Black Sand Beach
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PrizeHonorable Mention
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PhotographerMax Dobens, Spain
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Date of Photograph14 January 2025
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StudioMax Dobens Photography
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Website
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Instagram
In January of this year I spent 7 days in the Faroe Islands and the weather was constantly rainy, very windy and overcast. When that happens, a good photographer seizes the moment making the best of the situation. Looking back, it was an amazing trip photographically because I ended up exploring black and white compositions. In this image, the rain stopped a bit so I wandered down to the beach and looked for a composition that included Drangarnir in the background, and found this small stream that emptied itself onto the rocks on the beach and fanned out to sea. Here's the amazing result.
I create images because it makes me happy.
Photography transports me back to simpler times growing up in the peaceful and happy upstate town of Hamilton, NY. As a young boy, the abundance of wildlife and natural landscapes provided endless fascination.
Reflecting on select memories, I’ve come to see how my deep connection to nature has profoundly shaped my path as a visual artist. Today, I’m driven by a desire to share the breathtaking elegance and understated power of the natural world. For me, photography is more than just capturing images—it’s about honoring the artistry of nature itself.
Awards 2025
International Artistic Photography Awards - Winner - Black and White - "Rest Stop" - Los Angeles, CA, USA
Monochrome Photography Awards - Honorable Mention - Wildlife - "Rest Stop" - London, UK
BIPP (British Institute of Professional Photographers) Print Masters 2025 - Natural World Finalist - "Rest Stop" - Preston, UK
Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park Artist-in-Residence program for April 2026 - Finalist - Hawai'i, USA
10th CAMPINA 2025 International Exhibition of Photography, Monochrome Acceptance - "Depleted" - Bucharest, Romania
10th CAMPINA 2025 International Exhibition of Photography, Nature Acceptance - "Risk v. Reward" - Bucharest, Romania
10th CAMPINA 2025 International Exhibition of Photography, Nature Acceptance - "Rest Stop" - Bucharest, Romania
Budapest Foto Awards, Honorable Mention, Nature - Wildlife - "Hibernation Hustle" - Los Angeles, CA, USA
PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, Honorable Mention / Nature / Wildlife - "Hibernation Hustle" - Paris, France
PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, Honorable Mention / Nature / Landscape - "Black Sand Beach" - Paris, France
The London International Creative Competition - Official Selection - "Waiting to Drop" - London, UK
The 9th Annual ONYX International Exhibition of Photo - People - "Medina" - Bucharest, Romania
The 9th Annual ONYX International Exhibition of Photo - Travel - "Third Visit to Turnip Rock" - Bucharest, Romania
The 9th Annual ONYX International Exhibition of Photo - Nature - "Iberian Ibex" - Bucharest, Romania