Rise of the Silver Surfer

This is an image that I captured a few months ago at the best theater in town, the “Cobb”. You’re looking at a life size model of the “Silver Surfer” from this Summer's hit “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”. This is one of 400 made for promoting the movie at a theater near you.

So far this Summer, I’ve taken in most of the really big blockbusters; Spider-Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, Fantastic Four 2, and Transformers. All four films were visually stunning and great stories, but I think I was the most impressed with Spidy and Transformers out of this list. I’m getting ready to see the third installment of the “Bourne” series, The Bourne Ultimatum, next weekend.

What about you, have you seen any of the “Blockbusters” this summer? What was your favorite? Have you seen this silver guy at any of your theaters?

30

At times, it feels as if it’s staring me down.
Time used to crawl when I was a child, now it jogs. A year no longer feels like the eternity that it did when I was a boy. 12 months seem to feel more like six now. It’s as if time has doubled it’s pace. I can’t believe July is almost gone! “Attention, this is your captain speaking, we’re about to begin our decent into the Holiday season.”

As I stood listening to some good music on headphones at the “Virgin Records Megastore” in Downtown Disney Saturday night, the numbers above the CD selections represented something to me. Their intended purpose was to indicate where that particular album ranked on a “Top 40” list, but to me, they represented ages. I knew then that I wanted to capture an image with these numbers.

For the most part, I haven’t been effected that much by turning any age. Some of my friends have spoken about how turning 25 or 27 was hard on them, not me though. The only thing that has gotten to me in recent time is how much faster time is going. It was just yesterday that I was 27, now I’m almost half way through 28 and 30 feels very close.

A wise old man named Bob Snyder once told me that “it’s a blessing to grow old”. I took stock in what he said that day, it brought comfort to me. I surely hope and plan to grow old and wise like him.

It’s odd to think that my twenties are waving good bye and that I’m about to begin a new decade of my life. I want that decade to be really good.

Have any birthdays affected you in some way? What advice do you have to offer this 28 year old?

Wall of Blinding Lights

This past Saturday evening I…you guessed it…went to Downtown Disney again to photograph. This visit however, went a little different than planned...

As I was contemplating going there again, during the day, one of our daily thunderstorms arrived outside my apartment around 3:00pm. I thought I’d give it an hour or so and see if the sky looked promising later. Well, around 5:00pm, it was still cloudy with a bit of drizzle. I decided to still venture in there with hopes of getting some post rain shots of the location later in the evening. Images of neon lighted reflections on the sidewalk filled my head.

As I drove the 40 minute trek on I-4, I was met with spots of rain and an endless overcast sky. Once at “DTD” I realized that I may have to wait to shoot for a while until the conditions became more friendly for my expensive little sidekick. So, I decided to kill some time at the mammoth Virgin Record store. I walked along the massive wall of listening stations and found a CD to demo. As I jammed, I began to notice “shots” that I could capture if only I had my camera with me. Once in a while I would glance over to a window area only to realize that there was no end in site for the rain.

Before too long, I decided to brave the falling water and jogged back to my car to get my camera and salvage this otherwise photoless night. I ever so carefully shielded my investment with my umbrella on the way back to the media store. I then returned to the same listening station and jammed once more but with my camera now around my neck and my trusty umbrella drying at my feet.

As I stood there, I took in the almost endless wall of light that was before me. The way it curved in the distance and resembled something from a U2 concert captured my imagination. The only problem was that the shot I wanted to get was one without any people in it. Let me tell you that this store is crawling with tourists and Floridians alike. I would only have a small window of opportunity to get a shot of the wall without anyone blocking the view that I was envisioning.

The image above was about as good as I was going to get that night. There’s really a more impressive view that shows just how far this wall stretches, but I was never able to catch it completely alone…maybe next time.

Spinning

As I was photographing the light show that “Stitch” was providing for me at Downtown Disney, I looked down on the ground and found this little guy at my feet. It’s a Mickey Mouse that has a spinning light apparatus attached to the top of his head. As the three stranded rubber propeller spun, Mickey would slowly rotate as he wobbled from the movement of the propeller above him.

Mickey Mouse is such a worldwide icon, did you still recognize this “blur” as “Mickey”?

