Along with over 100 million people in the United States, my house had on the big game last night. My friend, Mitch from I’m Just Sharing blog, came by for the fun and our favorite Superbowl feast of calzones with fresh baked cookies for dessert.
Watching the Superbowl. Nikon D700/Tokina 11-16mm, 1/6s, f/5.6, ISO 1600, EV 0, 16mm focal length, tripod.
Today, I am basking in the glow of the win by my favorite team, the Green Bay Packers!
It has been awhile since I have mentioned one of my favorite subjects, fill flash. I touched on fill flash when I discussed Outdoor Portraiture and shared a photo of Captain Jack Sparrow. Even with the advancements of my Nikon D700 digital SLR camera, I still use a Nikon Speedlight set to balanced fill flash (see your camera and flash manuals for this setting. Point and Shoot camera owners, look for Sun Portrait or similar mode).
Photo on left is with no flash; photo on right is with fill flash.
This Indian statue on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom of Walt Disney World was a willing subject to show you the difference between not using and using flash in bright sunlight. The photo on the left without flash has dark shadows and muted colors. The photo on the right with flash brings up the colors and eliminates the shadows. Especially notice the difference around the eyes.
Before you mention it, I know there is some reflection from the flash on the statue’s face. I do not expect that to happen with real people unless you are photographing Joan Rivers or Wayne Newton. 😀 To prove my point here are a few more portraits of some of the characters found on Main Street USA.
A performer in the Main Street Trolley Parade show in the Magic Kingdom. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/250s, f/14, ISO 200, EV 0, 180mm focal length, balanced fill flash set at -1 power.
The Mayor of Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/250s, f/8, ISO 200, EV 0, 112mm focal length, balanced fill flash at -1 power.
Princess Ariel waving to her admirers during a parade on Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/250s, f/10, ISO 200, EV 0, 300mm focal length, balanced fill flash at full power.
Notice when I am in close to the people, I set my flash at -1 power. That is a good starting point. I will change the power plus or minus until I get the best exposure possible. The last photo of Princess Ariel, I needed full power because of the distance she was from me.
As I was planning the photo assignments for this year, I tried to keep in mind where you all lived and the time of year for each assignment. In the past, I know I had you out and about in rather challenging weather conditions. Such was not the case for this year’s first assignment on Food Photography. It could be done inside or outside very easily and the subject matter would be plentiful. Though some of you had trouble photographing the food before consuming it. It might also have been the fact I knew I was going on a Disney cruise where there would be lots of beautifully prepared food to photograph. I like to think I was thinking of all of you first. 😀
Before I get into recapping all of your delightfully delicious photos, I want to again thank Erika, The Ivory Hut, for her guest blog on Beginner Food Photography. I know it helped me tremendously and I will be referring back to it often.
The first links were posted by a flickr contact of mine, Barry Wallis, who I recruited for this assignment as soon as I saw his photo of poached eggs over home fried potatoes and bacon (which, btw, were not flat) presented on a beautiful plate. Barry was kind enough to submit that photo and another of a batch of mocha cinnamon chocolate chip cookies just crying out for a glass of cold milk to dip them in.
Wendi then graced us with her Lemony Seafood Pasta she created from a recipe she found. The photo just sung of summer picnics near water and something I will be trying out in the future. Check out Wendi’s flickr photostream for more excellent food photography.
Michaela, author of the popular The Daily Click blog, posted not one, not two but three blogs for the assignment: buttered popcorn, Mexican wedding cookies and food to warm one’s soul and stomach, soup and pasta. The problem with hosting a food photography assignment is I had to go home and make up some butter popcorn after viewing Michaela’s photo.
Another newcomer to my assignments, Debbie Littlejohn, presented her beef fillets with pomegranate-pinot sauce in a warm home environment with a glass of red wine for class. Nicely done, Debbie!
Nye shows us a traditional dish from Laos and Northern Thailand called Yum Neau Yang Nom Tok. She was not totally pleased with the photo of the food setting. I only saw where a reflector might have improved the photo some by throwing a little more light on the plated food. Otherwise, I thought it was well done.
Ever wonder what to do with a pair of pears? Isa, from Switzerland, shows us a pair of ways of enjoying them in her blog called Sweet pears.
Tracy slammed dunked this assignment with a hat trick (enough sports metaphors for you yet?) of assembled food collages covering breakfast, lunch and dinner. I still get a sugar rush from the Cap’n Crunch photo!
Gerry, who I know is freezing today along with the rest of us in North America, proves even Brussels sprout can look good enough to eat…almost. 😉
Now we come to what I am calling the most creative approach to this assignment from Amy of the Flandrum Hill blog and the Canadian maritime, with her photo essay entitled, Table for One. I do not want to spoil it for you, click on the link and enjoy!
Do you like olives? If you do, you’ll want to see Robin’s food photography post. Heck, even you do not like olives, you’ll appreciate it. As a bonus, you will learn about Ohio’s Blue Ice Walls.
Karma brings us homemade Oreo cookies with a glass of milk. I hope my friend Mitch does not see this one. It could put him in a sugar induced daze for weeks!
I would like to introduce you to kiwidutch from the The Netherlands by way of New Zealand. Her blog not only featured some fine food photography but brought up a very important aspect of my photo assignments. That is to expand each of our blog’s reach as we explore each others photography and those who visit not only our blogs but those of others. Making many new friends as we do so.
Next up is…hey, it’s me! I brought you back photos from my Disney Food Tripping at Walt Disney World and on the new Disney Dream cruise ship. It’s better than a t-shirt, right?
When I send out a tweet on Twitter, I never know if they are noticed or ignored. Thankfully, Albie Bredenhann clicked in on this assignment from South Africa to present us with a food photography presentation fit for a magazine. I took notes reading this one, folks!
Out of breath but in plenty of time, kanniduba shared with us her secret to good health and longevity. Always knew there was something in those tea leaves people read.
Carsten took time out of his busy life to share with us the good and the very good (but not as healthy) post about apples and a traditional Danish birthday cake. Both looked good enough to snatch right off my computer’s screen.
Stating that her food was “ordinary”, Birgitte presented us with extraordinary photos of Danish food.
Dawn, like me, found this assignment very challenging. What I enjoyed about her blog was how she described how she approached food photography. She showed us her outtakes as well as the one she thought fulfilled the assignment’s requirements. And, like her, I need more practice.
Kathy is shooting and eating her food up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan these days. Tough to do for a vegetarian, mind you, but done in her wonderful storytelling style.
I challenged you to make photo of food fit for a magazine or cookbook. I feel you all did that to your ability and equipment. I know I can do better and will probably return to this topic during the rest of this year to try. Thank you all for your time and submissions. The next assignment will be posted in March. For now, bon appetit!
A couple looks small compared to the iced giant of Taughannock Falls near Ithaca, New York. Nikon D700/28-300VR, 1/25s, f/16, ISO 200, EV +1.3, 52mm focal length.
An iced cathedral was what first came to mind when I saw Taughannock Falls last weekend. The huge icicles were like the pipes of a massive organ I estimated were hanging down 50 feet or more and surrounded the water dropping 215 feet into an ice crater. The 30 foot tall ice crater had formed below during the winter months. Ice and snow covered most of the plunge pool I showed you back in 2009. Once in awhile the constant sound of the falling water was interrupted by a loud boom when a large chunk of ice would break off and fall.
This is another example of showing scale in a photo. The people in the lower right really give this place a sense of a cathedral in scope.
This winter trek to Taughannock Falls State Park was something I came up with when thinking of things to do with other photographers I know near Ithaca, New York. Monroe Payne of IthacaStock.com and Marc Lorenzo, a member of Disney’s Moms Panel, both were excited to see one of New York state’s natural wonders in the middle of winter.
My Taughannock Falls winter adventurers, Marc Lorenzo (left) and Monroe Payne (right) both wearing red. Nikon D7000, 1/200s, f/7.1, ISO 100, EV 0, 21mm focal length. Photo by Marc Lorenzo.
The day was overcast with temperatures in the mid-20’s F. The trail to the falls was well traveled and gave us no trouble hiking the short mile to the falls. Along the way we photographed small iced waterfalls peaking out along the creek bed meandering along the gorge floor and large ice boulders which had fallen from ice formations clinging to the 400 foot high stone walls of the park’s gorge.
Ice boulders found along the gorge trail at Taughannock Falls State Park. Nikon D700/Tokina 11-16mm, f/16, ISO 200, EV +1.0, 16mm focal length.
After four hours of photographing in the cold of Taughannock Falls from the gorge floor, the overlook above and along the south rim trail, our stomachs told us we needed some nourishment. I knew just the right place to go, the Glenwood Pines restaurant and their “world famous” Pineburger. I had mine with bacon.
The world famous Pineburger served at the Glenwood Pines restaurant near Ithaca, New York. Nikon D700/Tokina 11-16mm, 1/60s, f/4, ISO 400, EV 0, 16mm focal length.
By popular demand, here are more photos from the Disney Dream’s Christening Cruise. I have already talked about the christening cermony and showed you some photos of the food served at the restaurants on board the Disney Dream. This was my first time on a Disney Cruise Line ship and only my second time on a cruise both of which traveled to the Bahamas and back from Port Canaveral, Florida. The Disney Dream was designed to bring the luxury of past ocean liners to today’s cruising public using the latest in modern day technologies for Disney’s target audience…families.
Deck 11 is the center of activity on the Disney Dream.
Deck 11 is where you will find the Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck family swimming pools. Both heated to 87 degrees F. When Deck 11 is used for larger events, the pools are covered. There are locations for food, non-alcoholic beverages (soda, coffee, teas) and an ice cream bar on this deck where one can get pizzas, burgers, fries, chicken tenders, sandwiches and salads. For adults, there are adult-only areas with bars, pools, nightclubs and spas.
The clear tube of the AquaDuck water coaster winds it’s way around the ship being suspended above Deck 12. People riding it wave at other guests as they slide over the decks.
The Disney Dream’s AquaDuck water coaster was a popular attraction during the Christening cruise. People were waving away as they slide through the clear tube above decks 11 & 12. The AquaDuck goes out over the ship’s side about 150 feet above the ocean’s surface.
Parents will have time to enjoy time in the adult sections as their kids, tweens and teenagers will be busy playing video games on the floors, walls and labs of the Oceaneer’s Club and Lab. Tweens can hang together in the Edge, a trendy indoor lounge and a breezy outdoor deck and watch television, play videogames, listen to music, surf the Internet, enjoy fun activities and make new friends. Teens have their own place called the Vibe. There’s even a family club called the D-Lounge where parents and children are invited to sing, dance, play games and enjoy live entertainment together.
A young sailor plays a computer simulation game in the Oceaneer’s Club on Deck 5 of the Disney Dream.
The christening cruise was only a two night trip out to Disney’s Castaway Cay island in the Bahamas. I was up on deck as the Disney Dream approached and then backed into its berth at the island dock. For such a large vessel, the crew expertly brought her in.
The Disney Dream docked at Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.
As this was more a vacation than a working trip for my wife, we disembarked and went to the adult only beach called Serenity Bay. Serenity Bay is lovely area with beach umbrellas in every Caribbean island color. The weather was perfect in the mid-70’s with a slight breeze.
Relaxing on a hammock at Serenity Bay on Disney’s Castaway Cay.
It looks quiet, warm and peaceful laying there on the hammock, doesn’t it? Well, after finishing my Konk Kooler rum drink, I found myself spinning out of control. The remnants of my drink went flying through the air and I landed with a thud on the soft sand underneath. Once everyone around me knew I was not hurt, as I had ended up on my ass which is well padded, they all erupted in a fit of laughter. I joined in hoping to keep a little of my dignity.
After my adventure with the spinning hammocks of Serenity Bay, we checked out the family beaches. Disney has recently added some new improvements to Castaway Cay including the Pelican Plunge water slide.
Pelican Plunge water slide at Castaway Cay.
After a tropical day on Castaway Cay, we re-boarded the ship and got ready for the night festivities. It was Pirate Night with a show for kids in the early evening with fireworks later. Disney is the only cruise line to present fireworks from a moving cruise ship.
The state-of-the-art, 24-by-14 foot LED screen called Funnel Vision is used for shows, cartoons and movies on the Disney Dream.
This was one Disney vacation where I took time to live, laugh and relax. Right, Mickey?
to my personal journal through my viewfinder. A place where I leave the world behind and try to find the spirit of what I am seeing.
Feel free to look around at all the posts and pages. If you'd like to borrow a photo(s) for your non-commercial blog or website, be my guest. Please, do not alter the photo(s) and be sure to link back to this blog with a prominent photo credit(s). Thank you and I'm thrilled you dropped in!
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