Ed Miyashiro Photography | BLOG

Central Park

2010-07-20T19:45:00.011-04:00

Today I spent the afternoon in Central Park with a good friend who also shares my love for photography. Here are some of my favorite pics:

Newport, Rhode Island

2009-08-02T23:24:00.007-04:00

Just returned from a relaxing vacation in Newport, Rhode Island. These are some pictures taken just after sunset from the grounds of the hotel.

Lido Beach, Long Island

2009-07-05T23:43:00.002-04:00

Red Mammatus Clouds Over NYC

2009-06-30T21:02:00.006-04:00

Last week there was a very unusual cloud formation over New York City. These pouch-like clouds, known as mammatus clouds, looked very ominous. Evidently, they sometimes appear after a thunderstorm has passed. This picture was taken from my apartment window around sunset.

Daniel's Christening

2009-06-29T21:06:00.016-04:00

A few weeks ago, I photographed Daniel's baptism into the Romanian Orthodox Church. Here is Daniel with his proud parents.

The ceremony took place in a small church in Manhattan.

The Godfather and Godmother hold the baby during most of the ceremony.

Daniel's very calm just before he is placed in the water, . . .

. . . and not so calm once he entered the water.

One of Daniel's grandmothers watching intently.

The priest cuts a lock of Daniel's hair.

The priest delivers some final words to the audience.

Daniel was the star of the after-party.

Daniel with one of his grandfathers.

Sunday at Citi Field

2009-05-31T18:58:00.004-04:00

My brother and I went to today's New York Mets game. It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. The Mets beat the Florida Marlins 3-2. This is a picture from our upper deck seats.

My Niece's Picnic Table

2009-05-29T00:10:00.004-04:00

Storm Clouds Approaching

2009-05-25T00:25:00.003-04:00

A Leaf in the Wind

2009-05-24T02:03:00.003-04:00

Green Leaves

2009-05-23T12:20:00.002-04:00

Leaves Backlit by the Sun

2009-05-20T00:25:00.003-04:00

Dogwood Tree

2009-05-19T00:01:00.003-04:00

When I was growing up in Brooklyn, my family lived in a house. My father, my brother and I spent alot of time tending to the plants and flowers around our house. Last weekend, I saw a dogwood tree and it reminded me of the large dogwood tree we had in our back yard.

Treetops

2009-05-18T01:09:00.005-04:00

Flowers From the Backyard

2009-05-17T08:38:00.004-04:00

Pink Flowers

2009-05-16T01:07:00.005-04:00

Camden Yards and its Progeny

2009-05-09T13:00:00.008-04:00

With the opening of the new Yankee Stadium and Citi Field this year, I was reminded of a trip to Camden Yards that I took a few years ago. Oriole Park at Camden Yards is the home of the Baltimore Orioles. Construction of the ballpark was completed in 1992.

When Camden Yards opened, I remember thinking that it was the most beautiful ballpark I had ever seen. While it had a "retro" feel, Camden Yards felt fresh. It reminded me of the more traditional ballparks that were designed for baseball only. Up until Camden Yards, the design trend of baseball stadiums seemed to be geared toward round, symmetrical, dual-purpose stadiums like the Astrodome in Houston, RFK Stadium in Washington D.C. and Shea Stadium in New York. Camden Yards broke away from that trend and started a new trend toward retro style, baseball only ballparks, with modern amenities.

About two years after Camden Yards was completed, the Cleveland Indians opened up Jacobs Field (now Progressive Field). Jacobs Field continued with the "retro" style, baseball only, ballpark. It seems that every baseball venue that has been built since has followed this style, including Turner Field in Atlanta, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Comerica Park in Detroit, and more recently, Nationals Park in Washington D.C. and Citi Field.

This is a picture I took at Camden Yards during our trip a few years ago.

Back to Yankee Stadium

2009-05-06T00:03:00.013-04:00

I went to another Yankee game at their new stadium on Monday night. Unfortunately, because of a steady rain, the start of the game was delayed over two hours.

Once the rain lessened, the Yankee Stadium grounds crew worked quickly to get the field in playing shape.

At the start of every game at Yankee Stadium, the fans in the bleachers chant the name of each Yankee player on the field. Here is Yankee left fielder Johnny Damon acknowledging the bleacher chants.

Phil Hughes made his second start of the season for the Yankees.

Hughes struggled with his command over his pitches and lasted only 4 innings.

Yankee second baseman Robinson Cano has had a good start to his season. However, this night he went hitless including this fly out to center field.

This is Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia, last year's American League Most Valuable Player.

Yankee first baseman Mark Teixeira has started the year slowly with a batting average under .200. Monday night he hit two home runs. This was his second one.

Yankee righthander Edwar Ramirez pitched in relief.

Another picture of Edwar Ramirez. This is my favorite picture of the night. In the end, the Yankees lost to Boston by a score of 6-4. The game ended after 1:00 a.m.

Gate 6 at Yankee Stadium

2009-05-03T02:05:00.004-04:00

My First Game at the New Yankee Stadium

2009-05-01T02:16:00.005-04:00

The best baseball stadium I have ever visited is, hands down, the new Yankee Stadium. Last night was my first game there. The Yankees beat the L.A. Angels 7-4.

The New York Yankees have a rich team history. They've won 26 World Championships, more than any other major league team. They began as the "Highlanders" in 1903 and their home field was "Hilltop Park". The Highlanders were renamed the "Yankees" in 1913 after moving to the Polo Grounds. In 1923, the first Yankee Stadium opened. From 1974-1975, the Yankees played at Shea Stadium while Yankee Stadium underwent a major renovation. Yankee Stadium reopened in 1976. The new Yankee Stadium was built next door to the old Yankee Stadium and opened this year.

The new Yankee Stadium does a great job of celebrating their team history. My favorite aspect is the dozens of large photographs above the concession stands that surround the field level concourse. These photographs include action shots from memorable games and snapshots of players in non-game situations. In my opinion, these photographs, more than anything else, connect the stadium to the team.

I really like the New York Mets new stadium, Citi Field, too. However, I hope the Mets use the new Yankee Stadium as inspiration and do more at Citi Field to celebrate the history of the Mets. The 1969 and 1986 championship Mets teams created incredible memories. The Mets fans, who have supported their team over the years, deserve to be able to bask in those memories when they go to Citi Field.

Here is a panoramic shot from my first game at the new Yankee Stadium. I'll post more pics later.

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye, 1/160 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800

Bad Day at Citi Field

2009-04-26T20:16:00.011-04:00

I was at today's Mets game. They got blown out 8-1 by the team with the worst record in baseball, the Washington Nationals. It was the Nationals' first road win of the year. Oliver Perez was ineffective, giving up 7 earned runs in 4.1 innings.

This is Mets' lefty, Pedro Feliciano, pitching in relief in the 8th inning.

Nick Johnson is out at second base in the top of the 8th inning.

Carlos Beltran trying to beat the throw to first in the bottom of the 8th inning. He was out.

Plants in My Sister-In-Law's Backyard

2009-04-19T00:30:00.009-04:00

I love shooting with a shallow depth of field. There are some pictures taken with an aperture of f/1.2. The area in focus is only a few centimeters deep.

Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/1000 sec., f/1.2, ISO 100
Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/1250 sec., f/1.2, ISO 100

Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/400 sec., f/1.2, ISO 100

Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/400 sec., f/1.2, ISO 100

My First Game at Citi Field

2009-04-18T00:29:00.016-04:00

Last Thursday, I went to my first baseball game at Citi Field, the New York Mets' new ballpark. It is a beautiful stadium and a tremendous improvement over Shea Stadium. The concourses are wide and the field is in view from most of the concession stands. My only real criticism is that the ballpark is geared more toward the Brooklyn Dodgers than the New York Mets. For example, the main entrance is called the Jackie Robinson Rotunda, in honor of the Brooklyn Dodger great. Also, the exterior of the stadium is modeled after Ebbets Field, where the Dodgers played before they moved to L.A. While both aspects of the ballpark were well done, my only wish is that the Mets had done more to recognize Mets history including the championship teams from 1969 and 1986.

