Sheltered

Sheltered 

July 6, 2012. "Sheltered." Ormond-By-The-Sea, Florida.

But for one mother with her baby, beachgoers seem unaffected as fronts colide on Florida's coast, creating a thunderstorm directly overhead.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/16. ISO 100. LR 4.1.

jardin de lumière

jardin de lumière

June 4, 2012. jardin de lumière. EPCOT. Walt Disney World. Near Orlando, FL.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 4 seconds. f/8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Unflinching

Unflinching 

June 2, 2012. Unflinching.

A banister stares straight ahead at Disney's EPCOT Italy Pavilion near Orlando, Florida.

My first entry into the Google+ #bokehtuesday hashtag.

 Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/2.8. ISO 100. LR 2.

It's Not Easy Being Green

It's Not Easy Being Green 

June 2, 2012. "It's Not Easy Being Green." Giant Kermit the Frog statue at Disney's Hollywood Studios near Orlando, Florida.

A Monday reminder in some difficult times of Kermit's greatest words of wisdom, as sung by the incomparable Sophie Milman:

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/2000. f/2.8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Orb

Orb 

June 22, 2012. "Orb." Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women and Babies, Orlando, Florida.

It always surprises me when discussions of "great" Florida architecture fail to include the Winnie Palmer Hospital, instead cataloging out a list of inferior, uninspired, sentimental inclusions because tourists may know their names.

Then there's relatively unrecognized Winnie Palmer Hospital. The fact is, when you go to a hospital, you're stressed. The Winnie Palmer building centers around the patient and the anxious family in a very literal, circular way, making them feel protected and drawn together. Patient rooms in the towers feed out like spokes on a wheel and feel more like nice hotel rooms than institutional cubes for an endless night of beeping and needle sticking.

The orb in the front is a huge waiting room, bringing in showers of tranquil natural light and eliminating that "trapped" feeling that sets in after an hour or ten.

When visiting photographers express a desire to take unusual photos of the Orlando not seen, I always include Winnie Palmer building. A few weeks later, I enjoy seeing their overly processed pictures of Disney as if they were uniquely blessed that year among Orlando's 51 million annual tourists to catch that prefabricated moment in the Magic Kingdom. Orlando area photographers tend to feed into the perception that there's nothing worth shooting in Orlando outside the theme parks, and it is a shame.


Years ago, guidebook author and PBS nerd extraordinaire Rick Steeves was asked, "What is the one place that you would never go back to?" His answer, "I was recently in Orlando and couldn’t stop thinking how miserable I’d be if I had to write a guidebook chapter on that city."

Rick Steeves writes the best tour books on European cities for budget travelers. His books are about exploring the non-touristy side of cities while still taking in the popular sites, and I wouldn't get on a plane crossing the Atlantic without his current version.

Mr. Steeves, like most Orlando tourists and convention delegates, forgets this as soon as tires touch down at Orlando International Airport.

Every place has its beauty. Go find it where you live, in your own backyard.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Teacups

Teacups 

June 3, 2012. Teacups.

One second nighttime exposure of a father and son watching the Mad Tea Party ride at Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom near Orlando, Florida.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1 second. f/9. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Kerouac

Kerouac 

June 24, 2012. Kerouac.

The small house where Beats author Jack Kerouac lived while waiting for the publication of On the Road and writing The Dharma Bums resides in the quiet College Park neighborhood near downtown Orlando.

It is now home to the Jack Kerouac Writer in Residence project.

I've known that the house existed since I was in college at Rollins, but I had never bothered to find it. An article I read regarding the tie between Vespa scooter culture in the 1950s and early 1960s and the Beat movement made me think of finding this hidden local landmark. Some night shots seemed the only appropriate way to go.

After taking a few long exposures, I decided to step into one of them for a self portrait. It turned out to be my favorite of the set.

Kerouac reportedly once said that Saint Petersburg, Florida, was "a good place to come to die."

