Old Florida Trailer Black & White HDR

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Nikon D300 with Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 9-bracket HDR on tripod

Montana might be called Big Sky Country, but one could not be blamed for thinking it was Florida's.  Half the state is utterly flat with a lack of tall buildings.  I saw this old trailer just sitting along the edge of a wide open field.  The large puffy clouds with dark bellies are typical of a spring, summer or fall Florida afternoon sky.  Such skies are one of the most beautiful features of Florida.  The ability to stand out in the open and have a 180 degree view, from one edge of the horizon to the other, tells me I am back in Florida, and it is good.  No barriers to thought under such skies, day, and especially night.  Many places in Florida give you clean and direct access to the Universe.  

Bride Series - Bianca

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Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens @ f/8 ISO 400 1/60th Nikon SB-800 Speedlight off camera held by assistant

When photographing a wedding, it starts and ends with the bride.  After all, she is the best dressed.  The Bride Series will mostly feature photographs of the bride alone.  As is my style, I like to photograph people, and that goes for brides too, while they are thinking of something other than being photographed.  In the above shot, I did ask Bianca to step close to the mirror for the composition of the shot.  The expression is her own.

Nikon D300 with Nikkor AF-S 105mm VR micro f/2.8G lens @ f/8 ISO 400 1/60th Nikon SB-800 Speedlight on hotshoe

The above photo was made in a similar way to the lead photo.  I told Bianca I would like a photo of her ring up near her face.  I helped position her fingers (spreading them out more) and she and the fabulous Nikkor 105mm VR micro lens did the rest.  The viewer is left to guess what is on her mind.  Even I do not know.  My job as the photographer is merely to pose the question.  

Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens @ f/8 ISO 400 1/60th Nikon SB-800 Speedlight off camera held by assistant

After Bianca was already, I suggested she plop down on the sofa and relax.  She purposefully wanted me to get her red shoes in the shot.  This church had pretty much the nicest bathroom I had ever seen.  Are all women's bathrooms like this??

Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/8 ISO 400 1/60th Nikon SB-800 Speedlight on hotshoeHer father really stood out in his hipster white jacket.  He also had a great smile, so I was drawn to photographing him.  They were not dancing alone on the dance floor.  The challenge is to find an angle that has no distracting background.  Though I was able to frame the shot with no other people in it, the wall itself was somewhat distracting so I chose the antique plate II filter in Silver Efex Pro to put the emphasis on father and daughter, not corners and panels.

Nikon D300 Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens @ f/4 ISO 640 1/125th Nikon SB-800 Speedlight on hotshoeThis photograph is a true candid.  Taken with my faithful Nikkor AF ED 80-200mm f/2.8D lens @ the full 200mm (300mm equivalent) I was not even in Bianca's sightline.  I noticed her through the crowd taking a moment for herself.  

What do you think was on her mind?

Snell Isle Series - 002 - "Stormy Apartments HDR"

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Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens @ f/8 ISO 200 5-bracket HDRStorms have been rolling in like clockwork at 8pm for the past two weeks here in Snell Isle.  Instead of feeling anger at them for canceling outdoor plans, I thought I might as well photograph them.  I was only able to make the above shot before the rain started to fall.  I was out on a small dock facing the central courtyard feeling a bit exposed actually.  I am sure I will get another chance soon to photograph another Snell Isle storm!

Stormy in your area?

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I photograph motorcycles for fun

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Nikon D300 Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D @ f/2 ISO 100 - St Petersburg, FloridaWhy did I photograph this motorcycle?  Simply because I like to photograph motorcycles.  I do not know how to ride a motorcycle.  I have only ever ridden on one once as a boy.  Yet I am drawn to photographing them.  Mostly parked.  These are photographs just for me.  For my own enjoyment.  I photograph them because it excites me too.  

I am just trying to say I believe it is important for a photographer to sometimes (always?) make photographs for themselves, first and foremost.  To not care at all what people on flickr will think, not what people in your local photography club will say, not what your more experienced photographer friend will say.  Just make a photograph that you yourself like to look at.  I know I really like looking at all that chrome and green paint above.  If someone else digs it, that's cool.  If not, it will not lesson my own liking of it in the least.  

I used to live in Tokyo where there are many more motorcycles.  I even made a flickr set just for them.

What do you like to photograph just for yourself?

Moon over The Pier in St. Petersburg HDR

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Nikon D300 Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 @ f/11 ISO 200 3-bracket HDRAbout fifteen months ago, shortly after I returned to the U.S. from living abroad for nine years, I showed some of my work to an infinitely more experienced photographer.  They were mostly 11x14 prints of scenes from Japan.  I remembered one critique he gave of my photographs the most, "no portrait orientation."  Certain things really stick in my mind, and his critique was one such thing.  From the very next time I went out shooting his words echoed in my head and I did indeed begin to shoot in portrait orientation more.  

I read a blog post by another infinitely more experienced photographer that included a portrait orientation landscape.  I added that to my mental photography vault.

The culmination of those two things can be seen in the shot above:  a Florida landscape scene shot in portrait orientation.  

The Pier in downtown St. Petersburg is a very peculiar thing that is simultaneously the would-be centerpiece of the downtown and also the least liked attraction in the downtown area.  It is just so prominent a structure that no matter how common a photography subject I feel it is, I, myself, keep photographing it too!  

I often compose The Pier to be a small in the frame, and try to include an interesting sky, and fortunately this time, the moon also.  

What do you keep in your mental photography vault?  Do you show your work to an infinitely more experienced photographer?  Have they given you constructive critiques?  I believe to become a better photographer one must seek out such critiques and keep them in a handy place where they can be easily put to use the next time you go out shooting.  

Check your favorite shots from the past year, what percent are landscape orientation?  What percent are portrait orientation?

Jilted St. Petersburg Sailboat

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Nikon D300 with Tamron XR Di II 17-50mm f/2.8 lens @ f/8 ISO 400 1/160th & SB-600 hotshoe mountedI felt bad for this sailboat.  It had broken its moorings and drifted into the shallows of the small harbor.  A storm capable of doing this had passed a few days earlier, so presumably the poor sailboat was in that tilted position for some time.  To me it was incomprehensible how its owners could allow it to lie in such an undignified position.  I thought on the spot they were unfit to own it.  I would gladly relieve them of their burden and spend my weekends traveling in the most green way possible, as well as the most peaceful and elemental way, by sail.  

I sailed once, years ago.  Sailing suits my way of making subtle adjustments and going by feel rather than rote rules.  My photography goes somewhat that same way as well.

What if this sailboat is still jilted next week?  Do I have a right to claim it?  No doubt I would treat it with much more respect and not just name it another one.

Nikon D300 with Tamron XR Di II 17-50mm f/2.8 lens @ f/8 ISO 400 1/160th & SB-600 hotshoe mounted