PhotoHelp 101

PhotoHelp 101 is a labor of love for Robert La Follette and John Jacobsen. Web 2.0 has been very good to both Robert and John and they decided to give back to the community in the form of something they are both very good at - teaching photography fundamentals.

As a result of their instructing experience at the Perfect Picture School of Photography, Robert and John both have the unique ability to connect with students and relay even the most complex photography subjects in terms that are easily understandable. After doing some research, they quickly found that there are very few online resources available to photographers. Realizing the need, Robert and John set to work creating PhotoHelp 101.

We also will be launching our new "Fundamentals Of Composition" website this week where we teach an amazing online course on composition. With other famous photographers such as Bryan Peterson, Chris Hurtt, Charlie Borland, David Nightingale, Bobbi Lane and many others, the Perfect Picture School of Photography is "the" place to learn photography.

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Check Out The New PhotoHelp 101 Website

Check Out The New Fundamentals Of Composition Website
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Whether you are a seasoned pro or have just purchased your first camera, we're confident that you will find something that can help you learn how to take better pictures at PhotoHelp 101 and at PPSOP.

So Long Spyglass

The old Clearwater Beach hotel, the Spyglass Resort is loaded up with more than 500 sticks of dynamite. Criss Angel, the popular illusionist and star of "Mind Freak" will have less than three and half minutes to escape before that dynamite goes off.

As another historic beach landmark bites the dust, the city of Clearwater is making a spectacle of it and tonight on A&E Television, and it will be broadcast live as it is imploded and Angel will attempt to escape from a fiery death.

It's kinda sad to see this piece of history gone, however, if this stunt doesn't go as planned, Clearwater Beach may become famous for something else. This guy better be fast!

In The Studio

On Friday, I heard a knock on the door, and it was the delivery guy. He had two large boxes for me, and I have been waiting for them so I was excited to get them. Inside the boxes was the entire inventory of the gifts that are sold at Tampa Bay & Company, and I was hired to shoot their entire catalog that is available at their downtown Tampa store for their new web site.

Since Sunday was a rainout, I took time and set up my studio to shoot the smaller items, such as the stuffed animals, cups, glasses, golf balls, picture frames, magnets, piggy banks, cases, pens and lots of other merchandise. I still have the clothing and bigger items to shoot this week, some of which I will be shooting on location.

It was a blast to set up the studio and try out some different techniques. Tampa Bay & Company will be launching their online store in the coming weeks, and it will be great to see all of the hard work payoff and they really have some cool and unique items they will be selling.

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Flying Off The Shelf

A good friend of mine stopped me yesterday to tell me he walked into the Borders Bookstore at Clearwater Mall and was surprised to see my book, Tampa Bay: A Photographic Portrait on prominent display at the front of the store.

I took a drive up to Borders to check it out but by the time I got up there, it was already gone. They constantly rotate out promoted books in the stores, but turns out they sold all of the copies but two. Its' really a cool feeling to walk into a local bookstore and see your work for sale amongst all of the other thousands of titles.

On a separate note, I took some time to redesign the blog. There are still a few bugs to squash, but overall it looks much cleaner and easier to find information.

A Roaring Success

There was a buzz in the air at the Honeymoon Island Nature Center on Tuesday evening, as one of the largest crowds ever to come out for their monthly lecture series where a guest speaker would come to give a talk to guests of the Friends of the Island Parks.

This month, I was that guest speaker and gave an one hour lecture on bird and nature photography that included a slideshow and numerous examples of the beautiful wildlife and landscapes that can be photographed on this little slice of paradise.

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View A HDR Photo Of The Nature Center   (JPG - 324KB)
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The lecture covered some of my insight and tips on photographing nature, including how to really get some award winning photographs. After the lecture, we ended with a very informative question & answer session, and from the roar of the crowd, it was a great success.


The guests arrive and check out the some
of the great exhibits at the Nature Center


There was some great information given by the
Friends of The Island Parks about Honeymoon Island


The house was packed with one of the largest turnouts ever
at the Nature Center with over 55 people in attendance


After the workshop, I met many great people, including
Walt from Palm Harbor and signed copies of my book

(Photos courtesy of John Jacobsen)

With the feedback of many of the guests that attended, I am making plans to develop a workshop and lecture series that will cover a variety of subjects in-depth, including lectures and out in the field workshops. Stay tuned for more details and future announcements!

