The Pier

Last Saturday, I attended a workshop with Manny Pontoriero, "Get the Picture" blog, and a follower of this blog.

This particular workshop was a test demo for a pilot he's planning for a TV show.

We were given assignments to shoot whatever we wanted at each location, then Manny would critique the image we created. We would then try the shot after his critique. It was a very interesting workshop and a lot of fun. Manny picked the locations. Lucky for me, they were right near my home, so I didn't have to travel very far.

The top photo is one of the ones I shot, the bottom shows Manny's change after his critique. His feeling was that I really wasn't showing my subject in my shot. He couldn't figure out what I was photographing, so he suggested I use framing to show just the pier eliminating the boat in the foreground. That way, the "subject" was clearly defined.

For a closer look, just click on the photo and it'll bring you to a larger version.

Let me know if you all agree or disagree. I'd be most interested to know what you all think.

Vinoy Basin

Today I went to a meetup/workshop for using off-camera flash. During the workshop, while waiting for my turn to shoot the model, I noticed this amazing light and beautiful clouds and just had to take a shot.

The condos in the mid-ground are the Vinoy Condos. They're just to the right of the famous 5-star Renaissance Vinoy Hotel here in St Petersburg, FL. The water is a little inlet on Tampa Bay where a few sailboats are moored. Just in front of the condos is the Vinoy Marina, the hotel's own private marina. Out of the photo, further to the right is The Pier.

Oh yes, I did finally get my chance to shoot the model. You may see her photo at a later date.