You keep looking at your empty walls, and you wonder when you are going to actually do something about it.  We have all had that thought, but how do you proceed?  Maybe you put some filler art on a wall just to keep it from being stark.  Again, I have done that.

What you really need is something that describes you!  Something that tells others what you care about.  You love nature and you love animals, but how do you work that into your decor?  How can you find something to match all your decor?  That really is a tough question, and only you can answer that fully, but I have outlined several ideas that I use and experts recommend for your living space.

What Describes You the Most

First, I want you to think about what you love the most about the natural world, and what defines you as a lover of nature. This is the first step in realizing what will fit your needs.  I see this as the most important.  For me, it is being face to face with animals that really gets my creative juices flowing.  That is where I choose to live.  I want the impact, and I want people to see that impact in my living space and my art.  The image below, describes me the most as a image maker, and this seems effective in my living area.  The face to face engagement of this bear really fits my style. 

View Full Size Image:  https://matt-cuda.pixels.com/featured/portrait-of-a-black-bear-bw-matt-cuda.html

What Reinforces Your Living Areas Colors

Notice, I did not say what matches your colors.  Matching color for color is not the most important aspect to consider.  Does it compliment your living area?  Nate Burkus, a professional designer, has this to say, "I prefer mixing and matching in order to achieve a coherent result." (www.mydomaine.com, 2019).  For example, maybe you stick to similar wooden frames or modern frames to complement each other, your walls and your furniture. 

You can customize the image with a layered look and use web site tools to see how it would look.  Click the link below and play with the color matching.

View Full Size Image:https://matt-cuda.pixels.com/featured/bull-in-fog-matt-cuda.html?product=framed-print

View Full Size Image: https://matt-cuda.pixels.com/featured/morning-glow-matt-cuda.html?product=framed-print

Did you Forget the Bathroom and Kitchen?

I can't drive this point home enough.  The bathroom is the place where many visitors will need to retreat to at some point during their visit.  Personally, I like to see upbeat colors in both the bathroom and kitchen. For the nature lovers, I think bird photographs make a great compliment to these rooms.  Every room in your home should be decorated with artwork.  Each room can be themed and I think should. 

View Full Size Image: https://matt-cuda.pixels.com/featured/6-ruby-throated-hummingbird-matt-cuda.html?product=framed-print

Consider decorating with a metal print.  These prints have depth and are high gloss.  They are very popular right now and can really add to an existing room's presence, as well as be a great conversation starter.

Metal print of a cardinal on a plum branch

Lastly, when you can't figure out what single piece can make or break a room, consider a photo wall.  This is where you take several smaller pieces built around a theme to make a cohesive arrangement.  These can take a bit for thought, but what a way to express yourself with many images.

I hope you can see where adding nature images to your home decor can make a difference.  So often, I visit nature and animals lover's homes and yet the decor does not show such an important aspect of their lives. Use the online tools that are available in the above links to visualize what it will look like in your home!  You can even use the cell phone tools to show the art on YOUR wall.  https://matt-cuda.pixels.com/featured/pine-forest-matt-cuda.html?product=framed-print

LIKE WHAT YOU SEE?

BECOME A VIP BELOW AND GET 20% OFF YOUR FIRST ORDER WITH MATT CUDA NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY.

"Willet in Morning Sun"

This photograph is from my "Avian Florida" Collection.  ********** One phrase you might here me write or talk about is the idea of making the common look uncommon.  In photography, this concept is often seen playing in out in a variety of different ways.  Perhaps the subject is doing something amazing or unusual even though it is a common subject.  Maybe a bird is flying upside-down for a moment, for example.  We could list examples ad nauseum. In this case, I was on this west coast Florida beach in the early morning hours. My subject is a common everyday willet.  You can see willets on any east coast beach, at any time of the year.  In this case, the sun is coming in a low angle, giving the image a beautiful morning glow.  Not only that, but I am ignoring the "sun at your back" rule for photographing birds.  Instead, I am allowing full side lighting from the right.  Additionally, the rock in the foreground helps to balance the image and gives the user a point to bounce from bird to rock and back again. These principles together help to give this photo more of a unique look.  You don't have to always follow the rules.  Be creative when you are out there and look for ways to not follow the rules and still pull it off.  Look for ways to make the common look uncommon!

