Meet Alicia

Last year on a workshop in Jupiter, Florida, I met a lovely young model Alicia. A few weeks ago, she called me up and wanted to know if I could take some photos for her portfolio, so I agreed, plus it would be great to see her again, for she is a really super girl.

Alicia is a great model to work with, for she really knows just what to do with very little to no direction. Not too mention she takes a great photo. At the end of our shoot, we went out to eat and catch up on things, and it was a great end to a great shoot.

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Meet Jenny

Back on Saturday, I had three models down at the Sponge Docks in Tarpon Springs for a photo shoot. Amy, Alicia and Jenny all agreed to meet up and spend the afternoon to take some photos, and my friend John also got to tag along to snap some photos too.

The afternoon went well, and Jenny loves the camera, and she is real easy to work with. However, Jenny got real hungry, and I got her coming out of the bakery just as she was plowing down on a huge cookie. It made for a nice "Paparazzi-style" shot to say the least.

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Meet Amy

It's been a while since I had a chance to shoot some models, so I arranged an impromptu model shoot at the Sponge Docks with three friends, Amy, Alicia and Jenny. My friend John came along to shoot as well, and did Amy's boyfriend Damir to help with the equipment.

Needless to say, we got a lot of looks as we made our way through the streets at the Sponge Docks, but the girls certainly didn't seem to mind the attention. First up, this is the series of shots of Amy that I got on Saturday afternoon.

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Tough Assignment

Yesterday morning while taking a walk, I noticed a pair of Hooded Mergansers that were swimming around in a pond not too far from our house. I have never seen them here before, and they are kinda hard to find. There was a pair, a male and a female, but the star attraction is the male, for they are drop-dead gorgeous.

I decided not to try to get any photographs of them, for they must of just landed there, and would be real nervous since they were in unfamiliar territory. However, if they were still then this morning, I would attempt to get some shots of them. I got up extra early, and walked down the street, and they were still there.

Now, if you have ever tried to get close to these ducks, you know that it is tough, if not downright frustrating. Extreme patience is needed to get even a close-up, for they will watch your every move, and counteract them to always get themselves further away from you. I spent about 40 minutes with them, and managed to get a few decent shots.

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Nicholas & Indy

Just about everyday (and night) for the past two weeks, we have been getting a crash course in Marine Animal Care, including feeding, testing, science and biology. This is something you simply can't learn in a book, and it has been about as fun of an adventure we have ever been involved with.

I got a rare opportunity to photograph Nicholas and Indy, the two male Bottlenose Dolphins that are now off display. I have always dreamed about getting underwater shots of Dolphins, but since I can't swim and don't have underwater cameras, I thought that opportunity would never come.

However, I was granted secret access to the stranding window, and got some amazing shots of the two boys as they were playing in their temporary home. The best part was I didn't have to get wet, and I got to see these beautiful Dolphins in a way that few ever get to see. We even shot a quick 4-minute video of Nicholas & Indy as they came to the window.

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Watch A Video Of Nicholas & Indy On YouTube
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With about half of the planned improvements completed at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, the grand re-opening should be in the next week or so, and there are many surprises that will be announced in the coming days. Stay tuned!

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Second Shift

On Friday evening, I took a quick break to meet up with my friend John to photograph the Clearwater Memorial Causeway. Even though it was looking like the skies were going to be cloudy, right when we got there, they disappeared and gave way to an amazing sunset. It was the perfect opportunity to shoot the causeway in HDR (High Dynamic Range).

The rest of the weekend, we have been pulling late shifts at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, keeping an eye on the Dolphins, Turtles, Otters, Sharks, Rays and Fish. It was pretty uneventful for the most part, however one of the temporary tanks that the Nurse Sharks are in sprang a leak, so I had to dive into the tank with the sharks to plug it up.

As usual, even when things are normal, we always find a way to make it interesting. Although diving into a tank with sharks wasn't was I was thinking. On a lighter note, I also found some time in between shifts to process some photos I had been meaning to get to, so I guess the weekend was productive!

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Fundamentals Of Composition

I am happy to announce that I will be teaching a new and exciting course in composition at The Perfect Picture School of Photography. It was written from the ground up to cover the basics of composition in photography, as well as explore the more creative aspects that I know you will enjoy.

The numerous visual exercises, all with stimulating and thought provoking lessons, will allow you to create compelling images, regardless of subject matter. When this course is over you will be amazed at how quickly you are now able to transfer that amazing image in your mind into the camera.

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View "Must Know" Fundamentals Of Composition At PPSOP
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No matter if it is a beautiful landscape, cityscape, close-up, motion, wide angle or macro, all of the tools you will need to reveal that puzzle as a complete image will be revealed to you in this 8 week course. New classes start January 11th!

Night Watch

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium is undergoing a huge restoration project. They are currently closed, and will be updating and fixing up just about every exhibit in the aquarium, a daunting task at best. There will be a lot of construction over the next couple of weeks, and the end result is promising to be excellent for the future of the aquarium.

One of the biggest hurdles however is to relocate the current residents, including the Bottlenose Dolphins. Winter and Panama were transferred to the Mote Marine Aquarium in Sarasota during the construction, but Nicholas and Indy were moved into the stranding tank. We volunteered to watch them for a four hour shift late Sunday night.

We sat up on the roof overlooking the tank, and every hour we had to count the number of breaths they took in a five minute time interval and record them into a log. This is necessary to determine their condition, such as if they are stressed. So far it seems that they are both doing good, but they do show signs of a little stress with all the changes taking place.

I can't wait to see when everything is done at the aquarium, and will be sure to post new photos of all the new and updated exhibits when they are completed.

Chase Scene

I rolled out of bed super early Saturday morning to be at Anclote River to spend some quality time withe the Bald Eagles. When I arrived, I found the adult pair both sitting in the same snag real close to the road. It was so peaceful with no noise, no traffic, no nothing. It was just them and myself, and it was about as perfect of as a morning as you could ask for.

Later that morning after briefly seeing the pair of babies in the nest, a huge flock of Vultures, at least a couple hundred, was swarming in the area. I don't know why they were here, and to see such a large group of this size is very unusual. The pair of adults freaked out, and took out after them, chasing anyone that even thought about flying into their territory.

The pair of babies hunkered down pretty much all morning, for I only saw them quickly. The adults must of instructed them to stay hidden for their protection, for some of of the arial fights that took place high in the sky was amazing. A lot of things have been said about the Bald Eagle, but I can say that they are ferocious fighters in the air, and masterful at dogfights.

Before the heat of the day, I made it a point to see how the Ospreys are doing, for there is a lot of activity now going on. They are busy snagging twigs and branches, and getting the nests all in shape for the upcoming baby season. I even got a nice, close glimpse of a Red-bellied Woodpecker that was busy looking for a hole to pop into.

Before I left, I heard off into the distance a low-sounding hum. I looked up behind me, and saw a huge blimp coming right over me. It said something about Ron Paul, and honestly, that really made me chuckle.

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