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2013-06-15 12:22:40 (51 comments, 3 reshares, 165 +1s)

Have you ever looked to the sky and wondered about what dreams may come?

Earlier this week I found myself standing high above the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu. And what I saw when I was up there was like something that came out of my dreams. The mountains we have here in Southern California aren’t too high when compared to other states, but they were high enough to get above the clouds. I was in total awe of the scenery. The mountain ranges seemed to stretch on forever into the distance, and the clouds were slowly overcoming the land and spilling over the peaks, almost like how the ocean washes over the rocks on a beach. I fell in love with the view and I can honestly say that I’ll return there again soon. With or without a camera.

For anyone that might be interested, I also happened to bring along my OM-D E-M5 to get some shots of the scene to see how it would compare to mymai... mehr »

2013-06-14 12:16:42 (15 comments, 7 reshares, 107 +1s)

Nothing made her happier than coming home to a place all our own.

When I was driving around the Eastern Sierra Nevada I happen to notice this far off cabin in the middle of the valley. No other buildings were in sight. It was just this old, rusty cabin alone with the beautiful Fall Colors. As soon as I spotted this cabin I pulled over as soon as I could and walked back just to try and shoot this scene. After snapping this shot, I stood out there for a bit just examining the view. I’ve often wondered if I could live in an area like this, totally away from a metropolis like L.A. or Tokyo. I love visiting places like this but I’m not sure I would last for too long if I had to live there, if I’m honest. I’ve spent almost my entire life in the big city, so chances are I might go a bit stir crazy if I were out there for an extended period of time.

Then again, I’ve always felt happywhen I wa... mehr »

2013-06-13 12:56:24 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 77 +1s)

"Day after day, alone on the hill, the man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still." -The Beatles

A few days ago with some free time on our hands, me and +Scott Sugawara decided to head out to Malibu to shoot the sunset. Ultimately, our plan was to head up the Santa Monica Mountains to get above the clouds, but because we had a couple of hours before sunset, we stopped by the Leo Carillo State Park to see what the tide was like as it splashed against some interesting rock formations. It was more of a pit stop if anything, just to see what we could shoot before having to make our way to a sunset location, so I decided to just play with my trusty fish-eye lens. After shooting some and getting my feet a bit wet with the medium to high tide, I turned back towards the beach and noticed the lone lifeguard shack. No lifeguards were present, and though it seemed to be a lonely spot up... mehr »

2013-06-12 13:00:54 (22 comments, 1 reshares, 109 +1s)

"We build too many walls and not enough bridges." -Isaac Newton

On a free night in Tokyo, me and my good friend +Takahiro Yamamoto decided to head over to Odaiba over in Tokyo Bay to shoot around the area and hang out with our other good pal and King of Odaiba +Brian Kemper. The weather was quite comfortable so we were able to relax and enjoy the night air while walking from one part of the island to the next. After some fun with the Gundam statue (post about that to come at a later time, he he) we decided to head over to some of the elevated expressways that were nearby to get some neat shots with them by the bay water. To get there we crossed this bridge which leads to one of the Yurikamome transit stations in the area. It’s a very attractive bridge with such long leading lines so I decided to stop and get some shots of it while the other two went ahead. I also had the pleasure ofbo... mehr »

2013-06-11 03:53:53 (4 comments, 0 reshares, 92 +1s)

What waits at the top is something that I'll treasure forever.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve hiked up my beloved Verdugo Mountains here in Glendale, CA, but luckily I’ve taken a ton of shots of them that I can look back to for inspiration and motivation. The clouds on this day were so incredible that I decided I wanted to shoot them above the mountain tops from a far off view point, so I headed over to my emergency never fail spot and zoomed in tight on this particular set of peaks. With the layers of land, clouds and blue sky I simply sat back and enjoyed the view after snapping this shot. With the weather warming up I’ve been meaning to get back up to those mountains but I just haven’t had the energy or any conditions ideal for shooting. But I will head back up there soon because I know what waits for me at the top. And I miss it.

#MountainMonday  

2013-06-08 12:54:57 (23 comments, 5 reshares, 152 +1s)

Though she had to leave, she promised to return to him one day.