Jack Kerouac died in Saint Petersburg, two hours west of Orlando, on October 21, 1969. He was only 47.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 8 seconds. f/8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Temptation (Pinocchio)

Temptation (Pinocchio) 

June 8, 2012. Temptation (Pinocchio). Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom, near Orlando, Florida.


Jiminy Cricket: [to Pinocchio] Remember what I said about temptations?
[points to Honest John] ... That's him!
Pinocchio: Oh, no, Jiminy. That's Mr. Honest John.

A Google+ #MonochromeMonday post featuring the intersection of cartoon fantasy and reality that has defined Orlando since 1971.


Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Minnie

Minnie

June 1, 2012. Minnie. Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista (near Orlando), Florida.

In a world saturated with primary colors and pastels, a monochrome Minnie Mouse ties the rest of her kingdom back to its 1928 roots.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 400. LR 2.

9

9

June 3, 2012. "9."

Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Tomorrowland Indy Speedway. Waiting for car 9.

In my fourth decade of going here, I still find that I hope for a red car.

Red cars are the fastest.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/60. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Mirror Mirror - Color

Mirror Mirror - Color

June 1, 2012. Mirror Mirror - Color. Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista (near Orlando) Florida.

Color version of yesterday's Monochrome Monday post of Cinderella's Castle, taken from the bridge at Frontierland.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/4. f/2.8. ISO 400. LR 2.

Mirror Mirror - Monochrome

Mirror Mirror - Monochrome

June 1, 2012. Mirror Mirror - Monochrome. Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom. Lake Buena Vista (near Orlando) Florida.

For #MonochromeMonday on Google+, a shot of Cinderella's Castle reflected in the waters from the Frontierland bridge, shot at 1/4 second handheld, using the bridge to help stabilize the shot.

Check back tomorrow to see the color version!

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/4. f/2.8. ISO 400. LR 2.

Vitalogy - Toronto, Canada

Vitalogy - Toronto, Canada

May 26, 2012. Vitalogy. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Perhaps it was the phrenology bust or the general warehouse district steampunk superstore nature of this closed shop in Toronto's Distillery District, but something about it reminded me of the album artwork for Pearl Jam's "Vitalogy."

It was also a good excuse to try out my new travel tripod.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1 second. f/8. ISO 400. LR 2.

Moretti Man - Toronto, Canada

Moretti Man - Toronto, Canada

May 25, 2012. Moretti Man. Toronto, Canada.

Stuck at a traffic light in Little Italy, I pulled my camera out, set the exposure, and tossed it to my wife in the back seat.

"Quick, take a picture!"

"Of what?"

"Of the Moretti Man walking by the Moretti sign."

She got off this one shot before a truck moved in the way. Not bad. What do you think?

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Going Nowhere

Going Nowhere

May 24, 2012. Going Nowhere. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

On the way to visit Vespa Toronto West, I came across this seatless, barless, rusted bicycle locked to a bridge and wondered, "What Would Victor Bezrukov Do?"

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Crisscross - Toronto, Canada

Crisscross - Toronto, Canada

May 25, 2012. Crisscross. Toronto, Canada.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Daydreaming - Toronto, Canada

Daydreaming - Toronto, Canada

May 23, 2012. Daydreaming. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

A new mother crowds onto a TTC bus with her carriage, dreaming of other places.

 Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/11. ISO 100. LR 2.

How Much is that Vespa In the Window? - Toronto, Canada

How Much Is That Vespa in the Window?

May 25, 2012. How Much is that Vespa in the Window? Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

I cannot resist a picture of a classic Vespa.

Evidently, neither can my friends. (Hi Brent and Marsha jumping into the shot in the background...).

Toronto has a nice scooter culture when it isn't a snow factory. This photo was taken in Motoretta, a scooter shop in the Little Italy area that has a lot of classic scooters along with some Stellas. It also has a very nice new official Piaggio Vespa dealership on the west end of Toronto.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/8. ISO 400. LR 2.

