Waiting for the right moment in (where was I exactly) Arles, France

Waiting for the right moment in (where was I exactly) Arles, France, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

My travel technique is one often ridiculed by those who don't understand. Actually, i've ridiculed it myself! Ever since my first trip to Europe, my style has been that of the typical American I guess: See as much as possible and at a rapid pace. I actually spent about 4 hours in Venice my first trip there. FOUR HOURS! Jumped on a boat from the train station, headed to St. Marks, walked a few alleys, got back on the train, and bam....off to Florence. Silly, I know...

Fast forward a few years and I'm essentially the same guy, not quite AS bad, but still a bit hyper. All that being said, it was at first quite torturous to wait here for the slowly wandering tourists to clear out of the shot. Its kinda funny, when your waiting...they seem to move slow as molasses, don't they? Appearing to be studying nothing at all, one guy wandered in and out of my camera view for what seemed like hours!

Like a slap in the face, however, my focus changed. What in the hell was I in such a rush for. If I could only slow the pace down a few clips, I might actually be able to let my mind wander a bit and imagine the stories these walls might be able to tell. Almost like a scene from a bedtime story I might have read to my daughter, this place was magical. As I sat down on the cool stones in the corner, I allowed myself to sink into the music on the Ipod while noticing the details in the arches, the texture in the stones, the musty smell of years gone by, .......WOW. Its amazing what we let out minds filter out in the rush of the average day.

I sometimes wonder what value there is in spending so much time behind the lense, until I recall moments like this :)

Details from an industry event

Details from an industry event, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

I finally got around to editing a few images I shot for a great florist that works out of our studio. It was an industry event showcase at a really cool and trendy location in Miami. Yes it was a couple of month ago (notice the use of the word finally), but I finally (there it is again) got a few done and delivered today. Its nice to kind of take yourself out of the comfort zone every now and then to see what you can create. I actually wish that I shot a few more while I was there. I shaved the batch down to about 40 that I liked and did minimal processing. As for now, here is one I shot just before I grabbed a fork and snuck a taste out of the backside of the cake (LOL!)

More to follow soon......

West Palm Beach - Sunset Panorama

West Palm Beach - Sunset Panorama, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

Okay, so the world is quite saturated with sunset images.....REALLY saturated, but that still doesn't stop us photogs from chasing this most magical moment of the day. Sometimes its a bust, but on occasion, the sky here in South Florida reveals yet another unique masterpiece. Wow, what can be created with one light!

The Skull Lounge

The Skull Lounge, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

Devils night, Halloween, Alls Hallowed Eve, ...... whatever you choose to call it, its a great excuse for a party. This year was of course no exception. My friend Kevin sinks a huge amount of time, creative energy, and focus into this event, and like last year, I was happy to be a part of the magic!

Just around the corner from the "haunt" where guests could be hears throughout the gardens schreaking from the many surprises, the ghosts danced their little ballet over the pond. Backlit smoke effects silhouetted the brick sculpture while creating a backdrop to the moody environment.

An area in the middle of the Garden was appropriately named "The Skull Lounge". Here, the guests could chill out under the stars while listening to a bit on a mix of ambient "Ibiza Chill" tunes. Wildfire black-lights illuminated the spider web decor suspended overhead.

The main stage was the place to be scene as this inaugural party of the Palm Beach Season kicked in. Moving lights, fire projection effects, and dramatic red washes of color helped create the ambiance. If the neighborhood allowed, the energy of this event would have lasted till the weee hours for sure, but instead, the after hours crowd took the party over to Palm Beach!

Ez in the South of France

Ez in the South of France, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

My travels usually find me loaded down with an excessive about of camera gear lately. The trek uphill to this little village in the South of France called Ez was no exception. Soon after I planted down the tripod legs for this shot of a little bit of "Old World Europe", I half expected the door to creek open. I envisioned an old French lady waving me off in a cranky old voice while simulating a motion of smacking me upside the head with a freshly baked baguette. Wow, that was really weird........geez!

So, now for something completely different....

If you get a chance to catch the Michael Jackson movie thats out, I highly suggest it. As someone that works in the live events industry, it was quite interesting to me. A great behind the scenes look at the magic behind creating a show. I must say, he really seemed like a sincerely devoted, passionate, and caring performer to work with. The movie portrayed a man with a real heart and compassion for all he worked with. Beyond the fact that the world missed out on what appeared to be an incredible show in the making, the real loss is the message that he was never able to communicate through his art. As he mentioned, this planet is hurting and its up to us, all of us, to do what ever we can before it is too late. Who knows how many people he could have effected with that show and the difference it may have made. Its sad that we will never know!

