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2013-05-23 18:06:03 (26 comments, 8 reshares, 286 +1s)

The Moments Between || Dubai

It's always good to have friends in high places, especially when it's the 85th floor of the Princess Tower in Dubai. Wow! A big thanks to +Daniel Cheong and +Sebastian Opitz for the awesome company and the extraordinary view. 

2013-05-23 22:25:37 (91 comments, 299 reshares, 1110 +1s)

Words of Wisdom 

2013-05-22 16:38:42 (112 comments, 206 reshares, 1633 +1s)

A new image in my Imagine series.. 

http://paulpichugin.com

2013-05-22 13:26:08 (25 comments, 41 reshares, 435 +1s)

The Hive Mind |-| 6 Tips For Shooting Handheld HDR

Last Friday when I left Dubai, I wrote a little teaser about my trip being a complete success. I also said that I was able to shot my primary objective. Well, here it is: The Hive Mind -- And yes, it’s a Handheld HDR =)

Last week’s trip to Dubai was not only scouting locations for a future visit, It was also about experimenting with some of their strict photography policies. While they've been getting noticeably better about it over the past few years, they still get all aggro about certain things. Unfortunately, using a tripod is still one of those things. Especially in the Metro Stations where up until recently, even DSLR style cameras were forbidden.

Dubai is just one of those places where you have to (in a sense) always be aware of the rules. Strict Muslim governments have a way ofkee... more »

2013-05-21 13:20:05 (49 comments, 65 reshares, 859 +1s)

Leave the last light at horizon
Mengening, Bali, Indonesia

2013-05-21 10:42:25 (31 comments, 22 reshares, 601 +1s)

*The Moments Between || Goodbye Petra *

Over the past week, I've had an incredible time exploring the ancient city of Petra Jordan but now it's unfortunately time to say goodbye. While we were there, +Naomi Locardi and I also had the unique pleasure of attending "Petra by Night," where they ceremoniously illuminate the treasury by candlelight. It was absolutely beautiful and I hope to release my photos very soon.

Thanks again to +Naomi Locardi for capturing me in the moment.

#Petra   #Jordan   #TravelPhotography  

2013-05-19 17:45:25 (233 comments, 315 reshares, 2471 +1s)

The Moments Between || Shooting Petra From Above

There is no shortage of unique views in Petra Jordan and this one is certainly worth the long hike to reach the top. There are so many great hand holds in the rock here that it only took me a few minutes to climb down for a better vantage point.

Thanks to +Naomi Locardi for catching me in action.

#Petra   #Jordan   #TravelPhotography  

2013-05-18 22:53:59 (91 comments, 56 reshares, 994 +1s)

The Moments Between || Petra

Over the past few days I've managed to make quite a few new friends in Petra Jordan, including this little guy.

#Petra   #Jordan   #TheMomentsBetween  

2013-05-18 15:56:47 (199 comments, 245 reshares, 1942 +1s)

Rome By Night || Italy

A twilight view of Rome overlooking the Vatican from my favorite Roman Bridge, Ponte Sant'Angelo. 

Over the years as a travel photographer, I've been fortunate enough to visit Rome many times and this is definitely one of my all time favorite views. There's just something special about The Eternal City and with beautiful views like this, it's no wonder I can't get enough. 

#Rome   #Italy   #TravelPhotography  

2013-05-19 21:47:01 (94 comments, 245 reshares, 1331 +1s)

I'm loving all the new features of Google+!

Among many new things for example, they've made the photo albums look even more amazing when you share them. 

Nicely done Google, nicely done. :)

#TravelPhotography   #Inspiration   #photos  

2013-05-18 18:57:56 (42 comments, 38 reshares, 542 +1s)

The Moments Between || The Monastery

All set up to capture an epic sky over the Monastery in Petra. I know that clouds like this can be very rare in the desert so today is indeed a lucky day.

Oh, and if you look hard enough, there's a guy up top doing tricks for the crowd. I caught this just after he finished a handstand. I hope everyone tipped him well when he came down.

It's also fun to point out that I have full 3G service up here. :)

(iPhone4s || ProHDR)

#Petra   #Jordan   #TheMomentsBetween  

2013-05-18 19:00:13 (282 comments, 643 reshares, 2464 +1s)

"Whatever you are, be a good one."

