brianglassphotography

Finding Beauty

2010-05-06T04:51:00.000-07:00

Pasig river is very polluted. But I managed to get a nice photo from the walls of Intramuros shooting across the river. The dark clouds worked well I think with the image

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church

2010-05-04T03:24:00.001-07:00

I took this photo on my last trip to the Philippines. It was very dark and no tripod was allowed so shot this handheld at ISO 800. My canon 50D did a good job at controlling the noise in the photo. Would have been nice if the light wasn't shining on the painting but not much I could do about that. I forget the exact details of this church but it is the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel inside Intramuros. I had been to the Philippines many times but never here so decided to wander around for the day exploring. It is worth the trip but beware, when you exit it is a nightmare trying to find a taxi.

I spent the evening tonight getting ready to fish as it is Senior Citizens Day tomorrow in Palau, which is a holiday. Got a new fishing pole I want to try out but it is kind of windy so will have to play it by ear.

Dolphins in Palau

2010-05-02T00:09:00.000-07:00

Wow, it;s been over a month since my last post. Was off island for awhile and they busy with work. Also didn't have any photos that I wanted to post. But, on Saturday went fishing and on the way back a pod of dolphins showed up and put on a show. There must have been at least 50 of them. I almost didn't bring my camera that day but am glad I did. This is one of my favorites. You can see Koror way in the distance and we were about 15 miles offshore. We were also lucky enough to find a floating buoy and ended up catching a bunch of tuna/mahimahi/wahoo that day.

Sunrise at Two Dogs

2010-03-10T00:33:00.000-08:00

Took this photo as the sun rise appeared over the horizon. We still had the beach to ourselves and I wandered around with my camera in hand. It was a beautiful morning and you could not ask for a better place to be. After taking this photo we ate a breakfast of spam and rice and I heated up some chili (yep for breakfast). Kids immediately went off to explore and I just relaxed with some coffee that we heated up. Just a great way to start the day and I wished we could have stayed for two nights, but next time we have a chance we most certainly will.

We ain't leaving now

2010-03-07T23:20:00.000-08:00

This is looking out from two dogs towards Koror. When we arrived, the tide was high and we had about 5 feet of water. I knew the tide was going to drop so we timed our arrival. The bottom is sand so no problem with the boat sitting. I just made sure that there were no rocks laying where the boat would come down. I must admit, I did not think the tide would be that low. The boat was completely High and Dry. But, when the tide came back it was nice for the kids to swim.

You Talking To Me?

2010-03-07T02:17:00.001-08:00

Well, finally decided to go camping. Got the permit to go to Two Dog Beach (as alot of people call it) and Saturday morning loaded up the boat. And man, we are talking about loading the boat. With six kids total, we had a full boat. Lots of juice and food, as well as blankets etc. Of course, I had to bring my camera equipment and fishing gear. We got the boat loaded at 11:00AM and it was a full boat. Headed out of Malakal and smack into high winds and rough weather. Of course, we are in the reef, but we had a swell and a full boat. In hindsight would have cut through the rock islands on the inside, but we braved it. Within minutes not a dry person on the boat. After an hour we hit Ulong and I was seriously thinking of camping there. But as we got around Big Toi, we got a little bit in the Lee and I decided to battle on. By 1:00 we were there. Pulled up the boat and all the kids except for my oldest daughter jumped off and started to swim. That left us to off load the boat. Finally got camp set up around 3:00PM. Two Dogs is great as the beach is sandy and there is a nice area to swim. The wind was blowing and although I was tied to a mooring next to the beach, I threw out an anchor in the front and another behind to keep the boat from swinging. By 6:00 it was low tide and the boat was high and dry sitting on the sand. Got the fire going and started cooking. All the tourists were gone by now and we had the place to ourselves. Kids running and screaming, grill going and cold drinks. Couldn't get better. As night came you could tell the kids had never been camping as the sounds made them nervous. But it was great and took them walking looking for sandcrabs and just looking at the million of stars you could see. By 11:00PM they were so sleepy they went to their tent. I sat in my tent and listened to them until they went to sleep. Unfortunately, I forgot to pack a pillow or blanket for myself so slept in the tent with a towel for a pillow. It was not cold, but I'm getting too old to sleep on the hard ground. Think I slept maybe three hours. At 2:00AM it started to rain, but the tents I had never tried before were great and not a drop of water inside. Woke up in the morning to another low tide and grabbed my camera and got this interesting shot of an Egret. At 10:00AM we packed up to head back. The wind was blowing and I knew it would be a rough ride back. It was and we pounded our way back home. All in all, a great trip and the kids can't wait to go again.

2010-03-04T02:29:00.000-08:00

I wish I could say this is a photo of a magnificent Sea Turtle sleeping on the rocks. I wish I could say a number of things................. But, this sea turtle is not sleeping. It is dead. Someone shoved a stake all the way through the poor thing. God only knows how it ended up by my house. It died for nothing. Not because someone was going to eat the meat. It just died. Look, I fish and I used to hunt, but I would never kill anything for no reason. And I would certainly never kill a sea turtle (in season or out of season). So who did this? We will probably never know. I did call the conservation and law enforcement department in the phone book and they said they will come down. I hope so. At least then it can be measured and hopefully something will be learned from this needless death. In the end, I knew I had to take a photograph, but couldn't bear showing the thing from an angle that illustrated how cruel people can be. So, I tried to take a photo that put some dignity into the poor thing. My kids found it first and asked why someone would do something like that. The only answer I could give is what I strive to teach them. We never kill anything for no reason. If we catch a fish and we are not going to eat it, we release it. If you treat things with respect, I believe you will also be treated well. If not, well then karma will come back some day and get you. Although I wish no harm on people, I hope the person that did this realizes what they did and regret it and learn. Probably not, but who knows.

mucking around

2010-03-03T02:01:00.000-08:00

Just a short post tonight. Mucking around again in photoshop and came up with this. Thought it was kind of cool. Now, time to watch a DVD and relax.

Napoleon Wrasse

2010-03-02T01:06:00.001-08:00

My little underwater camera does not do these fish justice. They are beautiful fish. I keep dreaming of getting an underwater housing for my canon 50D but it just costs too much right now. But at least I can still have a camera in my hand while snorkeling. This guy was down kind of deep and it took all my lung power (which ain't much) to get even close. It was a little wary, just keeping far enough away as it swam back and forth along the bottom. Luckily, I did manage to get this shot which is far from perfect but good enough for my scrapbook.

Just plain freaky

2010-03-01T00:51:00.001-08:00

"Cannon Ball" I yelled as I launched myself off of the boat into the clear waters of Nikko Bay. As I came up I was immediately surrounded by these fish. I'm talking hundreds of them. And they were all giving me the eye like I ate their brother or sister. Yeah, it's true I've eaten this type of fish, but never here so they couldn't know. As I swam more and more came around until I was engulfed in a sea of fish. As I moved my hands I was bumping into them and they were bumping into me. Never had that happen before. Being that we were at a place where people snorkel, fishing would not be allowed (I'm a firm believer in having areas where you don't fish). Imagine if people fished in a place like this, soon there would be no fish there to enjoy. The kids jumped in an we watched in amazement as they swarmed around us. It was truly amazing to watch. Given that it was so hot, we just swam around in the water watching all of these fish. Just another day in Paradise!

By the way, to my friend Russell, didn't weigh the sailfish but had to be 80 or 90 lbs. I actually got on the scale with the fish fillets and that was 30 lbs of fish. Figure they gave me half (less the stomach) so that is 60+ lbs of meat, plus the bones and insides. Got to come to Palau and fish.

Sailfish in Palau

2010-02-27T21:14:00.000-08:00

I finally got my boat back and on Saturday decided to take the kids to Ulong to go swimming. Loaded up the boat with all the kids and a whole bunch of stuff for a day at Ulong beach. Also threw on my trolling pole and a smaller spinning rod that I use sometimes to catch small tuna in the lagoon. After going out of Malakal channel and heading towards Ulong, I put out the trolling rod with a lure hoping to maybe catch a barracuda or somethin

g. After 45 minutes we were right off of Ulong so we stopped the boat and I reeled in the big pole so we could make the run the rest of the way to the beach. My Son who has great eyes spotted some birds and after talking to the kids we decided to see if we could catch a small tuna. I gave the controls of the boat to my son who loves to drive and we headed towards the birds, which were a couple of hundred yards off of Ulong. As we approached, I threw out a small squid lure on the spinning pole. The reel has 25lb test which makes it light enough to have fun with the smaller tuna. I held the pole in one hand and jigged the line back and forth as my son went by the birds, hoping to catch something. All of a sudden the pole almost got taken out of my hands and the kids started to scream. Looking up I saw a sailfish jumping out of the water as line screamed from the reel. My only thought was that this was going to be a short fight before the line broke. Instinctively I told my son to turn the boat towards the escaping fish as I brought the pole around to the front of the boat. The chase was on as we drove towards the sailfish and I frantically reeled line as by this time the spool was 90% empty. We managed to get some line back on the reel before the fish took off jumping again. Line peeled from the reel so quickly I could feel the reel getting hot. Again we chased the fish and I told the kids there was no way we could catch this fish. Not only did I have 25lb test line, my leader was only 30lbs and too top it off, I only brought a small hand gaff. Well after more than 1 1/2 hours I found I could get the fish close to the boat before it would take off. I told my oldest daughter to stick the camera in the water and try and get a photo of it. Ended up getting a few photos. After another 15 minutes we had the fish by the boat again. I told my daughter to lay the small hand gaff next to me and get ready to grab the pole and hang on. The swivel came up and I handed her the pole and grabbed the leader. I figured it was time to lose the fish as surely I would be unable to leader this fish with only 30lb test leader. I gently pulled and the fish came up for a split second. I grabbed the gaff in one hand and made a desperate attempt to gaff it. I knew I had to am close to the head to have any chance. The gaff hit it's mark and I grabbed the nose with my other hand and hung on. Turning the head towards the boat, the fish made an attempt to get away and actually helped me get it in the boat. Now I had a sailfish in my lap with half of it in the boat and half out. I carry a pipe on the boat and told my daughter to grab the pipe and hit the thing on the head. She hit it a couple of times and with the last of my strength I heaved the fish into the boat and stuck the head under the front bench seat. Grabbing the pipe I hit it some more but it was over, the fish was ours. Against all odds we landed this fish with 6 kids on the boat (my kids and my son's friend) and my young son driving the boat. He was great and would go left/right when I said and would chase the sailfish at the right speed. He would put it in neutral just when it was time and it was a team effort with against the odds. After that we had to turn back because there was no way we could keep the fish all day without it going bad. The kids were great and also insisted we head back to make sure the fish didn't spoil. I ended up pulling into Sam's where I negotiated for them to clean it for me. They gave me half and I kept half. I also got the tail as a trophy. After dropping off the fish we actually headed into Nikko Bay and found a new spot to swim, but that is a story for another day.