One of my favorite places to shoot is the Colorado Street Bridge in Pasadena, CA. That’s a given as I have several photos from there from various times since taking up photography. But it wasn’t until when I shot this that I started to seriously look to the adjacent 134 freeway overpass with the cars going to and coming from the sunset. It’s quite an attractive bridge in its own right and I don’t recall ever getting a decent shot of it, so with a beautifully golden orange sunset beyond the hills, I decided to step around the fence of the the good ol' Suicide Bridge and get a shot of this view. I have to admit that I’m not completely satisfied with the composition. I had to shoot in bit of a rush. But I know I'll get to see this location again soon. I'll just have to stay patient and wait for Mother Nature to setup anothe... mehr »

2013-06-08 04:37:28 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 24 +1s)

Photographers and Photography Lovers... I need your help

I'm working on a big project and I need to find some survey participants.

I'm going to be making a circle of interested people, so if you're interested, just leave a comment and I'll add you to the circle.  Shares would be appreciated so that I can try to expand the pool.

Thanks you guys!  This is going to be some valuable information about how google+ has expanded the presence of photography in our lives, so all help is appreciated!

2013-06-07 13:04:46 (23 comments, 5 reshares, 108 +1s)

When the bell sounded I was happy to find it led straight to your friendship.

The Korean Friendship Bell is probably one of the most attractive structures that I’ve seen along the Southern California coastline. I don’t get out there very often, but each time I get to see it in person I always enjoy it. I would visit this spot more often but being that it’s in San Pedro leaves me weary of having to drive in traffic only to get there just minutes before the park rangers lock the gates. But during my last visit I was able to have a few hours in the area to shoot around and enjoy the sunset. Upon arriving in the area I decided to setup and take the typical touristy type of shot of the main path leading straight to the bell. It may be touristy but it’s such a beautiful scene that there was no way to resist going for this shot. The clouds were simply amazing that day as well so I couldn’thave aske... mehr »

2013-06-06 12:57:40 (21 comments, 6 reshares, 121 +1s)

When they met in the middle, they discovered something special.

One of the challenges to landscape photography, believe it or not, is having to deal with other people in the shot. Especially when it comes to photographing such popular scenes such as the South Tufa at Mono Lake in Mono County, CA. For those of you that know me, you’ll know that I have a bunch of photos from this area with nobody around. Getting shots like that takes a lot of patience, timing and some luck. With some other shots, I found a proper composition and waited for the area to clear out. I stood in the same spot so that I wouldn’t lose what I framed and patiently waited for my shot. But for this particular one, I liked having the people in there because it gave me a sense of scale and it seemed to fit in with the rest of the frame. Everything seemed to be meeting right in the middle. The sky, the Earth, the water and ofcou... mehr »

2013-06-05 12:41:17 (28 comments, 4 reshares, 138 +1s)

Once you've come spiraling down, the only way to look is up.

At this point, I’m sure it’s no secret that I’ve been truly enjoying my Olympus OM-D E-M5. Even more so ever since I paired it with a 7.5mm fish-eye lens. It’s helping me look at subjects in a whole different way. So during my last visit to Tokyo, I decided to take this setup around town with me while my Nikon D3S was at the Nikon Plaza in Shinjuku for a sensor cleaning. I walked all around the district in random directions depending on what caught my eye at any given moment. It’s pretty much what I tend to do whenever I’m by myself in a foreign city, even one I frequent as much as Tokyo. But in as many random directions as I walked towards, I knew there was one area that I absolutely wanted to shoot before heading back to Nikon. And it was this spot, within the sub levels of the Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower. This staircaseis a perfec... mehr »

2013-06-05 02:57:30 (8 comments, 1 reshares, 90 +1s)

"A hunch is creativity trying to tell you something." -Frank Capra

When I first got my fish-eye in the mail a few months ago, I was super excited. I suppose the same could be said for any lens I’m lucky to get my hands on, but the fish-eye just adds that extra bit of fun with all of the crazy distortions you can apply to a subject. And because it was the 7.5mm for my Olympus OM-D E-M5 I pretty much carried it around everywhere. From walks around the neighborhood, to hang outs with friends, and of course, the home that pays me enough to be able to pay for lenses, the Capra Building on the Sony Pictures Studios lot. I’ve always enjoyed the classic look and feel to this building. And I’m not the only one as it’s been used in numerous television shows, movies, commercials and just about anything that might see airtime. So with such symmetrical lines and a classic design I decided touse my ... mehr »

2013-06-03 23:58:06 (16 comments, 0 reshares, 97 +1s)

If you can look past the layers, you'll be able to see the man that stands before you.

