Christopher Sturm, a talented photographer known for his captivating work and vibrant presence in the creative community, has shared a deeply personal and urgent message. Christopher has been diagnosed with cancer, an unexpected battle that has swiftly altered the trajectory of his life and work, and he is asking for our help in the form of donations for his treatment. Please consider donating.

The ordeal began suddenly for Christopher recently when, during a routine trip to the grocery store, he experienced a loss of control over the left side of his body, leading to an immediate hospital visit. Initially fearing a stroke, doctors quickly discovered multiple lesions in his brain through imaging. These were not the result of a benign condition but were indicative of metastasized lung cancer that had spread to his brain. This diagnosis is as daunting as it is shocking, marking the beginning of Christopher’s fight against a formidable opponent.

The financial implications of this diagnosis are overwhelming. With his current insurance not yet in effect due to work-related thresholds and the prohibitive costs of medical procedures—including a potential $28,000 treatment to address the lesions in his brain—Christopher faces a daunting road ahead. It’s a stark reminder of the challenges many individuals face in accessing and affording necessary healthcare.

Christopher’s situation underscores the critical need for a supportive community and the significant difference financial assistance can make. He has turned to a GoFundMe campaign as a means to fund his medical bills, and we ask you to please consider donating if you can. Beyond the immediate financial relief, each donation signifies a beacon of hope and a tangible expression of support. It’s an opportunity for the community, both local and global, to come together in support of one of their own. Once again, you can donate here.

Western and art enthusiasts came together for a night of celebration for the Beau Simmons art exhibition, showcasing some of the best of the photographer’s work.

Markowicz Fine Art showcased Reflections of the West, the latest exhibit from photographer Beau Simmons, at its Dallas gallery from November 2023 through January 2024. In partnership with American Hat Company and Schaefer Outfitter, the exhibition showcased Simmons’ film photography as well as a full-length film.

Beau Simmons has been a professional photographer since 2009, accruing a large collection of impressive work showcasing the many visions of the West.

Singer-songwriter Hayden Redwine entertains guests.

Western enthusiasts and patrons of the arts came together to share refreshments while mingling and enjoying the work of Beau Simmons.

Beau Simmons also works with American veterans and features them in his coffee table book, The Twenty-Year War, which he created with two combat veterans.

French-American painter Chloé Marie Burk (center) and her husband speak with Beau Simmons (right) at the event.

Beau Simmons and Bernard Markowicz, owner of Markowicz Fine Art.

Alexis Miller with JD Miller, a reflectionist painter and the owner of Hollman Miller Gallery in Whitefish, Montana, and Samuel Lynne Galleries.

Beau Simmons’ Reflections of the West exhibition took place at Markowicz Fine Art in Dallas.

Learn more about Beau Simmons and his work at beausimmonsphotography.com.
From our April 2024 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Elijah Ruiz

MONROE, Mich. (WTVG) – An apartment fire in Monroe that displaced more than 10 residents on Sunday morning caused severe damage to a nearby business.

The building, located at 49 S. Monroe St., caught on fire around 4 a.m. this morning. According to the Monroe Public Safety Department, all residents were able to evacuate safely, and one firefighter was taken to the hospital where he remains in stable condition.

Floral City Images and Photography’s studio is connected to the building where the fire occurred. Stacey Westbrook, associate shooter for Floral City Images and Photography, says the fire caused water damage and ceiling tiles to fall in their studio.

Westbrook, along with owners Dave and Sue Grassley, were not able to get into the studio until 10:15 this morning after firefighters had cleared the streets.

All photo restoration projects were retrieved safely, Westbrook says, and they are currently working on accessing hard drives to make sure wedding photographs are safe.

Westbrook says she mainly photographs newborns and maternity portraits, and her client closet is on the wall attached to the apartment building.

“Fortunately, everybody’s okay, you know, that’s the kind of stuff we think about,” Westbrook said. “People are okay. Nobody lost their lives. Stuff is stuff, it’s replaceable.”