I've heard others make the same criticisms of Citi Field on the radio and in the newspapers. I'm sure, the Mets will do something in the near future to better emphasize Mets history at their new ballpark. In the meantime, Citi Field is a great place to watch a baseball game.

Here are a few pictures of the exterior of Citi Field.

Canon 5D with 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 24mm, 1/250 sec., f/6.3, ISO 100

Airplanes from the local airports still fly over head.

Canon 5D with 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 34mm, 1/200 sec., f/6.3, ISO 100

Canon 5D with 24-70mm f/2.8L lens @ 28mm, 1/200 sec., f/6.3, ISO 100

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/320 sec., f/6.3, ISO 100

The Mets did a great job with the Citi Field Fanwalk, the brick area in from of the main entrance of the ballpark. These bricks contain engraved messages from fans.

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/160 sec., f/6.3, ISO 100

This is the Jackie Robinson Rotunda. Look at the big smile on the face of guy in the bottom left of the first picture. He's obviously a Mets fan and happy to be in the new ballpark.

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/250 sec., f/2.8, ISO 100

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/80 sec., f/3.2, ISO 100

The Shake Shack is a popular spot to get a good burger.

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/500 sec., f/5.0, ISO 200

This is my favorite picture. The sunset produced beautiful light.

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/160 sec., f/6.3, ISO 400

A panoramic shot from my seat in the upper deck.

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/100 sec., f/6.3, ISO 640

One last shot before going home.

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/20 sec., f/5.0, ISO 1600

Leaving Las Vegas

2009-04-15T19:54:00.005-04:00

Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/320 sec., f/7.1, ISO 100

The Mountains Surrounding Las Vegas

2009-04-14T20:07:00.004-04:00

This is a reflection in the windows of the MGM Grand of some of the mountains surrounding Las Vegas.

Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/250 sec., f/4.0, ISO 400

Paris Las Vegas

2009-04-13T21:24:00.005-04:00

This is the neon sign at the Paris Las Vegas Hotel in the shape of a Montgolfier hot air balloon.

Canon 5D with Lensbaby 3G lens, 1/60 sec., ISO 1600

Air Supply at the Suncoast

2009-04-12T11:57:00.017-04:00

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/640 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600
Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/320 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/500 sec., f/2.5, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/500 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/500 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/500 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/500 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/640 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/400 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/640 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/500 sec., f/2.0, ISO 1600

The Bellagio

2009-04-10T15:58:00.010-04:00

This is a view of the Bellagio pools and courtyards from our hotel room. The weather was mostly sunny and in the 70's. Not too many people went into the water. Most just sunned themselves by the pool.

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/500 sec., f/7.1, ISO 400

This is the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. The current exhibit is "Gardens From Around the World".

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/40 sec., f/3.2, ISO 1600

Canon 5D with Lensbaby 3G lens, 1/50 sec., ISO 1600

Las Vegas Vacation

2009-04-09T22:28:00.014-04:00

Here is my obligatory picture of probably one of the most photographed signs in Las Vegas, the famous welcome sign.

Canon 5D with 85mm f/1.2L II lens, 1/1000 sec., f/7.1, ISO 100

These pictures are of the Bellagio Hotel and their fountain show.

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/30 sec., f/5.6, ISO 3200

Canon 5D with 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye lens, 1/200 sec., f/2.8, ISO 3200

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/320 sec., f/1.8, ISO 3200

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/500 sec., f/1.8, ISO 3200

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/640 sec., f/1.8, ISO 3200

Canon 5D with 35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/1000 sec., f/1.8, ISO 3200

Random shots with my new pocket camera

2009-03-30T23:03:00.013-04:00

Several months ago, I was looking for a good digital compact camera that I could easily carry around in a jacket pocket. After doing a little research I decided upon the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3. There are so many good things about this camera. Rather than go through all the details, just check out out this excellent review at dpreview.com if you are interested.

What I love most about this camera is that is has a super fast f/2.0 maximum aperture at its widest focal length (equivalent to 24mm on a 35mm camera).

Here are some random pictures I took with the LX3.

1/8 sec., f/2.0, ISO 400
1/100 sec., f/2.0, ISO 80

1/30 sec., f/2.0, ISO 160

1/30 sec., f/2.0, ISO 250

1/25 sec., f/2.0, ISO 400

1/30 sec., f/2.0, ISO 200

1/30 sec., f/2.0, ISO 160

1/800 sec., f/6.3, ISO 80

1/100 sec., f/2.0, ISO 80

New York Aquarium

2009-03-28T02:20:00.007-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, I went to the New York Aquarium in Coney Island. It was a great opportunity to take some pictures.

Canon 5D w/135mm f/2.0L lens, 1/800 sec., f/4.0, ISO 200
Canon 5D w/35mm f/1.4L lens, 1/200 sec., f/1.8, ISO 1600

Canon 5D w/ 135mm f/2.0L lens, 1/1600 sec., f/3.2, ISO 1600

Baseball Opening Day is Almost Here!

2009-03-25T00:03:00.007-04:00

In honor of the new baseball season in which we will welcome new stadiums for the Mets and Yankees, I'm posting one more picture of Shea Stadium from last year.

Canon 40D w/Sigma 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye lens, 1/320 sec., f/6.3, ISO 250

More Baby Photography

2009-03-23T20:39:00.005-04:00

Last week I photographed a baptism and after party. These are a few pictures I took before the ceremony. Each of these pictures was taken under natural window lighting.

Canon 5D w/85mm f/1.2L II, 1/320 sec., f/2.2, ISO 1600
Canon 5D w/85mm f/1.2L II, 1/640 sec., f/1.2, ISO 1600

Canon 5D w/85mm f/1.2L II, 1/500 sec., f/2.2, ISO 1600

Figaro/Figaro

2009-03-13T01:11:00.011-04:00

I recently photographed a dress rehearsal of a production of Figaro/Figaro by (re:) Directions Theatre Company. Figaro/Figaro was adapted by Eric Overmyer from Beaumarchais' The Marriage of Figaro and Ödön von Horváth's Figaro Gets a Divorce. It is an excellent show. You can catch it at the 14th Street Y Theatre.

My favorite lens for theatre photography is the Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L lens. This lens is incredible even wide open at f/2.0. Each of these photos was taken with this lens attached to a Canon 5D.

(1) 1/160 sec., f/2.2, ISO 1600

(2) 1/200 sec., f/2.2, ISO 1600

(3) 1/80 sec., f/2.0, ISO 3200

(4) 1/200 sec., f/2.8, ISO 3200

(5) 1/200 sec., f/2.8, ISO 3200

Concert Photography at Sullivan Hall

2009-03-10T00:10:00.011-04:00

Last month I stopped by Sullivan Hall in NYC and took some pictures of the bands playing that night. High and Mighty Brass Band and Dawn Drake and ZapOte each played a set.

Like most music venues, the lighting was dim. I wanted to shoot with the available light so I used a Canon 5D (excellent in low light) and cranked up the ISO to 3200. I shot with the Canon 35mm f/1.4L and Canon 135mm f/2.0L lens.

High and Mighty Brass Band:

(1) Canon 5D, 135mm f/2.0L, 1/160 sec., f/2.0, ISO 3200

(2) Canon 5D, 135mm f/2.0L, 1/80 sec., f/2.0, ISO 3200.

(3) Canon 5D, 135mm f/2.0L, 1/80 sec., f/2.0, ISO 3200.