Three Rooker Island

There is a little known island out the in Pacific Ocean called "Tern Island" which is the main island in the atoll of French Frigate Shoals, in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. A National Geographic special once highlighted this island, and it is just full of all kinds of shorebirds, including home to thousands of Terns. It is one of the largest islands in the world where these birds nest.

Closer to home here in Tampa Bay, we too have a special place where literally thousands of birds nest. That place is called Three Rooker Island. This tiny strip of sand lies out in the Gulf of Mexico that is only about ten years old. It is a sand bar that is now completely exposed, and the shorebirds have taken it over.

I was invited by my friend Walt who has a boat, and wanted to know if I would like to go there and shoot the nesting birds early Saturday morning. I have heard about this place for a long time now, but it is only accessible by boat, so I jumped at the offer.

We met up at the marina in Ozona bright and early for several hours of fun. The morning was about as perfect as we could ask for, with light winds and beautiful blue skies. We loaded up the boat and set a course for Three Rooker. On our way out, we stopped by another special island, Bird Island.

Bird Island is a federally protected island in the Gulf of Mexico where it is home to many of our larger waterbirds, including Cormorants, White Egrets, Anhingas and the ever so secretive Magnificent Frigatebirds. No one is allowed to anchor or walk on the island, but the view from the boat provided some cool views as the birds were just waking up for the day.

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View A Panorama Of Bird Island   (JPG - 160KB)
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We finally made it to Three Rooker Island, and we weren't alone. While there was not a human in sight, there was however lots of birds. Thousands of them. All over the place. It was a scene right out of a National Geographic special, for after we anchored and walked onto the beach, we saw all kinds of birds as far as the eye can see.

On the beach, in the grasses, the water and in the air, it was a sight I have never seen before. Black Skimmers, Terns of all kinds as well as Laughing Gulls now call this island home, and there must of been at least a few thousand babies running all over the place and taking to the air.

At first, it was sensory overload, and there was just so many subjects, where does one begin. We walked up and down the beach and snapped off hundreds of frames of the action, and this certainly was one of my highlights to date. After a while, I just sat in the warm water and waited for the action to come to me and captured some incredible flight shots.

We stayed on the island for a few hours, and around noon took back towards the mainland and call it day. I was kinda sad to leave, but the heat of the day was setting in, so we left the noise and chaos of the birds on their little slice of heaven.

After getting back home and dumping my cards onto the computer and relaxing for a bit, I decided to head up to Fred Howard Beach to catch the sunset and enjoy the warm summer breezes at the beach. I wasn't disappointed as usual as mother nature put on a spectacular light show of color over the Gulf of Mexico. What a long day, but one that had me thinking about getting a boat!

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Friends Of The Island Parks

Are you enjoying the Dog Days of Summer? Taking any photos? At the next "Friends of the Island Parks" monthly membership meeting this coming Tuesday, July 22nd at the Nature Center on Honeymoon Island, I will be conducting an exciting and informative nature photography workshop.

The lecture and workshop will share a few of my "secrets" and display some of the numerous nature and landscape photographs that I have shot on Honeymoon Island.

I will also be signing copies of my latest book, "Tampa Bay, A Photographic Portrait". A brief business meeting, which precedes the program, there will also be a information that will bring you up-to-date on park happenings and Friends' news. Refreshments will be served.

This promises to be a great event -- another FREE meeting you won't want to miss! Mark your calendar, and join us next Tuesday at the Nature Center at 7PM on Honeymoon Island!

So Long Old Friend

It was eight years ago that I walked into the holy grail of sports. On a cold November afternoon, I caught my first glimpse of Yankee Stadium when I went to New York City for my first time ever. Even though there wasn't a game being played that afternoon, just being in the presence of this historic stadium was good enough for me.

In the following summer, I got my chance to go inside the House that Ruth built, and I felt like a five year old kid getting my first bike for Christmas. This place was a nirvana, and my life long dream of going to Yankee Stadium had come true.

