Hawaii Sunsets: Moody Maui

I can’t believe it was only a year ago, that I was capturing these stunning and mystical sunsets in Maui, Hawaii.

Hopefully, these landscape shots brighten up your day while in Shelter In Place!

Exposure Isn't Everything

Sometimes perfect exposure doesn't always mean getting the shot that you're after. For example, in this fine-art photograph I wanted to give this stretch of Manhattan Beach  an ethereal appearance and therefore chose to use my histograms to over-expose the image, defying normal convention. This produced a somewhat dreamy effect helped by the already hazy conditions.

I really like this effect as it helps to draw attention to composition and color as well as creating a very specific mood. I'm therefore working on a series of these shots with a similar effect from different beaches. I've included another one here with a similar effect achieved from a beach in Miami. 

Using Manfrotto's Xume System

I've had a lot of fun the last few months experimenting with Manfrotto's new lens filter suite which works with the Xume system. Essentially, the system means that you can attach filters to your lenses much faster and more efficiently using magnets rather than having to waste time screwing them on, risking breakages or damaging equipment as with conventional systems. Take a look at this video I made below: 

Here's an article I also wrote explaining a little bit more in depth on the system and how it can be used practically in the field to help you take better photos and not miss that perfect shot...just click on the photo below! 

Photographing Venice at Midnight

During a recent trip to visit the HQ of Manfrotto in Bassono Del Grappo in Italy, I was fortunate enough to have an evening free to explore Venice. Giorgio, who looks after all of Manfrotto's ambassadors globally, kindly agreed to be my guide for the evening and it was fantastic to have a local show me around the winding streets and canals of this historic, beautiful and unique city.

We braved temperatures of about -3C and spent around four hours traversing the streets and discovering the beauty of Venice by night under a clear, starry sky. The cold worked to our advantage as the city was deserted adding to its mystery and charm - Giorgio explained the history of this unique place and showed me some beautiful hidden gems that you would never find as a tourist. I still can't quite believe Venice has managed to remain so unique with it only being accessible by boat, having no road names, and maintaining a charm that is unrivaled in no other place I've been to. The advantage of photographing Venice at night is that you do not have to deal with the hoards of tourists and it is so easy to get lost amongst the winding canals, bridges and streets as you discover hidden gem after gem to shoot. Below are just a couple of my favourite photos from our walk. 

P.s. If you're going to shoot Venice at night a sturdy and light tripod is essential. Firstly, there is not much ambient light so you are going to want to use long shutter speeds and secondly you are going to have to a lot of walking...I'd carry as light weight a tripod as you can and think about how much gear you want to take before heading out...your legs, shoulders and back will thank you later!