Bumbling about the Oregon Coast

Bumbling about the Oregon Coast, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

Bumbling....indeed how I do feel sometimes when chasing the light. This trip was definitely no exception. Its funny how the sun appears to be falling at the rate a bowling ball would when you're racing to find a place to capture this special time of day!

Along the Oregon Coast, the sea is quite cold; unique, but very cold. As I studied a few of the locals heading to the beach in this part of the country, I noticed that they seemed to be a bit more focused......perhaps sophisticated as well.....?

Just before exploring the tide pools off in the distance, I decided to plop down in the warm sand to capture the amber light that was beginning to paint the landscape in this coastal paradise. Good God, that was one of the longest sentences ever! And kinda lame too.....

Anyway, hope ya like it.....the image that is....

And, to continue a sort of recurring theme this week....music that inspired the edit:

Moonlight along the Oregon Coast

Moonlight along the Oregon Coast, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

My post this evening finds me with a bit of a backlog of shots I either have been wanting to post, have perviously talked about posting, or promised others that I would post soon. So, with all that being said, I'm not really sure why I put the headphones on and dove deep into the drive to find a blank palette to paint on. I guess it has a little to do with the afternoon I had. I decided to take a wee bit of a break and goofed off for a while today. This afternoon, I took my daughter to see The Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey in 3d IMAX. Definitely a must see!!! What a buffet of visual inspiration. It's hard to figure out what is animated, generated, and real. I guess when it all works, it really doesn't matter. What was even cooler was the opportunity to discuss the movie in a rather philosophical way with a 9 year old over dinner afterwards. Indeed, my life is good :)

A quick shout out to www.flickr.com/photos/skeletalmess/ for his cool textures that I was able to use to paint with tonight. Check out his stream!

Musical inspiration I used for the edit

Somewhere in Zermatt

Somewhere in Zermatt, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

After a long trek up in the Swiss Alps, my legs were shaking as I approached the bottom of the last path. Throw a flat country Florida guy into the Swiss Alps for a day, and thats what you get. For a short couple of days, I severely abused my out of shape body for the exchange of some incredible scenery, fresh air, and relaxing moments near the Matterhorn. Of course, with my trusty Nikon kit at my side, I captured a few images along the way.

I did something a bit different on a few of these outings on this trip. I decided to record my thoughts as I was setting up for the shot with my G10. This location was one of them. I remember rambling on as I set up this shot about why I was taking it and what I hoped to do with it. I am sure I sounded like quite a dork, hahaha. Anyway, I hope to edit a few of these video clips soon and incorporate with some editing tips as well.

Musical inspiration from the edit.....Enjoy!

Just outside the tent before the guests arrived

Just outside the tent before the guests arrived, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

I gotta admit, I love to "get in the zone." Perhaps its just an escape, I'm not really sure. I like to think of it as more of a creative journey to a place that I am perhaps supposed to spend a little more time in than I allow myself. We all have those special places we allow ourselves to travel to I guess. Seems like the rushed pace of life sometimes prevents us from hanging out there too long though. For me, I visit that place when putting on the headset, cranking Itunes, and painting a bit with light. Wether it be a stage in a dark theatre or arena with the haze blasting as I program a few moving lights to cues to a dramatic score, or the comfort of my home studio as I paint a few lighting effects into an image of mine......the creative expression is quite similar.

With that in mind, I thought I would share a quick link to the music that I rode with as I worked on this image. I was introduced to the music of Jamie Cullum by a good friend of mine about a year ago. I tend to follow a small group of musical artists that I feel have an intense passion for their art, and Jamie has now been included as one of them. Incidentally, he has a new CD coming out, which I am certain will do well. Definitely an artist you will be hearing about for a very long time!

Anyway, check out this link for the clip I am listening to now. (on the blog, I'll post a link)

Lutheran church in Minneapolis

Lutheran church in Minneapolis, originally uploaded by Photomike07.

As a lighting designer, I often find myself tuning into the quality of light wherever I am. I guess that helps quite a bit while pursuing my passion of photography. For this location, however, it was more about the lack of light and how to capture the extreme contrast. Of course, HDR processing to the rescue!

Mike, that's it for tonight? A weeks worth of events all last week......and you're pulling one from the archives? Your kidding right?

Well, it is Sunday....I figured I could slide with this one....

Sorry, more this week for sure, after I kinda get caught up!

And hey, have a great week!!!