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View A Quicktime VR Of Yankee Stadium   (QuickTime VR Format)
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On Tuesday, the last and final All-Star Game will be played at Yankee Stadium, and the countdown begins that this amazing piece of american history will be lost forever. It conjured up some of my memories of my many visits in the years that followed. Even though I only had a small digital camera with me when I went, and the photos aren't all that good, the memories will last a lifetime.

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Apple iPhone Rocks

Now that the new and improved Apple iPhone software is available, I finally took a deep breath and loaded up the new 2.0 firmware on my original iPhone. With the release of the new iPhone 3G worldwide, there were some issues activating the phones with the new update, so I waited a day later until everything was ironed out.

The one thing I was looking forward to was the new App Store and check out the the applications that users can install now. While it is still early and the selection is limited, there is going to be some great potential and some amazing apps I am sure. One category that caught my eye was for Photography, and already there are a few to check out, including:

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Exposure: Share, browse and locate Flickr photos taken near you.

Mobile Flickr: Upload, browse and view your Flickr photos.

Smug Shot: Upload, browse, share and view your SmugMug photos.
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Hopefully new applications will start making their way into the App Store, and the best smartphone on the market just took a huge step forward and I can honestly say without hesitation this is by far the best phone on the market today. Bar none.

The Boys Of Summer

Here it is a week away from the mid-summer classic, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, and what do we have here? The local boys, the Tampa Bay Rays are in first place in the American League East. You read that right. The lowly Rays are in first.

This is a team, that since it has come into the league in 1998, has finished dead last and was the laughing stock of baseball. They had ugly uniforms, a ugly stadium, and players that wouldn't of even made for a good minor league team. Well, how times have changed.

Going into the last week before the All-Star Game, the Rays have built up a commanding lead over the Red Sox and Yankees, who are automatics it seems year after year. With the lowest payroll in baseball, it's been an amazing feat and the excitement in the bay area is building.

	W	L	PCT.	GB
Tampa Bay Rays	55	32	.632	-
Boston Red Sox	52	39	.571	5.0
New York Yankees	47	42	.528	9.0
Baltimore Orioles	44	43	.506	11.0
Toronto Blue Jays	42	47	.472	14.0

We'll have to see how far they can go and if they can actually make it into the post-season, for this is uncharted territory for this team. However, it has been fun to watch this little team of unknowns make a big splash and could turn the baseball world upside down if they win it all. Go Rays!

Fourth Of July Celebration

With the long holiday weekend, we decided to stay close to home and go snorkeling. We ended up at our favorite beach, Fred Howard, to check out the warm waters. With low tide coming in late, we hoped to see some great action. Throw in the fact the park was going to be open real late for the fireworks display, we could also do some snorkeling in the dark.

We found several large schools of baby fish as they swam by us, as well as some Scallops, Starfish, and when the tides began to roll out, hundreds of Hermit Crabs. We even watched as a Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin swam by, playing with some of the fish he was chasing offshore.

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Click Here To Watch A Underwater Snorkeling Video

Click Here To Watch The Fred Howard Beach Fireworks Display
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While the fireworks were going off, we went into the shallow waters and found numerous Atlantic Stingrays swimming about, since they just woke up to feed under the cover of darkness. The fireworks made the night sky come alive with color, and it was a great way to end the Fourth of July.

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Time Stands Still

Last week, standing in water at three in the morning was an experience to say the least. What was missing however was some day shots of the swamp that runs through our backyard on the outlying area of Brooker Creek. With the overcast skies and threat of an afternoon rain, it was prime to get some shots of the swamp.

This area is constantly under a thin layer of water in most places, and in others can run a few feet deep. It is hot, humid, wet and buggy, but the payoff is worth it. Standing here in total silence can only remind me of that this is what most of Florida looked like years ago. It is almost as if time is standing still here.

The Cypress trees are a sight to behold, as they shoot out of the water, and the thick canopy looks like rain, as Spanish Moss drips off the branches overhead. Strong Southern Oaks line the banks, some appear to be hundreds of years old. The waters are still, reflecting the entire landscape like a mirror. It is a peaceful place that I enjoy to visit from time to time and get away from the noise pollution of modern suburbia.

