Maps that illustrate the book's topics
- OR -
Go straight to the Purchase Page
(PayPal and major credit cards accepted.)
May 5, 2008: Green Anole
April 24, 2008: Sunday Afternoon
This book project has taken over the last year of my life and it's been too long since I've painted. I had to take a day off from work and do some drawing. This little pencil drawing was done while hanging out with Sam and the birds around the house. That's the island in my kitchen. Every once in a while I like a glass of cab sav on a Sunday afternoon.
April 23, 2008: Vision Bird #2
I have wanted to watch the full moon rising over the Atlantic Ocean all my life, and I have wanted to photograph it since I took up photography. For many years I have dreamed of this image and this is a second "vision bird" captured.
April 9, 2008: Changes to Natural Design and a slight delay
There have been two major changes to Natural Design. Mike will be pursuing his own writing efforts and has an amazing book about nature photography on the way. Please join me in wishing Mike the best of luck in his new endeavor! With this change comes some reorganization of the book's contents and I'm sorry to say its release will be delayed a few more weeks. Thanks for your patience while I put together the best book possible!
On a positive note, I am excited to announce that Guy Tal has graciously agreed to write a Foreword for Natural Design. And what a beautiful job he did! Following is a peek at the new cover which reflects these new changes, and here is a link to Guy's wonderful Foreword. Visit Guy's website which has even more of his beautiful writing. Click here to view the new Table of Contents.
Click here to be added to the book's announcement waiting list
March 19, 2008: New Web Design!
I have a new web design thanks to Studio 7 Designs liquid CSS templates! It s t r e t c h e s now. Resize your browser and watch the right margin -- it moves! Big news coming very soon!
February 25, 2008: Wakodahatchee Wetlands
I can never resist a backlit Anhinga but fuzzy babies are treat!
Purple gallinules are very active this time of year.
The obligatory bum shot.
Like those reflections or what??
Female Boat-tailed Grackle in Spadderdock
February 24, 2008: Gatormania!
Mike is here and I have requisitioned his 300mm f/4IS for my cause while he is here. Had much fun with Anhingas and gators. I will try the 600mm later! These were made at Wakodahatchee.
February 21, 2008
Lunar eclipse! It is times like these when having to sell my 400mm really hurts. I did the best I could with my little 85mm, and these clearly sustained significant crops. What a load of fun! I hope that you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed making them.
January 25, 2008
It's been a long road to the completion of this book but we're nearly there. Mike is off to the Sierras now to catch the incoming snowfall at Yosemite, and I am finishing up the writing. Half Dome should be gorgeous and please join me in wishing Mike good luck! I'll be glad when its done as I am missing my paints and canvases. I've done some sketching but just simple portraits -- nothing to post here.
Mike and I have a big announcement coming along with the book's announcement, so stay tuned!
I will update again very soon, and thanks for visiting!
November 3, 2007: Back in the Field!
The cool weather is here and I'm tickled pink! I'm out everyday and this morning made a boat load of backlit, sidelit and dip-feeding snowys and I had a blast. These were made with the 10D and 85mm f/1.8. The snowy egrets, tri-colored herons and great egrets were all over the place at Green Cay and I filled a whole memory card for the first time ever!
October 30 , 2007:
New images! I'm having a great time with my new camera and filters. This morning I spent a few hours at a favorite wetland photographing the approaching tropical storm. Green Cay is beautiful and I look forward to returning time and time again. I hid the sun behind the palm tree in the sunrise shot and had a lot of fun with compositions on the duckweed image. I really love that place!
October 11 , 2007:
New birdscapes - Wild Ibis Skies and Great Egret Sunset. Made at Wakodahatchee Wetlands, Canon 10D, 85mm
October 10 , 2007:
New Article! Demystifying Composition is up!
October 9 , 2007: New Article! The Importance of Learning Composition is up!
I am in the midst of finishing this book and will offer up a few short excerpts from time-to-time!
October 7 , 2007: NEW! TABLE OF CONTENTS for my forthcoming Book "Natural Design: Image Design for Nature Photographers." Be sure to check it out!
September 25, 2007: New Natural Abstracts piece
"Sunflower" was inspired by the photography of Denver artist Susan Hicks. Sunflowers, aside from Gardenias, are my favorite flowers and this was too beautiful to not paint. So, an accomodating Susan said "go for it" and I'll be sending her the original as soon as the varnish is dry!
Be sure to visit Susan's website featuring her beautiful photography (be sure to check out the suflowers section!)
Click here to visit the photo that inspired the painting! Thanks a million Susan!
You can find "Sunflower" in my oil painting gallery along with my mountains, Florida wildlife series' and Natural Abstracts series.
September 22, 2007: Two articles new to this site.
Beauty in Art is my latest article, an exploration of the meaning of the word beauty as it applies to the visual arts; and
The Plover is a fun article written in a lighthearted manner way back in 2003 and is one of my very first articles. It is a humorous look at one of my first bird photography outings. Enjoy!
September 17, 2007: New website design. Refresh those browsers as there are many new changes
New galleries! All are in a new format with new, indvidual backgrounds!
Oil paintings are now in a gallery setting
Florida minis have a fun, new look
I have included some of my older photographs in my wildlife and landscapes galleries.
New Personal Photo Album. Bookmark this one as its not on the menu!
August 29, 2007: Say goodbye to the format of this website! We're undergoing a facelift and things will be changed dramatically. Though the links should all work, you may experience some inconsistencies in formatting while I work. Thanks for your patience and be sure to check back very soon!
