An Online Blog About the Daily Happenings of St. John, USVI
St. John has lots of opportunities for snapshots. But if you want more than a snap, you're going to have to do a little work. Thankfully, an earlier issue of the St. John Sun Times has done some of that work for you, assisted by Bob Schlesinger of Tropical Focus.
In the article you'll learn when to shoot. Generally, the best time to take great photos is just before around sunset, between 5 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. That's when the light has a soft and buttery feel.
A popular Web site for professional photographers has turned its lens on St. John's Steve Simonsen.
Photoshelter.com calls the 20-year resident "a specialist who has made his life's work under water."
The article details Steve's "strategic factors" of photography: having access to the best locations, specialized equipment – with backups, understand the unique challenges of water, get close, watch for stray reflected light, and keep shooting.
"I usually go in with multiple cameras just so that I have multiple exposures available to me," he told Photoshelter.com. "With today’s digital cameras exposure, count isn’t a factor anymore and that is great."
Oh yeah, one more thing. Besides being a great photographer, Steve says if you want to be an underwater photographer, you should also know how to scuba dive.
A good time was had by all – as many as 200 people – who attended last weekend's benefit for the Animal Care Center, the Snow Ball. Attendees got a full evening of food and fun, as well as party favors including flashing bracelets and rings and glowing necklaces. Fun!
"Many people said this was the best party ever," said Bob Schlesinger, owner of Tropical Focus Photography. "Essentially, that's because the entire community came together to make it work." (These are Bob's pictures; there are about 250 more you can see here.)
There was also marvelous food. "There was plenty, and a lot of variety," said Schlesinger. "BJ Harris was in charge of the food committee, and it was a great way to end her tenure on the Board."
There was also lots of entertainment. The groove band Ish played. (You can hear some of their tunes here.) Pyros of the Caribbean also wowed the crowd attending the soiree at the Great Cruz Bay villa owned by Janet and Martin Marshall.
The photographic skills of the island's Steve Simonsen will be on display at the Bajo el Sol Gallery in Mongoose Junction this month. This is his third show there.
Titled "Into the Light," the works are all about light from different perspectives, said Janet Simonsen.
"Filtering through sunlit Caribbean ocean water, in a corkscrew canyon, on a coral reef, on a starry night," she explained. Most of the photographs were shot on and around St. John. Two were captured at a slot canyon in Arizona. Prices will range from, approximately, $250 to $1,000.
Besides a variety of light, there are also a lot of angles to Simonsen's work. Some pictures were taken from helicopters, some on land, and some underwater (where his talent really shines).
There are 17 images in the exhibition which opens with a reception at 5 p.m. on November 25. It will be on view at the gallery during December.
It's not unusual to see a helicopter winging across the island.
The Inquiring Iguana, by nature a pessimist, always thinks there's always a real estate developer on board, imaging where he'll draw lot lines on the parcel he's just bought to subdivide. But, truth be known, more often there's probably an artist on board, like St. John's Steve Simonsen.
For Steve, photography is often about the point of view. He's made a career of shooting award-winning images from both above and below; in the sky and under the ocean.
This shot is part of a series over the three islands. It features the Annaberg Ruins.
William Torrillo is keeping his nose to the grindstone, or at least his eye in the viewfinder as he builds the archive for his someday-to-be-published guidebook to the Virgin Islands.
While gathering material, he's posting some of his gorgeous images on his blog at OldMango.com.
Torrillo's also holding himself out for commercial shoots, family portraits and even weddings (as low as $200).
"Oct 2009…from Cruz Bay… a magical time for my family…
there for daughter and her beloved to get married."
Kate Armstrong
"I took this in May 2004 from my balcony at Battery Hill while testing my new camera. It saddens me that I haven't been back since that trip. At the time, I had a one year old, now I've got three kids and as soon as they are all strong swimmers we are coming back so I can teach them about the island, the reefs, fish, and how fragile they are."
Mark from Oakton, Va.
"Took this sunset photo a few years ago (2008 May). View is from our Condominium at Gallows Point."
Ron & Michelle Rossio
|
"I don't see em too often, but drove out to the east end a couple of years ago to watch one and this is what I got! Maybe I should wake up at 4am more often!" Brian Holt "Sunrise from this past October, taken from high above Hart Bay." John from NH |
Andrew Burnett is a traveler and photographer. he’s done a few videos of St. John and this is one of them. The focus is Honeymoon Beach, a short walk from the Caneel Bay Resort.
“Sugary white sands and normally calm waters make Honeymoon the perfect spot for sun seekers and snorkelers alike,” he wrote in this YouTube posting. Produced by Burnett and his Come Out And Play Productions. [email protected]
One of our readers, Mark Kichler, spent some time on the island at the end of July.
He took lots of pictures and built a nice slide show using the Animoto service.
It lets you produce professional-looking presentations/.slideshows/animations easily on both your desktop or iPhone.
He sent along a link to his video. Click to relax.
Thanks, Mark.