Urban Sterility - Toronto, Canada

Urban Sterility - Toronto, Canada

May 24, 2012. Urban Sterility. Warden Subway Station, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/15. f/8.0. ISO 400. LR 2.

Babushka - Toronto, Canada

Babushka

May 24, 2012. Babushka. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

It was like a scene out of the 1960s.

Taking the TTC bus on a long trip across town, there was a point as it headed east where stylish twentysomethings disappeared and were replaced almost entirely by Ukrainian grandmothers. At every stop, more scarf-clad grandmas would board, smiling and waving at friends that were already on board as they joined them for their weekly errands.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/5.6. ISO 400. LR 2.

Cattle Car. Toronto, Canada

Cattle Car. Toronto, Canada.

May 24, 2012. "Cattle Car." Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The faces on commuters, each alone in thought along Toronto's Bloor-Danforth line, seem to scream "Happy Monday!"

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/4.5. ISO 800. LR 2.

In Stride - CN Tower, Toronto, Canada

In Stride - CN Tower, Toronto, Canada

May 25, 2012. "In Stride - CN Tower." Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

A commuter walks across the Bathurst Street bridge in Toronto. The CN Tower featured in the shot is the "tallest freestanding structure in North America" and an architectural icon for the city of Toronto and one of the highlights of its ultra-modern skyline.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/8.0. ISO 100. LR 2.

Change - Toronto, Canada

Change.

May 24, 2012. Change. Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

When I started this photo blog a few months ago, I mentioned that I may diverge at times from street photography posts or from posts specific to the Orlando, Florida area. This isn't really a change.

I spent this past week in Toronto, Canada, visiting my in-laws. Toronto is a very photogenic city, going through a rapid wave of change and immigration that makes me think of what New York must have been like 100 years ago, only with more hipsters. The next several posts will feature photos that I felt captured something special about Toronto and Torontonians.

The "change" photo is appropriate though, because there are changes in how the other pages of this blog are organized. This is, and will continue to be, "Orlando Street Photography." For shots where I digress and explore other places that I want to share, separate sub-gallery pages will be created.

The photo above was taken in the Scarborough area of Toronto at a Roots store. For those who have never been to Canada, "Roots" is a Canadian athletic clothing brand similar to American Eagle Outfitters or The Gap. Canadian tourists in Europe are particularly fond of Roots clothing because it helps identify them as being Canadian.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that being Canadian makes one much more likeable than being American.

Personally, I've found that the manner in which you treat people when visiting another land has a much greater bearing on how affable they find you than the country printed on your passport.

That said, the vast majority of Torontonians are genuinely friendly, affable folks with a strong sense of both individualism and community. Hopefully that will shine through in the photo posts that follow.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/60. f/2.8. ISO 200. LR 2.

Orlando Skyline from I-4, Monochrome

Orlando Skyline from I-4, Monochrome

May 20, 2012. Orlando Skyline from I-4, Monochrome.

A color version of this skyline shot was posted last week. While I love the blue tones in it, I prefer the monochrome version.

This shot was taken from the passenger's seat driving down I-4 through downtown Orlando. The best views of the city are from the south (west) approach.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/60. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Orlando Skyline from I-4, 2012 Color

Orlando Skyline from I-4, 2012 Color

May 20, 2012. Orlando Skyline from I-4, 2012 Color.

I realized the other day that the only skyline picture that I have up is from 2006, and there have been a number of changes since then.

This shot of the Sun Trust building and the 55 West residence building was taken while moving down I-4 right after sunset. A black and white version (which I prefer) will be posted next Monday, but I thought it was worth posting the color version as well.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/60. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Q

Q

May 4, 2012. Q. Apopka, Florida.

If you find a post named "Q" and think "James Bond's about to get a new watch!", you've just Googled your way to the wrong blog.