7/22: Store Update: Thanks very much to those who check back regularly. I've been working furiously behind the scenes! Please check back very soon for some new and exciting paintings! For now, please visit my updated store! It's easier to browse with thumbnails!
Waterways 6x8 oil on canvas.
First installment in my new natural abstracts series. Abstract of great egrets island hopping in Keys. Coming soon: Moon, Avalanche, Lava and Forest.
This series is one that I am very excited about. They are inspired by real scenes found in nature and none of them will include the hand of man. This is all God's work! I hope that you enjoy this new series as much as I am.
Barn Owl 9x12, Oil on paper.
The second installment in my Florida Birds series. 9x12 oil on canvas. I've dreamed of painting a bird in light like this and I have finally tackled it. It was a wonderful break from the moonlight mountains and as usual, I had a wonderful time painting the owl.
Stay tuned for Tricolored Heron, Whooping Crane and more!
7/01: Loggerhead Turtles-RehabilitatingI have photographed these loggerhead turtles since they were the size of silver dollars. They are rehabilitating at Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton, Florida.
In the left photo, the turtle on the bottom is a female and she wears a little pink spot of paint on her shell. Her brother, in the right photo, wears a little blue spot. These spots are so staff can tell them apart. Here the female was swimming with another Loggerhead who is not her relation. I think it was an older female. These were made with my new digital and circular polarizing filter.
Incidentally, you almost never see male Loggerhead Turtles, so take a good long look. In the wild they never come ashore unless sick or wounded. They stay in the the sea forever and only the females come to nest, and she returns to lay her eggs in the exact same place where she hatched herself. Loggerheads can live upwards to 100 years old. Click on the thumbs for a larger images.
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY EVERYONE! And when celebrating with fireworks, please be mindful of the birds and wildlife who use the nearby foliage for shelter at night! Thank you!
6/30: Canyon de Chelly: Last updates were done and Everett's Muse is final. This has turned out to be one of my favorites. It began as an alla prima painting, sort of inline with my big mountains alla prima series, but being the lover of detail I am I had to make a few alterations. I hope that you enjoy the new Everett's Muse, Canyon de Chelly, Arizona. Click the thumb for a larger image!
6:13: Maroon Bells Facelift: After living with Maroon Bells for a year I've decided to make some changes. I added several washes ranging from grey to blue, and I lightened the mountains in the backgroud. In general I wanted it to be darker, moodier and to exhibit more depth, a different hue and a more realistic color scheme. This should do it for this image as I am extremely pleased with it.
Aspen Nights is undergoing similar changes, and its looking fantastic! Don't forget, it took four years to paint the Mona Lisa :) Please click on the thumb for a larger image, and I hope you enjoy the new Bells!
6/8: Yosemite Chapel: It honestly didn't start out as a moonlight drawing. It's one of those little sketches made on the couch while watching TV. Got a little overzealous with a dark texture in the background while watching a particularly intense scene in the Godfather one day and accidentally committed myself to another dark background. This is my first pencil moonlight drawing and I don't have any strong thoughts either way. It was a nice exercise and I'm living with it.
Click the thumbnail for a larger image.
6/7: "Vail Nights" Well, I'll call it something a little more lyrical but you get the idea - I am expanding my Aspen Nights moonlight series to include the beautiful Colorado ski towns of Vail, Breckenridge, Steamboat Springs and Telluride!I am working on plans to spend a month in Colorado early this winter to photograph subject ski areas as well as to do some marketing and promotion business in the Aspen area. Of course, if you know of any imagery which will help me get to know these towns in the meantime, all emails are welcome! gloriahopkins@gmail.com (561) 496-4270
6/6: I have gone digital! I am happy to announce that after years of watching all my friends go digital, I am the beaming proud owner of a new Canon 10D and two Canon lenses, a 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8. I love this shallow DOF, and not having to use flash indoors is a treat. I am having a blast with this camera! Thanks a million to Mike Sisk for making a GIFT of these items to me.
Thanks Mike, you're the BEST! xoxoxo
Please check back for new digital photos!
6/4: Discontinued art journal. I have a lot of things on my plate and in order to do the best job possible with each, I'm streamlining my life and career a bit. Sometimes you need to stop, take stock and reprioritize. That's all this is.
The journal was a lot of fun but extremely time consuming and I need to focus more on activities which will be a more productive use of my time. I thank you for your visits and interest!
Please check back here for new work and activities! And if you have a link to the journal, would you be so kind as to redirect it to my website?
I appreciate it very much, and thanks!
5/29: Great Egret Painting oil on paper: Something different in-between projects. I love the smooth texture of my hot pressed watercolor paper because it allows me to add much more fine detail than does canvas. I wanted to experiement with oil on this paper and I am thrilled with the results. It turned out beautiful and I look forward to a new series on Florida's beautiful waterbirds!This was based on a favorite photograph I made at Wakodahatchee Wetlands in 2003. I used to love to shoot in backlight and I'm very happy that I was able to capture the results of this passion, not to mention many hundreds of hours in the field, in an oil painting.
5:29: Pond Apple and Dragonfly pencil drawing
5/3: Book Partner Found! I am excited to announce that my friend and colleague Mike Spinak will be the contributing photographer for my forthcoming book: Natural Design: Image Design for Nature Photographers
I am very< excited to announce that the book now has a growing waiting list. Click here to be notified when book is available (Fall '07)
4/10:Brand New Online Store! I am very proud to announce that I have a new online store!
New! Recent Work List be notified of new work
New! Newsletter my activities in a nutshell, monthly!
New! Photo Design Workshops: I'm yours from sunup to sundown in these highly customized south Florida image design workshops.
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