Nikko Bay in HDR

2010-02-20T17:53:00.001-08:00

Another photo of Nikko Bay, this time in HDR. I combined a total of 6 images and then ran it through photomatix. I had the tripod and camera in the water waist deep to take this. One of the good things about kayaking is you can get into places that are hard with a boat.

Heart Scare

2010-02-20T05:18:00.001-08:00

I guess it was bound to happen. After eating such an unhealthy diet and not really exercising, woke up Friday not feeling too good. Kind of felt some heaviness in my chest. Went to work and got dizzy and decided I better get to the doctor. After driving myself to the hospital and waiting an hour to see a doctor, they ran some tests, including an EKG. Good news is they said no heart attack. Bad news is my cholesterol was 248. Made me decide right then and there need to eat healthy and stop with all the fat in my diet. Dad ended up dying way too young and got kids that need me. So today was a bowl of oat meal. Went kayaking all day and packed a healthy lunch. Instead of chips, brought some dates and some Taro, which are good sources of carbs to help me during my paddle. Ended up leaving at 10:00 in the morning and paddled all day, stopping a few times in places to eat and have a drink and snorkel. Ended up getting back home at 4:30PM. Picked up the kids and went to Sams. Instead of something Fried, asked for some fish grilled without butter and oil. No problem, they cooked up some grilled wahoo that was great. Sam's by the way is one of the best places to go and have a cold drink and get some food. Right on the water to watch the sunset. The place is actually called Bottom Time Bar and Grill, which is also the home of the Yacht Club in Palau. Great food, great people and if you have kids like me they are very kid friendly. If you are visiting, check them out not only to eat, but if you want to dive/snorkel/kayak or just go on a tour. You can't go wrong with them.

The photo above was taken after paddling through the bay and almost out the other side. If you are planning to take photos here of landscapes, the one thing you want is a polarizing filter. It will make a huge difference and is a great investment. In fact, if I could only have one filter, it would be a Polarizer.

All Roads Lead to water

2010-02-18T03:55:00.001-08:00

Well, they finally picked up my boat and are working on it. Took them about 5-minutes to get it started, which shows how little I know about engines. At least I have a kicker in case the main engine goes down. This photo is of the dock where I keep my boat. No, the boat in the photo is not mine, but the empty buoy is where my boat normally is. The tides here in Palau are extreme when compared to Hawaii. If the tide is not too low, the area in the photo that is exposed reef is high enough to drive your boat over. But at low tide you have to be real careful. There are a lot of reefs here in Palau just waiting for you to run into. I have been lucky and have a good feel for the reefs now but you can never be too sure. After I get my boat back I plan to do some more exploring around Risong Bay, which is just opposite the mountain (rock island) in the background. Might even get adventous and paddle there.

I am amazed at how many people have boats here. Just about everyone. Of course, living in Palau you really need a boat to get to the best places. I'm also amazed at how many small docks there are around. Almost all roads will eventually lead to a dock or pier of some sort.

old pier in Palau

2010-02-15T03:21:00.001-08:00

When I first saw this old Pier (I think) when paddling, I knew I would have to come back with my camera. I had the opportunity on Sunday, but unfortunately the weather was not cooperating. It was too late in the day, so some harsh sun met me. The tide was also higher than I would have thought. Nothing like wading out to take a photo with several thousand dollars worth of photo equipment to keep you on your toes. Anyway, got this photo. Lots of things I would change in hindsight. Probably come more around so the pier is more of a leading line into the scene. Also lower tide and more clouds. Hey, I don't ask for much.................

Kayak

2010-02-12T03:20:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I think I should have stuck with a Kayak instead of a boat. Called the shop who promised to check the boat right away (not). So now the boat is sitting and I'm waiting to get it fixed. I have had my Scupper Pro Kayak for over 15 years not and it has been shipped to 6 countries and is still going strong. I want to pick up another one but the shipping kills you to get one to Palau. I bought a 2 man kayak in American Samoa which is okay, but hard to paddle if there is any wind. Attached is a photo of one of the many small bays in Nikko bay. The water is so clear it is amazing. I'm hoping to paddle again this weekend. Hopefully I will get some good photos to share.

Orange Fish

2010-02-11T02:19:00.000-08:00

Orange/Yellow I don't know. I'm kind of color blind. But it was a nice fish to photograph, no larger than your little finger.

More fishes of Palau

2010-02-10T00:44:00.001-08:00

Just a short post tonight. Feeling kind of stressed out and looking at fish somehow mellows me out after a hard day. One of these days I will have to look up the names of these fish.

Nautilus of Palau

2010-02-09T00:24:00.001-08:00

The nautilus is one of the most incredible creatures. Living at depths of over 500 or even 1000 feet, the only way to see it in the wild is to arrange with one of the dive companies who will go out the night before and set traps. They are then brought up so that divers can interact with them, before being set free to go back to the deep. Apparently it does not hurt them. These things have not changed much and are still so prehistoric looking. You could watch them for hours and never get bored. Just one of the amazing things to see if you ever decide to visit Palau

Snakes in Palau

2010-02-08T00:30:00.000-08:00

I hate snakes. I can't help it. Growing up in Hawaii there were no snakes. Sure I saw snakes in the zoo, but not up and personal. Now I know there are many places with large dangerous snakes that would eat these babies in Palau for lunch. But it don't matter, don't like them.

Now going to a waterfall I ran into more than 5 snakes all of a sudden. These snakes were not shy and did not like us being there. Of course, i only had a small point and shoot camera but was able to get a few photos. Wish I would have had the canon with a proper lens. Ironically, got the courage to go the following week with my good camera and not a snake to be found. Go figure.

Star Fish

2010-02-06T14:11:00.000-08:00

We loaded up the Kayaks with lots of drinks and food and headed out from the house towards Nikko Bay. It is only a 10 minute paddle and once inside the bay you are treated with a wide variety of corals and fish. We paddled through a 100 yard area that was filled with these starfish. These things are the largest I have ever seen. Stopping right after the shallow area we tied the kayaks up and went swimming. I say a small blacktip shark which was kind of cool, but was unable to get a photo. It is so tranquil here and we got up along the rock islands and explored the many areas where it is difficult to get to in a boat. Because the bay is so protected, it is a great place to snorkel and there are huge amounts of baby fish all over the place. Paddling right up against the rock islands you can't help but marvel at how beautiful and peaceful it is. Despite it being a sunny day we saw only one boat the whole time. It was great.

Land Crab

2010-02-05T22:17:00.001-08:00

Well it's official, I can't start my boat. Don't know why, it turns over but won't start. Will have to check some more but I want to get the bottom painted so will probably just have the engine checked out and the bottom painted at the same time. Luckily we were tied up and not out in the ocean somewhere. Guess it will be back to kayaking. I need the exercise anyways.

This photo is a large crab I found on one of the rock islands. Not sure what type it is but it had some mean claws. Guess it is some type of land crab? If you know what type it is, please let me know.

Fishes of Palau

2010-02-05T00:35:00.000-08:00

I'm blessed to be living so close to the water here in Palau. I'm amazed at how many great sites are located within paddling distance in a kayak from my house. Although I have a boat, gliding along the shallows in a kayak gives you so much more opportunities to see things. We found an old WWII site last weekend with a bunch of old motors and 55 gallon drums. It was so far back I probably would not have found it if I was in my boat. Another stop and I found a trail leading up to the top of one of the rock islands. I plan on exploring this more over the weekend. Best of all about kayaking is the cost. No paying for a bunch of gas for the boat. I am hoping to get the kids in the boat and make a 5 minute run to a landing where you can fish and snorkel and explore. I plan on dragging the kayaks behind the boat. Hopefully it will be nice.

Corals of Palau

2010-02-03T16:47:00.000-08:00

Have not been able to get into the internet for a month. Started with my computer getting a virus. When I got rid of that, the computer would connect to the internet but could not open a browser. Tried everything. Finally saw a post that said to download the google toolbar. Did that and it worked. Don't know how or why and don't care. But at least I can get on the internet again at home. Had a friend here for a few weeks. Weather was rough so couldn't take the boat out. I live close to Niko Bay, which I can paddle to with my kayaks. Did some exploring there. It is amazing how much sea life there is here.

Night after New Years

2010-01-04T01:55:00.000-08:00

Went out the night after New Years as we had a few sparklers we didn't use the previous night. This is a photo of my Son Jeffery. The trick to photographing lights to get the trail is to use a slow enough shutter speed, then set your flash to 2nd curtain so the flash fires in the end. This allows the light from the sparkler to get picked up, while the flash at the end freezes the person so they are not blurred. Try it out if you get the chance. It can be fun

New Year in Palau

2009-12-31T17:50:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year. My New Year was uneventful. Stayed home and drank beer and watched video. Way too many drunk drivers out and vehicles here are not insured so if a drunk driver hits you, good luck getting them to pay to fix it. Besides, wanted to drink and I do not drive drunk. Last week went to a party and caught a Taxi. When it was time to leave, found out the taxi drivers stop driving at around 10:00. Luckily was able to catch a ride home. I wish the taxi would run later. I think they would make money and I'm sure some of the people who drive drunk here would catch a taxi instead.

