Sunday, July 25, 2010

World Wide Photo Walk-Tarpon Springs


Yesterday was Photoshop Guru Scott Kelby's 3rd annual World Wide Photo Walk. Groups of photographer gather in cities all over the world and take photos for a few hours, then gather for lunch at the end. This year I participated in the walk led by Scott Kelby himself who is a really nice guy. It was a really hot but beautiful day in Tarpon Springs, Florida. I kind of wish something had been going on there, I felt I was taking the same kinds of photos I have many times before there. No performers or much activity going on.



Tarpon Springs is a unique little place with a lot of character. Some of it is a little too cheesy but I like it there and there are some great Greek restaurants there! You can take a tour from here, last February I was supposed to go with my friend visiting from California but it was cancelled due to cold weather which still sounds odd. Hope I get the chance to try again soon


I always love it when I see a dog on a boat. They always look like they are having so much fun. Helps add interest to photos too. After the wallk the group met up at Hellas restaurant where I had an excellent Chicken Slouvaki wrap. I love Greek food! I had a good time but boy was I tired by the time I get home. I am still not used to actually looking forward to the end of summer here in Florida. I am ready for October :)
Stephanie

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Sail Tampa Bay


This morning I went to witness the arrival of 3 tall ships for the Sail Tampa Bay festival. I figured it would be fun and I would get a few good photos. I had no idea how amazing it would be. The amazing part pretty much centered around the first ship to arrive and subject of these photos, the Gloria from Columbia. From afar when looking through my zoom lens I saw that there were men standing on the various crossbars on the masts (not sure what they are really called). I have never seen anything like this before.


As the ship got closer to the dock, they started playing rousing music and the men waved to the crowd. What an arrival. Many people from Columbia were there to greet them. It was such a wonderful thing to witness! And these photos are some of my favorites ever! It was 90 degrees but whenever I get into a groove of shooting at an event like this I tend not to notice it so much.



The other two ships arrived later and were not nearly as entertaining in their arrival. I photographed this one so much I ran out of energy before I could get to the other two, one from USA one from Uraguay. These ships are in town and may be toured through the 14th. I intend to go back in the late afternoon one day for more photos. The riverwalk running from Channelside to the convention center, where I took these photos is really nice.



Okay here is one photo I did get of the American ship shortly after this was taken it turned around and docked itself a few blocks down at Channelside.

For more information on this fesival and the ships check out
http://www.sailtampabay2010.com.
Stephanie

Friday, July 2, 2010

Snails


It has been pretty rainy the last few days here in Tampa. As I learned one day shortly after getting my macro lens, rain tends to bring out snails. That day I got one of my best shots ever and today I sought to equal it. Not sure if I managed it but these are some fun shots anyway. Snails are such strange creatures! The one in this first photo was super tiny, yet he can stretch his head out really far. They almost look like they are made of gelatin.

I once again as I did yesterday with the spider used my tripod and 100mm macro lens, except for the shot below which required me to use my 70-300. This one was kind of high up on the plant and I couldn't get close enough to it with the macro. This plant is about to bloom into a beautiful orange flower that I photographed when it bloomed last year.


I invite you to look closer at the nature that surrounds us when you go out, especially after a rain. Had I not been looking for something to photography I would have walked right by. There is so much beauty and wonder right under our noses if we would only look!
:) Stephanie

Thursday, July 1, 2010

Along Came a Spider


Okay well really I was the one that came along and discovered this big spider in its web just outside the stairwell of my apartment. First time I have seen one this big hanging around. He/she was very cooperative in allowing me to get pretty close with my 100mm Macro lens.

My subject was not in the ideal location background wise. From the angle I shot at above I had to deal with the road and one of the apartment buildings had. Had the spider been hanging out on the other side of the web I would have easily had a beautiful green background of foliage to blur out.

I used my tripod, set the camera on timer and locked up the mirror to get the sharpest shots I could. I experimented with various setting with f-stops generally ranging from 2.8-8.0 I found being this close with this lens I still got a decent blur to the background while getting most of the spider pretty sharp.



In order to get some green in the background I had go higher and aim down, here you are seeing part the green underbrush I had to keep untangling the tripod legs from and the road.
Too bad a fly didn't come by to provide me with some interesting if creep action shots!
Stephanie