Dawn Drake and ZapOte:

(4) Canon 5D, 35mm f/1.4L, 1/125 sec., f/2.0, ISO 3200.

My favorite photo taken this night:

(5) Canon 5D, 35mm f/1.4L, 1/80 sec., f/2.2, ISO 3200.

Soccer at Chelsea Piers

2009-03-05T21:57:00.008-05:00

I was at Chelsea Piers the other night and took the opportunity to practice my panning technique. My panning technique is mediocre, so every bit of practice is helpful.

Panning is just what it sounds like. Essentially, you pan your camera along with a moving subject. The aim is capture a relatively in focus subject, but with a blurred background. This technique generates an image that has a feeling of movement and speed. Panning is used extensively in sports photography.

The first thing I suggest you do is set a shutter speed of 1/60 second or slower. If you use a fast shutter speed like 1/1600 second, there will likely be very little blur in the background. Keep in mind that the slower the shutter speed, the more blur you will have and the more difficult it will be to keep the subject in focus.

As the moving subject approaches, focus on the subject and try to track it with your camera as smoothly as possible. As you pan the moving subject, press the shutter button and fire off several shots. Even after you release the shutter, keep panning the subject for a moment so that the background blur remains smooth.

I used the panning technique to take some pictures of an indoor soccer match. Most of the players' bodies will be blurred because of the flailing arms and legs. Here are two pictures. Notice how their heads are relatively in focus, but everything else is blurred. The first picture was taken at 1/30 second. The second picture was taken at 1/15 second. It easy to see from these two examples that the slower you make your shutter speed, the more blurry your background will be. At the bottom of the post, I've included further details of the specs of these images.

(1) Canon 5D, 24-70mm f/2.8L @ 70mm, 1/30 sec., f/4.0, ISO 1600.

(2) Canon 5D, 24-70mm f/2.8L @ 38mm, 1/15 sec., f/3.2, ISO 200.

The Ground Zero cross

2008-11-20T00:04:00.007-05:00

In the days after 9/11, I remember watching television and seeing images of a group of steel beams in the shape of a cross amidst the debris of the World Trade Center. The steel cross became a symbol of hope and faith to many. In fact, many people began leaving messages on it.

I never saw the cross in person until yesterday. I had just left the Post Office on Church Street next to Ground Zero when I noticed the cross had been placed next to St. Peter's Church. The cross was lit by spotlights which created a very dramatic feel. At night and under these lighting conditions, the cross evoked feelings of inspiration and sadness at the same time.

Photo info:
These photos were all shot with my new Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 pocket camera using dynamic black & white film mode.

My photography was on the Today Show!!!

2008-11-11T00:30:00.007-05:00

Maria, one of my favorite clients, was interviewed on yesterday's edition of the "Today Show" on NBC. Maria is married and was part of a segment that discussed what is the right age to get married. I am excited to write that during her interview, the "Today Show" displayed one of the images I took of Maria and her husband Louis last year during a photo shoot in Manhattan's Financial District. My blog posts of our photo shoot can be found here and here.

Thanks to Maria and Louis for submitting the photo to be used on the show. The video of Maria's interview can be found on msnbc.com. Here is a screen shot of my image that was displayed.

Amanda & Michael's Wedding

2008-11-03T00:05:00.015-05:00

Last week, I had the pleasure of covering Amanda and Michael's wedding in Morristown, New Jersey. Their wedding ceremony and reception were at the Madison Hotel.

Amanda and Michael were alot of fun to be around and they threw a great party!

Amanda got her hair done at the Bloom Studio.

One of Amanda's bridesmaids is a professional make-up artist and did a great job.

Amanda's son looked great in his tux!

Before the ceremony, the bride and groom met in front of the hotel to check each other out.

What a beautiful couple. Congratulations Amanda and Michael!!!

Shira & Jason's Engagement

2008-10-22T00:21:00.011-04:00

A couple of weeks ago, my very good friend Jason told me about his plan to propose to his girlfriend Shira. His plan was to propose to her at the Fulton Ferry Landing near the Brooklyn Bridge at approximately 8:30 p.m. and then take her to the River Cafe for dinner.

Jason asked me if I could "surreptitiously" photograph the engagement so that he could surprise her with the pictures the next day. Of course I agreed.

In preparation for the shoot, Jason and I went to the Fulton Ferry Landing the week prior to check out the lighting conditions in the evening. What we found made for a very challenging photo shoot. There were NO LIGHT SOURCES on the pier of any kind. No lamp posts, nothing. The only thing providing any light at all was the moon. Needless to say, we could barely read our watches in the darkness.

I knew immediately that I would have to shoot at a slow shutter speed with a tripod in order to capture the lights of the Manhattan skyline. In addition, I would need to use a powerful flash in order to illuminate Shira and Jason from a distance of approximately 40-50 feet.

The equipment I used for the shoot was a Canon 5D camera, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens, a Canon Speedlite 580EX II flash, an external battery pack for the flash and a Bogen Manfrotto tripod. The external battery pack was necessary in order to provide fast recycling times for the flash in the 45-50 degree weather.

Jason proposed to Shira on Monday night and it went perfectly. She was so excited that she did not even notice the flashes going off. It was so dark that I had to quickly focus the lens manually for each shot as I changed focal length because the camera's autofocus did not work accurately in such low light at such a distance.

Here's a quick shot sequence:

Here's Jason giving me the "thumbs up". Congratulations Shira and Jason!!!

Photo info:
All photos in the sequence were taken at 1/6 sec., f/5.6, ISO 800, manual mode, ETTL flash at -2/3 flash compensation.
1) 70 mm focal length
2) 155 mm focal length
3) 155 mm focal length
4) 200 mm focal length
5) 90 mm focal length, slight panning.

Sister and brother

2008-10-19T03:24:00.009-04:00

I took a couple of quick portraits for their parents.

Jackie & Wade's Wedding

2008-10-18T00:49:00.032-04:00

Recently, I made my way to Connecticut to shoot Jackie and Wade's wedding. What a fun couple they were to work with! I thoroughly enjoyed covering their wedding day.

We started the day at Jackie's parent's house where she planned to get ready. I got there a little early so I took the opportunity to take some pictures of her dress, flowers and other things.

Wade did a great job with the engagement ring.

Jackie picked out a beautiful bouquet:

A fun shot of Jackie's shoes with my fisheye lens.

Jackie's mom and sister helping her get ready.

Learning to bustle the dress.

What a cute flower girl. She did a great job!

Jackie making her grand entrance.

Jackie looks so happy in this picture.

Proud father dancing with his daughter.

Wade dancing with his mom.

Jackie dancing with Wade's dad.

Welcome to the family, Jackie!

Sing along.

Congratulations Jackie and Wade!

Cousins

2008-10-15T00:30:00.010-04:00

This beautiful, happy, baby girl was only four months old when these pictures were taken. In the first two pictures she's smiling at her 2 year old cousin.

I love how the older cousin looks so excited to be holding her younger cousin and taking a picture with her.

Photo info: All photos taken with Canon 5D and 50mm f/1.4 lens, manual mode, no flash, window light.
1) 1/125 sec., f/2.0, ISO 200
2) 1/125 sec., f/2.0, ISO 200
3) 1/80 sec., f/2.0, ISO 200

Clouds on a breezy day

2008-10-13T01:53:00.004-04:00

Photo info:
Canon 5D @ 44mm with 24-70mm f/2.8L lens, 1/800 sec., f/8.0, ISO 100, manual mode, high contrast black and white conversion

Joanne & Tom's Wedding

2008-10-11T11:43:00.010-04:00

Here are just a few pictures from Joanne and Tom's wedding on Long Island. By the way, Tom's a huge New York Yankees fan. Note the Yankees emblem spotlighted on the dance floor in the first picture and the Yankees themed figurine in the third.

