Gulf Coast Half Ironman

Lara and I spent the last half of last week in Panama City, Florida. Lara competed in the Gulf Coast Half Ironman Triathlon on Saturday morning . Of course, my official role during these four days was to provide support and the occasional spousal-reality check, but I took enough photo gear to make me think I was on assignment. And speaking as a photographer, I loved the big waves pounding onto the beach at the start of the swim. The scale of green water to swimmer was, at times, impressive. However, as group after colored-capped group ran into the water, and then paused to think about the next 1.2 miles, it was obvious that quite a few athletes were not prepared for the swell.

Pura Vida

Swimming in the ocean swells at sunrise, after six days in Nosara, Costa Rica, I can distinctly remember feeling close to understanding the idea of "Pura Vida". In large part, I learned by watching the staff at the Harmony Hotel ... they surf before work, run the beach at lunch and low tide, make incredible smoothies and mojitos, play a weekly game of beach soccer, and dance salsa late late late into the night. And in between all of this, they run an incredible hotel on a beautiful beach and help a visiting photographer with absolutely no salsa skills get through a tough assignment.

Now, after one week in Miami and after too much computer time editing the images, I see that I should have somehow recorded my thoughts in the ocean. The memory of Pura Vida survived the flight home, but the distinct feeling was left at the Harmony Hotel. It's that feeling that makes me want to go back soon. Thanks to Susan and John, Lee, Pauline and Marie Jose.

Florida Springs

I spent much of last week in Central and Northern Florida with Neil. We were both looking for something to fill some empty days before new projects begin, and add something new and different to our portfolios. Our visit was perfectly timed to coincide with spring break in that part of the state. As a result, we had a hard time finding an empty frame and clear water. But the trip was worth it. I'm not sure that my resulting images are anything that Wes Skiles couldn't shoot in his sleep, but I did capture some images that expanded my idea of water photography. The water in those springs is so incredibly clear ... almost perfectly clear. Laying on the bottom in the Itchetucknee River, it was only the smooth surface ripples and my eventual need for a breath that ruined the illusion that I was not underwater at all. The way that the colors blue and green appear in one frame underlines for me that these images were shot in fresh water. In the ocean, you get very little green.It was my third trip to that part of the state, and my second trip to both Ginny and Alexander Springs. The shot that I was anticipating was the mixing water over top of the Devil's Eye. It is a truly amazing natural event ... crystal clear aquifer outflow swirling with tannic river water. It is something you really need to see to believe, and something that might make you think "PhotoShop" when you see the images.
The Blue Hole in Itchtucknee was the last dive before the long drive back south. The sun never really made it to the point in the sky that we hoped for. But the couple of hours that we spent in the 68 degree water made us wish for a fresh water spring in the backyard.

Business Week

I love the calls that take my photography in a direction that I have been wanting to go. Last week I got such a a call from Kathy Moore at Business Week magazine to shoot a CEO portrait. It took a while to arrange our schedules and find a good weather window, but on Friday morning I photographed Jerry Norman, the president and CEO of the Neptune Society on the Neptune Memorial Reef in Biscayne Bay. My idea for the shot was for a traditional CEO portrait in a non-traditional location, and Jerry was game to give it a try. Of course, the realities of having a person stand on the bottom in forty feet of water wearing only a business suit are quite challenging. Peter Manno and Neil Andrea were my assistants and were essential parts of the shoot. The water could have been a little clearer, but I think that all things considered, we got some great images. Once the article runs, I will post a few more images.

Myth Busters

I usually get one call a year right around Shark Week to shoot for the Discovery Channel. Last year it was for the documentary about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis. This year it was with the Myth Busters crew. Since the program is still a few weeks from running, I probably can't say too much about the show. However, the crew was a lot of fun, and it is a unique set of hosts that can look good filling syringes with dog urine and fecal secretions. (If that doesn't make you want to tune in, then I don't know what will.)

The shoot took place in Nassau and we dove with JP Genasi and Stuart Cove's. I always like getting into the water at Stuart Cove's shark dive. There is nothing natural about that spot, or about 50 Caribbean Reef sharks circling in forty feet of water. However, it is as close to a studio situation as you will ever find for photographing sharks. The white sand bottom produces amazing light, the sharks are everywhere, and if you have an idea that you want to try ... shooting down on a shark, have a shark swim left to right through frame, or panning for a blur, or using the sharks to frame a diver ... you don't have to wait too long for the opportunity. And in most cases, JP Genasi can make it happen. All he needs is a fist full of bait and a chain mail suit.

