And breakfast is right across the street at the Southernmost Cafe. http://www.southernmostbeachcafe.com/
During the time around sunrise or sunset the light is warm and magical. You can get some awesome photos, if you know how to work with the sun.
In this scene of the Lake Worth pier stretching out to the sun, I expose for the beach. This opens the lens to what my eye sees, instead of closing it down for the sun. I'm shooting super wide with my Nikon and my 18mm lens with optical correction. This prevents a curved horizon.
Part of the reason we keep coming back to this beach is John G's, the world famous restaurant for yummy breakfast and lunch. http://johngs.com/menus.html
At Vineyard Haven Harbor on Martha's Vineyard Island my partner, Bill Long, captures this pre-dawn shot of the Black Dog Fleet. He isolates the ships from the vast harbor scene with the 80-200mm lens, capturing a warm glow amidst a fall chill.
And warm pastries await at the Black Dog Tavern near by. Have you seen their T-shirts? http://www.theblackdog.com/pages.php?pageid=5
I am psyched about shooting at dawn on Staten Island with Jane Miller, an adventurous model from Canada.
Bill leads us to the old fair ground site, where ruins of the Amusement Pier are waiting. I'm using a 20mm lens to make the model look statuesque in a Bill Tice gown. After scanning the Kodachrome I add contrast and saturation to create some drama.
Warning: High Sun!
Midday is the hardest time to shoot because of harsh light with unflattering shadows. But you can create some shade without losing the sparkle. Cindi always looks good in hats.
Or you can just work the sun's angle. Shooting Carol Gustafson lying down on a jetty in South Hampton, I turn the sun into my own key light, minimizing the shadows.
On Paradise Island in the Bahamas one July day, I shoot three national ads in high sun. Robby Len Swimwear and Ron Rice of Hawaiian Tropic Products are producing a joint campaign with double-page ads and billboards. We are guests of Resorts International.
We set up for a wide view on the beach with a blue horizon, so canopies and scrims are not an option. My two clients have decided to share the frame, so I'm going for my 28mm lens to balance the size and sharpness of the products in the foreground with the models in the background.
But what about the high sun? No problem. The solution is Sunglasses, artfully handled by models Carol and Becka.
And what about shooting directly into the sun?
Well, I like experiments. I am wearing one of Bill Tice's gowns with a flowing scarf. I want to see if I can channel Ava Gardner in "One Touch of Venus." I am going to pose in the high grass at Great Kills Beach in Staten Island and Bill is the photographer. It's mid-afternoon and he is ready with his Nikon and Tri-X film. All I say is "try a low angle with the sun behind me."
Bill gauges his exposure for the dress and the result is exactly the photo I was looking for. It is easy to print. I just burn in the sky leaving a mysterious glow and it's ready for the wall in the studio.
A successful collaboration! Just one of many to come.
Photographers are grateful for late afternoon light, which gets warmer and more flattering as the sun gets lower. No fill is required in Bill's front lit shot of Kirsten in Norma Kamali. She doesn't even blink. And what about that tan!
And ... action! I am walking backwards with the camera, as Cindi picks up the pace for her jog in the sun's glow.
When Magic Hour returns, I feel it. And I remember it well from Bill's photo taken on the Sunset Pier in Key West.
Exposing for the sun turns the ship into a silhouette for an iconic end of day event: the Sunset Cruise.
Head for the Harbor View Cafe at the Pier Hotel and sit on the deck to appreciate the view, music and food. http://www.pierhouse.com/Dining/harbour_view.asp
Tip of the day: Go find your Magic Hour.
Yours truly,
Leora
All rights reserved © 2009 Leora Long and © 2009 Bill Long
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