Warp Speed

Yesterday evening, I made another trip to Downtown Disney to look for some good images. After walking around for a time, I passed by a Disney street vendor who was selling glowing sticks for the forthcoming night as well as a few character specific souvenirs. One that caught my eye was of “Stitch” the alien from Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch”. He was in his racing style space craft that featured three rubber strands of different lengths with lights at the end of them, serving as a sort of propeller. It was getting near dusk and I immediately thought of doing a slow exposure to capture a cool light blur.

At first, I walked on by, not wanting to draw attention to myself by photographing this toy that the vendor wanted to sell and that little children wanted their parents to buy them. But, I stopped in my tracks, thought for a moment, then turned around and walked up to the guy manning the cart and said, “I have to photograph this thing”. He very accommodatingly replied “Sure! Go right ahead!” So, I tried a few shots and as I began realizing that it was still too early to get the desired effect, the guy working the station said, “Are you gonna be here for a while? You can Come back later once it’s darker.” I thanked him and told him I’d be back.

So, I eventually returned and began shooting this little alien with spinning lights in front of his space ship. Once I thought I had captured what I needed, I thanked the vendor once again and went on my way, knowing I had probably gotten my “shot of the night”.

Say Hello to My Little Friend part 2

Well, I definitely got some interesting feedback on the topic of cell phones! Thanks everyone for contributing to the discussion.

I must say that I was a little surprised at the number of you that do not have one yet. One things for sure though, it sounds like you all would be or are among the “considerate users’’ practicing proper “cell phone etiquette”.

As I shared in my previous post, I’m quite happy with my mobile friend. I love receiving calls from the people close to me. I would say my phone gets moderate use, not nearly as much as some of my friends' cell phones. When I don’t want to be bothered, I just turn the power button off.

My biggest piece of advice for any cell phone user out there, is know when to turn it off. If you’re out on a date with someone special or just spending some quality time with a good friend, do both of you a favor and turn that thing off for a little while. Choose to “be there” with that person.

Above is another one of my favorite images I captured of my cell. There’s something significant to me in this image. Just a subtle tie-in to my life right now. Can anyone guess what it is?

Answer revealed in the comment section!

Say Hello to My Little Friend

Almost everywhere I go, this little guy tags along.
Within the last 10 years, the cell phone has made it’s way into our everyday lives and has made itself an necessity for most people. Because a good percentage of people own at least one now, you need to have one of your own if you’re going to “stay in the loop”. Whether it’s on the job or just hanging with your friends and family, cell phones now play an important part in our lives.

I must say that I really enjoy this modern technological wonder most of the time. A cell phone makes “making plans” a lot more “spontaneous”. I can be somewhere out and about and receive a call from a friend who’s inviting me to dinner. At the trade show that I was just involved in, cell phones were a very valuable tool utilized by everyone in my company to communicate with each other across the vast show floor. Because of the great calling plans that are now available for cell phones, I was able to get rid of my long distance land line plan all together. In fact, my land line is hardly used now except to receive those pesky “telemarketing” calls for me. So far, my cell phone number has not been “compromised” that much. The list of benefits of cell phones keeps going, not to even mention the capabilities of some to surf the web, play music or capture images etc. etc. Capabilities that I’m sure will become more standard as time goes on.

Like with mostly anything, there are some negatives that we have to deal with as well. For instance, when you’re spending time with someone, trying to have good conversation, maybe at a restaurant or book store…and then your companion receives a call disrupting the flow of your evening. Another frustration are the hands free ear pieces that some have, although great safety devices for talking while driving, are deceiving when you see someone walking down the street seeming to talk to themselves. Maybe you begin to talk to them only to realize afterward that they are already having a conversation with someone else. Ok, just a little venting there.

I think the bottom line is, cell phones are wonderful tools (and toys) that have improved our lives in many ways, but we need to practice “cell phone etiquette” and “use responsibly”.

What’s your thoughts on everyone’s best friend, the Cell Phone?

"Last Ride" by Dozer Cycle part 3

One More View.
Ok, I had to give you one more view of this frightening ride.
I guess when it comes to “Bikers” having a sometimes scary wrap, this bike is the ultimate ride for that stereotype.

In the words of “Joel Reynolds”, “Ghost Rider called - he wants his bike back.”