- Abraham Lincoln

#inspiration   #inspirationalquote   #wisdom  

2013-05-18 19:06:08 (23 comments, 3 reshares, 153 +1s)

The Moments Between || The Road to Petra

I just touched down in Jordan last night, a country that has been on my bucket list for a very long time.

As a full time travel photographer, I always love the feeling I get when I visit a country for the very first time. There are so many new little mysteries to be explored and I can't think of a better subject than the ancient archaeological site of Petra. I'm really looking forward to it.

#Petra   #Jordan   #TheMomentsBetween  

2013-05-18 19:06:28 (50 comments, 3 reshares, 366 +1s)

Happy Mothers Day Mom!

Thank you for always encouraging my creativity and giving me the ability to follow my heart and choose my own path, no matter how strange it may be. You really are an extraordinary person and words can't express how thankful I am to have you in my life. 

Oh, and I should also probably thank you for the hair. :)

#mothersday2013  

2013-05-18 19:06:57 (23 comments, 38 reshares, 517 +1s)

http://mikkolagerstedt.com/blog/2013/5/2/shipwreck

2013-05-12 18:17:12 (57 comments, 50 reshares, 639 +1s)

Beyond The Rialto || The Grand Canal

As photographers, do you think we create our own luck? By placing ourselves in the right place at the right time, do we create our own opportunities for success or are we simply ruled by earthly variables like the weather? And most importantly, does my reverse naked rain dance actually work? 

Sadly, no matter how fun and visually mesmerizing my naked rain dance may be, I’m fairly sure it’s not altering the weather. However, I do believe that it’s these uncontrollable variables that have the potential to create the magic in a photograph and give it that special something. And while we can’t control certain variables, we can learn to understand and recognize them. 

I’ve been lucky enough to visit Venice quite a few times and each time I’m always looking for the perfect amount of variables to line up, especially inplaces like The R... more »

2013-05-09 23:00:36 (39 comments, 36 reshares, 436 +1s)

The Moments Between || Venice In Gold

Venice is one of those cities that is tremendously beautiful no matter what time of day it is. During   magic hour though, it can become even more incredible as the views along The Grand Canal become bathed in intense golden light. As a photographer, it's almost imposible to not fall in love with this extraordinary city. 

(iPhone4s | Camera Awesome | +Snapseed)

2013-05-14 16:48:12 (36 comments, 11 reshares, 390 +1s)

The Moments Between || Venice By Boat

We couldn't have asked for better weather today as we toured the beautiful canals of Venice, in what has to be one of the most beautiful boat rides I've ever taken. From the water, Venice is a visual feast of stunning architecture with beautiful photographic opportunities literally around every corner. I really can't think of a better way to spend an afternoon in Venice. 

A huge thanks to +Walks of Italy for providing us with such a great tour. Not only did we get some great photos, we also came away with a greater understanding of Venetian History, Architecture, and Culture. If you have the chance to visit Venice, I would highly recommend taking this tour. 

Pictured behind +Athena Carey, +Ken Kaminesky, +Naomi Locardi and me, is the Island of San Giorgio Maggiore, one of my favorite stops along the tour. Moreinfo... more »

2013-05-08 14:42:10 (22 comments, 28 reshares, 431 +1s)

Manhattan Beach, CA 

2013-05-07 14:02:13 (46 comments, 41 reshares, 533 +1s)

Ponte dei Sospiri || The Bridge of Sighs

On my last post, I wrote about how I’m always looking for a certain variables to line up in Venice. Ponte dei Sospiri (The Bridge of Sighs) is a perfect example of this. Over the last series of visits, It’s always been covered with scaffolding and under restoration. Because of this, I’ve never been able to get a clear shot of it. Well, that is, until now. 

I did quite a bit of scouting on this visit to Venice and thankfully I was able to shoot this on the same morning as Venetian Blues. Any time that I can squeeze 2 shots out of a 4AM wake up call is call for a celebration or at the very least, an extra shot of espresso in my victory coffee. :D

Technical Mumbo Jumbo

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 24-70 f/2.8 (Shot at 45 mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100 at f/8 / 400at f/2... more »

2013-05-07 13:35:41 (15 comments, 1 reshares, 156 +1s)

Venice with two fab travel photographers? Yes please. :)

With +Elia Locardi and +Ken Kaminesky

2013-05-06 13:19:48 (24 comments, 21 reshares, 404 +1s)

The Moments Between || Shooting Venezia

Even though it's raining today, it's still a beautiful day to be a photographer in Venice. Later on, I have a feeling that this weather will help produce a nice dramatic sunset. If so, this will be a great spot to shoot it.