This is a photo inspired by the other "Q." Good, greasy, smoked with a sweet and seasoned hot sauce Florida style Barbecue. That's BBQ if you're a sign manufacturer with a limited budget.

The place pictured above is not the best BBQ in Florida or even in Orlando, but it is close, convenient, and comfortable.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Their Own World

Their Own World

May 11, 2012. "Their Own World." Photo 5 of 5 of the Snap! Orlando Series.

In the fourth photo of this series, a young couple on a Friday evening date were pretending to watch a Marc Gouby street photography movie at Snap! Orlando.

Somehow, the series of photos seemed incomplete without this shot bringing it to a happy ending.

The Marc Gouby "Sleepers" and "Commuters" display was excellent. Ultimately, though, street photography is about people, and there is no more important person than the one who is next to you.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Date Night

Date Night

May 11, 2012. "Date Night." Taken at the Snap! Orlando photography exhibit in downtown Orlando, Florida.

Picture 4 of 5 from the Snap! Orlando series is a continuation of yesterday's post, this time focusing in on just one couple watching a street photography movie by Marc Gouby.

Something about the girl in the picture reminded me of one of my favorite Salvador Dali paintings, "Girl's Back," except refreshingly less lonely in this shot.

For me, this shot is a celebration of the awkward moments when you first start falling in love; the days when the highlight of your Friday evening is pretending that you're engrossed in a documentary film, while the someone next to you does exactly the same, just so that moment won't have to end.

This photo sets the stage for tomorrow's fifth and final shot of the series. I hope that you see a little of yourself in the faceless couple and return tomorrow for the conclusion.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Through the looking glass

Through the looking glass

May 11, 2012. "Through the Looking Glass." Photo 3 of 5 of the Snap! Orlando series.

If you were to go through the door of the melancholy couple from yesterday's post, this bright room is what you'd find.

On the left is a series of Tokyo street photographs by Marc Gouby, part of the "Ginza Line-Tokyo Project." Straight ahead, a video portion of the project is projected against the wall.

In front of that wall, a story will develop over the next five minutes of life. To be continued in photos 4 and 5.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

All the world's a stage

All the world's a stage

May 11, 2012. "All the world's a stage." Photo 2 of 5 from the 2012 Snap! Orlando photography exhibit series.

Photo #1 of this series focused on the timeless instant aspect of photography. Photo #2 focuses on the beautiful silence.

When you see the scene above, what sounds do you picture? Quiet whispers? The hum of an air conditioner? Gentle echoes?

The light touching the sensor is more serene than the reality. Just behind the red curtain, a group of musicians loudly banged an African drum piece over a hundred sushi-eating socialites sipping drinks and laughing loudly.

I did not want a picture of the drum beaters or the martini sniffers. I wanted a picture of people like me; the ones whose souls seek tranquil open spaces and meaningful moments with just one person, or perhaps a few.

There are a few stylistic elements in this shot that come up from time to time in my favorite photos. Silhouetted people against a contrasting background. Light reflecting off of foreground surfaces. The color red.

People walking through doorways intrigue me as subjects. Light sources often differ dramatically from one room to the next, naturally illuminating a person in transition. It's a powerful metaphor of change.

Watch people walk through doorways in social spaces. You'll notice that they often aren't looking forward. They glance longingly at the things and people they're leaving behind. It's a semi-conscious sort of melancholy that we probably all fall victim to from time to time. Remember the wife of Lot.

The title for this post is from Shakespeare's As You Like It. I found it particularly appropriate due to the real action in life occurring behind the stage, along with the likely possibility that the city of Orlando was named after a character in that play.

The stage is set. The actors are in place. Photos 3-5 of my Snap! Orlando series will take you through the doorway of the melancholy couple into the bright realm of two young lovers oblivious to the world around them. Stay tuned...

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 800. LR 2.

Stop. Celebrate the photograph. Snap.

Stop. Celebrate the photograph. Snap.