Photo info:
1) Canon 5D @ 43mm with 24-70mm f/2.8L lens, 1/40 sec., f/2.8, ISO 1600, manual mode, no flash.
2) Canon 5D @ 50mm with 50mm f/1.4 lens, 1/60 sec., f/2.2, ISO 1600, manual mode, no flash.
3) Canon 5D @ 50mm with 50mm f/1.4 lens, 1/30 sec., f/2.8, ISO 1600, manual mode, no flash.
4) Canon 5D @ 50mm with 50mm f/1.4 lens, 1/40 sec., f/1.4, ISO 800, manual mode, no flash.

NYC Pics #6: Manhattan Municipal Building

2008-10-04T11:27:00.007-04:00

The Manhattan Municipal Building is located at 1 Centre Street at the intersection of Chambers Street and Centre Street. At 40 stories tall, it is one of the largest governmental buildings in the world. Construction of the building was completed in 1915.

Photo info:
1) Canon 5D @ 24mm, 1/640 sec, f/7.1, ISO 200, manual mode, high contrast b&w conversion
2) Canon 5D @ 35mm, 1/80 sec, f/14, ISO 200, manual mode, b&w conversion

Man smoking near subway

2008-10-02T00:09:00.006-04:00

Photo info: Canon 5D @ 35mm, 1/160 sec., f/10, ISO 100, manual mode.

NYC Pics #5: Statue of Atlas

2008-10-01T00:30:00.005-04:00

These pictures are of the statue of Atlas at Rockefeller Center facing Fifth Avenue, opposite St. Patrick's Cathedral, in Midtown Manhattan.

NYC Pics #4: Midtown Manhattan at Sunset

2008-09-29T00:30:00.006-04:00

These pictures of the Empire State Building and Midtown Manhattan were taken at sunset from the observation deck at 30 Rockefeller Plaza.

My last regular season game at Shea Stadium

2008-09-27T17:59:00.006-04:00

I went to today's Mets game at Shea Stadium. We were thrilled to watch Mets starting pitcher Johan Santana pitch a masterful, 3 hit, 9 strikeout, complete game shutout to beat the Florida Marlins by the score of 2-0. The victory moved the Mets to just 1/2 game behind the Milwaukee Brewers in the National League Wildcard race. The Mets have only one game left in the regular season. As I type this post, the Chicago Cubs have a 4-1 lead over the Brewers in the eighth inning. If the Cubs can hold on and defeat the Brewers, the Brewers and the Mets will be tied for the Wildcard going into tomorrow's game.

Today's pitching performance by Santana came on only 3 days rest after he threw a career high 125 pitches in his last start. As Santana pitched the ninth inning, the Mets crowd chanted "Jo-han, Jo-han" in appreciation for their ace pitcher coming through with a great performance in the Mets most important game this season to date. Santana ended up finishing with a record of 16-7 with a 2.53 ERA in his first season with the Mets.

Here is a picture of Shea Stadium just before the start of the game. Just beyond the outfield is the Mets new home starting next year, Citi Field.

NYC Pics #3: Tweed Courthouse

2008-09-26T00:38:00.004-04:00

Tweed Courthouse is located on the north side of City Hall Park, behind City Hall, on Chambers Street. This is the second oldest city government building in New York City. The building is currently home to the New York City Department of Education.

NYC Pics #2: Federal Hall on Wall Street

2008-09-24T22:48:00.008-04:00

Federal Hall is located on Wall Street in the Financial District and is where George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States. Federal Hall was also home to the first Congress, Supreme Court and Executive Branch of the government when New York City was the nation's capitol.

These pictures are of the statue of George Washington in front of Federal Hall. The first two pictures were taken with the Sigma 8mm fisheye lens; the last two with the Canon EF-S 10-22mm wide angle lens.

NYC Pics#1: Trinity Church

2008-09-23T00:02:00.012-04:00

I've lived in New York City all of my life and have enjoyed visiting many of the historical and cultural places in the City. On most days, I am usually in either Manhattan, Queens or Brooklyn.

Today I am starting a new series of posts with pictures of different places around New York City. Many of the places are very familiar and have been photographed countless times. My goal is to try to capture images of these familiar places in a fresh way from my perspective.

Last week, I was in the Financial District and made a quick stop at Trinity Church which is located at the intersection of Broadway and Wall Street. I used to live a few blocks from Trinity Church, but never visited this historical landmark during that time. I was surprised to learn that this was, in fact, the third Trinity Church at this site. The first Trinity Church was built in 1698 and was destroyed in the Great New York City Fire of 1776. The second Trinity Church was built in 1788 and was later torn down because of severe snowstorms in 1838-1839. The Trinity Church of today was built in 1846.

Here is Trinity Church:

The original Trinity Church burial ground includes the graves and memorials of many historical figures including Alexander Hamilton (the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and a Founding Father) and Robert Fulton (developed the first commercially successful steamboat).

My last game at the current Yankee Stadium

2008-09-20T01:18:00.006-04:00

I was at Yankee Stadium on Thursday to watch the Yankees beat the Chicago White Sox by a score of 9-2. Starting pitcher Mike Mussina picked up his 18th win of the season. This was likely my last game at the current Yankee Stadium because the Yankees are moving to a new stadium across the street for the 2009 season. This Sunday is the last regular season game at the current stadium. The Yankees are in third place in the American League East and are not expected to make the postseason.

Emilio "Millito" Navarro threw out the ceremonial first pitch of Thursday's game. Mr. Navarro was the first Puerto Rican to play in the Negro Leagues. He is also the oldest living professional baseball player at the age of 102.

I watched the game from my seat on the main level, but later in the game I went to the upper deck to take this wide angle shot.

After the game as I waited on the subway platform for my train, I took a picture through the metal bars of the platform fence. This picture shows the current Yankee Stadium on the left and the new Yankee Stadium on the right which is still under construction.

2008 U. S. Open

2008-09-16T00:34:00.008-04:00

I went to a few sessions of the 2008 U.S. Open tennis tournament at Flushing Meadows, New York. The best match I got to see was the 4th round match between eventual men's champion Roger Federer and 23rd seed, Igor Andreev. Federer was expected to win the match easily, but Andreev played very well. Federer won in 5 sets, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Federer went on to defeat Andy Murray in the finals to earn his 5th straight U.S. Open title.

Here is Federer serving to Murray:

I also had fun watching an exhibition match between Michael Chang and Todd Martin. Both these players have been retired for several years, but they still played at a high level.

Michael Chang was one of my favorite players. He was the youngest-ever male winner of a Grand Slam singles title when he won the French Open in 1989 at the age of 17. Possibly the most exciting match I ever saw was the 4th round match of the 1989 French Open between Chang and then World No. 1 ranked player Ivan Lendl. The 17 year old Chang showed a tremendous amount of determination and toughness in beating Lendl. I was glued to the television and became on instant fan.

Here is a short synopsis of the match between Chang and Lend from Wikipedia:

1989 French Open match vs Ivan Lendl

Perhaps Chang's most famous match took place at the 1989 French Open, which was Chang's only Grand Slam singles title. In the fourth round, he faced the World No. 1 and three-time former champion Ivan Lendl. Conventional wisdom made Lendl the heavy favorite to win the match against the 15th seeded and 17-year-old Chang.

Everything seemed to be going to form when Lendl comfortably took the first two sets 6–4, 6–4 and then broke Chang's serve in the opening game of the third set. But Chang broke back immediately and went on to claim the third set 6–3. Part way through the fourth set, Chang experienced a severe attack of leg cramps. Fighting to stay in the match, Chang resorted to some novel tactics. For a period, he began taking all speed out of the match by playing "moon balls", causing Lendl, who was known to be one of the calmest players, to lose his rhythm. He began to swear at the umpire and the crowd, especially after losing a key point in the fifth set when Chang shocked him by delivering an under-arm serve. Chang later explained, "I was trying to break his concentration. I would do anything to stay out there." (That underhanded serve achieved cult status among amateurs and, at least in Chang's hometown area of Southern California, it was not unheard of to see juniors emulate the swing in desperation while trying to come back from behind in a match during the 1990s.)