(iPhone4s and +Snapseed)

2013-05-05 15:08:49 (47 comments, 57 reshares, 671 +1s)

Playa de Arnia @ Liencres - Cantabria (Spain)

Taken during my recent trip in Spain (North - Cantabria) with two others French photographers.
+Yannick Lefevre  +Arnaud Bertrande 

During this five days we had the pleasure of meeting a couple of photographers who live around Liencres :

Jose Ramon Irusta : http://bit.ly/ZXkA1r
Raquel de Castro : http://bit.ly/ZvnnCC

Camera → Canon 5D Mark II
Lens → Canon EF 17-40mm
Filters → Singh Ray 3 Stop GND

2013-05-04 13:39:26 (23 comments, 48 reshares, 604 +1s)

Melancholy

I'm so sad if I think that the last time I used my gears was on December..
I really hope that this is not the end of a beautiful dream

Ciao

#longexposurethursday   #plusphotoextract  

www.francescogola.net

2013-05-14 17:14:21 (356 comments, 1142 reshares, 3235 +1s)

Everyday Wisdom

2013-05-02 17:58:40 (116 comments, 127 reshares, 1107 +1s)

The Heart of Rome || Italy

It’s amazing to think that for centuries, the Roman Forum was the teeming heart of ancient Rome and the center of Roman public life. Every time I stand here, gazing out on the ruin of architectural fragments, I feel a profound sense of wonder as I try to visualize the way it looked during its prime, at the peak of the Roman Empire. It’s no wonder why the Roman Forum has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world. 

On my last evening in Rome, I spent a bit of time here enjoying the sunset and waiting for the lights to come on. Thankfully there were also some soft and beautiful clouds to work with. 

For Post-processing details and camera settings visit: 
http://bit.ly/YoRIE9

2013-05-02 03:28:08 (28 comments, 13 reshares, 393 +1s)

The Moments Between

It's such a beautiful day to be a photographer. Life is good!

Wishing everyone a happy Wednesday, wherever in the world you may be. :D

(iPhone4s and +Snapseed)

2013-05-01 13:32:43 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 51 +1s)

We are live with the Join us for Episode 03 of the +Google+ Photos Chat Series today at 1:00PM Pacific/US! 

With +Elia Locardi , +Vincent Mo , +Dave Cohen , and +Brian Matiash 

Google+ Photos Chat Series Episode 03

2013-05-14 16:48:17 (42 comments, 10 reshares, 451 +1s)

The Moments Between || Cinque Terre

Having the opportunity to return to +Cinque Terre is a truly amazing experience. Ever since my first visit 2 years ago, this beautiful region of Italy has always remained in my thoughts as well as my heart. For the past few days I've had the pleasure of rediscovering a few of my favorite shooting locations while reliving some of my favorite memories. 

In this shot, my D800 and 14-24 lens is equipped with the Lucroit Filter Holder. I've been having some fun with long exposures using the 165mm IRND filters by +Formatt-Hitech. So far, I'm really happy with the results. 

2013-05-14 16:48:17 (28 comments, 21 reshares, 323 +1s)

Hello +Fujifilm X-E1. Welcome to the family! 

I'm very excited to have the chance to work with this gear in Italy, (IMO) one of the most beautiful countries in the world. The lenses you see pictured with the camera body are the 14mm f/2..8, 18-55mm f/2.8-4, 60mm Macro f/2.4, and 35mm 1.4. So far I'm finding the Fuji X-E1 to be a very powerful solution when portability is required. 

As soon as I can, I'll upload some of my captures as well as some side by side comparisons with my D800. 

2013-04-28 17:43:05 (49 comments, 50 reshares, 678 +1s)

The Moments Between || Manarola

+Ken Kaminesky and I both agree that this is an awesome place to spend a Sunday. Having all this fun camera gear to play with is an added bonus. :)

(iPhone 4s | Camera Awesome | Snapseed)

2013-04-28 15:46:29 (33 comments, 23 reshares, 440 +1s)

Sunset View of Tokyo on April 27, 2013

On the first day of Golden Week (We have three-day and four-day weekends), I visited World Trade Center Building in Hamamatsucho, Minato Ward, Tokyo to see  the sunset. I was quite satisfied with the view from there.

