OPERATION: LABOR DAY FOR $1K+

so if you recall a post i made last year (sep 2010), i challenged myself with the task of trying to find a getaway for the labor day weekend for under $1k all in.  it was such a fun idea that i decided i would try it again this year.  after some research time with expedia, the choice was made:  CHICAGO 2011!

for a sports fan like myself, chicago might be a sort of utopia.  the white sox, the cubs, the bulls, the bears, and the blackhawks all reside here and if you time it right, you can definitely hit up at least two of the four teams at any given time during the year.  you will also hear a lot about the food and i can now officially vouch for it as well.  the food options are many and each choice leaves you in a confusing daze as to trying the next delicious meal or revisiting the one you just had.

but what really attracted me to the windy city was the awe-inspiring and much talked about architecture.  it is one thing to read about and see in pictures, but actually seeing the chicago skyline in person is something to behold.  considered to be one of the birthplaces of modern architecture, chicago has a lot of beauty to offer as you wander the streets and strain your neck looking up, down, and over your shoulder.  as a novice fan (aka archi-nerd) this was an important destination on my travel bucket list.

having only spent the long weekend in chicago, i left a lot behind - a few tourist must sees and a few little known but very worthwhile spots (as recommended by locals).  i intentionally left them behind because i know for a fact that this is a place i will definitely go out of my way to see again..and again.  note: i spent more than $1k this time around.  i chose not to limit myself to a self-imposed budget and splurged wherever i could.  the result is an enjoyable weekend full of highlights with no regret...hence the $1k+...

but enough of me talking, enjoy the pics and captions from the facebook album i put together (no fb account required).  there is nothing like the combo of pictures and words to really tell the story.  maybe you'll like chicago.

click here: facebook album


de jesus. out. and inspired.

SINGER SHOOT

i recently had the pleasure of working with one of my photo mentors (@jcruzfotodotcom) for a fashion shoot at henry singer.  i was brought on to carry and setup equipment and also take some photos in between.  obviously this wasn't an opportunity i couldn't pass up so i also managed to get some photos of jeff in action as well (hopefully he doesn't mind - photographers always seem to have a tough time when they are on the wrong side of the lens).

with my current fascination with ties, this was a perfect opportunity to "shop" for the latest and greatest in men's fashion while helping jeff out with the shoot.  the management at henry singer were very co-operative and even allowed us full reign of the store on a sunday afternoon when they are normally closed for business.  unfortunately because of contractual arrangements with the models and the fashion designer, i am unable to show you the final images from the shoot, so hopefully these candids from the afternoon will satisfy your appetite.  the designer was talented, the models looked great.  makes the job of the photographer that much easier.  it truly can be said that for fashion design - many young ladies coordinate...

 

check out jeff's other work at jcruzfoto.  he's pretty good stuff and even better people.

de jesus. out.

PUBLISHED WORK - LIVING SOCIAL DEALS

it's really no big deal, but any opportunity for a shameless plug to showcase my work is kinda cool. today there is a deal on livingsocial for a 50% off coupon (40 for 20) for food and drink at TYN Lounge. check out the coupon (which shows one of my photos) and definitely check out the lounge for some great food and drink in a casual and classy atmosphere.

living social

de Jesus. cheers!

THE YELLOW NECTARINE

for some people, food is just food. just a way to curb the pains of hunger when it arises. but for others, food is an experience - a complete sensory overload that tickles all the five senses and then lingers with a memory on the mind that can get you talking long after the meal is done.

as a photographer, the obvious bias would be to make something/someone look good, being attentive to sight. however, a project like this one with one of the newest food spots in town, the yellow nectarine really made me aware of how important it is to capture an image(s) that embraces as many of those five senses as possible. 

the following images, commissioned for advertising/marketing for TYN, were taken right from the kitchen before it was served to customers. no enhancements, no digital or prop trickery like most food magazines fool us with.

as always, it's about light. it's about composition. it's knowing what it takes to make something pop and really bring out the beauty of what your eye already sees. take your time and smell the pizza, taste the moist and rich flavors of the seared duck, revel in the colors of the bright nectarine salad and imagine the crisp crackling of the fryer as the chips are being cooked. appreciate the textures of each dish and hopefully these images will linger in your mind until you finally make the visit to the yellow nectarine and experience it for yourself. 

the yellow nectarine

owner: Mike Santos
head chef: Brent Taddeo
address: 100, 815 - 8 Ave SW, Calgary, AB
hours: M-W (11am - 12am) T-F (11am - 2am) Sat (9pm - 2am)
website: TYNlounge.com

de jesus. hungry. and out.

