More foto field trip: Arroyo and Salinas

Digital Infrared=Salinas

I went on a foto field trip yesterday w/my friend Xavier who works in a local newspaper. We've been talking about doing this for a few months and finally, yesterday, we took our first road trip.

Our first stop was La Villa Pesquera in Humacao's Palmas del Mar. We left in a hurry. It was a boring and sanitized scene. Then we made it to Arroyo and that was much better; a quiet Malecon, nice people and pretty visuals. We tried to make it to Guayama but all the streets were blocked for some event. Finally we made it to Salinas and to the Central Aguirre area. I'd never been there and was really blown away. Lots of abandoned buildings, nice plantation era homes, great scenery. Unfortunately it was late and there was almost no light. We will hit that area again next week.

Here's a "no light" 15 sec xposure w/my infrared set up on the G10.

More Digi IR

Stock photos

A couple of months ago I spent about 4 days bidding for a freelance project that I thought I wanted. I had to prepare a gallery of archive images showing my travel photography. Whenever I have to look for old photos it's a pain in the behind. I did it, found all the photos I thought worked and sent to the "client". Next day I get the news that I was "selected" from a bunch of finalists. This was a book deal so I was really excited about it until I read the client's contract and terms/conditions. Simply said, it was a terrible deal for me and a great deal for them. I asked for more money and some adjustments on the conditions. No go. They just wouldn't budge. In the end I'd end up giving them hundreds of photos from which they would choose what they wanted and they then would pay me a couple of months later. In the end, I'd only make about $10-$14 per image and create a bank of images for the client (which they'd keep for at least 6 years) to sell and split the revenue with me 50/50.

I called the pic editor and told him I wouldn't be involved in the project. He was pissed and told me so. Oh well, I am new to the freelance world but I'm not new to photography.

The good thing out of of this bad experience is that I got a shoot list from the "client". I am now using that list to put together my own PR stock gallery which I will display/offer on my PhotoShelter page. I plan on shooting for that gallery every week in different parts of the island.

Here are a couple of pics I shot with that in mind.

gear talk: shot w/a G10, P mode

Campas

I will blog regularly on Campa's, the best chicken wing place I visit in PR which is Piñones, about a mile from Loiza. The wings are deep fried in grease, yummy. Isaida, the wife, and Carlos Campas use to hang as lil chdildren and that's as far as I wanna know. I sort of inherited the place from her. Before I was "health conscious", I'd go every weekend and ate 10 wings and drink 5 Medallas. Now I go once/month and eat 5 wings and drink a few Don Q/Grapefruit or Coconut water... Today, I spent about 5 hours in the joint but hey, I got a free double Rum/Coconut water.

Here's a pic of one of the Campas brothers boiling potatoes which are then deep fried.
If you like wings, you will love this place.

Gear data: G10, ISO 80, Program Mode, -2/3 exp compesation.

G10 and Green wall

Last Thur-Fri I worked for the NY Times on a local reaction story to the nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the US Supreme Court. We went to la Placita de Santurce to get some local color and had lunch in El Popular. Afterwards, as I waited for Damien, the writer, I spotted this guy with a tall beer in his hands outside the bar.
Had to snap him.

Gear talk: G10 on Program mode, -1/3 expo compensation, ISO 80.

Pinchos (kabobs)

I drive past this pincho stand everytime I leave my apt. The old couple who run the place only work Thur-Sun. I can honestly say these are the best pinchos I've had in PR.
There is a pincho stand in just about every corner these days in this island. The old lady sez the secret to a good pincho is marinating for one day and slow grilling on tin foil.
I'll show the actual pinchos later on.

Gear talk: shot on an iPhone (cus I was too lazy to get my G10 out of my car).