#MountainMonday  

2013-06-01 12:58:48 (7 comments, 1 reshares, 75 +1s)

 "You can't stop him, you can only hope to contain him." -Dan Patrick

I've had the pleasure of hanging with my pal +Scott Jarvie in a few States but it wasn't until we met up in Japan last year that I realized that he truly has a never ending well of energy and enthusiasm when it comes to adventure and exploration. From shooting all night just minutes after arriving in Tokyo, to waking up for sunrise the very next morning to working with his clients a few hours after that he didn't seem to slow down one bit. And with another birthday here, it seems like his energy levels and enthusiasm has only increased and continue to increase!

So I hope you all join me in wishing everybody's friendly neighborhood Jarvie a Happy Birthday! 

Have a great one pal, and the next round of cartilage lunch is on me. He he.

#JarvieinJapan  

2013-05-31 12:40:39 (10 comments, 1 reshares, 71 +1s)

"If the wind still blows strong in this town, It will beautifully paint those painful days the color of the sky." -Judy and Mary

2013-05-30 12:32:24 (23 comments, 9 reshares, 128 +1s)

If you believe in magic, the flow of adventure will never stop.

If there's one thing I've come to enjoy about the Magic Kingdom, it's the beautifully designed attractions in both Disneyland and California Adventure! When I was a kid, it was all so amazing. As a teenager, it was bleh. And now as an adult, I just really enjoy hanging around and soaking up all of the positive energy and fun of the area. I suppose you can say it takes me back to my youth and fills me with good vibes. And now that I always have a camera handy, I've come to enjoy it for it's shooting possibilities. Like this waterfall in California Adventure. If it weren't for the fences and the fact that Goofy was walking around nearby, this could easily be mistaken for being out in a national park somewhere. Except here, no matter what time of year it is, the flow will always continue without fail.
... mehr »

2013-05-30 04:55:07 (0 comments, 2 reshares, 4 +1s)

Missing person in Tokyo: "Darin Dart" 
Share it!!

http://foreignvolunteers.org/2013/05/29/garin-dart-missing/

2013-05-29 13:00:54 (17 comments, 1 reshares, 81 +1s)

If you open your heart and search your soul, you might find what's hidden within.

The last time I visited Kamakura, Japan, it was back when I was just starting out in photography. My Nikon D90 was brand new and pretty fresh out of the box, and the only post processing skill I had was the ability to crop. And even back then I didn’t crop very well. So this time around, now that I’ve had a couple of years of practice and armed with my D3S, I made sure not to shoot a couple of scenes that I had been thinking about since my visit to Kamakura. Scenes that I felt I could shoot much, much better than before. And this view of a small side temple hidden within the wooded area of the Hasedera Temple was one of them. It’s a scene that has always stuck in my mind and a scene that I've never forgotten, so when I was out there again walking around the area, I made it a point to look for thisexact... mehr »

2013-05-28 16:26:41 (13 comments, 1 reshares, 95 +1s)

I went in search of the sun, only to find a city under the clouds.

I’ve said it before and I really don’t mind saying it again, but one of the best views in Los Angeles is from the Hollywood Bowl Overlook off of Mulholland Drive. Especially on a cloudy day like when I took this shot. Mother Nature decided to display the city under the clouds as it filled the sky with great character and movement. It teased rain but luckily the rain never came. But even though it was a dry day, it was still pretty cold with some pretty icy winds. Well, at least icy for us Angelinos. He he. A lot of people love a clear sky and being able to see out to the horizon. I like them just fine, but I’ll happily take a cloudy day like this at any time of the year. And not just from a photography standpoint, but just from the view of a guy that loves checking out a beautiful landscape. 

#MyTownTuesday  

2013-05-26 12:52:20 (22 comments, 3 reshares, 113 +1s)

No matter how many years pass, she stays strong, withstanding the test of time.

I’ve before that I’m not a religious person, but I really do enjoy the incredible architecture of the various churches, temples and other buildings of worship. One such building is this, the Cathedral of the Madeleine in Salt Lake City, Utah. Along with my Jarviewalker pals, we stood facing the front of the Cathedral looking up in total awe of this magnificent building. It’s quite imposing and hard to miss. Architecture like this is always impressive, especially considering that many such buildings were built so long ago. I don’t think I could ever get tired of photographing these buildings. And come to think of it, I’d love to get back to this Cathedral now that I have a fish-eye in my camera bag. Just imagine the possibilities!

#Jarviewalk  (2012) #SacredSunday  

2013-05-25 13:21:19 (11 comments, 1 reshares, 80 +1s)

No matter what you're looking for, I'll be there to help you find it.