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View A Panorama Of A Florida Swamp   (JPG - 252KB)

View Another Panorama Of A Florida Swamp   (JPG - 252KB)

View Yet Another Panorama Of A Florida Swamp   (JPG - 232KB)
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Honestly, I have no idea how the early settlers lived here when they first came to Florida. It is without a doubt some of the most pristine and beautiful landscape I have ever seen, but the bugs, mosquitoes, heat and humidity had to be unbearable and many must of felt this was hell on earth.

(Click on the thumbnails for a larger photo)

Field Notes: Green Treefrog

The Green Treefrog is probably the most commonly seen and one of the most beautiful of the North American treefrogs. It is more slender than any of the other treefrogs, and the slenderness is accentuated by the lengthwise stripes of metallic white on each side. The Green Treefrog has great ability to change from light to dark. The color may be nearly black, or it may be so light a greenish yellow that the stripes on the sides are barely distinguishable. It generally tends to match the color of the object it's on, but not always. Color is also affected by temperature.

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View A Green Treefrog Peeking Behind A Leaf
View A Green Treefrog Waiting For The Rain
View A Green Treefrog And A Snail
View A Green Treefrog Clinging On A Waterplant
View A Green Treefrog On A Stem
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It is most easily identified by the white "racing stripe" down the side, which frequently has a dark border. The tops and insides of the rear legs are also white and it tends to have whitish "lips" and a pale underside. While it can change color quickly, the stripe stays the same color. In rare occasions, the stripe may be minute or missing.

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Watch A Movie Of Green Treefrogs In A Florida Swamp
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Adults range in size from 1-1/4 to 2-1/2 inches, and the female is noticeably larger than the male. Toepads are medium sized and observable except when the frog is at rest position. The tympanum is greenish to green-brown. The rear legs of Green Treefrogs are so long that, except when leaping or resting, it looks as though the frog ought to be very awkward. Those legs enable it to leap great distances to catch prey. A leap of three to four feet is typical, and it can leap a distance of eight to ten feet. It is gentle and not easily frightened, unlike the similar appearing Squirrel Treefrogs, which go hyper when approached.

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View A Green Treefrog Playing Peek-A-Boo
View A Green Treefrog Sitting On A Leaf
View A Green Treefrog Looking Into The Void
View A Green Treefrog Sticking On A Leaf
View A Green Treefrog Coming Up From The Waters
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When aroused, however, the Green Treefrog becomes as active as any other treefrog. When startled, the Green Treefrog usually takes one long jump and then is still. The Squirrel Treefrog, which has yellowish "lips" and no stripe, keeps hopping and hopping.

A nighttime hunter, Green Treefrog food is small insects. Their diet is mostly crickets, beetles, moths, and caterpillars. It is usually inactive during the day, staying near water and clinging to stems of aquatic plants, trees, and shrubs. It stays relatively close to the ground while the Squirrel Treefrog is higher in trees and tall shrubs.

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Watch A Movie Of Green Treefrogs In Suburbia
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Green Treefrogs call most frequently during mating season and prior to rain or on humid evenings, especially when the barometric pressure is dropping. This is most often from the start of the rainy season through late October. When abundant near water, Green Treefrogs are noisiest just before dusk with the chorus being broken by short intervals of silence. A single note is first, and as though a signal, it is taken up and repeated in a prolonged chorus until it ceases as suddenly as it began. A single male will call approximately 75 times per minute during mating season. The call is a ringing quenkquenk, which from a distance sounds like a cowbell.

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View A Green Treefrog Looking For A Mate
View A Green Treefrog Calling For A Mate
View A Green Treefrog Making Noise With It's Throat
View A Pair Of Adult Green Treefrogs Mating
View A Pair Of Adult Green Treefrogs Mating
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Green Treefrogs can breed toward the end of their first year, and breeding takes place in late spring to early summer. They breed in water at least several feet deep in permanent ponds, whereas most other frogs breed in shallow temporary ponds that are created by rainfall.

The female lays small masses of eggs on roots of floating vegetation. The egg mass forms and grows as it absorbs water, eventually appearing jelly-like just below the water's surface. Eggs hatch in four to six days, and the tadpoles change into frogs in about two months, usually from July through October. The tadpoles grow to about 1- 1/2 inches, have very long tails, and are greenish with a cream-colored stripe from nostril to eye.