TO BE REAL OR NOT TO BE

photography is a service based business. don't trick yourself into thinking that having all the technical skills or the best equipment will make you a successful photographer. sure, it may help a lot in getting a fantastic high resolution image for your client, but getting extraordinary, memorable images requires being a relatable, personable person behind the camera. i believe this more than anything. having a good relationship with your client(s) is the single biggest factor in getting images that are not only beautiful, but authentic.

as humans, we have an ability to discern what is and what isn't genuine. this becomes so much more important in photography because sometimes what you see can be so deceiving. it becomes even more clear through the viewfinder if your subject is not feeling the moment, or is trying to fake their way through it. but building a comfort level with your client, talking them through what you are doing and allowing them to be part of the process rather than just your muse can go a long way in bringing their mind at ease and feeling comfortable in front of the lens.

i acknowledge that some people aren't photogenic, but it's only because they are conscious of when the camera is in front of them. my job as a photographer is to not only get images of you at your best, but it's to make you as comfortable as possible, so I can get images that are both authentic and genuine and look as natural as possible. we all have our own beauty, our own essence, and hiring a photographer that can find yours in all kinds of environments is more important than what kind of equipment he/she has or how proficient they may be at photoshop. you can't fake authenticity.

de Jesus out.

HAPPY JULY 4th

so it turns out i'm not good with sports predictions.  the heat lost, the canucks lost, g-mac tied for 14th and the only thing i got right was pretty much a sure thing (the jets).  i'm definitely happy that i got to enjoy the sports month of june, but unfortunately july is upon us which is basically a snoozefest for sports watching.  sure there is beisbol and cfl football, but all the sports channels still bombard us with "breaking news" about which hockey player signed where, what leafs defenseman just bought a new patio set from canadian tire, etc.  and now we have to go through the summer wondering about the nfl and the nba possibly not being around next season.

thank goodness it's summertime and i can go outside, play golf in the morning and enjoy a slurpee and/or beer on a patio by the afternoon/evening (maybe play another round).  totally numbs the depression of missing some things...

de jesus out. side.

THE BEST TIME TO BE A SPORTS FAN

it's the stanley cup finals, it's the NBA finals, it's golf/tennis season as a player and as a fan.  the only thing missing is the NFL season to make it the absolute best time of the year to be a sports fan.  i will surely get a lot of flack for it, but i am cheering for the canucks and i'm more than pleased that the heat are doing well so far. with so much going on in the sports world, it's been a nice reminder why sports is, has and always will be a passion of mine.

i've been working on some new projects, but i thought it would be nice to say hi and make sure you didn't forget me.  i will keep you updated, but between watching sports, working my 9 to 5 and being behind the camera, it's been hard to keep up with a regular blog posting.  i'll do better.  i promise.

heat in 6
canucks in 5
mcdowell top 10 finish in the U.S open
winnipeg.....jets.

de jesus out.

WEDDING SHOOT: KRISTIN and BLAINE

i was very fortunate this past april to be invited to kristin and blaine's wedding out in the mayan riviera for my very first destination wedding shoot.  without question, this was an opportunity I couldn't pass up and surrounded by many of their family and friends, i enjoyed a week of warm sun, laughs and a few cold drinks.  though i fully expected to enjoy a "working vacation", i didn't expect to get along with so many new faces as everyone who attended were an absolute blast to spend time with.  

the wedding day itself was beautiful and the scene of a beach wedding with a photogenic couple/wedding party really made the photography quite easy.  there were definitely some technical challenges throughout the day, but i think i managed to get through them while learning a few important lessons along the way, which i will share on future blogs.  in the meantime, to give you an idea as to how wonderful some of the images are, here is a small sample of the photos from my first wedding shoot in mexico. 

a big congratulations to kristin and blaine and also a heartfelt thank you for allowing me to share my time with your family and friends.  it was a great experience for me and i hope that i'm able to accurately capture how much fun the entire day was!

de jesus.  out.