For somebody wanting a great view while visiting Joshua Tree National Park, go and head over to Keys View. The view from there is top notch in my opinion and gives visitors a great view of the entire valley, and it’s a great place to watch the sunset as the sun will set behind the mountains that are in the distance. But when I was out there I couldn’t help but take a look down also. The sign at this spot mentioned that the San Andreas Fault could be seen from there, so while looking out into the valley trying to pinpoint it based on the illustration of the sign, I couldn’t help but enjoy this particular view while looking down. So I stepped out and down the side of the hill as far as I felt safe and I fired off some shots. It was super cold and windy up there. I'm talking knock your tripod over and freeze yourwater... mehr »

2013-05-25 05:35:13 (2 comments, 0 reshares, 24 +1s)

Get busy sharing photos from your existing albums!

With the Memorial Day weekend upon us, I'm sure that there will be tons of photos being taken and subsequently shared here on Google+. I'm happy to let you know that you can now share photos that are directly added to your existing albums while retaining all of your +1s and comments. Just navigate to the album of your choice, click on 'Add Photos', select your photo(s), and upload away. Upon completion of the upload and any applicable face tagging, a share box will appear, allowing you to share with your circles.

I want to give a special shout out to +Google+ Photos Engineer, +Andrew Lee for building out this feature for us to enjoy and for +Vincent Mo for helping me visualize my excitement with his Tiger Uppercut Motion photo. #AutoAwesome  FTW.

#GooglePlusUpdate  

2013-05-23 12:50:35 (32 comments, 4 reshares, 168 +1s)

"All this time, I still remember everything you said." -Genesis

As stunning as the wide seascape scene was at the Salton Sea it was this guy that seemed to stand out the most to me. Just a lone bird, perched on top of what remains of what was once a strong standing structure of some kind. He stood there, steady and watching the sunset along with the rest of us that were out there. It was almost as though he were reminiscing about what was once in the area and holding on to precious memories of those times. In any event, I’m sure this guy enjoyed the remaining glow of the sun just like I did.

So far today, the contributions to #ThirstyThursdayPics  have been nothing short of incredible. But facts are facts, right? So keep the stream coming and get your contributions in and don't forget to use the hashtag and to tag the one and only +Giuseppe Basile!

#Th... mehr »

2013-05-22 03:12:37 (11 comments, 0 reshares, 111 +1s)

He waited patiently, in anticipation of something special.

I've been too lazy to turn on the laptop lately. With staring at a computer all day at work, to the summer heat starting to settle in I just haven't felt like sitting in front of a PC at home. But it has also allowed me to go through my iPhone photos and start processing a few of them finally. Though I don't process as many of them these days, I still take a ton of shots with my phone. With 64GB of memory I have to fill it wi something, right?

I shot this during my last visit to Tokyo. That city provides a never ending well of interesting subjects to shoot, from architecture, to landscapes and of course, to street photography. I have a ton of shots of train doors opening and closing, but the way this guy was standing all by himself, it made it especially interesting to me.

Shot with my iPhone 5,... mehr »

2013-05-19 12:25:42 (17 comments, 1 reshares, 56 +1s)

I don't know where my feet will take me, but wherever they go, I hope they'll lead me down the right path.

Often times while out in the field when I’m able to have some time to myself, I think about how lucky I am to be where I am at that given moment. “Life is great” I tell myself. But then I wonder if I’m truly maximizing all that life has to offer me. I don’t care about parties or drinking or any of that. But with an entire world out there, am I really content with going through the daily grind all year round with just 2 or 3 weeks set aside to go on a trip? Most days, it doesn’t really feel like I am. Of course, I always feel like this after coming off of a vacation. I always feel like making a change in the direction I’m taking to put myself in a position to truly enjoy more of what’s out there. These thoughts and feelings always last for a month or two after a bigtrip, then they... mehr »

2013-05-17 13:50:50 (29 comments, 2 reshares, 153 +1s)

Watch your step because the next one could change your life.

It wasn't too long ago when I made my first trip to Japan. To that point, it had been at least 13 years since I had been on a plane, much less left the country. Looking back, my world was actually pretty small. Through middle school, to high school, and then college, I was pretty content with my life as it was. In the same town, doing practically the same thing, day in and day out without much thought about anything outside of my bubble. Japan, however, was always the one place I wanted to visit, but even so, I never made any efforts to try and get over there.

Then my mentality completely changed one day. Friends and family were starting to pick up and set off on adventures of their own, whether it was a trip to an exotic location, or moving completely to another state for job opportunities. They were seizing the moment... mehr »

2013-05-16 13:10:10 (31 comments, 10 reshares, 133 +1s)

The warmth of her love overwhelmed the barriers of his heart.

