Photo Story

Tampa Theatre Marquee Glowing at Night & Day Landmark

in

Tampa Theatre glowing marquee & sign at night - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 1 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseContinuing a recent trend of photographing Tampa Bay area landmarks, in particular ones I had never really photographed before, I was glad to finally have the opportunity to make these shots of the historic Tampa Theatre located right in the middle of downtown Tampa.  There is no better place I know of to go and have an old time movie experience.  As cool as the theater looks on the outside, it is 10x cooler on the inside.  It is easy to create images with atmosphere when photographing such a place.  

Tampa Theatre marquee in daylight - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 7-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable releaseI have not actually seen a movie at Tampa Theatre since the 90s, when I used to go semi-regularly.  I was living abroad for most of the 00s and since returning to Florida and moving across the bay from the theater, have not made the journey at night to see the more independent movies the theater features.  

Panorama Tampa at Twilight Views from a Parking Garage

in ,

Downtown Tampa Panorama at Twilight Bird's Eye View - click for 1200px image - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 5 sec 3-frame panorama tripod mounted with cable release

It is hard to pry me out of St. Petersburg.  Thankfully, a new client hired me to make some images of Tampa for their new website giving me the opportunity to cross the Howard Frankland Bridge with my DSLR and tripod in tow.  Of all the photographs I took that afternoon and evening, in this post a selection of images taken all from the same spot atop a parking garage are featured.  I had never been to the top of this parking garage before.  I just stumbled upon it as I was searching for bird's eye vantage points of downtown Tampa.  It was a little hard to get into, as I had to risk walking up the narrow entrance ramp before I found an actual parking level that had elevators to the top.  I later found out the actual entrance is inside a building on the other side.  After walking the last three flights to the roof (the elevator I was in did not go to the top) carrying all my gear, I was glad I as always was properly attired with the best footwear possible.

University of Tampa from above at dusk with light trails - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/16 ISO 200 5 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseIt was a very unique feeling being alone on the top of that garage.  There were only two cars left parked on the far side from me.  It was after 5:30pm and everyone had already gone home for the day.  I felt like I was in a secret spot with a view of all downtown Tampa.  All this added up to a feeling of peace.  My Nikon D300 was on my Induro CT214 tripod, so I had no weight on my body from gear.  I could move about freely looking for shots.  At first there was too much light to make the light trail shots I wanted to, so I passed the time by observing and wondering.

Blue Skyscraper to Blue Infinity with Moon - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/11 ISO 200 1.6 sec tripod mounted with cable release - lens correction in Photoshop CS5 to straighten buildingBehind where I knew I wanted to do most of my shooting stood a tall blue skyscraper trying to reach to the Moon.  I thought it interesting how the color of the building nearly blended in perfectly with the twilight sky.  I debated for awhile on which to include in this post, the lens corrected image you see above (building is straight) or the non-corrected one with the building bending inward appearing to reach for the heavens.  

Sykes Building Downtown Tampa Twilight - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/16 ISO 200 10 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseI really enjoyed being alone atop that parking garage waiting for the evening to transition from dusk to twilight.

Edward Medard Park and Reservoir Trees HDR & Jumping

in ,

Live Oaks showing their roots in Edward Medard Park - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 7-exposure HDR tripod mountedIt had been too long since a couple of old college friends and I had one of our outdoor adventures together.  That was remedied by a recent visit to the surprisingly amazing Edward Medard Park and Reservoir in Plant City.  They said it had hills, so I was expecting some modest plain grass covered round and soft hills.  I never expected to step into an alien environment where live oaks sat perched upon angry hills of clay-like dirt with all their roots exposed in a display of their might.

A fearless tree climber in Edward Medard Park - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/8 ISO 200 1/40th tripod mountedAfter a few handheld shots with my 80-200mm f/2.8 lens, I quickly relized that was not the setup ideal for photographing this environment and switched to my 17-50mm f/2.8 lens and mounted my Nikon on my Induro carbon fiber tripod the rest of the day.  Without that wide lens I would never been able to capture one friend who is an avid tree climber surprisingly high up in the branches of this long limbed live oak.

uprooted tree in Edward Medard Park - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 7-exposure HDR tripod mountedEdward Medard Park has more traditional looking Florida outdoor areas by the reservoir itself offering shady live oaks, with roots all neatly underground, well, save for one that was uprooted long ago.

