Galleries

Honduras :

Honduras

Updated: Aug 15, 2009 11:50am PST

About Me : "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all".--Helen Keller I became an amateur photographer at the beginning of my military career in the early 1980s. I wanted to document my life experiences and adventures, and to capture memories of special people, pets, events and places on film to share with family and friends. At the time, I wasn't considering the artistic or historic value of my photographs, but throughout the years, my photography evolved into a more creative and practical art form. Besides my professional career as a Army military intelligence officer, I had a background in art. As an artist, I dabbled in various types of media, but found that my true passion was and still is photography. I began with a Nikon 2020 35mm film camera and entered the digital age with a small Olympus, followed by a Canon EOS 20D SLR digital camera given to me as a gift. I attended a Nikon School seminar in Washington, DC when digital technology was just emerging on the scene, and Nikon had just introduced its first line of digital cameras. My Nikon 2020 was reliable and I took it to extreme environments, subjecting it to high temperatures, dust, moisture and rough treatment in my Army duffle bag. In one of my military assignments, my unit acquired Sony digital video cameras ($8000 ) and for the first time I witness an early military application of digital photography. Through perseverance and ingenuity we were able to electronically send images back from austere places overseas back to the unit in the United States. I retired from the Army on August 1, 2003, with mixed emotions. The military was not a career, it was my life for the past 22 years. It was challenging, stressful and a hard life, and I moved often, but I loved it and wouldn't trade the experience for anything in the world. I have always tried to live life to the fullest, taking nothing for granted, and the military gave me the opportunity to do so. With my eyes I have seen things and places few people will ever see. Thankfully, I usually had my camera with me so I can share and relive the moments through my photographs. Ironically, it was because of my vision that I left the military when I did. I was experiencing unpredictable problems first with my left eye, and later with my right dominant eye. I didn't know what my future held for me in terms of my vision, so I retired. After 5 wrong diagnoses from retina specialists, I found a doctor who correctly identified what was happening to my eyes. I had always had high myopia (nearsightedness) but it was correctable with glasses and contact lenses. This time, however, my sight was becoming distorted, blurry, ultra-sensitive to light, affected by floaters, and deteriorating quickly. I could not see very well at night. I did not fit the profile of someone with macular degeneration with no hope of treatment as the previous retina specialists claimed. Dr. Igor Westra, founder of Retina of Coastal CaroIina in Wilmington, North Carolina saved my vision. He recognized that I had developed a macular hole, first occurring in my right eye, and then in my left eye. Fortunately, there is a surgical solution and treatment for the problem. When caught in the early stages, your vision can be restored. After four eye surgeries with Dr. Westra in the past five years, my eyes seem to have stabilized and I can see life again. Even with glasses I still have some distortion in the left eye, however, much like the operation of a camera, my eyes have learned to refocus. Digital technology not only helped to confirm my eye problems, but it has also enabled me to continue with my photography. It allows me to see the detail I may not see with my eyes alone. And there is some truth to the concept of "the mind's eye" . During the time of surgeries and recovery, my husband Sam and I owned and operated a successful bed and breakfast in Georgetown, South Carolina. Of course, I did the photography and website for the business, and also continued to photograph life around me. I participated in Nikon's Picturetown USA promotion of the Nikon D40 digital camera in Georgetown, South Carolina. I was also in Nikon's national commercial. I participated in the Nikon sponsored Mentor Series Trek in Charleston, South Carolina 8-11 November 2007. It was an opportunity to see if I actually had talent or what it takes to become a pro. As it turned out, three of my photographs were selected as the "Best of Charleston" from this trek. I received a Nikon D80 for Christmas 2007, and I am now a Nikon convert. I embrace the Nikon Creative Lighting System with speed lights. I recently published my first photo book on blurb.com. It is called Memories of Berlin under their history category. I produced the book from my collection of photographs taken when I was stationed in Berlin, Germany December 8, 1988-May 28, 1992. Yes, thanks to my military career, I was there during the "Fall of the Wall". I wanted to do something to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Fall of the Wall, so I produced my photo book with my personal perspective on Berlin and donated copies to museums and individuals in Berlin involved with the commemoration festivities. I am currently a member of the Charleston Center for Photography and recently began my second career as a professional photographer. We no longer operate the B&B, and are trying to sell our house and relocate to Virginia to be near family. In the meantime, I had my first commercial job for Maverick Southern Kitchens' new restaurant called High Hammock in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. My specialties include travel, landscapes, nature,homes & gardens, flowers, special events, cuisine, animals, and architecture. I also photograph people and plan to do weddings in the future. At the moment, I am trying to learn more about the business and technology of photography. I look at photography, not just as creating art, but also documenting life as "eye" see it and live it. Please contact me at beachkomar@gmail.com if you are interested in my photography or services. "Looking for adventure in whatever comes my way"--Steppenwolf

About Me

"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all".--Helen Keller ...

Updated: Jun 21, 2009 8:46am PST

Waterfowl :

Waterfowl

Updated: Jun 13, 2009 6:34pm PST

Historic Georgetown, South Carolina :

Historic Georgetown, South Carolina

Updated: Jun 13, 2009 6:06pm PST

American Revoluntionary War :

American Revoluntionary War

Updated: May 20, 2009 1:00pm PST

Pawleys Island South Carolina : The oceanfront town of Pawleys Island is located 70 miles north of Charleston and 25 miles south of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. It is one of the oldest seaside resorts on the East Coast. Besides the quaint historic district and summer rentals, the island has lots of natural beauty with wide sandy beach, sand dunes, and saltmarsh. The oceanfront community can be accessed from Highway 17 by way of two causeways, one in the north end and one in the south end.

Pawleys Island South Carolina

The oceanfront town of Pawleys Island is located 70 miles north of Cha ...

Updated: May 20, 2009 11:02am PST

At Water's Edge :

At Water's Edge

Updated: May 20, 2009 10:40am PST

Charleston, South Carolina : Historic Charleston, South Carolina is the oldest city in the State and perhaps, the most interesting and beautiful.

Charleston, South Carolina

Historic Charleston, South Carolina is the oldest city in the State an ...

Updated: Apr 04, 2009 6:47pm PST

Memories of Berlin--Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Wall : Most of these images are included in a self-published photobook which can be found on www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/487967. The gallery contains a collection of my personal photographs from the time I was stationed in Berlin (December 1988-May 1992). November 9, 2009 marks the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall. I served in Berlin as an Army Military Inteligence Officer.

Memories of Berlin--Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Wall

Most of these images are included in a self-published photobook which ...

Updated: Feb 15, 2009 8:16pm PST