Barely able to stand, and screaming with pain after many of his shots, Chang continued to battle on. Despite being on the verge of physical breakdown, he fought his way to a 5–3 lead in the fifth set with two match points on Lendl's serve. Aiming to break Lendl's concentration one more time, Chang stood well inside the baseline, almost at the T-line in the centre of the court while waiting to receive Lendl's serve (normally an almost suicidal position when facing an opponent's serve). The tactic worked as Lendl produced a double-fault to give Chang the victory, 4–6, 4–6, 6–3, 6–3, 6–3 in four hours and 37 minutes. Chang sank to his knees and broke down in tears at the conclusion of the match. Seven days later, he became the youngest male champion in Grand Slam history.

Here is the now 37 year old Michael Chang in an exhibition match at the 2008 U.S. Open:

Remembering 9/11/01

2008-09-11T21:08:00.003-04:00

Three years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, I was renting an apartment a few blocks from Ground Zero. On September 11, 2004, New York City held a light tribute in honor of those who lost their lives that day. I took this picture from the Rector Street pedestrian bridge on West Street.

Cousins

2008-07-28T01:05:00.007-04:00

These two cute kids are cousins. A few weeks ago, they had a great time painting pictures as you can see from the paint on their faces and hands. Generally, they get along very well together.

Sometimes they argue a little. Look how she has her arms folded and seems mad. He has a "what did I do?" look on his face.

They quickly made up and he started chasing her around the yard.

They had about a dozen of these little mini arguments all day, but in the end they always made up and had fun together.

The Statue of Liberty

2008-07-20T18:32:00.004-04:00

Here is one more picture I took during last Thursday's boat cruise in New York Harbor. This picture was shot using a Canon 5D at 30mm with a 24-70mm f/2.8L lens, 1/25 sec at f/2.8, ISO 1600.

NYC Waterfalls

2008-07-18T01:08:00.006-04:00

This evening I photographed an event aboard the Spirit of New York cruise ship. As we cruised around New York Harbor, we passed by the Brooklyn Bridge which is the site of one of the waterfalls from the New York City Waterfalls Project. The project was created by artist Olafur Eliasson. Check out the artist's statement for an understanding of his vision for this project. The waterfalls are best viewed after sunset when they are lit.

Shea Stadium - 4-12-08

2008-04-13T03:21:00.007-04:00

I went to the New York Mets game yesterday. There was alot of excitement in the stadium at the start of the game because it was Johan Santana's Shea Stadium debut. Unfortunately, he gave up five runs and was outpitched by the Milwaukee Brewers' ace, Ben Sheets. The Mets ended up losing 5-3.

Despite this subpar performance, I expect Johan to have a great season with the Mets. I watched him for years when he played for the Minnesota Twins and have no doubt that he will continue to be one of the best pitchers in baseball.

On another note, I was happy to see the progress of the construction of Citi Field. This is the last season for the Mets in Shea Stadium. Next year they move into a new stadium which is being built next to the current stadium. Citi Field is expected to be a smaller stadium with architectural aspects reminiscent of the old Ebbets Field in Brooklyn.

Here is a picture I took yesterday. If you look in the distance, behind the outfield, you can see Citi Field.

Fall Foliage

2008-04-03T01:27:00.006-04:00

My favorite part of the Fall season is when the foliage changes color.

Urban Decay / Empty Lots in Atlantic City

2008-04-01T02:13:00.006-04:00

Click to view larger image

Orange Sky

2008-03-31T00:03:00.004-04:00

Mark Rothko was an abstract expressionist painter who used vibrant blocks of various colors to express emotion. In May 2007, Rothko's 1950 painting White Center (Yellow, Pink and Lavender on Rose), broke the record selling price of any post-war painting at a public auction when an anonymous bidder paid $72.8 million dollars at Sotheby's New York.

I took this picture in New Jersey just after sunset. The bold color of the orange sky coupled with the darkness of the ocean and beach reminded me of a Rothko painting.

Atlantic City beach and boardwalk

2008-03-30T00:17:00.005-04:00

Women's Basketball at Chelsea Piers

2008-03-17T03:03:00.006-04:00

Chelsea Piers is an excellent sports facility on the west side of New York City. Here are some pictures from a women's basketball league. These players were very intense.

Seagulls at Rockaway Beach

2008-02-09T05:02:00.001-05:00

Old Hollywood Style Portrait

2008-02-05T01:47:00.001-05:00

Here is my attempt at an old Hollywood style portrait from the 1930's and 40's. I choose not to convert this image to black and white because I like the reddish background. I used a tungsten light to light the background and a Kino Flo to light the model.

Who is Your Favorite Photographer and Why?

2008-01-26T21:40:00.001-05:00

Someone asked me recently the following question: Who is your favorite photographer and why?

I found this to be a very difficult question to answer. For as much as I love photography, I never really considered who my favorite photographer was. Certainly, there are many photographers that I admire, but my focus has always been on the image itself and not the person who captured the image. Rather than try to pick a favorite photographer, I found it much easier to decide what my favorite form of photography is. I choose photojournalism. In my opinion, the essence of photojournalism is to capture images that tell a story. I find that the most compelling images are those that effectively convey a story.

My favorite photographers are some of the great masters of photojournalism who are members of Magnum Photos. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Magnum Photos, here is an excerpt from their website:

"Magnum Photos is a photographic co-operative of great diversity and distinction owned by its photographer-members. With powerful individual vision, Magnum photographers chronicle the world and interpret its peoples, events, issues and personalities. Through its four editorial offices in New York, London, Paris and Tokyo, and a network of fifteen sub-agents, Magnum Photos provides photographs to the press, publishers, advertising, television, galleries and museums across the world."

"Within the library, most of the major world events and personalities from the Spanish Civil War to the present day are covered. There are constantly updated profiles on most countries of the world, covering industry, society and people, places of interest, politics and news events, disasters and conflict. The Magnum Photos library reflects all aspects of life throughout the world and the unparalleled sense of vision, imagination and brilliance of the greatest collective of documentary photographers. In short, when you picture an iconic image, but can't think who took it or where it can be found, it probably came from Magnum."

Recently, I was fortunate to receive as a gift, a copy of Magnum Stories by Chris Boot.

Magnum Stories is a collection of some the photographic work of 61 members of Magnum Photos. I find this book fascinating because each of these photographers discuss their careers and philosophy toward photography while showing key images from their portfolios.

This book allows the photographers to tell the stories behind some of the most recognizable images of the last sixty years. We also get a sense of the very real danger these photographers face when covering wars and other conflicts around the world. I highly recommend you check out this book.

Aruba Vacation - Day 6 + 7

2008-01-19T00:16:00.001-05:00

On day 6, we decided not to do any sightseeing. Instead, we simply enjoyed another quiet, relaxing day lounging by the pool.

On day 7, our last full day in Aruba, we went back to Eagle Beach. This was the first day that we experienced some rain during our vacation. When we first arrived at the beach, we were greeted by a light drizzle of rain for about 10 minutes. At the horizon, we could see heavy rain and ominous storm clouds passing by. Luckily, the heavy rain did not reach the beach and we were able to enjoy the day.

This is my favorite picture from our vacation. I really like how the clouds look and I think the patches of rain in the horizon are very interesting.

After a short while the storm clouds passed and the sun came out for the rest of the day. My nephew enjoyed playing in the sand.

