Portofino blues
Blue hour at the Portofino Resort in Orlando, FL...
No, not THAT Portofino. :-)
Sadly, this was not shot in Italy in the beautiful coastal town of Portofino - I've never been there (yet - there must always be a yet!). I captured this one at the Portofino Resort in Orlando FL, which looks really nice but I can't confirm how accurate it is in terms of portraying the original. But I can confirm that it's a great place to take photos! :-)
Faux Paris
Twilight descends upon the French Pavilion at EPCOT, and I am firing away, pretending that I am really in Paris..
EPCOT is a great park for a world tour sampler!
While I am not a big theme park sort of person, I really enjoy visiting EPCOT. The World Showcase there is a lot of fun for me, primarily because it's sort of like taking a really quick world tour. It almost scratches my wanderlust itch, since it feels like you are in a lot of different countries in a short amount of time.
The last time we visited, I made sure to be in the France area at dusk. I think they do a great job of making it feel like Paris. The architecture is just right and with the right light you can almost feel like you are in Paris. Almost. But it's a lot closer to get to than the real one!
A lovely Floridian sunset
A pair of photos from a lovely sunset in Destin, Florida...
I'm hoping that Florida is recovering from the hurricane!
Watching all the hurricane madness in Houston and across Florida and the Caribbean is a pretty sobering thing to do. I feel blessed that I don't know anyone (at least that I have heard of yet) that was seriously impacted by these terrible storms. Such a tragic situation.
I do love Florida and have found many spots there that I enjoy visiting. This is Destin, and it's definitely a beautiful spot (and to my knowledge, not impacted by the storm). We were there well over a year ago for a couple of days, just enough time to squeeze in a little sunset shooting. I'm hoping the beaches and the people are all back together and moving forward soon.
A big bunch of EPCOT photos
We recently visited the EPCOT them park in Orlando, FL and I had a great time taking a BUNCH of photos there. Here are 15 photographs that illustrate the beauty of this park. It's like a miniature world tour in one day!
Hey, it's all about EPCOT today!
Spaceship Earth at the entrance to EPCOT in Orlando, FL
Who wants to go on a world tour? :-)
Have you been to EPCOT? You know, the theme park at Disney in Orlando, FL? If not, I think it's worth a visit. In fact, it's my favorite park just about anywhere. In particular, I am fond of the World Showcase. It's a portion of the park that simulates the locale and cuisine of 11 different countries from around the world. Considering my penchant for travel, it's no surprise I love it there. It feels like a big, crazy around the world trip, but you do it in one day!
I first went to EPCOT many years ago, and have always enjoyed my visits there. I've been to Orlando on business several times, and even then I try to wrangle a little free time to visit the park and go on a mini world tour. It's fun.
The large tori gate in the Japanese section of EPCOT, during sunset.
AFter sunset there at the tori gate, I turned around and got this shot of the main building in the Japanese Pavilion.
So when we were in Florida about a month ago, we took one day and spent it at EPCOT. While it's quite fun to wander around there and get a taste of the culture of each country, for me it's a great photo expedition with a lot of varied subject matter. And believe me, I fired a LOT of shots that day!
While the entire park is fun and photogenic, I have some preferences, which I have previously shared on this list here on the blog, entitled Top Photo Spots at EPCOT. After typing up this post, I went ahead and added several new photos to that list, since I now have them. :-)
We started out under a bright Florida sky (it is the Sunshine State, after all), but luckily the clouds that were present earlier in the day stuck around, and by sunset I was sort of getting excited. While I am happy to photograph any sunset, I always prefer to have some clouds in it, as I find it adds more drama and interest to the photo. Plus, you never know if something spectacular might happen.
EPCOT is built around a huge lagoon, so I am always looking for shots across the water - this one being a distant view of Spaceship Earth.
Another bright afternoon shot, but this one at the Chinese Pavilion at EPCOT. I love the architecture in the park.
As it turned out, the sunset got really interesting while I was in the France Pavilion, and so I stuck around there all the way through blue hour. I love the shots I came away with too, especially that vertical one of the fountains with the Eiffel Tower replica in the distance. That's one of my recent favorites.
And truthfully, the entire French area is probably my favorite. It's really beautiful - like everything else in France - and to my eye they have done a really good job making it "feel" like France. Down to the music playing, the architecture, the food and more, it just actually seems like you are in France.
So yeah, I spent quite a while taking photos there!
My favorite shot, of the fountains in the France Pavilion.
