Happy Father’s Day 2013 / Parental Guidance
Parental Guidance, 2010
Happy Father’s Day
Islands in the Sun / Florida Keys in Color and Black and White
Island in the Sun, Florida Keys, FL 2012
Two Trees, Florida Keys, FL 2012
Heading south from Miami, the road eventually narrows into just two lanes, north and south. The Overseas Highway is a 127.5 mile highway that carries U.S. Route 1 from Homestead/Florida City south to Key West at the end. All along the way the road is surrounded by water, islands and wildlife.
Seen in countless movies (remember the limousine chase in Schwarzenegger’s True Lies)
http://bit.ly/1bqdZ55
and the majority of television car commercials, the road through the keys is a unique and beautiful place to travel and photograph. And when you reach the end to Key West (AKA Margaritaville), you can enjoy, as Jimmy Buffet sang, a Cheeseburger in Paradise
http://bit.ly/11rWT17
…or at least a slice of Key Lime Pie, which is as good as it gets and where it originated.
The Birth of a New Series / Feral Cats, BORN TO BE WILD
Black Cat, Aqua Eyes, 2013
Albino, 2013
Siamese, Blue Eyes, 2012
Feral Cats are a breed of domestic feline that are born and/or survive outdoors rather than living as house pets. They either hunt for their own food or are fed by humans in their immediate surroundings. In South Florida, many of the local tourist venues that exhibit captive wildlife, also have Feral Cats living on the premises.
While shooting the formerly wild animals in many of these locations for the Series: Of the Wild, I noticed that in addition to the type of common cats you might see on the street, there were many with unique, even striking features. Eventually, I decided to do what I do best and capture the beauty of these hybrid, varied species of feline. As is my signature style, the images are shot outdoors in natural light, cropped tight to emphasize their personality as seen through their beautiful eyes and …on the animal’s terms. Due to their wild nature, capturing the images is often challenging because they are very skittish subjects and don’t usually pose for the camera.
Nevertheless, for all cat lovers, witness the birth of a new series, Feral Cats, Born to be Wild.
Fire on the Mountain / Colorado Springs
Fire on the Mountain, Colorado Springs, CO 2010
Having chased the setting sun one evening in Southern Colorado, I came across this scene just after it went below the horizon. I used just enough of the silhouetted mountain to compliment the large area of negative space featuring the reflected sun and evening clouds.
As often happens, I caught this “fire on the mountain” for a moment, and then it was gone.
By the Sea, By the Sea, By the Beautiful Sea / Dusk Seascapes
By the Sea, Deerfield Beach, FL 2013
Time and Tide Waits For No Man, Deerfield Beach, FL 2013
To create low light, dusk Seascapes such as these, you need: a.) patience, b.) a tripod), c.) a shutter release cable and d) bare feet. The patience is required to wait until just the right light, here, just after sunset. The tripod is a necessity to hold the camera steady to allow for a long exposure to capture the smooth motion of the ocean. The cable release adds an additional amount of steadiness when clicking the shutter. The bare feet are required because you will get wet, and you will sink into the sand as the tide ebbs and flows beneath you.
Here are some tips to avoid disaster, and hopefully capture a great image: a.) keep the camera strap around your neck in case somehow the camera becomes detached from the tripod (nothing worse than an SLR in sea water,) b.) aim one of the Tripod legs down towards the ocean so it remains somewhat steady as the surf comes in and goes out, c.) force the tripod legs deep into the sand (inevitably, it will still move with a big wave, but try to hold it down when that happens, d.) keep the shutter release cable high, (I lay it around my neck), so it won’t get wet dangling down, e.) pay attention to the waves in the background as well as the tide in the foreground to create a solid composition.
Do all of the above and you may come away with something great. Worse case scenario…there is no place better to find yourself as the sun sets on another day.
Birds of a Feather / Flamingo Triptych
Flamingo Triptych, 2009-2013
While we are on the subject of Flamingos (from my last post), an additional Triptych available to collectors is the Flamingo Triptych which was created from 2099 through 2013. Three images of three different birds exhibit the diversity in color and design of the beautiful feathers seen on different animals. This piece can add some beautiful color to the right residential or commercial space.
Art in Nature / The Devil is in the Details / Caribbean Flamingo
Flamingo Fire, Florida 2013
To capture a good photograph, sometimes you need to look at the big picture. Many other times, the image can be found close up. Here, the Devil is in the details. The back feathers of a Caribbean Flamingo rise as if forming a beautiful fire.