Big MahiMahi

2009-12-30T23:14:00.001-08:00

Went trolling and for almost two hours nothing. No strikes, just the sound of my boat engine sucking up the gas (which is $3.55/gallon here). Just when I was ready to reel in the lines, hooked this big mahi. Not my biggest, but certainly made me happy. Was using a new lure I had just bought. This was caught all the way down by Peliliu. Got rough after that so we headed back to Koror, which was about a 2 hour ride in the rough water. Still, was worth it in the end.

Fish

2009-12-28T00:51:00.000-08:00

One of my best friends from a long time ago got in contact with me after finding this blog. Really great to be in contact with the folks from Hawaii. I have been away from home for so long I have lost contact with all of the old gang. Between work, family and traveling life has been hectic and sometimes you lose sight of what is important. Good friends are hard to come by. Hopefully I can make contact with some other friends from before. I have decided to join facebook later on as some of them are there. Guess I'm behind the times. Problem is the internet is so slow here it is like stepping back in time. 56K would be blazing fast here. In fact, I bought my daughter a computer for Christmas only to discover no modem for the dial up connection. Guess most people don't use dial up anymore, but no choice here unless you want to pay a couple hundred dollars a month for a little bit faster speed. Photo above is just a mixed bag of fish I caught recently. Made up a bunch of Poke. The rainbow runners aren't my favorite fish so gave those away.

Shark Abstract

2009-12-26T22:15:00.000-08:00

Spent the day after Christmas attempting to fish, but got caught in a storm that swept through the rock islands. With Visibility down to less than 50 feet, I was glad to have my gps and a fresh set of batteries. We were close to a beach area called two dogs and I was able to pull the boat in where it was protected and we sat for 2-hours until it cleared up. Since it was still too rough to go fast, decided to troll and ended up catching two 15-20 pound barracuda's. I will be cooking some of it up on the bar-b-cue later today.

The photo above was actually taken a few trips back. I had stopped the boat while trolling and while driting this shark which is about 8 feet came up and circled the boat. We watched it for more than 10-minutes as it went around and around, finally getting so close I had to push it away with a pole I carry to help push the boat when I go through really shallow water. After that we figured it was getting a little bit too agressive so we went on our way. The photo I changed in photoshop to more of an abstract photo later on.

Rock Island Trip

2009-12-22T02:47:00.001-08:00

Another photo taken from my boat in the Rock Islands. It isn't easy taking photos from a rocking boat. The day was windy and the clouds were not cooperating, but in the end got some nice photos.

More Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge

2009-12-20T23:54:00.000-08:00

Another photo of the Japan-Palau friendship bridge. Reading about all the snowstorms in the U.S. I almost feel guilty posting this. Beautiful warm weather here and I can't say I would rather be freezing right now. This will be our first Christmas here in Palau and I'm looking forward to it. Already bought a turkey that I will prepare on Christmas eve. Then on Christmas we wil open the presents and then hopefully I will sneak out to fish.

Japan-Palau Friendship Bridge

2009-12-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

This is a photo of the Japan-Palau Friendship bridge taken at sunset. It is a great spot to just go and watch he sunset. Have been trying to get a decent photo but only now has there been some clouds to make the photo more dramatic.

Rock Islands

2009-12-16T03:42:00.000-08:00

Been way too long since my last post. So much going on. Got my boat and have been exploring Palau. This photo was taken last Sunday and reminded me how much I like photography. So, here is Palau and the Rock islands. Enjoy

Sea Snakes

2009-08-15T05:00:00.000-07:00

Had the opportunity to check out a boat today I want to buy. Went out to the rock islands for the first time and all I can say is WOW. Beautiful. Cruising along with great company we pulled up to cemetary reef and went snorkeling. We then drifted for awhile and when we got hot jumped in the water and just hung on the boat. After awhile we started to head back and saw a rock island with a cave and lots of old 55 gallon drums we guess were from wwII. We pulled up and tied the boat and jumped out to have a look around. What we didn't know is there were a bunch of sea snakes in the cave. We only saw three which was actually kind of cool, but I have a feeling more were around. Used my new canon d10 which is waterproof . We got right up on this snake which was just sleeping. Really cool. After that we took the boat to Sams Dive Shop and tied up and went and had a cold beer and some food. Then back home. Clearly a day to remember and made me realize I will have to get a boat no matter what. We also saw a bunch of turtles and some stingrays. The rock islands are incredible.

Ngatpang Waterfall

2009-08-02T00:51:00.000-07:00

The rain has stopped. We were able to make our way to Ngatpang waterfall today. Once someone tells you where it is it is easy to find. If you have a GPS it is N 07.27.198 E 124.31.776. Go down the compact road past Amelik turnoff. Keep going and you will see a farm on the left. Right past that is a gravel road. Make a left. You will see a site where they are storing some heavy equipment. Right past the gate is a small dirt road. I just parked there and the trail is just 30 yards or so in. There is a sign. The trail is short, but slippery. We were the only ones there. You can wade across to the waterfall which was quite nice. We swam for awhile but be careful. The small rapid has some rocks in it. The kids really had a good time and we packed a lunch and some soda and even brought the dog. If you are looking for a quick hike to a nice waterfall, this is the place. And, you don't have to pay anything to go here.

Spiders in Palau

2009-07-27T04:28:00.001-07:00

Rain rain and more rain.................. It sure has been raining alot since I arrived in Palau. We are talking every day/night. Our house is under this huge tree with these hard nuts (will have to figure out the name) and the nuts fall off the tree and onto the Tin roof of our house making a huge noise. You would think it was coconuts falling on the roof. Nothing you can do and the previous occupant told me you get used to the noise. We will see. The spider here is behind our house. I used a macro lens and had my son hold a flash to the left of the spider to get the web to show up in the photo. I thought this was a cool photo. Now I just got to figure out what type of spider it is. They tell me the spiders here are not poisonous but this guy just looks mean.

Lobster

2009-07-25T20:10:00.000-07:00

Well, after being at a picnic all day yesterday, with the kids swimming and having a great time, everyone was tired so decided to postpone till next weekend a hike down to another waterfall I heard of. I did go in the car to find the trail which is easy, once you know where to go. Instead, swung by the fishmarket and picked up two big lobsters and some ribs. This will be our dinner tonight as we watch dvds. It's kind of funny as you can rent a dvd (which is guaranteed a copy) for $2 or buy the same dvd in the video store for $3. My beer of choice is becoming Red Rooster beer which is brewed here and is quite good. Mix in a plate of Sashimi and you have yourself a great meal.

I can hardly wait to get my household goods. I have my fishing stuff in it and right by the bridge the group I was with caught fresh squid which we threw on the grill. It looks like you can catch a lot of fish from shore, but I'm still searching for my boat. I have the word out and hopefully soon will find something. Then, it will be off to the rock islands on the weekends and camping. Can hardly wait.

Ngardmau Waterfall

2009-07-20T03:23:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it to Ngardmau waterfall. Well worth the hike. The location is easy to find. Just drive down the compact road and about 40 minutes out from Koror you will see the sign showing the turnoff. Drive up a side road and park. It is $5 a person and the trail is well marked. They even give you a hiking stick. Warning, go in shorts and if you have a pair of reefwalkers, wear that instead of shoes. It is about a 30-40 minute walk. You will get wet and it can be muddy. You also walk down the stream bed for a bit and it can be slippery. I went with my kids (youngest is 6) so kids can go, just take it slow and they will have a blast. I have a waterproof bag to carry my camera but when I got to the falls and took my camera out, by the time I had it on the tripod the mist had the lens wet. Got one photo and then put it away. But hiking to and from there are lots of streams to photograph and a lot of pools to jump into and get wet. The kids loved it. I will be going back for sure and will bring some food to picnic at the waterfall. Don't forget to go under the falls for a great experience. When we went on Sunday at 9:00AM we were the only people till after noon. Coming back we even say a small snake. Since a lot of the places here are poorly marked (not this one though) I will try and give instructions. For those with a GPS, the coordinates to the trail head are N 07, 35.204' E134, 35.182'. Anyway, hope you get a chance to visit this waterfall.

Last of the Stone Monolith

2009-07-13T04:01:00.000-07:00

Well, another day of rain. Been raining everyday now, which means can't get out and take photos. Wanted to hike to a waterfall over the weekend but it was just too rainy to even try. Instead checked out the museum here. It was actually better than I thought it would be, although photos were not allowed inside. So, I decided to post this photo I took the prior week. So far still loving Palau. The people are friendly and all I need to do now is to find a boat and I will be set. Hopefully will find something soon. There are so many opportunities here if you have a boat and it is almost mandatory.

Bai

2009-07-09T04:23:00.000-07:00

Well, went to take photos of birds so brought my 100-400 lens. Ended up raining and the place I was going was muddy. Instead, decided to find the oldest Bai in Palau, which is more than 200 years old. With my long lense I could not capture the whole bai, so focused on the images on the roof. I was lucky enough to have a Palauan man whose family was helping take care of the bai give me a tour. for the life of me I can't remember his name right now. But, he gave me the history of this historic site. The Bai is a meeting place. The sharks at the bottom were for protection. The rese I also cant remember but will have to research some. Anyway, just thought i would share.

