Santa Monica, CA – Sunset at the Pier

Jul17

My good friend Jim Nix from Austin, TX was in LA last nite and we took the drive up to meet him for a sunset photo walk in Santa Monica. Check out Jim’s fantastic blog at Nomadic Pursuits. Jim is a great photographer!

I had never shot in Santa Monica and it was on my bucket list. Easy to get to and one packed place during a late summer afternoon. The pier is large and has lots of entertainment. A roller coaster, ferris wheel, bumper cards, shops, restaurants and pier performers. Def will keep you busy for an evening. Being honest, there is not much to shoot in HDR other than a few on the pier shots, under the pier shots and this photo above….the iconic Santa Monica photo. Great reflections on the beach add a nice effect! Great to see and chat with ya Jim! Hope to see you in Austin soon!

California Adventure

Apr10

We live about 20 mins from Disneyland and as soon as we moved here…we picked up Season Passes to Disney. This includes CA Adventure. I have yet to get there and HDR the park. I will soon. I have to pick a nite and go later when the crowds are lower. Maybe next week? I really enjoy Cars Land and this section of CA Adventure where the Wold of Color is held. Look for some cool photos soon! Technology is great…you can download an app that gives you estimated wait times. My favorite is “DL Maps” …its free!

Irvine, CA – Irvine Spectrum

Mar13

If you are ever in SoCal…in the middle of LA and SD you can find the city of Irvine. This is where you can find the cool outdoor shopping location called the Irvine Spectrum. Great stores and restaurants!! I have passed it about a billion times and finally decided to photograph the ferris wheel. This was a long exposure. I did however get talked to by security. Unfortunately it is private property, therefore, no tripod setups for photos. But one loophole is that if you are taking shots of your family, they cannot stop you. I had my little one stand in front and “photoshopped” her out. =) Have fun!

Paris, France – Le Grande Roue (HDR)

Jan30

The fun of photography is to find a subject and take a shot in with a different view. Challenge yourself to photograph a subject like no other has taken before. I do this as much as possible. Of course I take the standard shots, but afterwards, I let my camera have fun and try all kinds of angles. As long I know the subject is interesting, why not? ..and we are shooting digitally, so use up that compact flash card!

I am sure we have all seen ferris wheel shots, so here is my take on Le Grande Roue in HDR! Tilted a bit and the multiple exposures create a cool motion flow. Go onto Flickr or any photo site, what makes a photo interesting? Not only the subject, but the composition is very important. Have fun with your camera, just don’t take the shots every tourist is taking. Amazing shots may be the outcome!

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