CLICK HERE TO ENTER MY 2020 PHOTO GIVEAWAY! DEADLINE IS JULY 30, 2020!   "Angry Green Heron"

This photograph is from my "Avian Florida" Collection.  ********** My brother and I were working a Florida wetland, looking for anything that might get our attention and warrant a photograph. We then heard an odd sounding, yet familiar call. Rick looked to his right and caught a glimpse of a green heron. For those who do not know, the green heron is a stunning, yet a fairly small heron.  In the wild, they are often very suspicious of humans.  This one, however, seemed preoccupied with something else.  A rival male! Rick quickly and quietly jumped into action as did I. I was armed with my Canon 7D Mark II with a 600mm L, and Rick had his trusty Canon 1Ds III and a Sigma 150-600. What happened next was odd.  The birds used us as a buffer between each other!  This allowed us each to get glass on a seperate bird, and actually put the birds in a slightly more comfortable posture. Now, everyone could relax.  I began to fire off shot after shot of the perched heron.  I kept whispering to myself, "Oh man, this is great, this is great!"  I love the image above as not only a high key style portrait, but as a behavior shot.  Look at how his feathers are raised.  He is still irritated with his rival heron.  What a great feeling to capture such a beautiful bird!

"An Insect in the Bill is Worth Two in the Bush"

This photograph is from my "Bluebird Project" Collection.  ********** During the nesting season, the bluebird is a ravenous consumer of insects.  It is interesting to watch them as the perch on a fence or rotten tree top searching for food.  Once they spot the insect they will swoop in for the kill.  I have personally watched them take insects out of the air as well. I for one am happy that these beautiful hunters are among us.  They help keep at bay the insect population, and in return we get to gaze at their royal coloration.  This year, the nesting pair I have been following, are now on their second brood.  I am rooting for them, but I know the second brood is less likely to make it to maturity (at least in my area). If you have never experienced watching bluebirds raise their young, you are missing out.  Here is a nest box that will suit your needs well. Canvas Prints From $65 Metal Prints From $64 Deluxe Prints From $23 GET 20% OFF ALL PRINTS OF THIS IMAGE. 3 DAYS ONLY. USE CODE: AHBUHX Shop this Image > Browse All > Proud member of the Carolina's Nature Photographers Association Subscribe to My Newsletter * indicates required Email Address *  First Name  Last Name

It is June 6, 1944, the rough seas, combined with fear make for a sick stomach.  Your landing craft is approaching a beach where entrenched, battle hardened German troops wait to gun you down.  All of this does not stop you from what you know must be done.  You begin to think, "I must stand with my fellow soldiers, my friends.  I can't let them down or the American people. This tyranny and bloodshed has to end!"

The throttle on the landing craft begins to be eased back and you can hear the driver shouting.  Suddenly, the ramp in front of several rows of soldiers drops into the water with a huge splash.  For a moment you can see a beach, but you don't have time to think before German positions just past the open ground begin to fire on your craft.  You hear shouts to, "go go go!"  

You can see the men in front of you start to move, but they barely move a foot before 7.92 mm German MG bullets rip into them.  You have to step on those fallen in front of you, but you manage to make it into the water and make a dash for a tank trap you see ahead. A stray round rips into your left hand and you take cover behind the tank trap. You yell for a medic, but no one can hear you in all the chaos. Seconds are an eternity in what can only be described as destruction and raw carnage.

Later, in a hastily constructed medical tent, you realize that you survived the encounter, but many of your friends did not.  You have to live with the guilt of surviving something they did not.

________________________________________

Memorial Day, is a day in America where we remember those who fell in battle.  We remember the soldiers who died during harsh winters at Valley Forge, D-Day, the siege of Khe Sanh, the battle for Fallujah and a thousand other unnamed battlefields.
.  