I really can't say enough how much I enjoyed the view of the sunset from Enoshima last month. It's a scene I still see quite vividly in my mind and will be a scene I won't soon forget. After the sun finally dipped below the peak of Mount Fuji, me and +Yumi Shoji decided to walk further down to see if we could catch some of the waves crashing into the rocks of the shore. The wind was strong and the tide was high so we hoped to catch some great action. The tide was much higher than we thought and the lower walkways had become completely overwhelmed by wave after wave of fierce ocean water, so we stayed up high enough to keep dry and enjoyed what was remaining of the sunset. It's pretty standard for a seascape I suppose, but it provided me with a memory that will always be with me. 

And with that, keep those #... mehr »

2013-05-15 03:13:01 (31 comments, 5 reshares, 124 +1s)

You're so near, yet I never seem to be able to reach you.

I absolutely love this view and I haven’t been able to get back there in quite some time, so processing this from the RAW archives was a lot of fun for me. Then again, it’s always nice knowing that I was above the freeway instead of driving on it, because quite frankly I’m convinced that the number of cars on the road around here has dramatically increased. He he. How did I come to that conclusion you ask? Well, here's how I came to my unscientific conclusion. You see, I have an unusual working schedule. One that has me at the office before sunrise and headed home at around lunchtime. Yup, not bad, right? Well over the last year, I’ve noticed that the same route that I always take home has progressively become more and more congested with vehicles. A 30 to 40 minute drive home in, what was once the typical, lunchtimetraffic... mehr »

2013-05-11 13:37:04 (36 comments, 5 reshares, 161 +1s)

As you were leaving, I found the bridge to your heart.

#SunsetSaturday  

2013-05-09 13:10:27 (34 comments, 5 reshares, 145 +1s)

“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” -Rabindranath Tagore

Though I've recently seen one of the greatest sunsets I've ever witnessed in Japan, our sunsets here in Southern California are nothing to scoff at. Especially on the days when there are actual clouds to fill the sky. With great access to the ocean and a view directly to the horizon like this at White Point in Rancho Palos Verdes, us Californians are certainly treated to a show on most days of the week. While my main camera was setup on a tripod ready to shoot a different composition, I decided to snap this one with my Olympus OM-D E-M5. This is a 5 shot handheld HDR. With an FPS equal to that of my D3S, shooting handheld HDR’s with this little guy has been nothing but cake (on that note, I think I’ll have myself a slice of tasty cake later today. Isure do... mehr »

2013-05-08 14:20:44 (20 comments, 9 reshares, 87 +1s)

Sometimes there's nothing like hanging with a good friend during prime time.

A few weeks ago during my stay in Tokyo, my good friend +Takahiro Yamamoto took me out one evening to explore the Shimokitazawa neighborhood over in the Setagaya Ward armed with nothing but our 50mm prime lenses. It was a pretty hip area that reminded me of a very laid back, far less crowded and relaxed version of some of the other areas in and around Tokyo. It was my kind of neighborhood so the atmosphere suited me just fine. For this shoot I also decided to leave my D3S on Aperture Priority mode with an Auto ISO maxing out at 4000. Being a landscape guy, it's not often that I need an ISO higher than 800 so I wanted to see what kind of results I would get by letting the camera determine the ISO. Overall it was a fun, chill night with good eats to top it off. 

Post processing was also kept to am... mehr »

2013-05-05 13:01:32 (39 comments, 4 reshares, 168 +1s)

Things will always look their brightest if you keep your head up.

I’ve never quite taken any photos of the hotels I've stayed in before. I’ve taken photos of other hotels where I’m not a guest before, but never more than a simple phone pic of wherever I’m booked. Not that I intend for it to be that way, but to be perfectly honest, I’ve never thought about it. I’m one of those guys that tends to look at a hotel as a place for sleep and nothing more. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy staying at fine hotels whenever I can, but it’s just never occurred to me to shoot the exterior or interior of the building I’m booked in. Well, that is until my last month in Japan, when I stayed at the Grand Arc Hanzomon in the Chiyoda area of Tokyo. Let me start by saying that it’s a great hotel and I have nothing but positive things to say about the building and the staff, but the last time Istayed there it was... mehr »

2013-05-03 04:00:54 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 57 +1s)

Hey G+

#thirstythursdaypics  time of the week again. Another one of my fave photos i thought i would share for the new folk who have recently followed my work . Taken back in 2011.. Hope you guys enjoy.

Want to get involved in #thirstythursdaypics  ? Its easy no fancy pages, or rules. Just share a photo with water in the shot and tag myself and co-captain +Mark Esguerra .. Looking forward to your submission.

