Greetings and welcome to my blog site! My “given name” is Jonathan Mark (if you don’t know me, I go by my middle name, Mark) and I have a passion for photography, for traveling, and for storytelling.
I’ve enjoyed taking photos since I got my first camera, when I was 11 years old. Through my photography, I’ve experienced the thrill of chancing upon an image, framing the shot, getting the right exposure—that ideal combination of shutter speed and lens aperture to capture light and shadows, depict motion, or blur the background—then pressing the shutter release, and viewing the product—both as art and as a memento.
By profession, I’m a chemist—now retired—having formerly worked in the pharmaceutical industry for more than 30 years. I spent a lifetime in science, but now I’m beginning to cultivate my creative side—to explore my interest in photography and writing. I think the inspiration was always there—simmering just beneath the threshold of my consciousness—but I never seemed to have the time or the dedication to pursue my creativity. The luxury of time is one of the greatest gifts of retirement.
Thanks mostly to my job, I’ve been fortunate to travel to 20 or so countries—as suggested by the flag stickers on my car bumper above—and I invariably have a story to tell about the photos I’ve taken along the way. Viewing the world through the lens of a camera always provided an added dimension to what I observed—a deeper connection with my surroundings—challenging me to capture not just the image, but also the emotion of that given moment—that particular experience.
Why did I travel to a certain city or country? How did I arrive at that exact spot at that precise time? What was happening around me? What else did I see and do while I journeyed there? The moment is immediately gone, but that photo survives to be viewed later, enabling me to relive that specific place and time; I can feel again what I felt when I first happened upon the image—a photograph and an experience to be shared. It’s this combination of pictures and stories I want to bring to this blog.
While I‘m not a professional photographer, I believe the “best” of my photos might be of interest to my wife and two sons, my brother and sisters, and perhaps to some extended family and close friends. Possibly, the photos will be of interest to others—like you—who want to see a good picture and hear a good story. And with more than 70,000 photos in my cloud library, there is a lot for me to show and tell!
In addition to photos, travel, and stories, I have a passion for my family and my friends. I love music, movies, books, and art. I like to watch baseball. I delight in trying new cuisines wherever I go. I have a thirst for craft beer. I challenge my mind with word puzzles, and I keep active by biking and hiking. I expect all these things will appear in my posts. I hope you enjoy the journey.
If you would like to get in touch—to ask a question or comment on the blog—you can use the “Contact” link in the menu. Thank you for reading!
Mark
