The Press

Maryland Finalist State Teacher of the Year

Several years ago I was fortunate enough to first be selected as Howard County Teacher of the Year, and then recognize as a finalist by Maryland Public Television for Maryland TOY.

Smithsonian Magazine

Discovered by accident this page in the travel section of the Smithsonian site.  I took this image about seven years ago while I was teaching at Kinnick HS in Yokosuka near Yokohama. I must have joined the Smithsonian then and downloaded some photos.  It was a nice surprise seeing it on their site after all this time, and they do give me photo credit, so life is good…

This was one of my most enjoyable projects while working in Japan in the late eighties. It was the idea of two of my closest friends at Kanagawa International Association, Harumi Sato and Tomoko Yamauchi.

,Tomoko worked, and still does, as a news reporter for a television station in Japan and as a DJ on FM Tokyo. She is the one that made all the contacts and coordinated our meetings. Harumi was my teaching partner at KIA in Yokohama, and she presently teaches kindergarten at Sacred Heart School in Tokyo after receiving her masters at UCLA.

The three of us would spend countless hours working late into the night in either one of the classrooms at KIA or in my apartment’s small living room. While we wrote, we would order pizza with some of the strangest toppings one could imagine. It was a lot of work, but we also spent many enjoyable hours talking about our different cultures during our many breaks. A very rewarding point is that by the time I departed Japan, I actually saw the two books on shelves in Japanese bookstores. I even made enough money from the project to fund a spring break in Thailand and Hong Kong. A great literary experience…

Metropolis Magazine – Tokyo

Three times published in the hard copy of Metropolis Magazine in Tokyo in their feature section “Photo of the Week.”

These are five of my eight photos that were recognized as the “Photo of the Day” on Metropolis Magazine’s online version.

One of my more difficult portfolios to shoot is titled “People of the Train.” Tokyo Weekender, the leading international magazine in Japan, published in their September issue a photo essay on my work. The photos tried to capture the life and culture of the Japanese commuter train . Here the train is the fiber that connects all aspects of one’s life. Each day the average worker, student, or shopper spends hours on these speedy and punctual vehicles, and there are strict norms of behavior that all follow. These photos were a challenge to shoot, but I actually met some great people trying to document this commuter wonder of Japan.

2016 U.S. Army Digital Photography Contest

In last year’s U.S. Army Photo Contest, I was fortunate to have two entries recognized. My fellow photographers  and friends of Camp Zama, Japan did very well in having seven photos recognized in this worldwide photo competition.

The Washington Post Photo Contest

This year I was indeed fortunate to be acknowledged by the Washington Post in their Travel Photo Contest. This is the photo and the article they wrote:

Charles Levie, West Friendship, Md.

Levie, remembered the scene vividly: It was the first November snow in more than 50 years and Kamakura, Japan, was buzzing about the unseasonably cold weather. Never one to miss a photo opportunity, he decided to document the occasion and enlisted two of his photography club friends to explore the city. The ancient Japanese capital, located an hour by train from Tokyo, is known for its traditional and historical art, architecture and culture. “Tokyo is like the heart and brain of Japan, while Kamakura is its soul or history,” Levie said. “It’s a simple, sacred place.”

While shooting, they encountered a group of women donning traditional Japanese winter kimonos and asked to take their picture. They agreed, and happily posed for the photos. After they parted ways, he snapped a quick, full-frame photo on his Canon EOS 5D camera to remember their friendly encounter. The image, Levie said, captured the Japanese spirit. “From the outfits, to the umbrellas, to the body language and how they are strolling, it’s all very Japanese,” said Levie, now a math teacher in Rota, Spain, at a Department of Defense Dependents School. “It’s a culture that appreciates and embraces its past, and constantly celebrates it.”

DODEA, my employer, also posted about this recognition.

“What is a Professional Photographer?”

PetaPixel, one of my favorite sources of online photographic information, recently published my photo essay on “What is a Professional Photographer. If you have time, click on the link and check it out.

Digital Photo Magazine –  Photo of the Day

Tokyo Journal International Magazine

Had two photos featured on Tokyo Journal International Magazine’s online version.

Scott Kelby’s magazine, Photoshop User, showcased two of my photos in their artist’s showcase section for the February edition.

KelbyOne Community – “New User of the Month” Badge

I am not sure how meaningful this is, but it is nice.  Scott Kelby of KelbyOne each month selects a participant in their Community Section to honor.  I posted the above photo from Myanmar that generated an interesting discussion on the site.

2017 U.S. Army Digital Photography Contest

In this year’s U.S. Army Photo Contest, I was very fortunate to have two entries recognized.

Style- Fashion Icon Magazine

“Style – Fashion Icon” magazine used a photo I took of a friend of mine In Zama, Japan as their cover photo.

Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe is considered a Baltimore native, and the Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum maintain his grave site and manage a museum in his honor. The Poe House and the Baltimore Camera Club formed a partnership to honor Poe’s work. Together they annually produce the Poe Calendar, whose proceeds benefit the museum. I was fortunate enough to have my composite Poe photo featured on the January page.

Baltimore Sun Photographer of the Month for November, 2019

Was honored by the Baltimore Sun as their Photographer of the Month. If you have time, check out the link above.

The Muse Magazine

Howard Community College located in Columbia, Maryland publishes a magazine titled The Muse – The Literary & Arts Magazine of Howard Community College. HCC is arguably the number one community college in Maryland with over 100 programs and 14 buildings. Presently as a senior adjunct instructor in the mathematics department, I am teaching a course for perspective elementary school teachers to assist them in their upcoming ETS Praxis exam.

This month I was fortunate to have one of my images selected to be the cover photo for the latest edition.

PetaPixel

The December 7,2020 issue of PetaPixel published my article on “Three Approaches to Travel Photography.” If you have time, check it out.

The December 28,2020 issue of PetaPixel published my article on “The 35+ Rules and Guiding Principles in Photography ” If you have time, check it out.

The February 13, 2021 issue of PetaPixel published my article on “Trials of the Amateur Sports Photographer.” If you have time, check it out.

The Central Maryland Photographers Guild is sponsoring their 2021 annual gallery show. Due to Covid, the exhibition is virtual. I was fortunate enough to have the above photo selected.

The Frederick Camera Clique in Maryland recently held their 35th Annual Juried Contest and Exhibit for 2021. There were about 570 entries across the state, and they selected 80 for their yearly show. I felt very fortunate that all five of my entries made it into the exhibit. Last Thursday they announced the winners of the contest, and again I was honored.  My image, “The Love of a Dog” received 1^st place honors in the People category, while three of my remaining images received honorable mention. To see all the FCC winning images, check out the link:

The December 11, 2021 issue of PetaPixel published my article on “Tips for Capturing Humanity in Street Photos.” If you have time, check it out below.

A couple of years ago, prior to Covid, the Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum of Maryland hosted a Colonial Market Fair. I spent one Saturday afternoon photographing the event, and I was recently notified that they are going to use some of my images to promote this year’s “post -Covid” fair. It was definitely a fun and educational experience, and I feel honored to be in some small way a part of this year’s celebration.

A major challenge in photography is finding a way to be both challenged and educated in this highly technical art form. One of the best means to accomplish this feat is tapping into the expertise of a photography club. This may be slightly excessive, but I actually belong to four clubs – The Baltimore Camera Club, the Central Maryland Photographers Guild, the Frederick Camera Clique, and the Camp Zama Photo Club.

Seeing the collective work of so many talented photographers in conjunction with the workshops on various aspects of the photographic process is beyond valuable. An added plus is every now and then having your own work recognized. This month the FCC posted one of my photos on the cover of their webpage – an image out of my comfort zone.

The Benjamin Banneker Historical Park and Museum of Maryland, who host the Colonial Market Fair, used my image to publicize this year’s event. The stand was located in the Columbia Mall in Columbia, Maryland.

Viewmug is one of the many websites available to photographers to showcase their work. The public can then observe, “like,” and comment on one’s photos. I just received word that one of my images received their “Halfway 22” award due to picture’s viewership.

Obviously, this is a very minor recognition, but I enjoyed the fact that they honored one of my favorite photographs which was taken while walking through an alley one evening in Tokyo.  While looking through the backdoor of a small restaurant, I saw the interaction of these two workers. I loved the color and the classical look on the man’s face.  Thank you Viewmug!

On July 14^th, 2022, I was honored by receiving the Best Person award for my image “Friendship” at the 36th annual Frederick Camera Clique contest. The reception and display of about 75 photos were indeed incredible. A great group of photographers…

I also received the People’s Choice award for an image of my goddaughter’s daughter, as selected by the guests voting at the event. However, this tabulation was greatly influenced by the presence of my goddaughter, her husband, my goddaughter’s daughter, and her three siblings. Those six votes ruled! What can I say??? I do feel a little guilty!

On November 17, 2022, I was honored by the Maryland Photography Alliance in their end-of-year photo contest. The MPA is the major umbrella group of all the photo clubs in the state, and they do great work throughout the year presenting workshops in photography.

This year’s contest had four main themes: Life on the Chesapeake, Macro (close-up), Reflections, and Heroes. In the Heroes category, I had two images recognized – Military Mom (1st Place) and My Big Brother (3rd Place).

The Frederick Camera Clique in Maryland recently held their 37th Annual Juried Contest and Exhibit for 2023. There were almost 400 entries across the state, and I felt very fortunate to have one of my photos recognized. My image, “Happy Graduates,” received an Honorable Mention award. The fact that this photo is of three of my “happy” students on Senior Day at school last spring made this recognition even more enjoyable.