Stone faces of Badrulchau

2009-07-08T01:26:00.000-07:00

Well, we finally made it to Palau. What a beautiful Country. I like just about everything here so far (with the exception of the dial up internet I have to use now - yawn). This is one of my first photos here. We got in the truck and drove about and hour or so from Koror to get there. These rocks have been carbon dated to more than 2000 years old. No one is exactly sure of the original purpose. This was actually easy to find, right off the road and a short 2-minute walk down some stairs. Expect to pay $5 to visit, which isn't that bad as they maintain the place.

sunset at Utulei Beach

2009-05-16T19:29:00.000-07:00

One of the many beautiful sunsets overlooking Pago Pago Bay. Shot right at dusk with the lights bouncing off the clouds. I will be leaving American Samoa soon and will miss all the great sunsets here.

Guitar

2009-03-22T22:10:00.000-07:00

just another photo of my son. You actually have to be careful lighting the guitar as it is shiny and a small light source will leave a bad reflection. In this case I used a large 60" sofliter umbrella to camera left and another softbox as fill to camera right.

Kids

2009-03-22T12:36:00.001-07:00

Well, been about a month since my last post. Work has been hectic but hopefully will get better now. Wanted to take some photos of the kids and what better way to get them excited than to let them throw around some money. This was actually kind of fun and the kids enjoyed it. I'm trying some different things to get out of a rut I have been in with my photography. Seems to have worked.

High Noon

2009-02-16T22:27:00.000-08:00

Set off today to test a ND filter I have that I accidently bought awhile ago. The thing is so strong if will allow for a slower shutter speed even in bright sun. Use it anytime else and you will wait forever for an exposure. So, I figured I would try a seascape at high noon. Normally you would not be able to get a long enough shutter speed to blur the water. But, with this thing I got a shutter speed around 5 seconds. Okay, not the best photo in the world, but not bad for a shot taken at the brightest time of the day.

Feeling Lazy

2009-02-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

Gee, figured I would get up early since this was my first weekend back and get some sunrise photos. But, woke up with the sun already up so that is blown. Oh well, I like sunset photos better anyway. I still have to adjust again to the slower pace. Was almost getting used to the hustle and bustle of the Philippines. Life here in American Samoa is certainly much much slower. I decided to re-focus my attention on photographing the landscapes/seascapes here. I have gotten too used to the beautiful countryside here after 5-years and a lot of the "wow" factor has been lost. Hopefully I can get that back and start shooting again.

Manila Bay

2009-02-02T22:32:00.001-08:00

Well, I just returned from three great weeks in the Philippines. God knows I really needed a break, but now I am back and refreshed. The Philippines is so great, with wonderful and friendly people. I am always dismayed at how it gets a bad rap sometimes. Like I tell people, anywhere in the world, you need to know what to do and where to go. Take California for instance. A great place but there are areas you would be crazy to go. Same with the Philippines. If you go to the wrong places you can get into trouble. But 99.999% of the people are very friendly and I love the culture.

The photo above is taken at Manila Bay. Cars and trucks going by right behind you on the road, Manila Bay offers some stunning sunsets. I captured this photo on my last day in the Philippines and thought I would share. The colors are real and not manipulated. The sunset was incredible and was a great way to end my trip to this country.

Irked at the world

2009-01-06T22:48:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted for a little while. Been frantically preparing for my vacation and as is typical, I just have so many things to do before I go. I'm running out of time and wish I could turn the clock back. Plus, so many problems in the world with the stock market in the tank, the economy in the toilet and conflict in the middle east. Hopefully three weeks of relaxation will allow me to recharge and get a fresh perspective on things. Too many simple things are bothering me right now............................... The photo on the left is a photo a really like. Just a simple nude to start off the New Year.

Vailima

2008-12-31T19:57:00.000-08:00

Vailima is a really good beer made in Samoa. The Big bottles are also a lot stronger and will sneak up on you if not careful. It is almost like drinking two beers for every one. In this photo, a young lady is enjoying a big bottle at the beach. It was shot with a zoom lens, which compresses the image. That is why the kayaker in the background appears close. I used a wide aperture so that the background would be blurred out as much as possible. Would like to have shot at f2.8 to get the background totally blurred, but my 100-400 lens can't open up that much. I would love to get my hands on the Canon 400 f2.8. Anyone have $6 grand to donate to a poor photographer? Now, I am going to pop open a cold beer (one of many) and enjoy being one of the last people on earth to ring in the New Year. With no fireworks allowed in American Samoa and wanting to spend the evening with the kids, it will surely be a quiet one.

Another Church

2008-12-30T20:35:00.000-08:00

Another day, another church. This church has a bit of a story. It is the only time when I got grief from people for taking photos. As always, I had parked the car and asked some people nearby if it was okay to take some photos of their beautiful church. They said yes so I set up my camera and tripod. By the time I was set up, they were already gone. As I started taking photos, two guys came up. I could smell beer on their breath and they wanted money for me taking photos of "their" church. Now, I was going to say something like "doesn't the church belong to God", but I bit my tongue and let them know I had asked permission. Undaunted, they said I was going to make a lot of money selling photos of the church. So, I did what every self respecting photographer would do. I told them I wasn't going to pay them money (I don't lie and say I don't have any) but would delete the photos. I pressed a couple of buttons on the back of my camera and showed them a blank screen saying the photos were deleted. Got back in my car and drove away, with the photos still intact. Just goes to show it ain't hard to fool a drunk. So, today I post the church photo that was the 1st time someone tried to extort money from me.

P.S. 99.9999% of the people here are the friendliest people I have ever met. Most are very happy that you want to photograph their beautiful souroundings. Treat people with respect and almost always you get the respect back. But as in any place in the world, there are assholes out there. Don't let that discourage you.

overclock

2008-12-28T00:56:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that 2008 is almost over. Next month I make 5 years in American Samoa. Time has gone by so quickly. It helps that I live in a beautiful place. But, after not being off Island for nearly a year, I need a break. I want to walk into a supermarket and get a fresh salad and stare at all the fresh fruits and vegetables. Things I used to take for granted.

This photo was shot at night using a very high ISO. I used a program called NeatImage to clean up the noise.

Christmas in American Samoa

2008-12-25T21:36:00.000-08:00

Being in American Samoa means we are one of the last Countries to celebrate Christmas. I feel sorry for some of the people fighting the cold weather. Today was bright and sunny and lots of people enjoyed swimming at the beach. For us, it was open the presents then go for our traditional breakfast at McDonalds. Then the kids played and I made a turkey. We just got finished eating so I have a few minutes. All my Christmas photos were made by bouncing my flash off of the white ceiling in the house. It makes for much better photos than just hitting the kids with direct flash. You lose a lot of the harsh shadows this way. And, when the kids are ripping through the presents, not much time to goof around so just shot on ETTL and let the camera work its magic.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-24T22:46:00.001-08:00

Well, it's Christmas eve here and the kids are just going to sleep. I made spaghetti tonight which they love, including our dog tramp who does not think she is a dog. This is her on the sofa after eating a big bowl of spaghetti and settling down to have sweet dreams of Santa. Now, I have a ton of presents to wrap and put under the tree for Christmas. To everyone that checks out this blog, Merry Christmas.

Nudes

2008-12-21T19:03:00.001-08:00

When I mention that I have shot nudes as part of my journey in photography, I get very mixed comments. Most think shooting nudes is about having a naked person in front of you to ogle over. That could not be further from the truth. Shooting nudes is about lighting and the human form, which is the furthest thing from sex. If shooting the female nude, you should always have a female assistant with you. This will immediately set the tone of the shoot and show that you are professional. In this photo, I used three speedlights strategically placed to highlight her body and hair, while keeping the background dark. I really enjoy shooting low key nudes as opposed to more glamour style. Besides, I think there is a finer line to draw when shooting glamour style nudes between ("nude") and ("pornography"). Of course, the meaning is different for everyone due to different moral values. I'm sure some will think this image is not appropriate. Heck, I remember during the arts festival where some people were up in arms over some of the performers being topless, which is their custom. I do not feel we have the right to judge, but should be tolerant.

This photo was part of a class I took. Hope you enjoy it.

High Noon

2008-12-17T21:05:00.000-08:00

As I started to learn photography, I soon learned that shooting in the bright afternoon light was not the best time. Early morning and later in the afternoon was much better. Cloudy days were perfect for shooting outside photos of people. In this photo, I was out scouting some sites to come back later in the early evening to take photos. I took this photo at about 12:00 in bright sunny weather. After goofing around with it in photoshop, I ended up liking the high contrast of the photo in black and white. This is a photo of pago pago harbour for those interested.

I hate Windows Vista

2008-12-16T21:01:00.000-08:00

You can now add me to the list of people that hate windows vista. I bought a new laptop recently and it of course came with windows vista. One of the reasons I bought it was so that I can bring it on photo shoots and tether my camera to it. This allows you to view your photos on the monitor instead of your tiny screen on the back of your camera and make adjustments to lighting (if you are shooting flash), exposure etc. to make sure you have a good photo before moving on. It is the greatest thing since sliced bread. EXCEPT, with windows Vista, I can't tether my canon 20d. There are no drivers for vista and canon ain't going to make one either. So I have now decided to run virtual PC on my computer which I will load with window XP (which of course I had to buy) so I can run some programs that don't work with Vista. That really sucks. I only hope after getting this loaded (the software arrives Friday) it will work. I'm going on a trip in January and really need this.

The photo to the left is from some performers from Guam. I go to Guam a couple times a year and it is a nice place. A little bit too touristy but that's ok.

simple lighting

2008-12-15T22:43:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post this photo for two reasons. First, I think you can achieve some nice light with just speedlights. This was shot using two 550ex. The first fired into an umbrella and the second is a bounce off of a white ceiling for fill. What I don't like is a dilemma that comes up time and again. What to do with the hands. I think this photo would have been better with some hand placement. I now remember the karate chop theory. That is, show the side of the hands to the camera, instead of flat on. But, having a beautiful model can help regardless and this photo has had a lot of nice comments on pbase.