Later in the evening, we had dinner at Chalet Suisse. Our favorite dish by far was the Chocolate "Marquis" which was recommended by our waiter. This dessert, which we shared, was made with dark chocolate, served in a Bailey's Grande Anglais sauce and topped with creamy Hazelnut ice cream. My fiancee described it as a "little piece of Heaven".

Our dinner at Chalet Suisse capped our last night in Aruba. The next morning, we checked out of our villa at 10 a.m. and drove back to the airport for our flight back to New York City.

As is true with most vacations, our Aruba vacation seemed much too short. I can say, without reservation, that I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Aruba. I definitely wish to return again.

Aruba Vacation - Day 5

2008-01-18T00:53:00.004-05:00

On day 5 we checked out one of the nicest beaches in Aruba -- Eagle Beach. I immediately noticed that the sand was extremely fine, soft and clean. Furthermore, Eagle Beach is very long and wide, so you never feel crowded even though there are several resorts and time shares along the beach. Eagle Beach was my favorite beach in Aruba.

Another beautiful sunset in Aruba:

I wanted to take some pictures at Eagle Beach at night, but we had dinner plans. This black & white image is my attempt to simulate a night time shot during day time conditions. I set the exposure of my camera to properly expose for the sky. As a result, the ocean and sand came out darker as if it was night.

Aruba Vacation - Day 4

2008-01-16T00:30:00.001-05:00

On day 4 of our Aruba vacation, we went to the northwest end of the island to Arashi Beach, one of the northernmost beaches in Aruba. Arashi Beach is near the California Lighthouse.

The California Lighthouse was named after a ship with an interesting history - the Californian. According to Aruba-Travelguide .com, the Californian has the distinction of having been in proximity of, and having received distress signals from the Titanic as she was sinking in icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean on her maiden voyage in 1912. The Californian's radio operator was off-duty and asleep at the time of the disaster. A few years after the Titanic disaster, the Californian sank in rough seas off the Aruba coast and is now a popular dive site.

I'm sure you've noticed that I had fun with the fisheye lens during this vacation.

Arashi Beach is a very, very nice beach. The water is clear and calm. In my opinion, the only negatives are that there are only a few beach huts available for shade, so it is best to avoid the midday sun.

Later in the evening we had dinner at The Old Fisherman.

The fried cornbread was very good.

However, unlike Papiamento from the day before, the service at The Old Fisherman was poor. Additionally, while my seafood dish looked good, it was overcooked to the point of being slightly rubbery. Most of the rest of my dinner companions liked their food.

This was my mixed seafood dish:

Aruba Vacation - Day 3

2008-01-15T00:53:00.001-05:00

Day 3 in Aruba brought us to a wonderful spot known as Baby Beach. Baby Beach is a shallow lagoon on the southeast end of the island. The gentle waves are great for children and the water is shallow enough for most adults to stand in even far from shore.

These first two pictures really show how calm the waters are and how far out you can walk.

The water level is generally about waist high in the lagoon, but deepens significantly towards the inlet to the ocean. The inlet is teeming with marine life and is a good place for snorkeling. If you don't have your own snorkeling gear, you can rent some from the snack shack on the beach.

I borrowed an underwater housing for my small digital point-and-shoot camera from my fiancee's cousin and was able to take some pictures of the fish I came across in the inlet. A nearby snorkeler had a small bag of bread so the fish really swarmed around us.

I took this picture just before we left the beach to go back to the resort. This is a good example of what the landscape looks like near Baby Beach.

Later in the evening, we had dinner at Papiamento, a terrific restaurant which specializes in Caribbean seafood dishes. There is seating inside the manor house and outside by the pool. Some of the steak, lamb, lobster, shrimp and fish dishes are served on a super-heated stone for guests to finish cooking at the table. Personally, I would stay away from the "on the stone" dishes unless you enjoy that sort of participation. I had the grouper covered with shrimp and scallops. It was delicious.

Besides the excellent food, the best quality of Papiamento is their outstanding service. The staff made sure we were well taken care of, but in an unobtrusive way. Our water glasses never ran empty and we never waited too long between courses. I was a bit clumsy that night and dropped my fork off the table two times. Before I had a chance to pick up the fork, a waiter was there to pick it up and offer me a new one.

Everyone in my party thoroughly enjoyed their meals. I highly recommend Papiamento.

This picture of the front of the restaurant gives little indication of the wonderful dining experience to be had inside. I enjoyed my meal so much, I forgot to take pictures inside!

Aruba Vacation - Day 2

2008-01-13T00:28:00.001-05:00

After a good night's sleep, I was ready to enjoy my first full day in Aruba. The plan was to explore the grounds of the resort and relax by the pool. We spent most of the late morning and early afternoon alternating between dips in the pool and naps under the umbrellas.

There are lots of iguanas in Aruba. This large one seemed to like to hang out by the edge of the pool. I don't know much about iguanas so I didn't try to touch it. However, I swam to within a couple of feet of it and it didn't seem to mind me getting close.

In addition to the iguanas, we frequently saw smaller lizards around the grounds. They are harmless and usually run away if you get too close. This one was right next to my sun umbrella.

The sunsets in Aruba are so beautiful that I couldn't help but take pictures whenever I could.

It was New Years' Eve and the entire island seemed to be setting off fireworks. People in Aruba really like their fireworks. There were fireworks every night that we were there.

I didn't bring my tripod on this trip because I wanted to travel relatively light. I took this picture hand held at a slow shutter speed - about 2 seconds. As much as I tried to hold the camera still, there is noticeable camera shake. In order to get crisp fireworks shots, you MUST use a tripod. Shooting at a slow shutter speed allows you to capture the trails of light. I would recommend setting your shutter speed to at least 4 seconds or slower and shooting in manual mode. Once you set the shutter speed, set the aperture to f/11 or f/13. Adjust the shutter speed or the aperture accordingly until you reach a proper exposure.

This is my fireworks picture taken hand held:

My next post will be about Day 3. We went swimming and snorkeling at Baby Beach on the south end of the island.

Aruba Vacation - Day 1

2008-01-10T23:34:00.001-05:00

Around New Year's, I spent 8 days / 7 nights at the Aruba Marriott Surf Club Resort. The trip was planned on just two weeks notice.

The balcony overlooks the pool area, but if you look to the right, you can see the ocean.

This is one of the pools that we could see from our balcony.

To the left of our balcony, we could see the lazy river pool and the neighboring Aruba Marriott Ocean Club.

I was very excited to be in Aruba, but I could only stay awake for a little while and decided to call it a night.

Over the next several posts, I am going to tell you about each day that we spent in Aruba.

I'm back from vacation

2008-01-09T04:32:00.000-05:00

I haven't blogged in almost 2 weeks because I just returned from an amazing vacation in Aruba. Needless to say, the weather was perfect. 85 degrees and a gentle breeze to keep you cool. The island is beautiful with many great beaches. This was the best vacation I've taken in a long, long time.

Over the next several days I am going to post numerous pictures from the trip. Stay tuned.

The Irish Pub

2007-12-25T15:38:00.002-05:00

Last Saturday, I had lunch at The Irish Pub in Atlantic City on St. James Place just off the Boardwalk. The place is very warm and friendly. We had a good lunch and the prices were very reasonable. If you want to get away from the casinos for a while and enjoy a good beer in a relaxing environment, this is a great choice.

We went around noon and the back area was empty.

I had the Crab Cakes with French Fries which was delicious and only $6.50.

My fiancee had the Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes and Corn.

Christmas Trees

2007-12-25T14:36:00.002-05:00

My fiancee and I took a short trip to Atlantic City this past weekend. The holiday spirit was in full swing at Caesar's.

This Christmas tree is made up entirely of Poinsettia plants:

This Christmas tree was in the lobby of the hotel:

In the Studio

2007-12-21T02:22:00.001-05:00

A recent studio session with Francesca.

