Mark Cassino

Mark Cassino's love of the natural world is evident in his fine art photography. His work reveals a sense of unassuming wonder and inquisitiveness. His subjects are often the everyday world around us. Simple and obvious, Mark shows us their true beauty -- the soft morning dew on a wild geranium, the parchment-like wings of a dragonfly, dawn breaking on a Michigan forest encased in winter's ice, even a simple snowflake. Mark first started photographing snow crystals after watching them land on the windshield of his car. He has since spent many cold hours in his garage, photographing snow, continuing to perfect his craft, and teaching us something about our world and ourselves in the process. Mark uses a variety of techniques to create his unique images. He works with the latest digital technology, but also utilizes medium format film cameras and toy, junk, and antique devices. His creative techniques include extreme close up photography, digital and film based infrared photography, alternative B&W processing techniques, and digital enhancement. Working from both a scientific and artistic perspective, Mark's works have been exhibited in a diverse variety of venues. His scientific photos have been displayed in the gallery of the National Botanical Gardens in Washington, D.C., on several covers of American Entomologist, in Science World, and in numerous textbooks, calendars, and trade publications. His work has appeared on many science oriented websites, including those of the US Department of Agriculture's Systemic Entomology Laboratory, NASA, and the popular radio series Earth and Sky. His fine art work has appeared in national and regional juried art shows, including the 2004, 2006, and 2008 American Landscapes national juried show sponsored by the Maryland Federation of Art and the Midwestern Photography 2009 exhibit at the University of Indianapolis. His work has also appeared in The Rural Outdoors and Selected Works from the Rural Outdoors exhibits in New York State, the 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2009 West Michigan Area Show, sponsored by the Kalamazoo Institute of Art, and the 2005 All Michigan / All Media exhibit, sponsored by Ferris State University's Rankin Art Gallery. In 2004, one of Mark's pieces won Best Photograph award in the Indiana Wildlife Artists National Juried Show, and in 2002 his work was awarded First Place designations in both the lighthouse and open categories of the Harbor Lights International Photography Contest. His work was also accepted into the 2006 Krappy Kamera Contest, a national exhibit of photos taken with toy cameras, hosted by the Soho Photo Gallery in New York City. Two of his photos were accepted into the 2008 Macroworld competition, hosted by the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado. One of his pieces was also accepted into the 2008 Street Photography competition, also hosted by the Center For Fine Art Photography. Mark lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with his wife Pam and their two cats. When not behind the camera, Mark works as the HR Director for a multi state not-for-profit organization. You can see more of Mark's photos at www.markcassino.com, or visit his personal blog at www.calarti.com, or check out the Story of Snow's bog at www.storyofsnow.com