According to Westbrook, the building is a Signature Bank on the first floor with two apartments above it, and construction crews have been working for the past few months to build two more apartments above them.

Westbrook says a local restoration company is coming tomorrow to further assess the damage.

“Downtown Monroe is a pretty tight-knit community,” Westbrook said. “I have no doubts that the community will band together to help.”

A Monroe City Public Information Officer told 13 Action News they weren’t sure of how many units were in the building, but at least 10 residents were displaced. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, officials say.

Latest Local News | First Alert Weather | Crime | National | 13abc Originals

Copyright 2024 WTVG. All rights reserved.

Article audio is made possible by CAST11 Prescott Podcast Network. A Talking Glass Media production.

Have you ever wondered how rodeo photographers get the action so right that you can practically feel a cantankerous bull’s hot breath? Tracy and Jeremiah Scheffer, owners of Blushing Cactus Photography, are master craftsmen in their field and delight in sharing the heartbeat of arena action with enthusiastic rodeo fans.

The bullfighter, contestant, and bull add to the excitement and non-stop action of the World’s Oldest Rodeo. Photo courtesy of Blushing Cactus Photography.

Prescott Frontier Days, Inc. is honored to once again have Blushing Cactus Photography as their primary photographers for the 137th World’s Oldest Rodeo, as they have for the past five years

Since 2016 this hard-working couple has built their customer base with such diverse partners as US Vets, Boys and Girls Club, CASA For Kids, Make-A-Wish, and many other nonprofits. In their spare time, they photograph weddings, rock stars, high-profile sports teams, music festivals, the Prescott Boot Drop, and a very famous rodeo.

Tracy notes, “we love capturing all of these memories for our city, from rodeo to music festivals, the New Year’s Eve Boot Drop and other large events. We don’t take a moment of it for granted and appreciate all of the incredible people we’ve met through photography.”

In addition to combining their passion for music and photography, Tracy and Jeremiah have hopes of developing a photography mentoring program for local homeless and disadvantaged children in the near future

The Scheffer’s own message of hope and survival is part of their overall mission to give back to our community and “share our heart through our art.”

The 137th World’s Oldest Rodeo is July 1 – 7 this year.

To see more spectacular rodeo shots from Blushing Cactus Photography, click here: https://worldsoldestrodeo.com/rodeo-gallery/

Learn who else is making a difference in the quad cities with more stories from Community Connections on Signals A Z.com!

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DJI has shared a new video, Polar Obsession, revealing the experiences of Arctic photographer Florian Ledoux as he captures stills and video of wildlife with his DJI Mavic 3 Pro Cine.

You can watch the video below and, to be honest, I found it amazing. Not just because of the gorgeous footage – which you might have seen on the BBC’s Frozen Planet II or Disney Nature’s Polar Bear – but to see just what Florian (and his aircraft) were able to endure to capture the material.

The video, and the supporting post on the DJI Viewpoints blog by Olivier Mondon, makes very clear that the conditions faced by Florian and his team were harsh. Living in a box on skis and keeping it warm in Arctic temperatures would be challenging for anyone, but famously drone batteries do not traditionally enjoy extreme temperatures, making Florian’s achievements all the more remarkable.

The Mavic 3 Pro is able to withstand temperatures of 14˚ – 104˚F (-10˚ – 40˚C), a wider range than many consumer drones, and enough to see you safe for more than half the year in the Arctic (though it can plunge to -4°F / -20˚C in the depths of winter in Greenland).

The mere presence of drones also opens up new possibilities for wildlife photographers while keeping a ‘respectful distance’, which in turn has enabled the team to capture habits and behaviors that went previously unseen.

Florian is emotional about polar bears and what they tell us as a symbol of climate change. “It’s so beautiful, it’s so intimate, it’s so profound,” he says. His experiences are well worth a few minutes of your time – not just for the images and video, but the technical fascination of seeing how creators survive such bleak conditions and come home with memory cards full of gorgeous material.

The DJI Mavic 3 Pro is one of my favourites in the best camera drones and best DJI drones guides, but there are alternatives for other budgets!

