Back From Pasadena

We made it back home tonight after spending the weekend up in Pasadena/Hollywood. Jess had been wanting to go to Universal Studios this summer but I had been working on the business side of my photography. I have also been laid up for a couple weeks with a torn calve muscle (and who said volleyball wasn't a contact sport)! I had planned a meeting with Scott Robert and I actually became more than just a hat rack. Pasadena's right next to Universal Studios so why not just make a weekend out of it? I have been impressed with Scott's work and figured he could really help me out. At times, weddings can be a big challenge. Either the light's just not optimum or you want to get a better angle but you don't want to miss the moment that is taking place. At times, you just have to get the shot in spite of the situation. I know what I want to convey but the shot is dictated by the situation at hand. Take the example of Jake in the following photographs. As we were walking around (walking off a killer dinner we ate at Mijares - I highly recommend the Baja Special), Jake was running around. He was literally climbing up the walls. I noticed the light being cast on the wall and thought it would be a cool shot. So I had him stand there on this little ledge where the light was just falling on his face. The shot is cool but it just needs a little seasoning to make him stand out.


...and BAM! (am I watching to much Emeril??) This is what I was seeing in my head! Just a little more drama needed to be added. The image was captured with a Canon 20D w/50mm prime, ISO 1600, f/2.0 @ 1/125 sec.


The next image was taken just around the corner from the first shot and I wanted to get him just chilling out. I was actually just finishing up some pix with Jess and Jake had sit down next to this wall. If you look closely, you can see a drop of sweat dripping down by his ear (I told you he was running around like a banshee).


..and the conversion. The highlights on the right are still a little funky but it's 2:00a.m. and I need to post some pix. Image was shot with a Canon 20D w/50mm prime, ISO 1600, f/2.2 @ 1/50 sec.


This last photo was inside this cool outdoor mall. I just really like the colors in the sign. Image was shot with a Canon 20D w/50mm prime, ISO 1600, f/2.8 @ 200th.


The weekend was a blast. Jess enjoyed getting back to Universal Studios and I got some time to photograph in a new area. Pasadena is beautiful and very historic. I would like to get back there soon. There are some really nice places to photograph (Westin Hotel is next on the list). It had been 22 years since I had been to Universal Studios and the place was cool.

A little side note before capping off the night. There is a lower level at Universal Studios and there are a series of escalators that take you down there (5 series total). There are also stairs that run parallel with the escalators (about 500 steps total). If your child decides to take the stairs on the way back up to the top level as Jake did, your quads better well be rested. I remember those days of endless energy and man do I miss them.