To help honor those who have fallen, I created this image of a strong bald eagle.  She is battle weary with signs of dirt on her white feathers, but she still stands.  Behind her a battle worn U.S Flag stands as a symbol of freedom and a symbol of all those who have fallen. 

We must never forget their sacrifice for out freedoms!  I will never forget.

In the world of iconic and big wildlife lenses, one needs to look no further than at the far end of the massive Canon EF line.  In my mind, there is no other glass that has received more accolades from wildlife photographers than the Canon EF 600 F4 IS II L.

In a recent trip to Florida to photograph the wildlife there, I had an opportunity to use this lens for several days.  This post is a culmination of my thoughts during that trip.  I will examine everything from build quality to the final images.  I hope find it useful and enjoy reading it.

Canon EF 600mm F4 IS L II (Photo courtesy of Canon USA)

SPECIFICATIONS

• Focal Length:  Fixed, 600mm
• Maximum Aperture:  F4
• Image Stabilized:  Yes, 4 stops
• Lens Construction: 16 elements in 12 groups (Fluorite)
• Drop in Rear Filter: Yes, 52mm
• Closest Focusing Distance: 4.5m/14.77 ft.
• Weight: 11.45 lbs
• MSRP:  $11,499

BUILD QUALITY/FIT AND FINISH
As I handled this lens day after day, the one word that kept coming to mind was "Tank."  This lens is a tank of a lens.  Additionally, my brother, who also accompanied me on this trip, used that word probably as much or more than I did to describe the lens.  

Those who follow my work, know that I am a run and gun wildlife photographer.  Although I do use a tripod, I do not like it slowing me down, making me miss valuable shots.  You must accept that bias when reading this and understand your style may be different than mine.  Personally, I found the weight of 11.45 lbs to be un-handholdable (is that a word?) for more than 20 seconds at a time.  Most of the time, I would lean against a tree/car or shoot entirely from the car when using it.  I had to be tethered to something the entire time I was shooting.  There was simply no way to run and gun.  I did find it to be great as a "car blind" lens.  I was able to rest it on my Grizzly Bean Bag and the weight really helped with the stability.  

Having said all that, the build was astoundingly rugged.  The lightweight aluminum shell was very strong, manual focusing was buttery smooth and all of the buttons easy to access.  All in all, it is what I have come to expect from a high end "L" lens.  Understand, that the weight does not come from the metal used in its construction, but from the massive front element and other glass elements. 

This lens is also a fully weather proofed, sealed lens, so the photographer can shoot in adverse conditions all he wants, as long as his camera is just as weather proof.  It is a nice feature, but in today's world, even many of the lower priced options also are equally weather proofed.  

I found the build of the 600 to be identical in quality to that of the Canon EF 400mm L.  Click here to read that review.

SHARPNESS AND OPTICAL QUALITY
As one would expect from a lens in this category and expense, the sharpness and contrast was excellent.  This allows the beauty of the subject to pop in the images you will take with it.  I don't know of any way to describe optical quality as it is something that needs to be seen.  The images below speak for themselves.  What do you think? Is the quality worth 11K? I will share my thoughts on that in the conclusion section.

Little Blue Egret - Canon 7D Mark II, ISO 200, F4, 1/400th (Image Stabilized, resting on bean bag)

100% Crop (Roughly) of the above image.

Florida Alligator (Cropped Vertical 50%) Canon EOS 7D, F 7.1, 1/500th of a second, hand held

In the photo of the alligator, pay particular attention to the eyes and around the eyes.  The level of detail is astounding!

AUTO-FOCUS
The AF on this lens is second only to that of the 400 f2.8 in the same line.  It is fast, so fast in fact that you can barely even see it focus. The focusing of the lens is almost silent as one would expect.  In cloudy conditions, the Canon powerhouse outperformed my Sigma 150-600 time and time again.  

If this lens was such a great focusing lens, then where are the flight shots?  Well, there are none with this lens, because it does not fit my style for flight shooting.  I want a lens I can hand hold.  It can be the fastest lens in the world, but if I can't hold it in my hands, pivot with each bird flying, then I am not interested in it.  With this lens, it all comes down to your own style and how this lens fits that style.  The quality is a given with any high end luxury lens.  In the shot below, I was stunned at how fast and how sharp the image was. Even heavily cropped, this image maintained its quality!

