An Afternoon in Casco Viejo

Just a quick note from our first day in Panama.  We spent the afternoon strolling the streets of Casco Viejo (old town Panama City,) photographing the endless avenues and sidestreets.  An afternoon shower forced us inside for an hour, but compensation was provided by a few bottles of Balboa, and music in the plaza.  Switching between video and still photography is a challenge, and I invariably have the wrong tool for the job at any given moment, but I got some great shots, and hopefully, a bit of interesting video.  Thankfully, I have a very patient wife who is always willing to help.  If she isn't used to this after ten years of travel she never will be. We are off next to the Panama Canal, and then the Mountain area of El Valle.

Joined at the Hip, Stills and Video Coming Together

I knew it was coming. My brother and I discussed it many years ago, and now it is here. Still photography is merging with video. Yeah, it's been around for a little while, but the quality/usability is almost a reality. I decided to buy a decent video camera (Canon Vixia HF S10) that gave me good HD quality to start learning the ropes. Why not use the Canon 5D MKII or new 7D? Although, I love the video quality of the 5D, there were too many compromises for my shooting style and equipment bag. I primarily shoot with a 1DS MK III, and the 5D is just too different of a body to fit into my work flow. I have always preferred the layout of the pro bodies and don't like digging through menus to get to my most used functions. Consumer video cameras are menu crazy, you say? Correct, but it is a small and relatively self contained system that doesn't force me to carry another big body with separate batteries etc. When I'm traveling, keeping the bag as light as possible is a big deal. Not easy with pro bodies and glass. The 3X expense over the Vixia is a bigger consideration, especially when it doesn't doesn't fit my shooting style. If the 1DS Mk4 comes out with decent video capabilities, that will be the perfect solution for me. In the meantime the Vixia is a good compromise for the time being in this fast developing climate.

With the convergence accelerating, I really wanted to start learning the language, techniques, and work flow of video. Thus far, I have found that many things translate directly over. Exposure, composition, and steadiness all apply. Processing, software, editing, story telling, etc. not so much. I know that clients will be wanting me to offer video services in the future, and I've already had to pass on a few jobs this year because of my ignorance, so here we go.

Last weekend, I shot some video of my friend and neighbor Ignacio sailing in the Long Beach area, and put together a quick video to music. View it on Vimeo here. It isn't going to win any awards, but I am happy with it as a first try. I have never shot any type of video before, which seems strange because video cameras have been cheap and readily available for so long. I even bought one for my wife a few years ago that I never even held up to my eye. I told her that video was her responsibility, and I stuck to to stills. Consequently, we have no home movies to speak of. My interest only started peaking last year when HD started becoming decent, and flash memory started putting tape out to pasture. I can now shoot about six hours of video at the highest quality without the hassle of tape. With a decent panning head that I put on top of my RRS ball head (with adapter) I am all set for my upcoming trip to Panama. Switching between a still and video camera is a bit of a challenge as I found out last weekend, but I am looking forward to the opportunity of adding a new dimension to my artistic endeavors.

Ducati Reconnaissance Mission

I often work for a local architect and friend who builds some of most creative structures I've had the pleasure of photographing. Yesterday, Ducati Motorcycles (a longtime passion of mine) was having their grand opening at large dealership here in the Los Angeles area, and I decided to stop by with my camera and take a few quick shots before we go back to formally shoot the various design elements in the shop. Since it was Friday morning, there wasn't a large crowd and I was able to pull off a few test shots without any real interuption. The newest addition was a display structure that houses two of Ducati's newest droolworthy machines. We have all seen nifty product displays, but until recently, I've never thought much about them, or how they are designed and built. After working with Edifice Architects for three years, I've acquired a deep appreciation for the creativity and construction skills required to pull off these works of art.

Informal shoots like these give me the opportunity to experiment with techiniques that I can't always use when a client has a specific look in mind. In the second photo, several techniques combine to give Ducati's new Streetfighter motorcycle a distinct look that I might not get to play with on an actual shoot. The look reminds me of the days when I used to shoot slide film and had to have them scanned into tiffs. I always remember being so disappointed in the results, as they never came close to matching the backlit slides that punched me in the eye with color. The images were always very contrasty and the colors were dead. I spent many days and even weeks livening up the images when I would return from a photo trip. I hear that scanning is much better these days, but I wouldn't know, as digital has been my exclusive capture method since 2004. Hard to believe it was such a short time ago, as we have been through generations of digital cameras and software in that time. Anyway, the image has the look of those contrasty scans without the dead colors and loss of detail. Of course, this image is just an experiment, and I would change a few things in a reshoot, like that ghastly ceiling in the background, the price tag, and the color balance, but it was a fun way to spend a few minutes amongst Ducati's mouthwatering works of art framed in a unique way. Now it is time to demo ride the new Hypermotard, which is sure to give me pangs of desire if not a ticket for hooliganism.

Photo of the Week on MSNBC

A photo from my recent trip to Costa Rica is featured on MSNBC's "It's A Snap: Photo on the Week.

New Website Coming

I've decided that my site needs another technology upgrade which will give my clients better access to projects, and showcase my work in a more cohesive and pleasing manner. This should be completed by the end of September or early October at the latest.

Back from Costa Rica

Just returned from my third photo trip to Costa Rica, and as usual, it continues to impress. I visited a couple of new areas in addition to the mandatory stop in Arenal. This time it was Cahuita on the Caribbean side, and the mountainous area of Chirripo. After three visits, I've only scratched the surface, as the country packs a lot into its compact size. The difficulty of getting around quickly, leaves much to discover on future visits. The stunning scenery and challenging terrian gave my newest gear (and me) a good workout. Digital cameras and software continue to improve, and it was nice to re-visit and improve the results of favorite subjects. This is a rare opportunity in my world travels. Click the title of this blog entry to see a small gallery of my favorite images.

Ewert Photography joins Edifice Architects in creating the Modern Heritage Project.

Architect Firm Launches Project to Preserve Modern Architecture

Claremont, Calif. , February 9, 2009– Edifice Architects announced the launch of the Modern Heritage Project, a regional initiative designed to pay homage to modern design within the Inland Empire and preserve it from destruction.

The Modern Heritage project will educate, develop, and raise awareness of the modern movement. Edifice plans to locate and identify mid-century commercial and residential buildings. The Claremont-based firm invites the public to participate and help find these structures.

“This project aims to preserve modern buildings and advocates modern and contemporary architecture,” Edifice Co-Founder Ignacio Sardinas said. “I find it deplorable that in many cities in the Inland Empire , it is perfectly acceptable to destroy a significant example of mid-century design with no repercussion.”

“Someone needs to champion and support these structures,” Edifice Co-Founder Hirohito Kuroki said. “Modern architecture is a part of Southern California ; it showed the optimistic spirit of the designers of that era experimenting with new forms and materials and methods of construction.”

Later-generation modernist architects include Lautner, Neutra, Schindler, and Ellwood who practiced in Southern California , Kuroki continued. Patrons such as Eichler and Entanza encouraged and promoted modernism, creating project, case study programs and development tracts in the movement. Edifice hopes to evolve projects and thinking within the region that support those same values of modernism.

Edifice architects have won several historic preservation awards over the past decade, including a 2007 Design Excellence Award for the renovation of the modernist Sangsland Residence in Claremont .

“As more of the public are now rediscovering mid-century modernism with greater interest, I hope the ‘hip factor’ will turn into true appreciation and love of those structures and what they tried to achieve,” Kuroki said.

Edifice has recruited Ewert Photography to assist with photo-documentation for the Modern Heritage Project.