Studio test

Our summer intern Colleen Cummins got stuck with me today working in the studio. I've been drafted to shoot the Sun-Sentinel's football section covers this year. I've never done this, I don't cover sports @ the Sentinel, but that's another story. I had to shoot some tests to show what I will be doing with the athletes I'll be photographing in the next couple of weeks. Since I am Colleen's mentor @ the paper, I drafted her to be my assistant on this project. We spent a few hours in the studio until we got a fairly decent setup that SHOULD work for this assignment. This frame is @ the end of our experiment. I will post some outtakes from the actual shoots later on.

Isaida en La Vena

This is Isaida performing earlier this year in La Vena del Gusto. She didn't know I'd shot this video clip of her and of course I didn't tell her I'd posted in on You Tube. CLICK ON THE TITLE TO VIEW VIDEO. Enjoy.

My people, part 2

Here's even more proof that my people are goofy. Here's my tio Quique pulling my dad Angel Luis on a little utility dolly in front of my folks new smaller/bigger house in Rio Grande.

My people

My dad Angel Luis, left, and his brother Quique goofing around in front of my uncle's house in Puerto Rico. They're both goofballs. Now you know where I got my goofiness.

Ken & Gwen

We adopted a couple of zebra finches last year. Isaida's friend Ken was moving overseas and couldn't take his babies. Finches are too fragile for a long trip like that. There's a good chance they wouldn't have survived the flight. I've always loved birds but haven't owned any since I was in my teens. We named the boy after Ken, and Gwen because it sounded like the country he moved to. The girl is the white one. I love these guys. I can watch them for hours every day. (Finepix F30 @400).

My helmet

Sheila wearing my helmet and goggles, Isaida goofing around, only thing missing is a bike. One of these days I'll have one.

Whose your daddy ?

I was picking Isaida up @ MIA when Daddy Yankee walked past us. Isaida didn't notice him, I mentioned it to her and asked her if she wanted a pic w/him. She walked up to him and he very nicely posed for a snap. Dale mas gasolina...

Fidel, Joe and Erich

Found this 2000 picture back when shooting Fidel Castro was notable but not as huge a deal as it is now. Here's Fidel, Erich Schlegel (Dallas Morning News), Joe Raedle (Getty Images) and some dude with Fidel. This was during a trade fair between Cuba dn Americans in Havana.

James Nachtwey and Isaida

So I found out that James Nachtwey, was scheduled to speak and open an exhibit of some of his work @ the Daytona Beach Community College. This was gonna take place on a Thursday afternoon. I tell Isaida, and we both take 2 days off from work to attend. We drove all afternoon Wednesday and when we got to Daytona I got to drive my Element on the sand and ride around a bit. The next morning we go down to the beach and goof around, Isaida chased seagulls and we had a good time. We get to DBCC only to find out that Nachtwey didn't make it because he was stuck in some airport somewhere far away. As replacement for Nachtwey they had brought two newspaper photojournalist I happen to know; Hilda Perez from the Orlando Sentinel and Carl Juste from The Miami Herald. It was all good. :)

Isaida @ MIA

My favorite thing about travelling has always been coming back home. Why ? Well, Isaida has a great knack for picking just the right clothes to wear when she picks me up @ Miami International Airport. We usually have a drink in a bar at the airport and I get to relax and share some of the experiences from my trip. I'm sooooo lucky.

Mija

Mija w/me, Mija w/lights, Mija w/lens baby, Mija posing.

Angel in South Beach

I was hanging out in South Beach with Isaida one night last year and I spotted this cute girl with wings trying to flag down a cab all by herself. She was totally hammered ! I made this portrait and helped her get into a taxi. I hope she made it to wherever she was going ok.

San Pedro Sula, Honduras

A couple of years ago I was asked to help out teaching workshops in Latin America with the Interamerican Press Society. The lead instructor, Ricardo Ferro, a photojournalist whose work and career I've known for years, needed an assistant instructor to carry out these 3-4 day seminars. I was lucky and honored to do this. There is no payment for this, only airfare, lodging and meals, but the experience has been priceless. I've had the chance to teach/interact with newspaper and magazine photographers and editors in several countries in Central and South America. I teach very basic (I am no expert in this) location lighting using very minimal gear. Portraits using a small softbox and a 2nd and sometimes a 3rd light. I've also taught painting with light and the use of reflectors to create a more sophisticated image always understanding that most of the students do not have access to tons of equipment.
This photo was shot during a "5 minute portrait" class in San Pedro Sula. The model is a student.

Bug @ Soyka's

A random VW Beetle in the parking lot of Soyka's Restaurant. I love bugs (I've owned a 70 convertible project bug for many years). I shoot bugs wherever and whenever I see them.

BBQ

I can live on chicken wings the rest of my life ! Here's my dinner on a recent night cooking on my grill. The BBQ lamps are courtesy of the Fraticellis.

Isaida and Estefi

Isaida and Estefi chill on a cold grassy spot in the parking lot of the Hooters Restaurant on Pines and University following a chicken wing and cheese fries pig out session. This was last November.

Mija in the Element

This is our adopted boxer Mija riding in the back of the Element sometime last year. Isaida and I adopted Mija from one of Isaida's co-workers. She's been with us for about 2 1/2 years.

The Deuce Bar

Last Saturday Isaida and I headed out to a downtown Miami bar to see a local band Guajiro, perform during their record release party. Bigass line to get in, I told Isaida, sorry, I'm too old to wait in line. We should've and could've put our names on a damn guest list but decided to pay the cover to help out the local band. Little did we know that the damn bar would be packed. Should've guessed it, it was Saturday night in Miami. Screw it, we ended up in one of South Beach's best places to chill, have a not so expensive drink and smoke a cigar, Mac's Deuce Bar. If you've never been to the Deuce you need to chekitout, their happy hour starts @ opening time in the morning (not sure what time exactly, but if you need to know this you should find your closest AA meeting spot) and ends @ 7:00PM. Huge, sticky bar, pool table, jukebox, nasty bathrooms, friendly bartenders, pretty SoBe types and a few of the local drunks. I always make a decent picture there. This time I shot a guy Isaida thought was cute with his hat and denim jacket.