"Last Ride" by Dozer Cycle

Yeah, I thought this would get your attention.
You’re looking at the front of a Motorcycle that is known as “Last Ride”. It’s a bike that sports a human skeleton made of steel that covers the length of it’s body. It literally looks like a skeleton on two wheels. I overheard a show patron say that if he saw this bike pull up beside him, he’d probably pull off the road.

I’ll be showing you a few more views of this unique machine and the man who built it, in the next couple of days.

I'll borrow an idea from my photoblogger friend, Carmi, and ask you a question. What first came to mind when you saw this image?

Show Time

I just photographed the annual trade show that the company I work for puts on each year in Orlando, Florida. The show consists mainly of automotive tools and equipment with the occasional cool bike or car to look at. We had a few special guests at our show this year, one being “Dozer Cycle” company. They brought a few of their motorcycles for all the show attendees to enjoy gazing at. As I was photographing the great bikes, I aimed at one of the mirrors to see if I could get an interesting reflection of the girl working the booth who was sitting about 15 feet away. I was able to see her in the mirror, but couldn’t capture her smiling. So, I went over to her and showed her what I had photographed so far and explained why I needed her to look my way and smile. Once I grabbed this image and showed the result, she said, “Wow, that’s amazing!” She made me feel like I had just performed a street magic trick for her.

This was one of the many images shown in a slide show on four huge screens during a 2,000 attendee dinner Saturday night. As everyone enjoyed their meal, some of the 600 images I took from the previous two days were on display. Later that night, one of the vendors complimented me on my photography and mentioned this shot as one of the ones that stuck out to him.

I hope you all enjoy the new look of the photog blog. The phrase “every image has a story” is something that came to me recently. I think it applies well to photography and what my Blog is all about. Not only does an image “tell” a story itself, but there is always a story as to how and why that image came to be. At this Blog, I hope many stories are enjoyed; the stories that the images tell and the stories that I tell of how those images were created.

The Traveler

I wonder how many places she’s seen? How many times she’s been rained on? How many sunsets on the open road she’s taken in?

How many car shows has she been on display at? How long does she now have to sit in the garage each week?

I wonder.

Bel Air

Another image from my “Old Town” archives. A 1957 Chevy Bel Air this time, taken at the beginning of my “Auto Art” craze in 2004.

Growing up, I remember my Grandfather mentioning “’57 Chevys” on numerous occasions, I think he owned one “back in the day”, before this car was a “legend”. I think it’s safe to say that it’s one of his favorite cars of all time. I’ll have to ask him if that’s a true statement.

I remember a time a couple years back, probably seven years or more, before I began photographing these cars. Me and my Grandfather were checking out all these classics one Saturday night at Old Town. Pap knew a lot about these automobiles and was sharing all sorts of tidbits about them with me. It’s amazing how he could tell what year many of them were built in.

I love the tail fins. Just thought I’d “pop” the red tail light on this one.

Alien World

Here’s an image from my archives, it was taken at least two years ago. I had noticed these flowers while walking around "Lake Mirror" in downtown Lakeland. As I was shooting some macro images of them, this bee happened upon the scene, being busy about his business. It was a chance encounter with this life form from a tiny world that ended up giving me a great image.

His world is alien to mine and mine to his.

Warning To Humans

About a year ago, not long before I started sharing my photography on this blog, I captured this image in downtown Lakeland. I was wondering around trying to find something “photo worthy” when I looked up and saw this sign warning pet owners to clean up after their furry companions. I couldn’t resist. So, I captured it in the way that I saw it.

I finally felt like posting this one. Though it’s quite in contrast to the feelings that the flower in the previous post evokes.

Flower 2.0

I was messing around with an image I took the other day of a beautiful flower, trying to do something selective color. I wasn’t crazy about the rest of the elements in the photo except for the flower itself, though. So, I just created a black background and composed the flower where I wanted it. Nothing fancy, just something quick and easy.

There’s a quote that I wanted to share with all of you. I think everyone will relate to it, especially all you photographers and artists out there. It was at the bottom of an email I received from a business associate the other week.

"When you do the common things in life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world."

- George Washington Carver (1864-1943)

When I read that quote, I first thought of photography and how a creatively composed image grabs the attention of others. I also thought of my favorite athletes, like Michael Jordan. He’s someone who revolutionized the game of Basketball with the way he played it.