May 11, 2012. "Stop. Celebrate the photograph. Snap." Downtown Orlando, Florida.

This entire week will feature a series of shots taken at the annual Snap! Orlando photography exhibit.

I'll start with this fitting title slide, and a story about why this shot makes me smile.

Snap! Orlando changes venues each year. This year, the main exhibits were held in a warehouse dubbed "Urban Wild" in downtown Orlando, right next to the Interstate. An illuminated, temporary sign kiosk was placed out front to mark the way to the overnight museum, which was filled with trendy, mostly overdressed folks who looked beautiful, like they were straight out of the first five minutes of any CSI Miami episode.

I framed and shot this two times. The first time, it was just the sign. Immediately after clicking the shutter, I saw the bicycle zipping along the sidewalk and thought of that famous photo of the bicyclist by Henri Cartier-Bresson. No time to change the shutter speed, I quickly changed the camera into manual focus so that it would take the picture when I wanted it to and got this one shot off.

So my bicyclist is a little blurred, too, as was Henri's. Still, this imperfect photo captures what I love about photography. Part composition. Part inspiration. Part happenstance.

Every shot a unique moment, never to happen again.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/15. f/5. ISO 1600. LR 2.

The Thinker

The Thinker

April 29, 2012. The Thinker.

Even Mickey Mouse daydreams about the weekend on Fridays.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/60. f/2.8. ISO 100. LR 2.

I Love Pie

I <3 Pie

April 29, 2012. "I <3 Pie." Celebration, Florida.

Another shot from the Great American Pie Festival in Celebration, Florida.

A member of the Publix "Pie Police" stocks up on a handful of free samples at the end of the festival.

I don't know exactly what "Pie Police" do, but I think the sticker should be standard issue for all law enforcement officers. Wouldn't it be less stressful if the officer writing you a speeding ticket had a big "I <3 Pie" sticker on his chest?

Description. Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/11. ISO 400. LR 2.

Moby on the photo less taken

You probably have heard of Moby as a musician.

This weekend, the same Moby will be one of the featured photographers at the Snap! Orlando Photography Festival, showcasing his Destroyed collection.

beautiful quote from the interview:
"My interest was always in taking pictures of things that seemed strange or odd. From an early age I sort of understood, the last 170 years of photography, the beautiful stuff has been photographed a lot and I sort of felt like… there are so many incredibly talented photographers taking pictures of mountains and sunsets and puppies and beautiful people and… I was like, they know what they're doing. I'm going to go take pictures of strange things that no one else is going to take pictures of… What can I take a picture of that other people might not have access to, or what can I take a picture of that's ignored?"

He also talks about how he came to love photography as a child, the joys of developing film, and how leaning to shoot on film versus learning to shoot first on digital affects shot selection habits.

Crisco Fan

Crisco Fan

April 29, 2012. Crisco Fan. Celebration, Florida.

It's actually not that she's a Crisco fan. It's more that she's a fan of the luscious pies made possible by Crisco.

You see, this shot was taken during the Great American Pie Festival (yes, there is such a thing) in Celebration, Florida. For a few dollars, you can get all-you-can-eat pie during the festival. For irony's value, in an ideal world it would be followed by the Type-2 Diabetes Festival with all-you-can-prick blood glucose meter strips.

What is Celebration, Florida, you ask?

It's a "master planned community" south of Orlando that was originally developed by the Walt Disney Company. For some, it is an ideal modern American community. To me, it's a fake monstrosity of people who wanted to live in Main Street, USA and kind of reminiscent of the scary community where "The Truman Show" was set. Or maybe the community where Indiana Jones survived the nuclear explosion in a refrigerator.

It's not that Celebration isn't aesthetically pleasing, because it is. It's cute. It's just fake. I guess pretty fake is better than ugly fake, but it's still fake.

It's kind of like a Chia Pet. It's kind of natural. But it's also kind of ridiculously fake and disturbing at the same time.