American Samoa Marina

2008-12-09T20:57:00.000-08:00

Someone was talking to me today about improvements that can be made in American Samoa. Lots of things come to mind. Certainly, taking steps to diversify our economy is paramount to the long term viability of American Samoa. Being in the Pacific for more than 15-years, I have to say that given our natural harbour here, the lack of some sort of marina just is amazing. It is basically non-existent which means if you can't trailer a boat, you are going to be hard pressed to moor a boat at the docks here. They really need to do something. That in turn could help spawn some sort of sport fishing development and maybe some diving. There is a lot potential in this area. The attached photo was taken from a helicopter. The helicopter has since been taken back to Hawaii due to lack of demand. I shot this with my 100-400 lens. The trick is to use a fast enough shutter speed. I was shotting at a minimum of 1/500th of a second.

New Zealand

2008-12-07T19:06:00.000-08:00

Well, its been raining all weekend non-stop, which really sucks. It's times like this when living in a small pacific island gets to you. Not like you can hop in the car and drive to the mall. And the theatre didn't change out the movie, so couldn't do that. We did manage to get a Christmas tree (yep, got a real one this year) and set that up, but that's about it. Sitting in the house and watching the rain fall. You would think with all the time on my hands I would write a long blog post, but don't even feel like that. At least my vacation is finally planned so I can start a month long count-down. After not being off the island for so long, I'm starting to get rock fever.

This photo is a New Zealand performer. Thought I would post and maybe he will scare the rain away.

My Dog

2008-12-06T20:21:00.001-08:00

I was going through my photos from Christmas last year, looking for something to post to start off December. I came across this photo of my dog. We called her Lady. She was actually a stray that started to hang around our house. She was malnourished and the kids started to feed her. Soon, she was living under the porch of the house. I told the kids to give her a bath and flea dip if the dog would let them and she did. Then, one day the kids let her in the house while I was at work. Ironically, when the dog had to go to the bathroom, she went to the door and barked. The only thing we can figure out is that she belonged to some family and was an inside dog, but maybe they moved away and just threw their dog out the door. That is how it is here, with so many stray dogs and a lot of people that mistreat dogs. Granted, with so many dogs roaming, people get bit. But ironically a survey done showed that most of the "stray" dogs have owners. They just let their dogs roam around. People carry sticks when they walk and any dog that gets too close will get a whack. Now with our dog Lady, one day a neighbor dog came around and the kids opened the door and lady ran after the other dog. My kids chased her and she ran across the street until the kids yelled for her to come back. She stopped and headed back to the kids when a car came down the road and swerved to deliberately hit the dog. They killed her right in front of my kids and then just kept driving down the road like nothing happened. People across the street saw what happened and got a license number, but it would have been useless to report it. I was only glad Lady died instantly as there are no good vets here and at least she didn't suffer. I tell the kids at least she had a good life with us and that she would have died a long time ago if we had not taken her in. Funny thing is, she was the most gentlest dog and would never hurt anyone and to this day I hope the person that ran her over has bad karma because of it. So, this will be a Christmas without lady. But we got another dog and named her tramp (she came from the humane society). With all the dogs out there, if you are planning on getting a pet, consider getting one from a shelter. And remember, pets are a lot of responsibility. Don't just get a dog and throw it outside to fend for itself.

carabau

2008-12-03T20:45:00.000-08:00

I like high contrast photos in black and white. Take this photo, which was shot on a sunny day in the afternoon. The color just didn't do it for me, so I converted to black and white. The Carabau in the Philippines remains an important part of everyday life in the Philippines, especially in the provinces. This man was walking his carabau down a stream when I captured this photos. The background huts add to the photo in my mind. If you are in the Philippines, get out of manila and go to the Province where you will experience true Filipino culture.

Seven Deadly Sins

2008-12-02T20:04:00.000-08:00

Working on a personal project called the seven daily sins. Can you guess which sin this represents?

This photo was shot using a wide angle lens and a flash held off camera, attached to a synch cord to keep ETTL. For post processing, I used a photoshop action called Urban Acid. I had this action for awhile and kind of liked the look it gave this photo. I'm always on the lookout for new photoshop actions to try out and have a bunch. Sometimes just goofing around gives you a look you like. I get a lot of my actions from just googling. I also like to go to www.atncentral for some cool actions. A lot of free stuff is around if you just take some time.

Moon Shot

2008-12-01T19:47:00.000-08:00

You don't need a telescope to take photos of the moon, although a long lens helps. This photo was taken with my camera and my 100-400mm canon lens at 400mm. When shooting the moon, I always remember "moonie 11". What this means is a good starting point is 1/Iso at f11. So, If I am shooting at ISO 100 at f11, my shutter speed would be 1/125th at f11 (remember your camera won't have 1/100th so you need to go 1/135th). That will give you a good target. Check you histogram for blown out highlights. Remember, a lot of the viewfinder will be black, so expect your histogram to be bunched up to the left side. What you want is to make sure you don't have any of the histogram touching the right side. If you don't have a histogram, then start at 1/125th and then bracket to make sure. This is one of my favorite shots of a full moon in American Samoa. I am impressed with the detail you can get with just a camera and a long lens. No telescope here.

American Samoa streams

2008-11-30T11:30:00.000-08:00

Well, I can't believe 2008 is almost over and tomorrow is December. I now start my one month of not drinking any alcohol, which I do every year. Normally, I wouldn't pick December as it is a time of Christmas parties etc., but I haven't gone a full month without drinking so it has to be December. I started this a while back and usually pick February (guess why - shortest month).

This is a photo of one of the many streams in American Samoa. Taken with an exposure of 2 seconds. There are a lot of streams here, although lately I haven't been venturing out into the woods due to a dengue outbreak that is going on here. I have gotten Malaria and one type of Dengue, but there are four different types of dengue which means you can get it more than once. I'm not keen on getting a bad case here, as the hospital is less than desired.

Cultural Differences

2008-11-29T11:06:00.000-08:00

This Solomon Island woman proudly displays a necklace, which includes dolphin teeth. I lived in the Solomon Islands for three years when Ethnic fighting was taking place, which led to a subsequent coup and a militant take-over. It was sad as the Solomon Islands is probably one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen, especially when you get out of Honiara. It is also a place that tests your cultural tolerances. I remember when one of my workers proudly showed me one day a necklace made of dolphin teeth. He told me the teeth are very valuable and still used for things such as paying a bride price. The people hunt the dolphins in canoes and bang stones under water to attract them. They would herd the dolphins into the shore of one of the lagoons, where they would get disorientated. The people would then kill them, turning the lagoon red with blood. Although they would eat the meat of the dolphin, it was the teeth that was the most valuable. It would take a number of dolphins just to make one necklace. To most of the world, it is a barbaric practice. But the people of the Solomon Islands have been using them for trade for centuries. Even the Governor of the Central Bank in the Solomon Islands said that the teeth are like gold. People use them as a measure of their wealth. I'm not going to judge, but I think I will stick to other forms of currency for now. Hopefully the economic crises won't reach the point where I need to pay for my McDonalds meal with a couple of Dolphin teeth. I can just picture it now, "you can upsize your meal for only an extra tooth".

Kiribati

2008-11-28T20:45:00.000-08:00

This is a beautiful young woman from Kiribati. Kiribati is an independent nation, about 2,500 miles Southwest of Hawaii. All the Islands are Atolls, except for one. There are slightly less than 100,000 people in the whole country. A lot of people will recognize Tarawa, which is the site of some of the bloodiest fighting of WWII. As a kid, I used to watch Lets Go Fishing go to Christmas Island and catch huge Ulua. The fishing is incredible.

family

2008-11-28T00:18:00.000-08:00

Photography is a journey. You are constantly learning new things (and making mistakes). At least that is how it is with me.

Take Thanksgiving at our house in American Samoa. My kids have about a 30 second attention span. Which means I had to get the photo set up beforehand to have any chance of getting a decent photo. Now the challenge is that the room is darker than the outside. So, if I wanted to have the outside not blown out, the room would be dark. So, I first set up my camera and without using flash, found the proper exposure for the outside light. Then, I added the flash and dialed the power in until I liked the lighting on the table. I used a 60-inch umbrella which threw light everywhere, which is what I wanted. The last two photos show without flash and then with the flash added in. When the turkey was set up, I just turned on the flash and shot three frames. Unfortunately, I see that in the final photo, the umbrella is seen in the reflection of the door glass. Oh well, live and learn. The kids were just too restless to formally pose, so I had to take what I could get. And Yes, I made the turkey (I do so every year for the kids).

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T12:16:00.001-08:00

Well, I'm sitting here looking out the window and it is pouring down rain. For the past couple years, I have tried to go out after thanksgiving dinner and take a sunset photo. This photo was taken the prior year. That little white speck at the top is actually the moon. Since I was using a wide angle lens, the moon will look very small. If you want to make the moon/sun big, you need to use a long lens. I will be putting the turkey in the oven soon (I cook the thanksgiving dinner every year) and then we will just have to see if the weather improves.

The one thing about this photo I wish I would have done was throw some flash on the foreground (coconut trees etc) to make them pop a little more.