While RED’s acquisition by Nikon may be good news for team Nikon players who are looking for better video support on Nikon’s cameras, it did raise some concerns with RED customers. Specifically, who will take care of them now when RED is merged into Nikon?

While any such big move takes a while to complete, I can understand the concerns coming from RED users in the long term. Lack of support and warranty can not only impact the secondhand value of their gear but also leave them hanging in the case where they need service and support.

Whoever is running the customer-facing side of the new company was right to address those concerns on social media and reassure the RED community.

The message is clear and reassuring indeed:

We figured we’d clear the air. We’re excited about the future and remain fully committed to our products, the RED brand, our team, and our customers. There are no changes to product support, warranties, or policies.
Keep Creating.

X

I think it’s a safe bet to speculate that Nikon will bring some Autofocus tech to RED cameras and that RED will bring some video tech to Nikon cameras (Probably at least a new codec). However, Nikon’s long-term plans for RED are still unknown, so RED will need to prove this statement in the coming years.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – Indiana State Parks is holding a Spring 2024 photography contest with prize opportunities.

From March 21 to April 30, Indiana State Parks is asking photographers to take photographs of spring scenery, family and friends, and wildlife in Indiana State Parks which can be submitted in a photography contest with prize opportunities.

Eligible locations can be found here and include Indiana’s 24 state parks and seven small satellite locations, eight reservoir properties, two state forest recreation areas, and two off-road riding areas.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources shares that up to three photographs can be submitted for the 2024 contest. Those photographs should be emailed to SPcontests@dnr.IN.gov by April 30 including information about the photographed location and date as well as the photographer’s name and contact information. The department encourages the photographs to be natural, avoiding filters that enhance or alter colors.

By submitting photographs to be entered into the 2024 contest, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources says individuals are agreeing to the release of their images for promotion of the department’s agencies, programs, and events as well as fair use/informational reasons to external requestors.

For two weeks in May, submitted photographs will be placed in an album on Indiana State Park’s Facebook Page for voting. Votes can be placed on an image by giving it a ‘like’, and there is no limit on the number of images a person can vote for.

The 2024 photography contest is based on the number of likes on photographs in the album. Prizes will be awarded to the photographers with the top four ‘liked’ images.

The prizes for Indiana State Parks’ Spring 2024 photography contest are as follows:

• First Place: Choice of either a $100 state park inn or camping gift card
• Second and Third Place: A 2024 Indiana State Parks Annual Entrance Pass
• Fourth Place: A one-year subscription to Outdoor Indiana Magazine

Copyright 2024 WPTA. All rights reserved.

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Vatican City –

Having covered the Vatican for 27 years — that’s three popes — Associated Press photographer Andrew Medichini has mastered snapping images of papal pomp.

To capture this photo, Medichini knew exactly where to position himself based on the wind for a potential candid shot of Pope Francis.

Here is what he said about making this extraordinary photo:

Why this photo

After several years following popes in and out of the Vatican, you get to know where to be and how to anticipate the right frame according to the news or the conditions of the day — windy, sunny, rainy, etc.

The day I took this photo was rather quiet, no big names meeting the pope, no particular weather conditions. So, I decided to go to the spot where he enters St. Peter’s Square in the car and gets relatively close to me — and where there is always some wind channeled from the arch he drives through. I was lucky, his cap flew and, just at the right moment, he tried to catch it.

How I made this photo

The photo was taken from the first of the steps that lead to the churchyard at the entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica, where I had a clearer view over the heads of the pope’s security guards with a 600mm lens from a distance of around 40-50 metres.

It was then cropped in Photoshop, as the picture was still quite wide with distracting elements in it. The camera was set to one of its highest frames-per-second speeds. From experience, I know that if something happens it will likely be in a fraction of a second. That’s what happened in this case; I only got two shots and one was good.

Why this photo works

I believe it works because it shows an intimate and normal gesture by one of the most known people in the world. It’s so different from the formal meeting photos or the more ritual moments during ceremonies. For that split second, he’s like any person trying to catch their hat as it’s blown away by wind.