Jason performing trademark "Liu Kang" leap - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/2.8 ISO 800 1/800th tripod mountedJust to show you I did not spend the entire time behind the camera, in the above shot you can see yours truly performing my patented "Liu Kang" method air leap over some roots perfectly shaped like hurdles on a tricky downslope.  Some of you who have know me well will already have seen my debut of this move, which was over a much more dangerous gap.  I set up this shot with my Nikon D300 mounted on my tripod with all the settings dialed in.  

photography tip:

As you can see shooting an action shot into the sun required some very unusual settings.  My DSLR photography lesson students should be able to see I used settings I have told them probably never are needed, such as using f/2.8 on a wild angle lens.  In order to expose the subject (me) enough, a long shutter speed is needed especially shooting into the sun like this.  However, to freeze the action, a fast shutter speed is needed.  The solution to this is to go ahead and set the needed shutter speed, 1/800th of a second, then adjust aperture and ISO until there is enough exposure to show me and not worry if the sky gets blown out.  So that is my photography tip for action shots into the sun!

Using the tripod all day did not slow me down, but rather freed me much more to make the photographs I wanted to and still enjoy all the action with my friends.  Shooting on a tripod is not physically demanding and the setup is pretty easy to carry, so I did not get tired from having a camera hanging off me all day.  Plus, since I did not have to constantly keep taking a camera strap on and off, but rather just let the tripod stand up on its own, it was really easy for me to switch from photographer to adventurer.  I just had to leave the camera standing where it was on the tripod then explore the area as I liked.  

As you can see Edward Medard Park, despite the unfortunate name, is a great place for photography and adventure!

--official website and directions 

  • Read more photo stories
  • Reserve your own 1-on-1 DSLR Photography Lesson with Jason today!
  • Learn more about the lessons 

    • First Sunrise of 2012 Florida Sunshine Skyway Bridge New Years

    in

    First light of dawn on New Year's morning 2012 Sunshine Skyway Bridge - Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 10 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseI was just thinking about a week ago how I have no photographs of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, one of the top landmarks in the entire Tampa Bay area.  With New Year's Day 2012 approaching it seemed then a great chance to continue a Japanese custom, watching the first sunrise of the year, while finally photographing the bridge.  I learned from a photographer in Japan that the best morning light is actually way before the actual sunrise.  The above image was taken approximately 49 minutes before sunrise.

    Dawn light surrounding the peaks of Sunshine Skyway Bridge - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/16 ISO 200 5 sec tripod mounted with cable releaseDawn photography is similarly easy to night photography.  If you have a stable tripod and a cable release, then it is basically just a matter of choosing the best shutter speed to produce the most vivid color and also of course composing the shot in an interesting way.  With my Nikon D300 mounted on my Induro CT214 carbon fiber tripod, making these shots was no mess, no fuss.  By that I mean the tripod takes away the physicality of holding the DSLR and heavy lens, correcting a shot just means turning one dial for shutter speed, and the act of making the shot itself is just holding the button on the light cable release.  Painless!

    The sun first peaks over Sunshine Skyway Bridge St. Petersburg Florida - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/16 ISO 200 1/60th tripod mounted with cable releaseIn the fifteen or so minutes before the actual sunrise the light is already poor, especially compared to the light fifty minutes earlier.  So in that time I did not even bother making any photos.  Thus, it is important to know the exact minute of the sunrise so you can keep an eye on the time because once the good dawn light is gone, all that remains is to photograph the sun itself rising above the horizon.  Once it is above, that is the end of the excitement.

    Vivid orange sunrise Sunshine Skyway Bridge Florida - Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/16 ISO 200 7-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable releaseSince the sunrise is well in the distance along the horizon, using a longer lens with a focal length of 200mm is very handy for being able to fill the frame.  The above shot was taken at 200mm (300mm effective focal length).  

    Please put links to your New Year's sunrise photographs in the comments below!