Still, nothing says middle America stuck in a southeastern peninsula setting filled with retired New Yorkers than a Mayberryesque town at capacity with people gorging themselves on cheap cherry pie.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/11. ISO 400. LR 2.

Strings Attached

Strings Attached

April 29, 2012. Strings Attached. Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

In Orlando perhaps more than any other city, cartoons share with us the three dimensional space of reality.

In the real world, even cartoons are subject to the laws of physics.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

How Orlando, Florida got its name

How Orlando, Florida got its name

April 8, 2012. How Orlando, Florida got its name...

I have posted about the legends of how Orlando, Florida got its beautiful and unique name several months ago.

I've found that a lot of this blog's visitors, particularly locals, were curious about this story. I am reposting some of the details of both versions from my post mentioned above, along with a previously unpublished picture of the "Orlando Reeves" memorial on the shores of Lake Eola.
____________________________________________

Originally, Orlando was known as Jernigan after a prominent cattle family in the area. It became Orlando in 1857. There are two versions to the story. I'll relate the official version endorsed by the city first, followed by what I consider the more likely story.

According to the city, Orlando got its name from a soldier named Orlando Reeves in the Seminole War who was killed on the banks of what is now Lake Eola in 1835. The problem is that there are absolutely no records that a soldier named Orlando Reeves ever existed. Some have tried to explain around this fact by pointing out that it may have been a landowner in the area called Orlando Rees, an associate of John James Audubon, but the dates of death are all wrong to fit with the legend.

Another version of the story is that the name was chosen by Judge T. G. Speer, who arranged for Orlando to become the county seat through some creative vote manipulation. Judge Speer was a huge Shakespeare fan and named the city after his favorite character in "As You Like It." This version is very well documented by his descendants, and it also helps explain the naming of Rosalind Avenue.

____________________________________________
Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/8.0. ISO 200. LR 2.

Tinkertoys

Tinkertoys

April 29, 2012. Tinkertoys. Downtown Disney, Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Happy weekend. Now go play!

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Bronze Statue

A Portrait of the Artist as a Bronze Statue

April 30, 2012. A Portrait of the Artist as a Bronze Statue.

A bronze statue of James Joyce sitting on a bench patiently meditates outside Raglan Road at Downtown Disney near Orlando, Florida.

I'd also like to add a brief word about stylistic influences. Included among those for me is Mr. James Joyce.

It isn't Finnegan's Wake, Ulysses, or A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man that resonates with me. For me, it's Dubliners. Published in 1914, it's a poignantly human collection of short stories depicting middle class nobodies encountering their personal turning points in life.

These are the written snapshots of decisive moments predating Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Doisneau. After all, what is street photography but the portrayal of the sometimes unvarnished, gritty, and natural moments of modern existence that precipitate epiphany?

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/1000. f/2.8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Deadmau5 Invasion

Deadmau5 Invasion

April 30, 2012. Deadmau5 Invasion.

Downtown Disney. Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/500. f/3.5. ISO 400. LR 2.

Carousel

Carousel

April 29, 2012. Carousel. Downtown Disney.

Children become knights and princesses for a few instants one evening at Downtown Disney.

Shooting Tip: the Leica X1 has an unusably slow auto focus, particularly in low light. The Fujifilm X-100 and X-Pro1 are known for the same difficulty. This shot was taken by manually focusing on the outside rim of the carousel at about the same distance as the midpoint of the shot would be.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/2.8. ISO 1600. LR 2.

Lake Apopka

Lake Apopka

April 20, 2012. Lake Apopka.

Once a vibrant fishing destination, Lake Apopka was so polluted through most of my childhood that nobody wanted to go near it.

Now, after a decade and a half of cleanup efforts, this lake just west of Orlando is beginning to look like its old self again.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/11. ISO 100. LR 2.

Outside

Outside

April 8, 2012. Outside.

