Author Archives: Susan Onysko

There are only so many ways to photograph a red barn.  After a “red barn photographic marathon” in Palouse I began wondering what else I could possibly do with red barns.  As my mind started to wander, so did my… […]

As of late, I have been carrying around a Sigma 15mm fisheye lens.  I have been amazed at how often I find myself pulling it out.  I am almost to the point where it will be promoted to a “staple”… […]

For my latest trip I knew ahead of time that there would be much farmland with lots of rolling hills.  Green rolling hills, to be specific.  “What would that much green be like in infrared?” I thought to myself.  I… […]

For some, photography is a numbers game: f/stops, shutter speeds, ISO, and megapixels.  When they see a scene “bam” – they dial it in and shoot it down.  The numbers game is indeed a necessity, however for me my heart… […]

I recently entered the Santa Fe Photographic Workshops Animals Contest and was thrilled to find out that “Googly-Eyed Adelies”, one of the photographs that I took in Antarctica this January, received an Honorable Mention.  With 2,850 images entered from all… […]

When I arrive at a scene, sometimes my first instinct is to shift into comfort mode and shoot the same way I often do: shallow depth of field, portrait mode, wait for a subject to look, etc. In Vietnam I… […]

I am a pretty shy individual.  Oftentimes this is a hurdle, but in photography I find it to be a huge benefit.  I am a people watcher.  I keep my eyes open all the time and take in everything, trying… […]

I wanted to share another drive-by photo from Vietnam.  We were on a freeway without any place to safely stop when these amazing rice paddies appeared.   The colors of the worker against the green were amazing.  I was able to… […]

In Vietnam there are lots of fascinating people on bikes carrying anything from pigs, chickens, to absolutely unidentifiable goods.  When is the most common time to see these wonderful subjects?  While driving, of course.  This presents some interesting challenges. While… […]

Do you find yourself drawn to the same types of subjects when you take photos? A trip to Italy last fall caused me to consider that very topic. I have been to Italy numerous times, sometimes for vacation and sometimes… […]

Last summer I spent six weeks traveling throughout China and Japan.  The first half of the trip was dedicated to photography.  The second half of the trip was split amongst taking more photos, a family vacation, taking more photos, visiting… […]

Last year I had two photographs displayed in the “Many Faces: A Celebration of Diversity “ show at Cleveland Hopkins Airport.   Both “Smiley”, a portrait of a man in Mongolia, and “Working in India #2” were displayed in the ticketing… […]

The last few family trips have allowed me to explore a side of my profession that I have had little experience with: wildlife photography.  Traveling is always an adventure.  Having four kids on your trip (five, if you count my… […]

I was fortunate enough to be in Western China during a Kyrgi Festival last summer. The locals were of course present, but many others crossed the border from Kyrgyzstan to attend. Being one of only a handful of Westerners to… […]

Anyone who reads my blog posts knows that color makes me very, very happy.  Color is the first thing that I notice when taking or looking at a photo.  There are times, however, when even a color-addict such as myself… […]

I have a lot of patience.  Having four children, you either develop massive levels of patience or the entire family turns into a pretty miserable lot.  That patience proves to be of great benefit when photographing people. Trying to photograph… […]

When I look at a photo, I love to feel some kind of emotion or connection with it.  That connection is necessary to draw me in, making me stop and take a longer look.  The same goes when I publish… […]

In Italy an adorable older lady sat on a bench in front of a sign that read the town name.  She screams Italy and the sign screams the town name.  The sense of place couldn’t get any better.   I took… […]

I have to admit that I have a photographic addiction: color.  Color makes my heart race more than any drug ever could and, well, it just makes me happy.  I truly get that photography is all about the light but… […]