Pago Pago Bay

2008-11-26T19:37:00.001-08:00

This is the view of Pago Pago Bay from Mt. Alava. To get here, it is a 3-hour hike up a 4x4 trail (and another 2-hours back). The hike itself offers limited views, but at the top the view is incredible. There used to be a cable car that would take people up here, but it has long been out of service. This would be a wonderful spot to take some sunrise photos, but I am not dedicated enough for a 3-hour hike in the dark. When we got to the top, it was mid day (not the best time for photos) but when you hike that far, you are going to want to get some photos. This trail is actually only one of a few in the National Park. I really wish they would develop some more trails here. Pago Pago was once called the Pearl of the Pacific. It is also the most naturally protected deep water harbor in the Pacific. Unfortunately, the inner harbor is now polluted. Yet, the bay is still quite beautiful. Nothing much to say about this photo. When taking a photo like this, it often helps to get some foreground to give your photo a sense of depth (in this case the leaves). Used a zoom lens at wide angle and an aperture of f16 to get everything from the foreground out in focus. It helps if you know the hyperfocal distance of your lens (google). Set your camera on a tripod, and use manual focus. Set the focus at the hyperfocal distance. There is a great site at www.dofmaster.com where you can check out this method and even figure out the hyperfocal distance for a given lens and aperture. Once you figure this out, you will know that everything from the hyperfocal distance out will be in focus. Anyway, Happy Advance Thanksgiving

Zoom

2008-11-24T21:11:00.000-08:00

I was driving around looking for photos without much luck. Stopped on the side of the road on the end of the island to drink a diet coke and look around. Decided to try something different. I set my camera on my tripod with my 17-85 zoom lens. Used a slower shutter speed and just zoomed the lens from 17-85 during the exposure. The results are very unpredictable. I like this photo (almost looks like a painting to me) and actually have it hanging on my wall. People are intrigued. Some like it and some hate it, but it is a subject of conversation. I added a frame around it in photoshop. But, the rest of the photo is almost straight out of the camera. So if you want to try something different, try to zoom. I have seen some nice photos using this technique on flowers or leaves in the fall (no change of seasons here in American Samoa).

Street Kids

2008-11-23T17:14:00.000-08:00

I took this photo early in the morning in the Philippines. I had gotten up very early to walk around and see what was interesting. I came across this girl carrying a baby. There were still some people sitting outside this local bar (must have been about 5:00AM) and she was making the rounds trying to get some change. I have mixed feelings about giving money to street kids in the Philippines. Not that I mind giving (quite the contrary) but most of the time the money does not go for food. I remember one time giving some change to some kids and then going into a store to buy some soda. As I went to check out, the kids were in line in front of me buying glue. They were using my money to get high. After that, I stopped giving money. However, if I am in a place with a lot of street kids, I will sometimes buy a bunch of burgers from McDonalds or Jolly B and give them out. At least I know they won't spend the money on drugs.

This photo was taken with my camera in my right hand and I was holding my flash in my left. I do not believe the photo would had been as dramatic if I was using my flash on camera.

I also wanted to post this photo because it is a good reminder to me, how lucky I am. As the holidays approach, don't forget those less fortunate (including the many Americans that are now out of work). Count your blessings and make it a point to help those less fortunate than you if you can.

Family Time

2008-11-23T10:05:00.001-08:00

Family is so important when you live on a small island. They help keep you sane.

Someone once asked my what are the must have accessories for your camera. It really comes down to what types of photos you are planning on shooting. It really depends on what type of photography you are into and opinions vary. For me, I could not live without a circular polarizer, a tripod and a flash (not the pop up flash that comes with your camera and some way to get your flash off of your camera.

The kids got a new skimboard and wanted to try it out. Of course I wanted to get some photos and of course the sun was bright which made it horrible for taking photos. The solution, flash. Now a lot of people don't even think of using flash on a sunny day, but it can make a big difference. In this case, I wanted to make the background not so bright. So with my canon camera on aperture mode, I dialed in -2 stops of exposure compensation. For the canon, this meant pressing the shutter half way then rotate the dial on your camera counterclockwise. You will see the needle (if you are looking in your view finder) move as you turn the dial. What this means is that your exposure will now be underexposed by two stops. But, I wanted my son to be lighted properly. So I dialed in +2 for my flash exposure compensation (check the manual for your camera on how to do this). So, this meant I had an underexposed background and a properly lit photo (where the flash hit -in this case pointed at my son). I used a shoe cord to get the flash off camera. I often will use this and I just hold the flash in my left hand and the camera in my right hand. If I have a heavier lens, I will use a monopod instead of handholding. By still having my flash attached to my camera, I was able to use high speed synch (again check your camera manual). Basically, your camera will only synch to your flash up to 1/125th or 1/250th of a second. If you go above that, your flash can't keep up (detailed explanations if you want - just google). But, some cameras allow you to go above that by using High Speed Synch. Now, if you remember a good rule, called sunny 16, your exposure on a sunny day would be 1/iso at f16. Since I'm using ISO 100, my shutter speed would be 1/125th (cameras don't have 1/100th) at f16. But I don't want that high of an aperture, so the more I open up (in this case f5.6) the faster the shutter speed. I also wanted to make the background darker (which meant a faster shutter speed also). So high speed synch was essential. You just got to remember your little flash is doing a lot of work, so closer is better. I probably didn't explain well. Strobist has a good article on this so check it out (he explains much better). If you just want to try something new, do this:

1. exposure compensation negative (pick your number)

2. flash exposure positive (same number)

3. flash set for high speed synch

4. fire away.

AND, don't forget to change your settings back because if you don't, you may wonder why all your photos are underexposed the next time you go to shoot (been there, done that).

Tisa's barefoot bar in American Samoa

2008-11-22T12:28:00.001-08:00

If you come to American Samoa, you have to visit Tisa's barefoot bar. Great place to relax, have a swim or snorkel and get a cold drink. It is also okay to swim there on Sunday (a lot of places do not allow swimming on Sundays). The owners are great people, which adds to the atmosphere of the place.

I saw these clouds forming as I was sitting and having a cold beer one Sunday. Knowing that the dynamic range would be too much (either the clouds would be blown out or the foreground too dark) I set my camera on my tripod and shot several photos, making sure my aperture did not change. I then took the photos and combined them to make a HDR photo. If you are not familiar with this, just google and you will find all sorts of information.

FiaFia Night in American Samoa

2008-11-21T19:45:00.000-08:00

Fiafia night in American Samoa. A chance to eat great Samoan food and watch dancers. Reminds me of a Luau in Hawaii. This is one of my favorite photos from a fiafia night at Sadies by the Sea (hotel in American Samoa). To me, this photo shows so much freedom and happiness. American Samoa is a great place to visit, although they need to develop tourism. A person recently remarked to me how slow things are here and the more I thought about it, the more he is right. But, that is what makes it a great place to raise a family. You don't have to worry about your kids like you do in the U.S. Violent crime is low and I can send my kids to school on the public transportation (aiga bus) without worrying. They have also seen a very unique culture during our five years here.

Now for this photo I wanted a little bit of a different look. Not color, but not black and white. To achieve this look, I opened my photo in photoshop. I then created a new layer and adjusted the saturation of the Red (and to a much lesser extent the yellow) channels negative. This had the effect of desaturation the photo, but not all the way. I just goofed with it until I got something I like.

There are times when American Samoa (like every other place) gets you down and looking at my photos remind me at how unique the place is and how lucky we are to be here.

It won't hurt - Trust Me

2008-11-21T00:38:00.001-08:00

Another tattoo being done. I heard someone saying it won't hurt, trust me................. Followed by, "Ok, it hurts a little". No electric here. They take that metal rod to tap the needles into your skin. I can't even imagine getting a full tattoo like this. It is fascinating to watch and these people are artists. It is even more fascinating to watch the people getting their tattoos.

Wallis and Fortuna

2008-11-20T17:45:00.000-08:00

Wallis and Fortuna Islands is home to about 15,000 people. The people are all French Citizens. This is just a simple portrait of one of the men from the Island Group. Just a short post today as I have to pick up someone at the airport.

Hula

2008-11-19T21:07:00.001-08:00

Normally I like when people are making eye contact with the camera. But some photos work well without the eye contact. The photo on the left has no eye contact, yet I really liked the photo as it really conveys her happiness and being lost in the moment. I used focal point to add some blur around her and draw attention to where I wanted to. Of course, this was taken at night and I had to use a high ISO, despite the lights. If you can't get a fast enough shutter speed, Anticipate a moment when dancers are not moving as fast and then shoot. I hope you enjoy this photo.

Thanks to Mike Wong of onOne software for the nice comments about my Samoan black and white photo I previously posted. I use and recommend a number of their products, including focalpoint, genuine fractals, mask pro (which is so easy to use to cut out backgrounds etc.) and photo tools. I'm not going to lie, the software isn't cheap, but it is well worth the price and I was never disappointed. The amount of time I have saved using their products and some of the results have made the investment well worth it. check out the blog at http://www.ononesoftware.com/blog/ to see more.

Samoan Fireknife Dance

2008-11-18T20:25:00.001-08:00

The modern fireknife dance was born from Freddie Letuli. Since it's humble beginning, the fire knife dance has become an art that would awe people everywhere. There is even a world fire knife championship held every year in Hawaii. Locals and tourists alike are fascinated with the performances of the fire knife dance. Unfortunately, many come away with photos that are less than desirable. In order to get a good photo, your shutter speed has to be slow enough so that it can record the full circle of the flame. Around 1/15th of a second is a good starting point. If the dancers are moving all around, you will be disappointed as they will be blurred. In this photo, I had my camera on a tripod set at 1/15th of a second. I had a flash set to 2nd curtain sync (that means your flash fires at the end of the exposure - although I think you would be ok without it). Wait until they are standing still and fire away (put your camera on shutter priority). Check to see if you got sufficient detail. Without some flash, the performers will likely be underexposed. Try lots and lots of exposures and you may just get one you are happy with. That is the great thing about digital, you can just delete what does not come out.

Taiwan

2008-11-17T21:05:00.001-08:00

I was thinking about what to post tonight and decided to post this photo of a young Taiwanese woman who is from a small village. When many of us visualize a place we have never been to, we often have pre-conceived ideas of the place and it's culture. Many people think of Taiwan as a large city. But, Taiwan, like many Countries, has both city and Country life. To see a place, you must venture off of the beaten path and get out into the Country. I often travel to the Philippines and hear so many people say how crowded and polluted the place is. Yet, they never even bothered to get out of Manila, and many stayed in a small area, afraid to venture out. My advice is simple, don't be afraid to get off the beaten path and explore. You may come back with a whole different view on life. The Internet offers us with a wealth of information on places to see, as well as what is safe (safe is a relative term - how many people get murdered each year in their own homes). Do your research and the next time you travel, forget about the tour groups and go on an adventure.