Of course, this quote can be applied to any area of life. I just thought you would enjoy reading it and thinking of it in terms of photography as I did.

Orange Camaro

The color and lines on this Chevy Camaro attracted me to it.

An Interview

One of my PhotoBlog friends, “Anna”, an American in London, has offered an “interview challenge”. She recently accepted it from someone and then offered it to anyone else who wanted to be interviewed by her. I immediately obliged. She said I could answer five or as many of the ones she asked that I wanted. I liked all the questions, so, I chose to answer all eight!

What are you most passionate about in your life?
Being creative. I can be “passionately creative” and “creatively passionate”. As I’ve said before, I just find that I’m most happy when I’m being creative. Creativity can show up in every area of life. Equal to this passion would be my faith in Christ.

Pick a song that best describes you.
This is difficult because I love music very much and have “many” songs that are like “theme songs” for me. I’ll just have to pick one. I would say, “I Owe It All” by Paul Colman. It’s really a song that describes my relationship with God and how I “owe it all”, everything in my life, to Him because He has given me every good thing in my life. As the bridge of the song says, “You always lift me when I fall, You always hear me when I call, and you forgive me, Lord, and in your grace I am found”.

In a quiet moment you get to yourself, what do you do?
In this season of my life, I have a lot of opportunities for “quiet moments”. Really, I always have. Once I step out of the work environment, I have the opportunity to go create a “quiet moment” if I like. I guess it’s a matter of when I choose to have a quiet moment. I would say a true moment like this would be when I read or pray.

What surprises you most about other people?
The amount of hate that some people can have.

Who has made the most impact on your life? Why?
That’s a very difficult question. So many people that I have known have shaped who I am in some way or another. I’m going to have to say my Grandparents and Parents. No matter what, they’ve always been there for me to fall back on.

Share one sure fire way to get to your heart?
Love, Hope, Beauty, and Adventure speak to my heart.

What is one thing you own that would be hard for you to give away?
My laptop computer.

Share something that you hope to do one day.
Share the beauty of the Grand Canyon or a walk on a sunset lit beach with someone I love. I would be taking in a little bit more of the greatness of God and experiencing “Love, Hope, Beauty, and Adventure” all in that moment.

If you are also interested in being interviewed, leave me a comment saying, "INTERVIEW ME." Then, I will respond by asking you at least five new questions. You will then post on your blog your answers to my questions. The fun continues when you include this explanation and an offer to interview one of your readers in your post. When they comment requesting to be interviewed, you will ask them at least five new questions of your own.

The image above, was captured at “Old Town” last Saturday night.

Lollypop Of Light

Here’s another image from Saturday night. It’s a ride that consists of a giant, spinning beam with a riding apparatus on each end. The beam is covered with lights which created this humongous, multicolored lollypop when it was photographed with an exposure of eight seconds. My aperture was set at F8 and virtual film speed was set to “50” to limit as much “noise” as possible.

I would have liked to have gotten the whole radius in frame, but I was up against a building just to get this perspective. The two multicolored beams behind the circle are a part of a “reverse bungee” riding attraction. I’ll probably be trying more shots with this subject the next time I go to Old Town.

Old Town, Kissimmee, Florida

Yesterday evening, I took the 30 minute drive to Kissimmee Florida. You’ve heard me talk about this place plenty of times in the past, but just incase you've missed those posts; “Old Town” is a tourist attraction with lots of “unique shops, restaurants and rides”. Every Saturday night, it hosts a classic car show called "The Saturday Night Cruise". The "Cruise" averages around 300 vehicles each week and is the largest "weekly show" in America. You’ve seen some of the best images I’ve captured there of those cars from previous visits. Last evening though, I came prepared with my tripod in tow, to do some long exposure shots of the Farris Wheel and swing ride located at the entrance of this attraction.

Above is one of my favorites of the night. I’ll be posting more images from this outing, so stay tuned.

"Bond...James Bond"

Above is an image I created earlier this week for a prize give-away promotion that the company I work for is doing. It’s an “Omega” watch that is themed after the Omega watch worn by the latest “James Bond” in the film “Casino Royale”.

I wanted to emphasize the fact that this was a “Bond” watch, so I placed a pamphlet that came with it, featuring “Bond” himself, in the background.