Giu

Buy Sell Trade www.cameratrade.com

2013-04-27 13:35:20 (28 comments, 3 reshares, 160 +1s)

This memory may last a lifetime, but this love will last forever.

With each trip I make to Japan, it gets harder and harder for me to leave such a beautiful country with each visit. I was able to meet up with several friends and loved ones and just had myself a blast on each day of my stay. But of all of the fun times I had, probably the most memorable would have to be witnessing one of the greatest sunsets I’ve ever seen in Japan. More than that, it’s probably one of the greatest sunsets I’ve seen from anywhere on this Earth. Me and the always sweet +Yumi Shoji managed to catch this beautfiul sunset view of Mount Fuji from the small island of Enoshima. By the time we got to a good point of view, we were exhausted, extremely hungry, and the winds were more fierce and cold than they had been all day. But it was all worth it to be able to catch this sight. I have more photos from this day tosort t... mehr »

2013-04-26 12:59:39 (25 comments, 0 reshares, 66 +1s)

In paradise there's nothing sweeter than a smile that warms the heart.

During my last trip to Japan, several facts became abundantly clear to me. These aren't necessarily new facts, just they decided to make its presence more known in my mind. 1) iMessage kind of stinks no matter what network in the world you use it on. 2) lugging my fstop Loka around fully packed with tripod onto the trains, subways and/or buses during rush hour in Tokyo isn't the best idea. 3) lugging around the Olympus OM-D E-M5 during rush hour was a much better idea. 4) Japan was home to one of the greatest sunsets I've ever witnessed in my life. 5) +Yumi Shoji and myself have an endless love for sweets that probably can't be matched by any other love on this world. 

That beings said, when Yumi told me she wanted to take me to a special little restaurant that could possibly satisfy our sweett... mehr »

2013-05-30 06:50:59 (44 comments, 15 reshares, 180 +1s)

When I went in search of peace, I found you pointing to eternity.

There are several beaches that I’ve truly come to love in this world. Beaches that I’ve thought were absolutely calming and peaceful. But of all of those beaches, the most peaceful I’ve ever visited has to be Bombay Beach over by the Salton Sea. The ruins of what was once whole simply sit there, aging and will probably still be there long after my time has come. One section of the ruins I found rather interesting (from several angles for those of you that have seen my other shots from here) was what I believe was a pier. What I found so fascinating was how it was pointing out to a never ending sea. To eternity as I like to think of it, especially because of how long this ruins has lasted. I do plan on visiting this area again, but I would love to make sure to visit this area a few decades from now to see what’s left andwhat pa... mehr »

2013-04-24 13:10:39 (27 comments, 1 reshares, 108 +1s)

In the heart of sin, the center of the Fall never looked more beautiful.

I've been going through and rating the photos I shot over the last couple of weeks, and one thing that came to mind is how much I enjoyed using my fish-eye lens. And then I started thinking about all of the places I've visited since getting into photography that I would love to visit again with the fish-eye lens, in particular places that have beautiful architecture, like the lobby of the Palazzo in Las Vegas. This is actually a shot I took from a couple of years ago, back when I was rockin' my trusty D90 and the Tokina 11-16mm wide angle lens. It's such a beautifully designed lobby so I'm glad to have a shot of it, but I can't help but want to drive back out there and get some new shots of it. Not only with the lenses I own now, but also with the knowledge I've attained since I was last out... mehr »

2013-04-22 23:38:14 (19 comments, 18 reshares, 115 +1s)

Not all giants in Tokyo play baseball.

I'm back home in the good ol' U.S. of A., and I tell ya, I couldn't be more lazier than I am right now. I must admit that photography wasn't a priority for my latest trip to Japan, but that doesn't mean I didn't bring my gear. I ended up with just under 4000 frames that I've backed up and rated. Now begins the task of processing the winners, trying to save some losers, and just enjoying the memories that come with each shot. 

One of the things I was able to do on this trip was hang with my good friend +Takahiro Yamamoto! Over the last few months, we had talked about going out for a Micro 4/3 only shoot. So one free day, that's exactly what we did. Him with his trusty Lumix and me with the OM-D E-M5, we walked the streets of Tokyo shooting anything that caught our interest. Later, with another mirrorless shooting... mehr »

2013-04-17 04:40:52 (23 comments, 5 reshares, 136 +1s)

Which path will lead me straight to her heart?