Duck in Washington D.C.

2007-12-17T01:16:00.000-05:00

Getting Ready for the Holidays - Part II

2007-12-16T01:39:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I did a quick 20 minute shoot with this beautiful little girl for her family's Christmas cards. She looooooves Christmas trees.

Birds at the Queens Zoo

2007-12-13T00:53:00.001-05:00

I recently took my 2 year old nephew to the Queens Zoo, a 5 acre zoo located in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, in Queens, New York. The zoo is home mostly to animals native to North America. Here are a few pictures of some of the birds that can be found there.

PNC Park

2007-12-12T23:35:00.001-05:00

PNC Park is the home stadium of the Pittsburgh Pirates. My fiancee and I went to Pittsburgh a couple of years ago and watched the Pirates play the Mets. This stadium is a great place to watch a baseball game because of the amazing view of downtown Pittsburgh, the riverfront and the Roberto Clemente Bridge. I took this panoramic picture during batting practice, from our seats, using my handy point-and-shoot camera.

Camera and Lens Recommendations

2007-12-08T16:49:00.001-05:00

Recently, I've had several friends ask me for advice as to what are good SLR cameras and lenses to buy for loved ones for the holidays. Since I mostly have Canon equipment, I can make a few recommendations for digital Canon SLR camera equipment to purchase. Other manufacturers such as Nikon and Olympus make excellent products, but I have very limited experience with them.

The Canon EOS 5D (left) is an amazing digital SLR camera. It features a 12.8 megapixel full frame sensor which produces excellent image quality under low light conditions. You can buy the camera body new for about $2,100 - $2,200. For professionals and serious amateurs, this camera is a good alternative to the Canon EOS1D Mark III which retails for about $4,500. The 5D is my primary camera and I am extremely happy with it. This camera is a favorite among wedding photographers.

The Canon Digital Rebel XTi is a terrific consumer level SLR camera. It features a 10.1 megapixel APS-C sensor. At approximately $550 for the camera body only, the XTi is 4x cheaper than the 5D, but is still a quality camera. I prefer the 5D because the image quality is far superior under low light conditions. However, the XTi is a terrific camera for the price and more than adequate for a hobbyist.

The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens (left) is a very impressive, high performing zoom lens. It is widely regarded as one of the best general purpose lenses available. The 24-70 L delivers excellent optical performance and is very sharp for a zoom lens. The fixed f/2.8 minimum aperture makes this lens a very fast zoom lens. In my opinion, the only downside is it's weight. At about 2.1 lbs, it is hefty. On a full frame camera, the focal length of 24mm is reasonably wide, but on an APS-C sensor camera such as the XTi, I find myself wishing it was a bit wider. For APS-C sensor cameras, I recommend the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens which retails for about $950. The 24-70 L retails for about $1,050.

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM lens provides a very useful focal length range with excellent image quality and image stabilization. Like the 24-70 L, this lens features a fixed f/2.8 minimum aperture. This lens is heavy at 2.9 lbs. However, this high quality lens is a favorite among professionals and serious amateurs. At around $1,600, this is also a very expensive lens, but well worth the money.

The Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens is terrific because it is small, light, inexpensive, sharp and has a fast f/1.4 aperture. At around $300, it is a must buy for both casual and serious photographers. For traveling, this lens is excellent in combination with the XTi because both are very light. Unless you really need the flexibility of a zoom lens, this is a great lens to keep on your camera most of the time. This is my favorite prime lens in the Canon line of consumer lens. The professional line of Canon prime lens are definitely superior, but they are also at least 3 to 4x the price. If you can afford the steep $1,700 price tag, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens produces stunning images.

You can find numerous consumer reviews for these cameras and lenses on the Fred Miranda website. For samples images taken with this equipment, a quick search on Flickr will generate plenty of examples. Have fun shopping.

Winter Blues

2007-12-08T00:03:00.000-05:00

It's cold in New York City. The temperature is about 30 degrees fahrenheit, but the wind makes it feel much colder. The temperature will get even colder over the next 2 months. It's weather like this that makes me long for Spring and Summer.

This past Summer, my fiancee and I spent a few days relaxing at the Skytop Lodge in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. These pictures remind me that warm weather will return. I woke up around 5:30 a.m. to take these first 4 pictures of the grounds around the lodge.

The sun is just beginning to rise over the horizon. It's still too dark to see the lake which is at the bottom of the picture.

The rising sun is creating a beautiful glow over Skytop Lake.

This is the view of the lake from the observation tower of the lodge. I like this picture because of the light mist over the hills.

The suns rays reflecting off the moon.

There are numerous hiking trails around the lodge. This is my favorite picture from the trip. The trees kept the forest relatively dark, but we came across a clearing which allowed the sun to shine through.

Getting Ready for the Holidays

2007-12-05T00:55:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week, I took some photos for a young couple for their holiday cards. Their little guy was having fun decorating the Christmas tree.

My New Website is Up!!!

2007-12-01T17:37:00.000-05:00

I am pleased to announce that my new website has finally launched.

1lifephoto.com

Thank you to everyone who contributed their thoughts and ideas during the development of the site. I especially want to thank my fiancee for her constant love and support.

I hope you enjoy your visit. Keeping checking back for the latest updates to the photo galleries. Of course, I will continue to contribute to my blog.

Ed Miyashiro

Laura & Jonathan

2007-11-29T01:42:00.001-05:00

Back in August I did a photo session with a young married couple from Long Island, Laura and Jonathan. We did most of the photo session in Cold Spring Harbor in the Town of Huntington. This was my first visit to Cold Spring Harbor. It's a beautiful area with interesting little shops along Main Street.

Laura and Jonathan were both amazing to work with.

Whatever Jonathan whispered to Laura made her crack up. It took her at least a minute to stop laughing.

Maria & Louis - Part II

2007-11-28T00:45:00.000-05:00

Last week I posted some pictures from my photo session with Maria and Louis in the Financial District and Battery Park City which are located at the southern tip of Manhattan. They were so enthusiastic about the experience that I have posted a few more.

This picture was taken on a walkway bridge that overlooks Robert F. Wagner, Jr. Park and the Hudson River. This is a nice, quiet spot to enjoy the view of the water.

These last three pictures were taken near the South Cove which is another park area in Battery Park City. This is one of Battery Park City's most popular destinations because there are plenty of seating areas where you can enjoy the view of the harbor and the many ships that pass through.

Whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium

2007-11-26T22:29:00.002-05:00

My fiancee and I love going to baseball games. She is a die-hard New York Mets fan and still won't talk about their late season collapse of last year. Every year we plan a short trip where we go to see a Mets game at a stadium we have yet to visit. In the last few years we have been to Wrigley Field in Chicago, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Camden Yards in Baltimore, RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., and most recently, Turner Field in Atlanta.

One of the reasons we like to go on these baseball trips is because we get the opportunity to visit a U.S. city we might normally never go to see. Atlanta is a good example. It's a fine city, but I never really considered taking a trip there.

What I discovered is that Atlanta features the world's largest aquarium, the Georgia Aquarium, which opened in 2005 and was funded mostly by a $250 million donation from the founder of Home Depot. Also, the Georgia Aquarium is one of the few aquariums in the world to feature whale sharks.

As a kid, I was fascinated by sharks and loved to visit the New York Aquarium in Coney Island to see them. The whale shark is interesting because it is the largest living fish species and can grow to 40 - 60 feet long. As we might never get the opportunity to see a whale shark up close, we decided to visit the Georgia Aquarium. They had about 4 whale sharks on exhibit, but none of them approached the 40-60 foot range. Nonetheless, they were very impressive.

I write about our trip to the Atlanta and their aquarium because yesterday was the first time I checked out my pictures from that trip and came across one I found interesting. Sitting in front of the huge shark tank was a father and his baby as a whale shark swam by.

