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The Strand – Part III

What makes the Strand, ‘The Strand’ are the people and the communities it supports. There is so much activity going on. Hundreds of volleyball nets span the beaches from Hermosa to Manhattan. Local surfers congregate near each of the piers. Stand up paddle boarders make their way up and down miles of coastline. The beach cruiser is the primary mode of transportation, roller skates come in a close second. At night, bars come to life with the sound of local music. There is no need to travel far! Just walk, rent a bike, or roller skate your way from activity to activity. The perfect day is waking up at dawn to shoot the sunrise. Then spend the afternoon surfing, paddle boarding, riding, or walking. After an afternoon nap, photograph the sunset, grab a bite, and then catch some live music! Tomorrow we will go on an epic cruiser bike ride from Hermosa Beach to the canals of Venice.

Weekend Photo Vacation Logistics: All the images you have seen thus far in this series, including today’s, were taken within walking distance of the Beach House Hotel at Hermosa Beach. I really had no idea where to stay, but it was the only place on the beach that was centrally located. It turned out to be the perfect base camp for a photo weekend in a southern California beach community. There was never a need for a rental car.

People of the Strand

People of the Strand

Hermosa Beach Surfing

Jett Pink

A Bride’s Story

I was asked by a family member to photograph their wedding this weekend. It was a beautiful wedding and fun to be a part of. One thing I really wanted to do was tell the story of the bride. Obviously I wasn’t getting ready with my wife on our wedding day so I had no idea what to expect. Holy crap, being a bride is stressful! Here’s what I found out they do.

Apparently they roll out of bed and head to the chapel. I’m guessing there is more to it than that, but I was getting my camera gear ready at that point.

They have their picture taken.

They get interviewed by CNN. Well, not really, but someone who works for CNN.

They kick me out of the dressing room and tell me when I can come back. When I return, things have changed. Time is of the essence and the bridal quarters have become more of a command center and Houston has a problem.

They do their own makeup.

They try a variety of approaches to putting on their veils.

3rd time’s a charm.

They laugh when there is mention of a Zombie Apocalypse during the vows.

They pray.

They are tended to before their photos.

They pose for photos.

They are whisked away in foreign car.

They smile as they arrive to cheers at the reception.

They throw their bouquet.

They dance with their dad.

And they have a good guy that supports them the entire way. Have a great honeymoon!

Wedding Moments

I don’t do a whole lot of wedding photography, but when a friend gets married, I bring all my gear just in case their photographer drops the ball. Basically my wedding present is a bench photographer so they are solid in the memories depth chart. Anyway, a friend of ours got married last week and after an initial consultation with the photographer, I decided they had it covered which left me free to roam around for moments. There is always so much that gets missed at a wedding, but having the freedom to focus on those moments (and not worry about the bride and groom) is a real treat for a photographer. This one’s for Karen and Travis. Congratulations!

The Trumpeter

The Trumpeter

We were out for a quick photo-walk in San Francisco as we made our way to the Twin Peaks overlook. Working our way through China Town then down to Market St. , we stopped to listen to this kid play. As I was listening, I thought he would make a great portrait. However, because I had my walk-around lens on, the Nikon 28-300 VR II, I had to MacGyver the scene a bit. Because of the smaller (in size) minimum aperture, it isn’t the best portrait lens. I tried raking it all the way out, hoping to use the focal length to dial in some nice bokeh, but in the end it wasn’t working. I decided to slow my shutter down a bit, wait for a bus to drive by, and work in some motion blur as a backdrop. I was happy with the results, so I left the young trumpeter a tip, and carried on.

Tip: Sometimes, you just have to get resourceful. (Not bad for being 1/15sec, handheld, at 300mm)

Continue for Capture/Processing Notes…

Portraits Of Cozumel

Street Vendor Cozumel

If you are a regular here, you know the love I have for Cozumel and its people. The media, portraying the conflict of the border towns as the nature of Mexico as a whole, is doing an injustice to the residents of this small Caribbean island. Cozumel is a beautiful, quiet island. Its people are warm and welcoming. If you ever have the opportunity to visit, take it.

Tip: I have forgotten the photographer that I learned this from, but she said, “When making a portrait of someone, get to within a comfortable working distance, then cut that distance in half.” I applied that lesson in this image.