I have been a hybrid shooter since returning to film in 2014. I have never abandoned digital because digital offers some distinct advantages over film in several respects. First, digital is more convenient. The storage devices are smaller and easier to transport than film. It’s quicker to turn around the results of your shoot, even if you develop and scan your own film. Digital is more economical, particularly after the initial investment in your equipment. Finally, digital is better at handling low light situations. I was willing to compromise convenience, but in my mind, film simply did not compare to digital photography at night. However, I wasn’t going to abandon…
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Recently celebrating 100 years, the Casa Marina Key West Resort opened on New Years’ Eve in 1920. The hotel was the vision of Henry Flagler, co-founder of Standard Oil. In 1912, Flagler’s Overseas Railroad, connecting the Florida mainland to Key West, was completed, and Key West needed a grand hotel to accommodate the affluent passengers who would make the long journey. Flagler would not see his vision come to life as he passed away in 1913, five years before construction began. The hotel was designed by Thomas Hastings and John Carrere, architects of New York City’s Metropolitan Opera House and the New York Public Library. The hotel lived up to…
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Looking for a beach vacation with the glamour of an historic hotel, without leaving the United States? The Confidante, Miami Beach is for you. The Confidante brings to mind the classic Florida hotels of the past. It is “retro chic,” a modern hotel with a nod to the elegant hotels from the golden era that made Miami Beach famous. Opened in 2015 as The Confidante, the hotel has been known by many names since its opening in 1940. Originally opened as the Lord Tarleton Hotel, it transformed into The Hyde Park, The Crown, and The Thompson Miami Beach. The hotel was built in the Art Deco style, 18 stories high,…
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One of the most exciting parts or our trip was exploring the Historic Art Deco District of Miami Beach. I loved walking the area looking for the details that make this area so special. I could have easily spent a week here, and would have loved to have a long lens on hand, but we will return! In just a few hours, I was able to see so many buildings in the style of Art Deco, Mediterranean Revival and MiMo (Miami Modern). The area was added to the National Historic District Registry in 1979 and can be found between 5th Street and 23rd Street, along Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue, and…
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Our first trip of 2021 took us to Miami Beach. I’ll share images of the Art Deco District in Miami Beach and our wonderful hotel, The Confidante Miami Beach, in a later post. First, let’s enjoy the people and sights of Miami Beach. Check out all of our posts on the road trip from Miami Beach to Key West: Miami Beach, Miami’s Historic Art Deco District, The Confidante Miami Beach, and our photo tour of Key West!
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In August, we spent a week in London, England. It was our first trip, and we quickly discovered how much there is to see, and how little time there is in a week. We visited the State Rooms and the Royal Mews at Buckingham Palace, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the British Museum, the Harry Potter / Warner Bros. Studio, and had time to walk the streets of London, enjoying its many shops, pubs, and restaurants. Join us, taking in the sights of London. Along for the trip were my Canon 1v with the Canon 24mm f/1.4 II, Canon 50mm f/1.2, and Canon 135mm f/2. The 24mm lens was rented…
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In celebration of famed professional wrestler, Reggie “The Crusher” Lisowski, the city of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin hosted a two-day festival, CrusherFest. The festival was highlighted by the unveiling of a bronze statue of The Crusher with a beer barrel on his shoulder. There were polka bands, a motorcycle show, and people crowded shoulder-to-shoulder to see the dedication ceremony, along with stories told by fellow wrestlers, Baron von Raschke and Kenny Jay. The organizers underestimated The Crusher’s popularity even 14 years after his death and decades since he last wrestled professionally. Organizers planned on an attendance of 5,000, but the event ultimately drew 13,000, showing that South Milwaukee’s favorite son was…