Springtime at the Orlando Farmer's Market in Lake Eola. Happy weekend, and find some time to get outside!

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/125. f/16. ISO 400. LR 2.

Shades and Swan

Shades and Swan

April 8, 2012. Shades and Swan.

A man walks his dog by one of dozens of swans resting at Orlando's Lake Eola park downtown.

Description. Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/1000. f/8.0. ISO 200. LR 2.

Sugar Free Strawberry Shortcake

Sugar Free Strawberry Shortcake

April 21, 2012. (Sugar Free) Strawberry Shortcake. You know you want to +1 it.

Yes, it's not a street photo, but bending the rules is the benefit of blog ownership. As good as this cake looked, it tasted even better.

"Sugar Free," by the way, means that you can eat the whole thing and pretend that it had no calories.

Besides, has anyone really found a better use for macro photography than food? Insects? Flower stamens? I have to go with the Food Networkesque fruit laden cake bathed in daylight shot.

When you think Orlando, you probably think oranges. Just west on I-4, though, are huge strawberry farms in Plant City, between Orlando and Tampa.

The culinary scene in Orlando may not be what you'd expect, either. This ridiculously gorgeous cake was made by Annie's Euro American Bakery, known for some of the best desserts in the country.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/30. f/2.8. ISO 400. LR 2.

Low Hanging Fruit

Low Hanging Fruit

April 20, 2012. Low Hanging Fruit.

A little Florida sunshine to brighten your Monday morning with a little barnyard chicken bokeh thrown in.

Taken this past weekend, an Orange tree loaded with fruit bends just above the ground.

The shores of Lake Apopka, where this shot was taken, were home to some of the very first Florida orange groves planted in the 19th century.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/2.8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Lambretta Mod

Lambretta Mod

October 15, 2011. Lambretta Mod.

A Quadrophenia inspired Mod style Lambretta scooter at the 2011 Orlando Scooter Society Rally.

I switched to commuting almost exclusively by scooter about a year ago. It's very therapeutic, and it is great for getting a feel for neighborhoods that you just don't get in a car.

It sounds strange, but you smell more on a scooter. As you go down the road, you can smell bread baking, chicken frying, burgers on the grill, and which flowers are in season and blooming behind some unseen fence.

My daily ride is this 2007 Vespa GTV 250 purchased used from Vespa of Orlando. As I was purchasing it, a lady whose scooter was in for service said, "It'll put a smile on your face." And it does. More importantly, it puts a smile on other people's faces as you go by and as you pull up next to them at our omnipresent traffic lights.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/250. f/4.0. ISO 400. LR 2.

99 Bottles

99 Bottles

April 7, 2012. 99 Bottles.

Bottles recycled as candle holders for sale at the Orlando Farmer's Market on Lake Eola.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/1000. f/8.0. ISO 400. LR 2.

Bobbles

Bobbles

April 7, 2012. Bobbles.

Glass and beadwork jewelry for sale by a merchant at Orlando Farmer's Market on Lake Eola.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/500. f/2.8. ISO 100. LR 2.

Happy Weekend

Happy Weekend

April 8, 2012. Happy Weekend.
Lake Eola, Orlando, Florida.

Time to stretch your wings, feel the warm spring breeze on your face, and enjoy your weekend.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/500. f/8.0. ISO 200. LR 2.

A Sunday Afternoon on the Shore of Lake Eola

A Sunday Afternoon on the Shore of Lake Eola

April 8, 2012. A Sunday Afternoon on the Shore of Lake Eola.

One of my favorite paintings of all time is George Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte." This scene, taken this past Sunday on the northeast corner of Lake Eola, reminds me of what that painting might look like if it were set in Orlando and in the present day. There is something about water that calls us to it.

A swan takes a waterside nap as a homeless vet strikes up a conversation and a child runs ahead of his parents on his way to the playground.

Leica X1. 24.0 mm. 1/1000. f/8.0. ISO 200. LR 2.