Michael Cantwell Novels & Photography

Novels

Why I Write

As selfish as it might sound, I write for myself. Many authors far more accomplished than me will tell you the same thing. It's difficult to write to an audience as opposed to for an audience. One day the market wants vampire stories, the next day it's submissive women and before you can finish one story, publishers want a novel about someone who can slay dragons and billion-dollar corporations while being a single parent. Sighs. I work hard at my craft and tell the stories that I want to tell. I will admit that at times the characters lead me into paths I didn't imagine when the story began. However, I am always humbled when someone reads my work and enjoys it. That too is a reason for continuing to work on new novels. I write for myself and the readers who smile when they are done reading.

How I Started

While working in the commercial real estate market, it took a tumble. I needed a new challenge. I had published a few articles for real estate magazines and the local chamber of commerce but nothing to the extent of a full novel. I knew only what I was taught in school about writing. I'd like to believe that technically my writing improves with each story, but others can be the judge of that statement. I've since attended many writing classes and been a part of writing groups, but nothing teaches you more than sitting down and finishing a story. I was once told it would take ten years to learn to be a good photographer. I scoffed at the idea. I was then told it would take writing a million words before you would learn to write a decent story. I know longer care how long it takes or doesn't take. I stopped counting long ago, because I trust I'll never stop learning.

photography

Landscape Photography

This is now my favorite time working with a camera. Sometimes the light is perfect fifteen minutes before sunrise. Sometimes it's eight minutes after sunset. It can happen when the sun sits high in the sky. Sometimes that wall hanging moment shows itself as the moon rises over the ocean's horizon. The dirty secret is that most times you stand on a beach or in a field and nothing happens but a whiff of ocean air or a cool breeze in your face. Either way, you win because you're in nature with your camera.

Seascape Photography

You rolled out of bed long before sunrise. You have sand in your toes. You nodded to the fisherman off to your right. Your lens was wiped from the spray of a stormy wave. You double and triple checked the settings on your camera. You decided on F8, ISO 64, and a two second burst of the shutter and a three-stop filter and polarizer. The light is perfect. There is a huge smile across your face. That was until a tourist walks into the water in front of your camera to ruin the image. Welcome to seascape photography.

Portraits

Do I attach an 85MM or a 105Mm lens? What about the ole nifty fifty? Why do kids like to offer a fake smile? Is natural light better than studio light? Did I get the catch light in the eye? Was the closest eye the one in focus? Will the lens I chose offer a creamy background? Do I even need a creamy background? I must have made the right choices. Mamma is happy.

Welcome

Michael Cantwell Novelist & Photographer