    INQUIRE ABOUT FINE ART PRINTS OR COMMERCIAL LICENSE OF THESE IMAGES 

    Favorite Ten Photographs of 2011

    in

    This is a collection of my ten personal favorite photographs that I made in 2011, with roughly each image from a different category.  I somehow totally forgot that in the past I only selected my "Five Favorite" shots (2009, 2010), as I from the start set out to choose ten this time.  All photographs were made in the greater Tampa Bay area using a Nikon D300, various lenses, various techniques and various lighting.  My process for selecting the images was based on if the photo made me feel emotion, and also if the particular photograph was a breakthrough for me in terms of technique or content.

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/4 ISO 200 1 sec tripod mounted10 - Carnival Time Machine - category:  motion blur

    In 2011 I finally invested in a proper tripod.  This allowed me to explore the world of motion blur photography when the annual carnival came to the church right across the water from where I live.  This tilt-a-whirl image appeals to me because of its perfect roundness on a pure black background.  It has a cleanness of form that appeals to me aesthetically. (read original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 1/100th Strobist: Nikon SB-800 Speedlight @ 1/4 power to frame left & SB-600 Speedlight @ 1/4 to frame right9 - Close Family on Colorful Sunset Beach - category:  strobist

    This family were repeat clients from 2010.  It is always great to photograph people you already know and have photographed before.  Last year it was their daughter's seventh birthday party.  For this year, they wanted family portraits on the beach.  As you can see Mother Nature did her part providing a spectacular sunset over the Gulf of Mexico.  Using my 2-strobe off camera flash technique I caught the family in a candid exchange of daughter from father to mother. (read original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 Nikkor 80-200mm @ f/4 ISO 200 1/1600th8 - Great Blue Heron Sunset Silhouette - category:  nature

    I had pretty much never made a silhouette shot before the one you see above as I thought them too common, too easy to do.  However, when I saw a great blue heron right in my own backyard with the sun setting behind it, I thought, why not?  The result to me is a classical representation of Florida, the Sunshine State.  I feel a sense of near and far with the image as well, with the great blue heron so close, and the Sun so far.  Sunset is my favorite time of day and this shot will always help me remember what it was like living here on Snell Isle. (read the original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/8 ISO 200 7-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable release7- New Salvador Dali Museum at Twilight with Moon - category:  HDR

    This very well could have been my #1 image of the year.  I had a print of it made for my portfolio, which I only do for a very select few images.  I made the shot while teaching a DSLR Photography Lesson, otherwise I would never have been there that evening.  I have always from the beginning tried to make my HDR look realistic, to use the HDR technique to show images in a more real sense, rather than hyper-real as a lot of HDR tends to look.  Using HDR allowed me to expose the people inside the glass enigma feature of the museum, as well as the purple twilight sky surrounding the waxing moon.  This is yet another image taken at sunset/dusk, my favorite time of day.  This image appeals to me because of its futuristic sense. (read the original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/60th Strobist: SB-800 to frame right SB-600 to frame left6 - Fashion Model With Dog Statue - category:  fashion

    I can tell you that photographing models for money is rather enjoyable.  Photographing a model is totally different because they know how to act in front of the lens, and like being in front of the lens.  When working with a model I can focus on the creative much more since keeping the subject's interest and coaching them into a flattering pose requires little to no effort.  It was my idea to introduce the dog statue into this shot as an element of pure curiosity. (read the original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 with Tamron 17-50mm @ f/2.8 ISO 1250 1/60th ambient light5 - Old High School Friends in Dennys - category - candid

    This is by far the most personal image for me out of the ten, and the one that in ten years will have the most personal value to me.  I had it printed and mounted and it resides on my desk as of this moment.  On the left is old high school friend Rick.  On the right is eldest friend Terry.  We were all best friends in high school.  I had not seen Rick in ten years.  It was the first time for all three of us to be together since we could remember, possibly as long as 1996.  As is the case with childhood friends, ten years might as well be ten seconds once back together again.  This candid portrait perfectly captures how I remember these friends in my mind, which to me is the best result one could ask for in a photo, capturing something as it really is. (read the original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/5.6 ISO 200 1/160th SB-800 to frame left & SB-600 to frame right4 - Family Facing the Sea & Setting Sun - category - family beach portrait