ゴールデンウィークの初日、浜松町にある世界貿易センタービルに行った。きれいな夕日が見られて満足。

2013-04-28 12:35:36 (5 comments, 4 reshares, 99 +1s)

Often times, traveling to far-and-away places brings along a certain level of anxiety and unease. Maybe it is the language barrier or the tendency to shy away from unfamiliar situations. These things are all part of the adventure that is Travel Photography! In this episode, our panel of photographers will share their experiences while traveling around the world and share tips on how you can help yourself get those beautiful images while abroad.

This week's panel includes:
+Brian Matiash - Host & Google+ Photos Community Manager
+Elia Locardi - Accomplished travel photographer
+Vincent Mo - Google+ Photos Engineer & photographer
+Dave Cohen - Google+ Photos Engineer & photographer

For those who can't make the live event - We've Got You Covered!
This episode will be recorded and made available to watch on-demand after itscon... more »

2013-04-27 13:27:41 (62 comments, 84 reshares, 776 +1s)

The Beautiful Vernazza || Choosing The Right Moment

Visit the blog to Learn an easy way to dramatically set your photography apart.
http://blamethemonkey.com/beautiful-vernazza-view-italy-cinque-terre

There are many amazing viewpoints all over the world that beg to be photographed. Some of which are so iconic and so easy to access that thousands of people visit each year to take the same photo.

As photographers, what can we do about it? How can we make a unique photo of something that’s been photographed millions of times? The subject is already established, so what’s next?

2013-04-26 18:19:07 (43 comments, 42 reshares, 591 +1s)

The Moments Between || Roman Forum

On my last night in Rome, I watched a beautiful sunset over the ruins of the Roman Forum. No matter how many times I visit this location, I'm always amazed by the amount of history present in these ancient structures.

While I was there, the sky lit up with soft pink and purple tones. I'm really looking forward to editing the final version of this photo.

(iPhone4s | Snapseed)

2013-04-25 14:53:15 (241 comments, 306 reshares, 2338 +1s)

Roman Dreams || Italy

I know I say this often but Rome is absolutely one of my all time favorite cities. With a profound mixture of excitement and anticipation, each visit makes me feel like a kid on Christmas morning and with the gift of awesome weather, this visit was one of the best ones yet. 

Ponte Sant'Angelo has long been one of my favorite photography spots in Rome and even though I've shot here many times, I've never seen the Tiber River level quite like this. It was absolutely perfect for capturing colorful reflections and combined with such beautiful clouds, it was an absolute joy to be a photographer. 

Thank you Rome for the gift of such a beautiful moment of time. 

Technical Mumbo Jumbo

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 14-24 f/2.8 (Shot at 14mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100 atf/... more »

2013-04-24 13:32:25 (33 comments, 38 reshares, 512 +1s)

Sometimes you just get lucky

We landed in Paris and began our four-hour drive to Mont San Michel in the pouring rain. It rained non-stop all the way there, and when we got out of our car in the parking lot (25-minutes walk away), it was still drizzling, but then.....the clouds cleared, the rain stopped, and the sky became much more beautiful than you see here (and we shot for more than three hours). There's a name for this. Total luck! :-)

2013-04-23 16:37:24 (68 comments, 77 reshares, 877 +1s)

The Moments Between || Roman Sunset

On my second day in Rome I enjoyed yet another beautiful sunset.  It was the perfect time to revisit another one of my favorite spots, overlooking the bridge to Vatican CIty and the Basilica di San Pietro. I'm so happy I decided to book a few extra days in Rome. The skies have been nothing short of amazing. 

I'll edit and release the real version of this photo as soon as I can. In the meantime, this photo was shot handheld using my iPhone4s with ProHDR. Further sweetening was applied with Google +Snapseed.

2013-04-22 16:42:01 (47 comments, 13 reshares, 477 +1s)

The Moments Between || The Colosseum

Today, I had some incredible behind the scenes access inside The Colosseum. I'm looking forward to sharing more about this experience very soon! :)

2013-04-21 16:17:56 (90 comments, 87 reshares, 958 +1s)

The Moments Between || Rome Revisited

Such awesome light on my first day in Rome and the water level in the Tiber is the highest I've ever seen it. With dramatic skies like this, I may finally have the conditions I need to revisit my earlier work from 2011. This time much larger in 36mp.