Shore fishing in American Samoa

2008-11-16T20:07:00.001-08:00

Had a guy from work visiting which was really great. Got to do some fishing, although we ended up unable to get a boat. Ended up trying a new place that you park on the top of this hill and walk down a trail for about 15-20 minutes. The trail is steep and I realized how much out of shape I am in. The first thing we caught weighed over 200lbs. Unfortunately, it was not a fish, but me (got a hook stuck deep). Luckily the guy had pliers and with the anticipation of the pain soon to be, he yank the hook out of my finger. After that, he hooked a huge Ulua, which got away quickly. I then caught the fish you see in this photo, which I was quite happy with (we are cutting it up right after I finish this post). After that, he hooked and landed an ulua weighing about 30-35 lbs. This was on spinning tackle and was quite a fight. The place has a lot of big ulua for sure, and I will be going back again (besides, it is good exercise - I keep telling myself as I climbed back up). Need to get a better gaff though to help land some of the big fish that are lurking around.

The other photo above is of my dog tramp (on the right) and the puppy from next door that thinks is our dog and always visits. Unfortunately, the photo is a little out of focus, but I thought it was cute so I wanted to post. Can you tell which one jumped up a few seconds later to try and score a meal (hint - it is the dog with the tongue hanging out).

Solomon Islands Pan Piper

2008-11-15T00:24:00.001-08:00

Been out fishing all day so this will be a short post. Did manage to catch a couple of small ones, but nothing to write home about. Have a guy visiting so will be going fishing tomorrow. Hopefully will have better luck.

The photo is of a Pan Piper from the Solomon Islands. The music is beautiful and unique. I lived in the Solomon Islands for three years before moving to American Samoa.

macro

2008-11-13T23:58:00.001-08:00

American Samoa has a lot of hermit crabs. If you have never seen one up close before, now you have. This was taken with my 100mm macro lens. This guy is not that big. I really enjoy all types of photography and my macro lens opens up a different world of possibilities.

Samoan

2008-11-12T22:08:00.000-08:00

I'm not normally into black and white photography, but some photos lend themselves well to black and white. This photo of American Samoans performing is a good example. There was a lot of color cast from different lights that made it difficult to get an effective white balance. So, I decided to make this a black and white photo. Now although some cameras have a black and white mode (digital cameras), I prefer to shoot normal. Since I use Raw, I know I have all the information I need to keep the color file, or convert to black and white. Since I use photoshop, I converted this image in photoshop. Now, I have been considering getting a lensbaby (www.lensbaby.com) to get some selective focus. These lens allow you to get a unique selective focus. The use of selective focus allows you to get focus attention on your focal point and blur distracting elements. But I already had purchased a suite of photoshop plug-ins from onone software. This included focal point, which simulates the effects you get from a lensbaby. I used this in the photo to attempt to draw attention to the subjects. I like the effects I get with this and will have to play with it more.

Samoans are great performers and I never get tired of watching them perform. This was a great evening and a couple of photos to add to my collection. It was dark and I had to shoot at ISO1600, even though I was shooting at f2.8. I was using a sigma 70-200 lens. The lens is good (the only non canon lens I own) but has a hard time focusing in low light. Also, wide open the quality diminishes after about 135mm. But it was half the price of the canon 70-200. But if I had the same choice, I would save up for the canon lens next time.

Island Girls

2008-11-10T20:57:00.000-08:00

Monday night in American Samoa and tomorrow is a holiday. American Samoa has a proud history of Samoans serving in the Military and it is something that the Country should be very proud of. They have lost 5 brave people just in the Iraq war, which when you consider the population is just over 60 thousand, is a lot on a per capita basis. Despite your views on the War, these proud men and women have made the ultimate sacrifice for the U.S. and I hope that everyone remembers tomorrow is not just a holiday, but Veterans Day and that people in the U.S. would not be free if not for the sacrifices that our armed forces have made over time to ensure our freedom. I wish I had an appropriate photo for Veterans Day, but I do not.

The photo to the left is a beautiful Tahitian Dancer. It was shot under cloudy skies, which is the best light for taking photos outside. The clouds act like a large softbox, diffusing the harsh sunlight. I used to think that the noon day sun was the best until I started to learn more. Now, I realize the harsh sun in the afternoon does not make for good photographs. Instead, use that time to scout for new locations or other activities. Use the morning and afternoon for taking photos and you will get much better results.

Religion

2008-11-09T13:24:00.001-08:00

Well, it's Sunday again in American Samoa. As you can imagine, church is a huge event in American Samoa, which is a great thing. But it also means that a lot of the beaches are closed for swimming and/or fishing. So you options become much more limited. But it could be worse, in Tonga, it was actually against the law to work on Sunday and to do a lot of the leisure activities. Now these folks take their religion to the extreme. I shot this photo in Leone, with the sun starting to go down. It is a beautiful statue, but sits behind a locked gate, which is a shame. I had to raise my camera above my head to shoot over the fence to get this shot. But I think it came out kind of good and is an appropriate post for a Sunday. In this case I just set my camera to aperture mode and used matrix metering. Some people were giving me funky looks so I wasn't sure it they were okay with me taking photos so didn't stay long. Normally I like to ask first but no one was around until I was ready to take the photo. Then it became a case of better to get the photo and ask for forgiveness later. Ironically, I have never had a problem with people letting me take photos except for one case. I had stopped to photograph a beautiful little church and actually asked and received permission from some teenagers that were there. I got the tripod set up and they left. While I was taking photos (from the outside of the church) two men walked up and wanted money for taking the photo of "their" church. They thought I would sell the photos and make a lot of money and wanted a share. You could smell alcohol on their breath so I just told them I was an amateur photographer trying to capture their beautiful church for myself. But I also told them I would delete the photos as I had no money to pay them. Pressed a couple of buttons on my camera (no, I didn't delete the photos) and told them the photos were deleted and made my way to the car with them following and made my getaway. It is hard to reason with drunk people.

Opportunity

2008-11-09T00:49:00.000-08:00

I have been lucky in that I haven't been really sick for awhile. I generally take a vacation around flu season and make it a point to stop in Hawaii and get my flu shot. Unfortunately, work has been such that I have not been able to get to Hawaii and I got really sick this week. We are talking lay in bed for two days with a fever sick. But, by Thursday I was well enough to get back to work and Friday was better. I was hoping to get some photography in on Saturday but when I woke up it was storming. But American Samoa has unpredictable weather and at 4:30 it looked like the rain had stopped. I decided to grab a sunset at the last moment and made it to this spot just as the sun was setting. Luckily the drive was long and my camera was in a ziplock bag warming up during the ride (going from an aircon house to a humid environment means fogged lens if you aren't careful) so I was able to throw the camera on a tripod, stick a GND on the lens and this is one of the results. 30-minutes later it was all over and time to pack up. But I'm happy I went as the sunset was really nice. Now when I first started, I loved nothing better than a getting a photo of the Sun (larger the better) as it set. Now I don't care for the typical sunset photo (to cliche for me) and I normally carry a wide angle lens instead and shoot the colors. Nothing like some clouds to make the colors in the sky pop and this was a good day for that. Hope you enjoy this photo, which is hot off the press.

Fatu Ma Futi

2008-11-07T20:01:00.000-08:00

I lost track ast o how many times I woke up early to get a photo of this rock formation. Either no clouds, raining or something else. I finally ended up with a photo that I liked. There are actually two rocks, with this one being the larger. There is a story behind the formations that there were two lovers from Samoa who sailed here. They were named Fatu and Futu. After a rough journey from the Island of Savaii, they were being tossed by bad weather and their canoe capsized. They continued to swim and swim, and they finally reached Tutuila (now the main island in American Samoa where this was taken). But they died on the shore and were turned into these rocks. When the people discovered their story and epic journey, they named the rocks after them.

If you are photographing sunrises/sunsets, take your exposure reading from the left or the right of the sun (not directly at it). Look at your histogram to try and avoid blown out highlights or shadows. In this case, a GND would have been difficult, given the rock formation. Instead I took two exposures and later combined them in photoshop. I had to do this as to expose for the sunrise would have left the rock black. Expose for the rock and the sunrise is blown out. You of course need a tripod and not move your camera to do this.

Tatau

2008-11-06T15:49:00.000-08:00

When I got a tattoo a long time ago, it was not a traditional tattoo. Getting a traditional tatau (tattoo). This photo of traditional tools of the trade "Ato Au" give some idea of the pain involved. Patterns are made by tapping the needle into the skin.

Nudity

2008-11-05T14:10:00.000-08:00

This photo is a woman from Papua New Guinea. It still amazes me in this day and age how prudish people can be when it comes to the subject of nudity. In some cultures, being topless is an everyday part of life. The photo here was recently posted on a photography site and it raised an unbelievable amount of controversy over whether such a photo is "appropriate". I was actually surprised. This is not a photo that would be inappropriate in National Geographic. In the end, the photo remained on the site and actually became quite popular. When photographing places, you can never forget the importance of the people.

Aiga Bus

2008-11-03T18:44:00.001-08:00

The Aiga Bus is the local form of transportation in American Samoa. If you visit, you need to ride at least once. It is kind of a neat way to get around and the price is right. But be warned, they often play loud music and you will even face the occasional person smoking cigarettes (which is actually against the law but no one enforces it). The two photos attached are quite different. The first is a HDR photo I did. The second was shot with a slower shutter speed and I panned the camera while the bus drove by. Panning is a great way to introduce motion into your photos. It takes practice and I admit I am not that great at it. Using a tripod is the easiest way and put your camera in shutter priority. You also need to put your camera in AI Servo (read your camera's manual). This allows you to track your subject and remain in focus. You press your shutter half way and then track holding the shutter half way. Then press all the way to take the photo. The photo below was shot using this method.