Verrazano Bridge on a Cloudy Day

2007-11-25T22:18:00.001-05:00

The Verrazano Bridge is a suspension bridge which connects the Bay Ridge section of Brooklyn, New York to Staten Island. When construction of the bridge was completed in 1964, it became the longest suspension bridge in the world. A few other suspension bridges have been built since which are longer, but it remains the longest in the United States. The second longest in the U.S. is the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California. Many people today know the Verrazano Bridge as the starting point for the New York City Marathon.

I took this picture of the Verrazano Bridge on a cloudy day last January. This picture reminds me of my childhood. I grew up in Bay Ridge and spent many weekend afternoons bike riding with my father and brother along this bike path. Since this is Thanksgiving weekend and I am thankful for my family, I thought I would post this picture.

Fun New Gadget

2007-11-24T00:13:00.000-05:00

I've wanted to buy a fisheye lens for a while now and recently picked one up. I bought a Sigma 8mm f/3.5 EX DG AF Circular Fisheye. This is the widest circular fisheye with autofocus. It is capable of capturing a 180 degree field of view. I love how it produces an exaggerated perspective and dramatic distortion especially along the edges of the frame.

On a full frame camera such as my Canon 5D, this lens can achieve full circle images. Except for the occasional dancing at the reception shot, I probably won't be using this lens much for my wedding photography business. However, this lens is great fun to play around with and can make mundane subjects visually interesting. This lens is not really meant for taking pictures of people close up as it will greatly exaggerate a person's features.

Here are a few test shots I took on Thanksgiving in my fiancee's sister's backyard:

Atlantic City trip

2007-11-23T17:50:00.001-05:00

My fiancee and I go to Atlantic City often enough that we usually get a complimentary hotel stay and sometimes tickets to an event. Last weekend we received comp tickets to "Fashion on Ice" at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The theme of the show was that singer Sarah Brightman would perform while Olympic figure skating medalists Sasha Cohen, Evan Lysacek, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto and others would skate routines dressed in costumes designed by top fashion designers. When she first told me about this show, it was all I could do to keep from rolling my eyes.

First of all, I must say that my fiancee is a huge fan of the Olympics. She particularly loves gymnastics and figure skating. Particularly with gymnastics, she appreciates the skill and hard work necessary to be good as she was a terrific gymnast as a child. However, she doesn't particularly like gymnastics or figure skating exhibitions because usually the skill level displayed is lower than in competition and the routines are 10 times cheesier than normal.

Since the tickets were free, we decided to check out the show. As we made our way into the arena, both of us were shocked to learn that some of the tickets for the show were selling for over $100. Furthermore, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that our free seats were about 7 to 10 rows from the ice.

The show actually turned out to be pretty good. Sarah Brightman sang a good version of "Con Te Partiro", a song made famous a few years ago by Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. The skaters were impressive. Seeing them skate in person was definitely more interesting than watching them on TV. Sasha Cohen and Evan Lysacek both skated very well.

I had a good time because it gave me the opportunity to take pictures of a sporting event under low light conditions. Shooting a fast moving sport under low light can be very challenging because your shutter speed has to be fast enough to spot the action and you need to use a lens that opens up to a very wide aperture. Since I was reasonably close to the ice, I decided to use the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens, an excellent, relatively inexpensive, medium length prime lens which excels in low light.

The first two pictures are of an Italian figure skater whose name I cannot recall. The last two pictures are of Sasha Cohen.

Sasha Cohen is one of my fiancee's favorite skaters. I did a quick google search and found out that she's known as one of the best, if not the best, artistic skater in a long, long time. Apparently, nobody beats her on artistry, but she sometimes has difficulty executing her jumps. She won a silver medal in the last Olympics. This next picture shows off her incredible flexibility.

Maria & Louis

2007-11-21T01:07:00.001-05:00

Last month I had the pleasure of doing a photo session with Louis and his beautiful wife Maria. Louis is an avid photographer and loves to talk about photography. He mentioned to me that
he loves to take photos of his wife. However, other than their wedding day, they have very few pictures together.

As a photographer, Louis can appreciate the value of having interesting settings for pictures. In advance of our session, he scouted out some locations in the Financial District and Battery Park City. These are just a few samples from early on in the shoot. Over the next few days, I plan on posting more pictures.

The first two pictures were taken just off of Stone Street, a narrow, cobblestone, pedestrian-only alley in the midst of the tall buildings of the Financial District. It has a great Old New York feel. I remember reading in some history book about New York that Stone Street was one of the first paved streets in what is now known as New York City. During the spring and summer, the local restaurants set up tables in the street and serve lunch to the Wall Street crowd. Behind Louis and Maria you can see the sign for Ulysses', a popular bar.

Down in Battery Park City near the Ritz Carlton Hotel, there is an interesting seating area overlooking the Hudson River. There are these great wooden benches with high backs.

Which image do you like better?

2007-11-13T01:44:00.001-05:00

I find the first image compelling. It's not an amazing picture and not very creative. It's just a very basic, straight ahead, full face portrait. What I like is how her direct eye contact creates a connection between her and the viewer. Well, at least with me it does.

My style of wedding photography can best be described as "photojournalistic". Basically, I prefer to take candid pictures, as opposed to posed pictures. While I definitely take a decent amount of formal portraits at my weddings, I think that candid pictures tend to be better for capturing the emotion of a wedding day. In fact, I find that true for most photography settings, especially if the subject is uncomfortable in front of a lens.

However, the first image reminds me that portraits can be compelling. Out of the pictures I've taken in the last couple of weeks, for me, this is probably the one that I've spent the most time looking at. The image has flaws, but I still really like it. I showed it to a friend recently and he didn't particularly care for it. I guess that's part of what makes photography, or any art form for that matter, interesting. Different people see different things. Jackson Pollock is considered a master of abstract expressionism. I don't care for his work. I'm not saying that the first image is a great work of art. It's not, but you get the point.

The second image shows that she also has a less serious, playful side. My friend likes the second image better.

Ode to Robert Palmer

2007-11-11T03:42:00.000-05:00

Some of you out there may remember Robert Palmer's music videos from the early 90's. The two that come to mind are "Addicted to Love" and "Simply Irresistible". Basically Robert Palmer sang while a bunch models who were all dressed alike and wore bright red lipstick would pretend to play instruments and dance around him. The music was good, but those videos turned them into huge hits.

Earlier this week I worked with a model named Madeline. She came in wearing a red dress and BRIGHT red lipstick. She said she was going for the "Robert Palmer" look. I immediately flashed back to those music videos. Because of the vivid color of her lips and dress, I decided to try to get her skin as light as possible to create contrast.

Madeline was great to work with and she is eager to pursue a modeling career. I hope to work with her again some day.

Studio session

2007-11-06T01:33:00.000-05:00

Most of my photo sessions involves shooting on location. Since I live in NYC there are so many interesting places where I can bring my clients. Last week I had the opportunity to do some studio work. Candice is an aspiring actress/model. Take a look:

Taina & Frankie - Part II

2007-10-23T02:12:00.001-04:00

Here are a few pics of Taina and Frankie's reception:

Taina & Frankie

2007-10-23T02:07:00.001-04:00

Recently I had the pleasure of shooting the wedding of Taina & Frankie. They were both alot of fun to work with. They were married in a small church in the Bronx by Frankie's uncle and the reception was held at a restaurant in Brooklyn.

I also must say that Taina and Frankie both have wonderful and supportive families. The bride's mom did a great job coordinating the event.

Here are a few pics of the bride and groom getting ready for the ceremony:

Welcome to my new blog!

2007-10-17T22:53:00.001-04:00

I am pleased to announce that my new blog is up and running.

A few weeks ago I did a photo session with a couple who recently got engaged.

Here are some sample pics: