Just About

Their has been more time than usual between blog posts. I have been busy at work and that is mostly up the keys. Being in the office makes it difficult to get out and take photos. I went to dinner tonight and just wanted to get something worth posting. Not great but shallow depth plus ISO 6400 are unique in their own way. Enjoy, I promise to have something more substantial soon, JP.

To the Fort Again - Dry Tortugas

One of the main reasons I didn't move out of Key West from this horrible economy, and way to expensive cost of living it the Dry Tortugas. Although this year has only brought me one trip, its kind of like hitting that one good iron shot in a round of golf. The fishing wasn't the greatest being that its the end of summer and the water is at its warmest. We ended up with 50 yellowtail so that was a good thing. The weekend that was picked could not have been better. It was 5-7 mph wind on the way there and variable breeze on the way back. The only wind we got was camping at night around 10 mph which was as perfect a trip weather wise as one could ask.

This trip was also special because of who I went with. The Davila's treat me as good as my own family and are always fun to be around. And the best thing about them, I know will take enough beer ;~).

On a sadder note. We got haggled. And haggled badly. Someone from the park service there was under the dock cleaning off the underwater streaming video camera lens. There was a dive flag on the dock post. Our captain did not see the flag. I will admit, I did see the flag. When I saw the flag sitting on top of the dock post I surely thought someone who left that morning had forgotten it. I did NOT think that putting a dive flag on land denoted divers around. After sitting on sure for about 45 minutes the park rangers came. They brought all the power trip they could find too. Tried to accuse us of reckless behavior, idling up to a dock with a dive flag on it where there is a posted "NO SWIMMING" sign? Accused us of drinking too much after we had been on land for almost an hour, and yes we did have some beers. Made us stay on the island for our own safety since we had been drinking and one of us got cited for endangering the lives of the divers at over $300. It was incredible and from my take and that of countless others, not very legal.

Of the handful of people I know that frequent the trip to the park, none have had a good thing to say. And all but one had at least a story or two of being approached in an unfriendly manner (screwed with unnecessarily).

Hopefully the right person reads this.

Enjoy the photos and the small video captured with gopro HD heros. JP

On The Flats

If there is one thing I haven't done enough of lately is flats fishing. Although I have been doing some really good tarpon fishing its just not the same as sight casting in the shallow water. We only hooked one permit this day. The weather was almost too good and most the permit got spooked from the boat a good 70 feet away.
Photographically these were taken with my manual 35mm f/2 Nikkor that was $85 and is probably 20 years old. Enjoy, JP.

From the Fourth

There are a couple holidays that are always consistent in my life and the main one is the 4th of July. It is one of the days of the year that is represented by being on the water all day long. I am always around a large group of friends. We usually have a few to many drinks and then somehow always make it to the fire works off of the pier. Here are a few abstracts to keep you interested. Enjoy, JP.

I'm So Shallow

All my talk on Facebook and Twitter about selling the already legendary Zeiss 100/2 ZF just lost even more luster. As commercial work picks up my career yearns for the new 24-70mm 2.8. But even the great Bokeh talk about the mid range Nikkor just can't match the butter smoothness of this modern manual focus. True, anyone can be a good photographer but the saying "its not the camera" which in principle means that the gear doesn't make the photographer gets washed away anytime you put a lens of this magnitude in front the sensor. Enjoy the randoms, only 5 blocks from home. JP

I like Sunsets, she likes Shoes.

Nothing to say. Enjoy, JP.

Studio Party

After a not-so-good dinner out on the town I decided that was about time I used this studio I pay for. I called a couple friends, got a bottle of rum and some beers and set up the seamless. It was just about getting together and creating memories, the ones that last. I home this is something I can get to happen more often and with a larger turn out. I had some trouble with the fill light not wanting to join the party but he'll get replaced soon enough. Enjoy, JP.

Tobacco Road

This was the most challenging light you can think of. The venue was an outdoor incredibly 'not' lit semi-stage, with other stages throughout the place with upcoming musicians putting in their 30 minutes of fame. It smokin hot as their was no air flow, and all I had was my Zeiss 100mm f/2, which if you didn't know, is only manual focus. So these were my shooting choices 1.) 100mm, f/2, ISO 12800, and whatever shutter (between 1/20 and 1/50) was given from those max settings... and... did I say choices? That was it, besides buying a D3s and Nikon 85/1.4. Surprising enough I actually got some neat shots and had a great time. The band we watched 'BredCrumbs' was pretty amazing. They were moving like maniacs and were literally in less than a candle of light. Enjoy the photos, JP

Graffiti

This post is not about the pictures but a 2 minute walk in downtown Miami. There were blocks and blocks of graffiti but unfortunately my time ran out. Enjoy the photos, JP.

Only in Key West

Last night was one of those nights were I felt like I went everywhere in town looking for photos I came home with nothing. I had left Duval and the Harbor walk on my way home. I passed a good friends trailer park took at look at this scene i've probably seen 100 times. As I was half a block past it occurred to me what a great photo it could be. I pulled up, took a couple shots and didn't really like what I was getting. After about 30 seconds a car pulled up passed and around me and as they started to break the red lights started shining across the scene. I had about 5-10 seconds to get the shot. This is not the best example ever but it is impossible with anything but the D700. 50mm f/2.2, 1/20th handheld. Enjoy, JP