Night Time

2008-11-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

Shooting events at night can be hard. Depending on the movement of dancers, you need shutter speeds in the 1/250th range. If you are not using flash, and like most events at night are shooting in low light, that means you have to shoot with a fast lens (aperture of f2.8 or faster) and/or a High ISO. In this photo, I was shooting at ISO 1600 at f2.8. This ensured the shutter speed was fast enough to freeze these dancers, who were moving quite fast. Now depending on your camera, you may introduce a lot of noise at ISO 1600. My Canon Eos 20d is quite good and even at ISO 1600 the noise is acceptable. I also ran this photo through a third party software that reduces noise further. I bought Neat Image (software name) which is a photoshop plugin a long time ago. There is also Noise Ninja and a bunch of others. Photoshop also has a noise reduction feature.

Now Noise is caused by a couple of things. First, your camera sensor has noise. This is exacerbated by longer exposures, or multiple exposures, which increases the heat of the sensor or having more things on a smaller chip (which is why a digital SLR will generally have less noise than a point and shoot digital camera). The second thing is your ISO Think of ISO (for this example) like the volume on your stereo. With the volume lower, you can't hear noise coming from your speakers. But crank the volume up enough and you start to hear a hiss through your speakers. And just like speakers, some cameras handle higher ISO better than others. So get to know the limitations of your camera.

Photo Manipulation

2008-11-01T12:17:00.001-07:00

Photoshop opens a whole new world of opportunities. Everyone has an opinion on photo manipulation. When does photo manipulation take an image out of the realm of "photo" and more into digital art? I don't really know. My opinion is unless you are shooting photo journalism, use the tools available to you to achieve the look you like. The "Dave Hill" look is very popular these days. I love his images, which are heavily manipulated. But don't get me wrong, his photography is excellent and his use of light etc. allows him to manipulate the original photo to get the look he wants.

The photo in this post was originally posted in a prior post. To achieve the look, I did the following steps:

1. I reduced the noise two times (you can do this in photoshop - I use a plug in called neat image);

2. Go to layer->New Adjustment Layer->Hue Saturation and hit okay. Go to the red channel and reduce the lightness by -15 to -35 (depends on the photo)

3. Repeat step two, only this time go to the yellow channel and reduce the lightness just a little bit.

4. Now using the unsharp mask, use a high radius of between 80-100.

5. Depending on the effect, you may want to dodge the highlights or burn shadows

6. reduce noise again (optional)

7. Make another Hue saturation layer and this time increase the lightness of the yellow channel to taste.

I did not come up with this on my own, and want to give credit to a post I read by Lei Sarmiento on Digital Photographer - Philippines. A lot of neat things on this site http://www.digitalphotographer.com.ph/

Fruit Bats

2008-10-31T19:54:00.000-07:00

One of the things I love about American Samoa is the abundance of Fruit Bats here. Every evening you can see them flying around. Some of them are huge. But, they can also be seen in the daytime, which makes it a great time to try and find one hanging around to photography. I found this tree with Fruit on it with a bunch of bats lounging away. Unfortunately at the time I did not have a long enough lens with me. The next afternoon I took my 100-400 lens and hoped the bats would still be around. As luck would have it, it was rainy, but I decided to make the 40-minute drive anyway. When I got there, there were a few bats hanging around. I sat in my car and waited for the rain to stop, which it did for about 5-minutes. I quickly jumped out of my car and my lens kept fogging up (got to love the humidity here). Now wiping my lens with a lens cloth in this humidity is a nightmare. I found that a lens pen works. These things work great and have a brush on one end, and this type of eraser head on the other (do a google search or check out http://www.bhphoto.com/ where I order all my stuff from). It is the only thing that really helps me clean my lens and remove fog on the lens. Now, as a side note, I found that it helps to put your camera in a large ziplock bag with desiccant silica. This helps when you take your camera from a cool place (like my air condition house) to a warm place. I use the ones from Pelican. You just stick the thing in the oven when it needs it and it can be used again. They are great. Of course, you have to remember to use them (which I had forgotten in my rush). In the end, got a couple of photos before it started raining too hard. But I like this photo with it's tongue sticking out.

A Different Perspective

2008-10-30T20:28:00.000-07:00

I'm always goofing around looking to try things to put a unique perspective on my photos. One of the neat attachments I have for my camera is a bogen Magic Arm with a bogen super clamp (you can google to see photos of this). It allows you to attach your camera to things like bikes or even broom in this case. I attached the camera to the broom using a wide angle lens and set the focus manually. Then using the timer on the camera and a slow shutter speed, I did some sweeps of the broom until I got something I liked. In this case I used 1/8 second. This photo (with the exception of normal adjustments in photoshop) was done in camera. The blur was created by using a slow shutter speed and the broom is kept in focus as the camera was attached to the handle of the broom. Ended up liking this photo in black and white the best. So if you have some money to spare, this attachment is neat and allows you to do some creative things.

Church

2008-10-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

American Samoa must have more churches on a per capital basis than anywhere else. Everywhere you look, there is a church. While driving home after a rather uneventful day looking for photographs, we decided to stop at a little store to get some food. I looked up and found this beautiful cloud formation. Knowing I had to photograph it, I knew there was a church a couple of hundred yards down the road. I got in my car and drove to the church, which luckily had no cars parked in front. Knowing that the dynamic range (the difference between the brights/darks) would be too much, I set my camera on a tripod and shot a series of photos at different exposures. Back at the house I combined all the exposures into a HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo, using Photomatix (a program you can buy to help with HDR photos). I liked the way this photo came out. The moral of the story is you never know when a photo opportunity will present itself so be on the lookout.

Close/Closer/Closeup

2008-10-28T22:03:00.001-07:00

It is amazing at how much more details you see when you eliminate the unnecessary. Take the first photo. Wonderful Tattoo. But it wasn't until I zoomed in (last photo) that I could see the intricate details of the tattoo. One of the first things I learned as I went through various websites as a new photographer was simplify and eliminate distractions. This draws people to what is important in your images. There are a number of ways to accomplish that. But first, determine what you are trying to accomplish with your photo then eliminate distractions. For outdoor photos, I love to use a long lens to achieve a shallow depth of field and a close crop. Not everyone likes that but since this is what I enjoy, I photograph that way. So enjoy some more photos from the festival.

Tisa's Tattoo Festival (Continued)

2008-10-28T00:40:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some of the photos from Tisa's Tattoo Festival on Day 2. The art work was incredible. Remember to click on the photo to see the larger size. I will post some more tommorrow so check back.

Tisa's Tattoo Festival

2008-10-27T00:44:00.001-07:00

Tisa's barefoot Bar is one of the best spots in American Samoa to relax and have a cold beer. They hosted the Annual Tattoo Festival and it was great. Although I missed the first day (see prior post) and was really disappointed, I was happy to attend the second day. Great People, cold beer and yes Tattoo's were about. Now This is more than just a Tattoo event. It is a celebration of traditional Samoan Tattooing. This traditional art form is being revived, in part due to the efforts of Tisa and her Husband. They are true Pioneer's in the preservation of the Samoan Cultural in American Samoa. So, although I have some wonderful photos I hope to post over the next week or so, I wanted to start off with a photo of Tisa from the Tattoo Festival. But, after a full day of enjoying the cold Vailima Beer (watch the big bottles folks, they sneak up on you) I am ready to sleep. GOOD NIGHT.

Important things

2008-10-26T01:13:00.000-07:00

After missing the Tattoo festival in American Samoa last year, I was looking forward to spending a day photographing this event. But as luck would have it, the kids announced that their annual Halloween Party would be on the same day. Although I love photography and was looking forward to this event, my kids will always come first. Luckily, it looked like the event would start at 10:00AM and the party for the kids wasn't until later in the afternoon. Arriving at 10:00 it was soon apparent it was not going to start on time. So I blazed down to a sewing shop to pick up one of my kids costumes and then went back at 12:40PM. Still not really starting. It ended up with the show starting at about 2:00PM, which meant I would only have 1-hour before I had to leave. Ended up with a couple of photos before I had to pack up. But you know what, the kids had a great time at the Halloween Party and the smiles on their faces are just too important. Tomorrow the tattoo festival continues so maybe I will have better luck then.

The photo above was taken on Friday. Right after work I went home, grabbed the kids (they had a day off) and headed towards the beach Arrived in time for a nice Sunset and I really like this photo of a SeaScape that I captured. Setup was simple. Find the spot I liked and set up the camera with some GND filters. As the sunset arrived, took a bunch of photos, bracketing and watching my histogram. This was the one I liked. There is some vignetting on the top corners but I actually liked it so did not try to work that in Photoshop.

A Different View

2008-10-23T21:42:00.001-07:00

This is a photo of Pola Rock in American Samoa. It is located in the National Park and is a beautiful rock formation often photographed. Most of the photos I have seen are with the rock filling the frame (I have some nice photos like that). But I was never satisfied. Then I remembered an article I read about thinking outside the box. Sure, get your safe shots first, but once you have that, go ahead and try something different. In this case, I wanted to show the formation as something more mysterious, so I used a wide angle lens. Walking down the road, I found this flower and I liked the little "V" shape in the foreground leaves which kind of leads your eye into the frame. Now, which my camera on my tripod and using f16 (I think) to get everything from the foreground out sharp I took a photo. Unfortunately, the foreground was too dark. Since I couldn't use a graduated neutral density filter (which I confess I left at home) I did this. With my camera in manual mode and at f16, I dialed in the shutter until I had the proper exposure (making sure I did not blow out my highlights - histogram and nothing bunched up on the right side). Of course, the foreground was dark. So I pulled out my canon 550ex flash and two pocketwizards (which allow you to use your flash off camera). I then adjusted the power of the flash until I had a foreground exposure I liked. By using off camera flash, I was able to bring the flash closer to the red flower to get that to really pop. So how to do that if you are alone? Use the timer (with your camera on the tripod). This gives you time to handhold the flash where you want (of course if you brought a stand for your flash you can just do it that way. Take some photos, check your histogram and you are done.