KNOCK KNOCK

after a nearly 3 month break from the blogging world, i have returned. it's been a hectic few months in my life, but i'm glad to be back again to share a piece of my world with all of you.  though it is mid-april, we here in western canada are still experiencing a seemingly eternal winter that doesn't want to let up.  thankfully i have been fortunate to break up the last month with a couple of trips out to vegas and mexico, so i have had some sun and let me tell you...it's nice to get that reminder once in a while that the bright light in the sky that you see every day is supposed to be warm - and can even sometimes gives you a nice tan!

what better way to celebrate my return but to share some really important things that i've learned since my last post:

- social media is so ridiculously powerful it's scary.  between twitter, facebook, youtube, it's incredible what kind of buzz these sites can create on a global scale.  case in point: did you know who rebecca black was one month ago?  yeah, i didn't think so.  but she made friday really cool by being really uncool.

- the ipad2 is awesome.  i'd buy one for all of my family and friends if i could afford it.

- songs aren't really that catchy without the overuse of vowels.

- sometimes real talent hits it big and when it does, you know that there is justice in the world.  just ask mike richards and not the cast of jersey shore.

- thanks to my newest hobby, i have learned to harness my energy and release my inner manny pacquiao. there really is nothing better to do on a friday night after a frustrating week in the office.

- the line between perception and reality is a blurry one. nothing provides clarity better than experience.


i'm back.  de jesus. out.

HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY WAYNE

alright, i can admit it is a bit weird that i'm making noise about someone's birthday who probably doesn't care about me...but oh well.  this is my childhood idol.  i lived in edmonton during the "dynasty years", when the oilers laid waste to the entire league and won cup after cup and fielded one of the best teams night after night.  coffey, kurri, messier, fuhr, lowe....and that's just to name a few.  i'll add gregg, semenko, moog, anderson, tikkanen, lumley and fogolin to the list just to pay them their due.  and as a child, these were my heroes...the athletes i looked up to and knew every statistic about the them and the team inside and out.  i remember my dad taking me downtown on jasper ave to celebrate the '85 cup parade because back then, that stuff mattered to me.

and the whole thing was led by the man who probably could have ran for prime minister and won during the 80's.  the Great One - so aptly named because he was simply that. after this many years, i can say with absolute certainty that wayne gretzky is the single reason why i enjoy sports to this day and the reason why i am still passionate about a struggling (yet hopeful) oilers franchise.

imagine my excitement then, when i went to santa monica this past december to watch the chevron world challenge hosted by tiger woods.  now i'm not so much of an idol worshipper anymore, but i knew that seeing tiger woods and getting to see my favorite golfer (graeme mcdowell) play in the same tournament would be a worthwhile bucket list item.  BUT...there was an absolute surprise for me when i found out that wayne gretzky was playing the wednesday pro-am.  WHAT?!?!?  i literally found this out while i was on the course and met up with a group of canadians who mentioned that the best hockey player to ever live was swinging the sticks on the course and signing autographs.

i ran to the next hole where he was supposed to be and BAM!  there he was in all his awesome swagger.  it was surreal, but it was almost too perfect.  here was my idol, playing golf and i get to take photos.  i cannot think of a more perfect combination of my interests all in one moment (well, unless kate beckinsale, acryclic paints, a blank canvas and a 6 pack of orange fanta were in one room all at once). 

so happy 50th birthday wayne.  thanks for being a positive role model and for being just plain awesome.  seeing tiger was cool....but talking to wayne gretzky and getting an autograph is something i will never forget. 

please take a minute and enjoy my facebook album of photos from santa monica, which includes some additional images of the great one...and some boring sunset whatever photos....ww.


de jesus. out.