2013-04-21 08:32:25 (33 comments, 8 reshares, 358 +1s)

The Moments Between || Workstation Rome

I'm so excited to be back in the eternal city for a few days and on this trip Naomi and I rented a sweet little apartment just north of Termini. The second thing we did after we walked in the door was set up our temporary workstations. What was the first thing? Well, after a 30 hour travel day, brewing up a few shots of espresso was the highest priority. 

Pictured are 2 Macbook Pro 15s (one is Retina) and 2 +Wacom Americas Intuos5 Small. 

Ciao Roma! :D

(iPhone | Snapseed)

2013-04-19 15:13:20 (33 comments, 37 reshares, 507 +1s)

a good old cinema

#photoplusexakt   #abandoned   #decay  +10000 PHOTOGRAPHERS  #100000photographersaroundtheworld   #decayeveryday   #lostplace   #cinema  

2013-04-18 19:31:22 (118 comments, 137 reshares, 1141 +1s)

Atrani By Night || Amalfi Coast

I'm very excited to say that tomorrow I'll be flying from Japan to Rome to kick off a 2 week photography adventure with my good friend and fellow photographer +Ken Kaminesky. Together, we'll be traveling through some very beautiful areas of Tuscany, Cinque Terre, and Venice, scouting locations for our upcoming series of Italian Photography Workshops. 

While we're on the road, I'll be working on a project with Fuji, using the X-E1 mirrorless camera along with an arsenal of Fuji lenses to help scout and document the countryside. I'll also be traveling with a kit of filters by Formatt-Hitech, for some long exposure work on the beautiful and rocky ligurian coast. It’s going to be a lot of fun. 

With so many awesome countries to visit this year, It's hard for me to pick a favorite destination but with Italy,It ... more »

2013-04-17 13:23:05 (55 comments, 54 reshares, 616 +1s)

"A Touch of Light"


Check out 

davidthompsonphotography.com

2013-04-16 13:18:39 (69 comments, 42 reshares, 796 +1s)

The Mothership || Prague

I'm not sure why I'm so fascinated with shooting metro stations but I've been seeking out interesting ones for a few years now. There's just something special about controlled lines of symmetry and the orderly chaos of interesting angles and shapes. It may also be the fact that aside from crowd mitigation, a specific time of day has no effect on the look of the photo. Blue hour, sunrise, sunset, snow, fog, clouds - who cares... For a photographer like me who always carefully considers how the time of day will influence a location, I have to say that shooting underground — in a 100% controlled and static lighting environment — is pure awesomeness. You can literally spend an entire shooting in metro stations - something I often find myself doing while armed with an arsenal of strongly caffeinated canned beverages. 

So one late nightwhil... more »

2013-04-15 14:23:23 (29 comments, 29 reshares, 390 +1s)

Back in the archives looking for a business card image... decided to re crop this popular image from last year... suits the template well... Loch Ard on a misty late spring morning... I do like these 9:16 crops... although it is a pain to get a mount or frame for them other than bespoke...
#ukphotographycommunity
#landscapephotography
#scotlanduk

2013-05-14 16:48:17 (39 comments, 15 reshares, 182 +1s)

It's official - I'm completely addicted to Instagram. :D www.instagram.com/elialocardi

Let's connect. Comment with your profile link and I'll check it out. I could use some fresh inspiration in my feed.

** Note that all of my photos are shot and edited on my iPhone. Never my DSLR.

2013-04-14 13:55:17 (8 comments, 9 reshares, 102 +1s)

Hey G+, Shameless self promotion!!

Looking to offload unwanted camera gear?? Sign up to cameraTrade - Buy, Swap & Sell Camera Gear Worldwide for FREE.

2013-04-13 13:32:51 (36 comments, 31 reshares, 572 +1s)

Window To The Sea ||  Old San Juan

It's hard to believe that it was over 2 years ago when I shot and edited this photo of Castillo de San Cristobal in Old San Juan. When I look at it, I can still remember the warm caribbean air and the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below. I can also remember that security had no issues with me setting up a tripod that day - an added bonus. :)