JP Genasi

Earth Hour Miami

I provided a portfolio of images to be projected at Monday's Earth Hour event at the Bank of America Tower. Amy Rosenberg is a friend from Lara's LegalArt days, and is organizing this environmental event for Mayor Manny Diaz. Unfortunately I won't be able to attend, as I flew to Nassau this morning for a quick Discovery Channel shoot. But if you have the chance, go! And check the Earth Hour site for information about turning out the lights on March 29th at 8Pm, as well as ways to cut power use every day. It is a simple, easy and important thing we can all do.

Bequia Boats

I picked up a copy of the April Caribbean Travel & Life magazine this morning. I've got a couple images on page 40 with an article by Chris Cox. "The Fleet Petit". I was happy to see that they were finally used. The photos of Christopher Waldron outside of Withfield Sails were some of my favorites of the trip. It seems like a long time ago.

Hawaii by Land

I have been to a couple of volcanic islands in the past ... St. Vincent and Dominica. Some of the beaches were black sand, and the peak of the volcano could sometimes be seen in the distance. But driving around Hawaii, I saw first hand how these islands are made. The simplest way that I could sum it up was with the following image. I saw the photo as I drove to a meeting with the director ... a flash of three colors through the car window. But they seemed to perfectly capture the natural elements of Hawaii - the ocean, the vegetation and the volcano. I parked the car on the side of the highway and had to hike over an old lava flow until the image looked good through the 400mm.

The Hawaii I was Hoping For

I took two days after shooting wrapped to see some of the Big Island. (I feel a little weird using such a familiar term for such a new place, but I also don't like names that don't really say where you are ... such as "I'm going to Africa." Anyway.) I found Brett LeMaster's company Mele Nai'a through some sort of web search, and I had some great email conversations with his partner Leina before I left Miami. To be honest, all I needed to know was Brett's reputation as a freediver and see the photos of False Killer Whales on their website to know that I wanted to dive with them. I REALLY made the right decision! Spinner dolphins is the basis of their business, and we had just found a pod on Monday morning when Brett got a call about some Pilot whales logging on the surface. Before slipping in the water in front of the slowly moving pod, Brett casually warned me about Oceanic Whitetips that often travel with the whales. And as I sat in blue water waiting for the whales to pass, the first thing I saw come out of the distance was a shark. As it got bigger, I consciously told myself to be ready for an aggressive shark. And it was aggressive, in a slightly disinterested way. On that first pass, I had to stick my fin in it's face to send a message, and I know I was nervous because I didn't think to shoot the shark just behind my fins. It was nice to turn and see Brett behind me. But after that, the sharks were turned simply by eye contact, and I have to admit that I was wishing them just a little closer, just a little closer. Wow are they incredible! Such huge fins. Such amazing color. I have wanted to get in the water with an Oceanic Whitetip for a long time now. I can't believe how seemingly easily is happened.

Hawaii Production

There came a point on Day 2 of the production ... sometime after the wind went quiet on Mauna Kea, and the clouds completely rolled over Parker Ranch, and the production reached a generally low point ... there came a point when one of the clients pointed out that Bob Gordon's company motto is "Making the impossible, possible". Yes, it was more a comment on how impossible the idea of ever completing the commercial seemed at that point. But at the same time it was probably obvious to everybody that the best way to overcome most impossible situations is a talented helicopter pilot. And in Hawaii we had two of them ... Craig Hosking and Don Evans. Plus Akoni Kama, who's job it was to be literally dragged around by a helicopter. Who needs wind when you have a Hughes 500?


The fact of any film shoot is that mornings are early. We had back to back 4:15 am calls on this job. And it was a surreal experience to drive through the pitch black, with an impossible number of stars overhead, following small crew signs along the roadside. And when the sun came up, our location was revealed as something closer to the moon than the Hawaii I was expecting. Mauna Kea was one of the most dramatic and beautiful places that I have ever been.