I've been a bit disconnected over the last week or so, but I suppose that's always the case with me whenever I'm on vacation. I also decided to travel without a laptop this time and I must say it's actually been quite refreshing to "get away from it all" as the saying goes. Today I finally have a few hours to rest my feet before heading out to meet an old friend, so I thought I'd process a shot on my iPad (now wrapped in a very classy cover thanks to +Yumi Shoji), using the Snapseed app.

A couple of days ago my good friend +Takahiro Yamamoto took me over to the Bunkyo Civic Center Observatory to check out a view of the cityscape. It's not the tallest observatory but the view was still quite incredible. We also decided to use Micro 4/3 cameras only, so I finally had the chance to use the Panasonic 7-14... mehr »

2013-04-10 07:25:19 (19 comments, 4 reshares, 158 +1s)

ただいま！

Day one of this trip has gotten off to a slowwwwwww start. I ended up getting to my hotel later than anticipated and I woke up later than intended. Missed a meeting or two as a result so I decided to salvage the day and take my D3S in for a sensor cleaning at the Nikon Plaza in Shinjuku. While waiting around I took a walk through some alleyways next to Shinjuku Station with my OM-D E-M5 for some fish-eye action. Now I'm back at Nikon waiting for my camera so I decided to process a quick shot on the iPad to kill the wait time. I used Snapseed followed by a preset in Camera Awesome.

From here I'll be catching up with a good friend before hitting the sack. I have an early start tomorrow but it'll be fun fun fun leading into the weekend! The weather has been quite interesting as well. It's cool but not cold. In fact I broke a sweat last night on the way tomy hotel.... mehr »

2013-04-08 14:15:02 (25 comments, 2 reshares, 107 +1s)

When it comes to the cherry blossoms, some people just can't wait.

Last year when I was walking around Tokyo with +Yumi Shoji, this fella walking in front of us made a sharp left turn. He walked fast towards this nice little shrine and headed towards such a beautiful Sakura tree. But was he set to admire it? Did he take out a camera to shoot it? Nope. He decided to relieve himself in the corner right under it. We were a bit shocked because this was a result we totally didn't expect. So what else could I do but take a shot? He he he. 

I'll be a bit disconnected for the next couple of weeks because I'm actually headed over to Tokyo in a few hours. I just can't keep myself away. I would say that I'll try to update whenever I can, but I'm not very good at the live updates. Once I'm gone, I'm usually just gone.  And unfortunately I've already missedo... mehr »

2013-04-06 13:14:31 (27 comments, 6 reshares, 172 +1s)

Some treasures can be found buried within the clouds.

One thing that I love about San Francisco is, of course, the view of the beautiful city skyline. The other thing I love about San Francisco is the seemingly endless amount of areas where a fella can enjoy the view during anytime of day and/or night. And one of my favorite views of the city was from across the Bay Bridge on Treasure Island. While out there on a photowalk with a bunch of photographers including my pals +Alex Koloskov, +Genia Larionova, +Alan Allum, +Jon Armstrong, and the one and only +Brian Bach Sørensen, we were also treated to some great low fog, or clouds, either way, the sky looked great! So for this shot I decided to get down low to the rocks and shoot the scene as it led out into the bay and across to the city.

P.S. I must say, San Francisco looks incredible with some Dodger Blue painting the scene. He he he.... mehr »

2013-04-05 13:24:38 (26 comments, 0 reshares, 105 +1s)

You'll have to check your baggage before boarding the Mothership.

If  there’s one place that’s a bit of a pain to go to, it’s the Los Angeles Airport aka LAX. It’s not so much because of the airport itself, but the freeways and roads that lead to LAX are constantly filled with traffic. Surprise, surprise for L.A., right? In fact, over the course of a few weeks, I’ll have had to go to LAX at least 5 or 6 times, all during the peak of rush hour. Bleh. So a few weeks ago when I dropped off my friend at the Alaska Airlines terminal, I decided to relax for a bit and take a seat to give the traffic a chance to ease up a bit before heading home. Naturally, I brought my camera with me because hey, if I’m going to be hanging around I might as well take some shots of the place. So while sitting down across from the check-in counter at the Alaska Air terminal, I couldn’t help but noticethe blue light... mehr »

2013-04-04 23:14:14 (20 comments, 1 reshares, 13 +1s)

The best Micro Four Thirds lenses for Panasonic and Olympus cameras!

