I think that this photo is a great hard news story portrayal. It depicts the pain of loss as it contrasts with the hope we all have before the storm. The happy new year brings in the emotion of great expectations and the debris in back depicts the tragedy. (Photo by Colin Meeks)

This photo deserves an honorable mention though..Great work! (Photo by Cassandra Hedlund).

This is a great feature photo. It shows both the artist at work and the art itself. I also like the draw of the crowd. (Photo by Colton Yack)

A look at contemporary film shows an abundance of special effects and composite filming. Films like Transformers and the upcoming Snow White and the Huntsman, show a consider amount of computer designed graphic elements. It is not without hard work and dedication that these effects come to life through the work of special effects artists.

A combination of effects can be combined to create a realistic environment that coan be manipulated to great detail such as that of Chicago in Transformers: Dark Side of the Moon.

This process used plates in order to layer effects onto the film. It is the work of special effects artists to combine the 3-dimensional appearance of the film and details of textures with digital creations that must match that detail in order to appear as realistic as possible. This is done through meticulous design and a often hours of programming.

Take for example the months of work that went into the filming of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. The team worked for over a year on the shapes, character and effects alone.

The work of a special effects artist is related majorly to computer science and design. Special effects artists can expect to study Maya and Flash design constructs and have a creative eye for character development and characteristic creation. Artists must also work well with others as jobs are normally divided between designers working together.

Here are some shots we did today in the studio. Three point lighting with Jon attempting to stand on a wheeled chair and spin. Needless to say the expressions were something to remember.

I remember as a small child I was always excited for rain. It had nothing to do with splashing in puddles or staying inside to watch cartoons. It meant adventure, mystery and intrigue. I knew that when it rained all the small creatures of the city’s greasy sidewalks and grassy medians would venture into our world of hustle and bustle.

I remember picking up the worms and nightcrawlers, placing them in the grass and watching them retreat back to the word of underground. I remember playing in the mud and making small tributaries that lead to the garden and watching the slugs and potato bugs run, or slither, for cover. Times were good and the intrigue never left.

Nowadays as a college student I miss the adventure. The closest I can get to true exploration is turning on my HDTV and watching the animals of the planet in a thousand lines of resolution, as they stare at me through the screen. I have a great love for mother nature and it is brought into my life through the work of Alastair Fothergill.

Fothergill has produced numerous documentaries from Planet Earth to newer production in partnership with Disney. He is amazed at nature and wants to share is fascination with the world through his work. In an interview with Planet Earth he explains that while growing up he was capture in awe by the birds of Eastern England.

“I realized then that what I really wanted to do with my life. Is share my passion with the natural world with others. That’s what I’ve been doing [now] for 25 years.” he says.

Fothergill realizes that nature is about working together to save the world and that animals may not be around forever. He says that one of his greatest moments behind then lens was filming a polar bear swim underwater from a helicopter above the ice. The shot meant everything and he knew that it was first time anyone had filmed it.

Now he is living a dream working six months of the year with Disney on natural documentaries and six months a year with the BBC. He also states that he a has always wanted to film the giant squid and is setting out to accomplish it.

One thing of importance for him in production is having set locations. Determined by the animals in those areas, he then had to set out and determine what diversity could be added to each take. He also believes in not interacting with wildlife, despite the times that this has gotten him into danger. Also, similiar to photojournalists, he experiences the anguish of having to film wildlife in pain or hunger.

I enjoy as well that his work tells a story while not hiding the graphic truths of nature. He creates a feel of connection with animals and also shows that nature is unpredictable.

I think that it is the work of Fothergill that has kept my interests in the natural world at their peak for the last few years. It has even given given me the courage to set out on making my own documentary.

And that’s what you get from a man that studied Zoology and went on to film-making.