FINAL VERDICT
Stunning in optical and build quality, the Canon EF 600 mm F4 IS II is everything I would ever need in those respects.  However, the massive weight at 11.5 pounds, combined with the $11,000 price tag, keeps it from being a run and gun contender for my wildlife photography.  

In my opinion, this lens could act as a primary wildlife lens if you only shoot from vehicles or shoot only from a tripod.  For those folks who have the money, I would take a hard look at purchasing this lens.  It was a true pleasure to shoot with it and be able to provide you with a fact based, field test report. The next section contains a quick list of the pros and cons of this lens.

PROS

• Build to astounding quality
• Great image stabilization up to 4 extra stops of hand holding (too bad it is so heavy)
• F4 aperture provides extra low light performance
• Super sharp with great resolving power
• Blazing auto-focus
• Smooth manual focus ring

CONS

• Extremely heavy (Imagine holding two newborn babies on one arm out in front of you for long periods of time)
• Extremely high priced ($11,000 MSRP (US Dollars))
• Manual focus ring can cause your shots to shift focus when resting on a bean bag
• 14.7 ft minimum focusing distance

____________________________________________________________

Canvas Prints From $65 Metal Prints From $64 Deluxe Prints From $23

GET 20% OFF ALL PRINTS OF  IMAGES. 3 DAYS ONLY. USE CODE: AHBUHX

Browse All >

Proud member of the Carolina's Nature Photographers Association

Subscribe to My Newsletter

* indicates required

Email Address * 

First Name 

Last Name 

"House Finch on Peach Branch"

This photograph is from my "Best Sellers" Collection.  ********** The first sign of spring is often the bloom of the fruit trees.  During this time, birds can be clearly seen perched among this beautiful backdrop of flowers.  As it gets closer to summer, photographs of birds perched in the trees becomes more and more difficult. In this photograph, a beautifully colored male house finch, perches perfectly between the blooms of a peach tree.  The reality for each of us is that it is the time to stop and smell the roses as they say.  It is as if all nature is telling us to "look at me!"  I think, honestly, my favorite times of the year are the beginning of spring and autumn.  Although the summer seems to be a better time for water sports, the leaves become dull and the humidity can be smothering. Thank God for the beauty of early Spring! Canvas Prints From $65 Metal Prints From $64 Deluxe Prints From $23 GET 20% OFF ALL PRINTS OF THIS IMAGE. 3 DAYS ONLY. USE CODE: AHBUHX Shop this Image > Browse All > Proud member of the Carolina's Nature Photographers Association Subscribe to My Newsletter * indicates required Email Address *  First Name  Last Name  Copyright ©  2020 Matt Cuda Nature Photography, All rights reserved.

"Flying Bluebird"

This photograph is from the "Bluebird Project" Collection.  ********** Springtime only means one thing in the bird world, and that is that it is time to reproduce.  The eastern bluebird is no exception, and they are a fun pair to watch during this time. The bluebirds form a pair bond when both the male and female enter a nesting cavity in late winter.  From that time on, they make their plans to parent a new brood.  Before mating, the male will often bring the female a choice insect as the last step of the mating ritual. Typically, a bluebird pair will have between one to two broods.  My nesting pair seems to always try a second brood in summer, but it is often a failed nest. As I was viewing my photographs from a session, I came across this image of a female bluebird leaving her nest cavity.  As she exited, she looked right into my camera, making this a unique image.

Canvas Prints From $65 Metal Prints From $64 Deluxe Prints From $23

GET 20% OFF ALL PRINTS OF THIS IMAGE. 3 DAYS ONLY. USE CODE: AHBUHX

Shop this Image >

Browse All >

Proud member of the Carolina's Nature Photographers Association

Subscribe to My Newsletter

* indicates required

Email Address * 

First Name 

Last Name 

Copyright ©  2020 Matt Cuda Nature Photography, All rights reserved.