Hi everyone, I'm pleased to unveil my new Micro Four Thirds lens buyer's guide, the first I've compiled for a mirror-less camera system! Micro Four Thirds is the most established of the mirror-less formats. Jointly developed by Panasonic and Olympus, it brought mirror-less bodies and native lenses to the market at least one year before its first rival arrived. Being first to market along with having not one but two major manufacturers behind it are two major advantages Micro Four Thirds enjoys over the competition, and it really shows when you compare their respective native lens catalogues. As of early 2013, Micro Four Thirds had over 40 lenses available from Panasonic and Olympus along with third parties including Sigma, Tamron, Samyang, Voigtlander and others.

But with such a choice available, where... mehr »

2013-04-04 13:07:18 (30 comments, 3 reshares, 144 +1s)

Life never felt more perfect than when her love washed over me. 

Of all the places I’ve been to (so far) in my life, one of the places I always think about are the beautiful beaches of Bali, Indonesia. One beach in particular seemed to stand out from the rest during the time I was there, and that was Dreamland Beach, also known as New Kuta. I’ll never forget getting out there for the first time, so excited that I didn’t even bother to take off my shoes until after they were completely soaked. I stood out there watching the sunset as the perfectly cool ocean water washed over the warm, soft sand. The combination of the two felt like heaven for my feet. Each time the water touched me I can honestly say I fell more and more in love with Bali. I don’t know when I’ll be able to get back out there again. I’m hoping soon but once I do set foot on the sands of Bali again I don’t know ifI’ll ever be a... mehr »

2013-04-03 13:11:30 (17 comments, 1 reshares, 104 +1s)

Being held in her arms felt like falling into the beautifully warm sun.

Last year when me and the always sweet +Yumi Shoji visited Nikko up in the Tochigi Prefecture of Japan, we weren’t quite sure if we’d get to see any of the beautiful Fall colors. We had heard reports of them already fading away for the season, and though they were around in patches, probably wouldn’t spot any strong colors where we were going. But luckily for us, when we arrived we decided to explore a bit around town before heading off to Lake Chuzenji. Down a typical road in the small town, we spotted some of the most beautiful Fall colors we had seen all week long. We had reds, yellows, oranges, the works! So for this shot I decided to look right up while standing underneath some of the Fall leaves and the way the sun was hitting it just sang to me. So of course, I snapped this shot. I loved the colors so much inthis th... mehr »

2013-04-03 04:08:47 (0 comments, 1 reshares, 21 +1s)

FESTIVAL OF COLORS {The Jarvie Take}
(This is what I see when I think of the festival of colors)
http://youtu.be/1qp7nPQ6xFg

My biggest youtube project yet
2 full days of filming and pictures (first one there last one out)
A day and a half of downloading sorting and selecting 
A day+ of editing and retouching
I figure I have at least 40hrs into this video

Do you like?
I hope it's worth a few views... maybe a reshare... or twenty ;)

#holi  

2013-03-31 13:40:47 (17 comments, 2 reshares, 124 +1s)

She set off in search of love and never once looked back.

#DesertSandDay  

2013-03-30 13:21:44 (24 comments, 2 reshares, 116 +1s)

Even as the color fades, my memories of you will never disappear.

Later today one of the most fun events I’ve ever had the privilege of attending begins. The Festival of Colors in Spanish Fork, Utah. Unfortunately for me I won’t be able to attend this weekend (which is a total bummer because I've been thinking about certain shots and compositions since last year), but seeing posts and updates from my pals that are out in Utah now had me thinking about how much fun I had at last years festival. I remember at first I was hesitant to get in there because of my equipment, but I must say that once I actually was out there it was easy to get lost in the crowd and disappear into the colors without any thought about my gear at all. It was just pure fun and I enjoyed every second I was out there. And I can honestly say that it was a time I won't soon forget!

So to all of my palstha... mehr »

2013-03-30 03:03:54 (16 comments, 5 reshares, 145 +1s)

"You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky as we walk in fields of gold." -Sting

2013-03-28 13:12:44 (31 comments, 5 reshares, 161 +1s)

I'll never forget our one last morning together as you held me with your warmth.

One of the best morning I’ve had by far as a photographer was during my last morning in Utah. I ended up on the rocky shorelines of Utah Lake over in Provo and was lucky enough to watch the sun rise slowly from behind the mountain range. For those of you familiar with this album and/or my blog I’m sure it’ll be easy to tell that I went absolutely shoot crazy that morning, considering all of the photos I have from this area. I tried several compositions along the shore, trying to get as close to the water as I possibly could. I shot blue hour, actual sunrise, and of course the golden hour that followed. Unfortunately I wasn't able to make it out there this week, but I'll never forget my time there last year and I'll be looking forward to the chance to visit Utah again.

And with my dayjust ... mehr »