    The beach is not an environment with that many features.  Basically there is the tall grass at the edge of the beach, the sandy beach itself and then the water.  Therefore, family beach portraits can all tend to look similar.  I am always trying to think of new ideas for photos as I do not like to repeat myself.  This portrait was the first time I had a family face the setting sun, thereby putting their backs to the camera.  For me creatively, this makes the impact of the photo totally different than if you could see their faces.  The mood is entirely different, mystery is added, and their reflections in the wet sand add yet another dimension to the image.  When the family looks at this photo in ten years, I want them to wonder what they were thinking about in that moment. (read the original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm lens @ f/11 ISO 200 7-exposure HDR mounted on Induro CT214 tripod with cable release3 - Binocular Viewer Relic of the Past - category:  black & white

    This is another image that was made while teaching a DSLR Photography Lesson.  This image ranks so high among my favorites because it haunts me.  In a world rapidly becoming all digital, I am taken aback that suck an analog relic from the past still exists.  I am very pleased that it does.  An object made of thick metal, so heavy that it simply cannot even be moved using one's full strength.  It is such a tangible object.  I chose to use black & white processing to show my nostalgia for the binocular viewer and its links to childhood in general.  I will have a print made of this photograph soon.  (read the original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/11 ISO 200 7-exposure HDR tripod mounted with cable release2 - Lexus IS F in Abandoned Ybor City Tampa - category:  car

    This is the one image not made in St. Petersburg.  I scouted this location in Ybor City, Tampa before the day of the shoot as the client wanted a brick warehouse background.  For a short time, the Lexus IS F was my favorite car in the world.  So when the opportunity came to actually get paid money to photograph one, I was ecstatic.  This also marked a transition in my business toward car & commercial photography.  I liked this image so much that I have been using it on the front side of my business card for most of 2011.  I need to get a print of this one made sometime very soon too. (read the original photo story for this image)

     

    Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm @ f/7.1 ISO 200 1/160th SB-800 to frame right & SB-600 to frame left1 - Guitarist Playing to the Sunset - category:  commercial

    Quite simply, I believe this was the best time I ever had making photographs, at least professionally.  The client gave me the ideal instructions:  just photogrpah me while I play.  In this way, I was able to combine a commercial shoot with essentially candid street photography.  Thus, it was my ideal photography job.  Since he was actually playing, the music also set the tone for the shoot as well.  I never shot a greater variety of photos using all my lenses, both natural light and strobist shots, wide shots, tight shots, sunset shots, silhouette shots, basically a little of everything from all the other above images.  Once again, the image that appeals most to me is one where you cannot see the subject's face.  I already have a print of it in my portfolio.  This is my favorite photograph made in 2011.  (read the original photo story for this image)

    My Favorite Five Images of 2009

    My Favorite Five Images of 2010

    --please post links to your own favorite photographs in the comments below

    Tokyo Christmas Lights Stranger's Kiss - street photography

    in

    This is one of my personal favorite photographs - Location: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan December 2008I can no longer remember what I saw and what I was thinking before I pushed the shutter to make this shot back in December of 2008 while I was still living in Tokyo, Japan and making daily trips to shoot in and around my tower apartment in Shinjuku.  I know I had been on to photograph some of the millions of Christmas lights in the city.  Japanese really, really like Christmas lights.  All of Tokyo is covered with them.  They refer to them as "illumination."  

    This night it was just me and my Nikon watching the thousands of people walk by watching the thousands of lights.  There is a comfort I feel when I am out with my camera, almost a kind of security, that I would not feel if I were just one of the others out enjoying the lights.  

    What do you see in the photo?  What of the two people?  Does it look like a couple about to kiss?  Actually, they were just strangers passing by and I happened to push the shutter just at the right instant to create the kissing illusion.  As I mentioned above, I can no longer remember if I intended to do this.  I am not even sure if I intended any people to be in the shot at all.  

    Nevertheless, this illusioned shot of a couple's kiss is one of my personal favorite shots because it makes me think and try to remember.