This was a quick snap from the England portion of the park.
The popular Les Chefs de France restaurant in the France Pavilion at EPCOT, just after sunset.
The only challenge (for me, at least) with shooting at EPCOT is the crowds. It's obviously a popular park and thus it gets pretty full of tourists, just about any hour of day. While you can occasionally wait it out, it's hard and very unpredictable. So I tend to shoot and move on, though I got lucky in a few of these and was able to get them (nearly) empty.
Anyway, if you find yourself in Orlando and haven't been to EPCOT yet, I highly recommend it. It makes for a fun and photogenic day!
Sunset with the France Pavilion in the distance.
Another sunset shot from France, taken a few minutes later than the last one.
This was taken in the Canada section. I was drawn in by all the lines and colors.
They set up this area in France to look like you are walking along the Seine in Paris.
Another view from the Japanese Pavilion - this one of their koi pond.
A closeup of the koi pond.
One last view of the tori gate in Japan.
Sunset on the Emerald Coast
On our recent jaunt to Florida and back, we spent a night in Destin. We had heard about the beaches there and just had to check them out. Check out these photos of a stunning sunset I captured there and get my thoughts on the place as well. Enjoy!
A stunning sunset in Destin, FL
I'm not really a beach guy. I tend to prefer the cool air and stunning landscapes of the mountains. So maybe I'm a mountain man? Given the choice, I would head for the high ground every time - and bring my camera, of course.
But on our recent trip over to Florida (we were in Orlando to visit the Harry Potter theme park), we made a stop in Destin while making our way back home to Texas. Destin was chosen primarily out of convenience, but having heard so much about it over the years, we all wanted to check it out and really see if it was as beautiful as we had heard it was (we stopped there for a night on the way to Orlando too, but barely had the time to see it). We had heard about how the beaches there have such sugary, white sand and emerald green waters, so we had to inspect it for ourselves.
We're fan. Big fans. It's really gorgeous!
“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.” ― Rabindranath Tagore
It really just took a short sunset walk along this gorgeous beach to get us all hooked (and what a sunset it turned out to be!). While we enjoy our trips down to the Texas coast, our beaches here are not the same. The beach in Destin is just absolutely gorgeous. The sand feels like sugar - and looks like it (though with these shots being taken at sunset, you can't tell - so just trust me). The water does look sort of aqua-green in color, which you can get a sense of in the photo above. I can see why they named it the Emerald Coast.
We have already talked about planning a return trip. It's about a 2 day drive from Austin, TX which is pretty doable. After our trip last summer, 2 days feels like it flies by. It really does. That hardly counts as a drive these days. :-)
While I don't want to lay around on a beach all day - it's just not my thing - I can certainly give it a try, especially if the day ends with a sunset like this one. Sign me up!
Also, I shot all of these photos handheld with my Sony 28mm f/2 prime lens, which is awesome. You can read about that here. It's a fabulously small yet capable lens and I just love walking around with it on my Sony A7II. They make a great pair! I've been using it a lot and if you are interested, check out my review. It includes sample photos (including a couple of these) as well as some thoughts on what I like about the lens.
Finally getting the shot at Portofino
If you find yourself in Orlando, FL be sure and swing by the beautiful Portofino Bay Resort at Universal Studios for a photograph or two. I caught a nice sunset there recently and today I share a collection of photos from that outing. It's a gorgeous place and really looks like Italy!
No, not that Portofino. That will have to be later. ;-)
Cloudy, dramatic skies over Portofino Bay Resort in Orlando, FL
My wife, daughter and I piled in the car recently and took a road trip over to Orlando, FL. We went specifically to celebrate my daughter's birthday and explore the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios. If you haven't been yet, just go. The whole experience is awesome and I loved the park. If you have kids (and especially if they are fans of HP), they will eat it up.
And yes, I tried butterbeer - and it's delicious!
Anyways, one thing I made a point of doing while there was slipping off to the Portofino Resort nearby and grabbing some shots of the hotel. While it's not exactly like being in Italy, it's a beautiful spot and well worth a visit (at least for some photos - I didn't have time to go inside and explore or dine). I have seen countless photos from here over the years, and despite being in Orlando several times, I've never had a chance to shoot it - until now.
Portofino Bay Resort in Orlando, FL - such a great representation of Italy!
So late one cloudy afternoon, I hopped on the water taxi from Universal and 5 minutes later I was standing here in front of Portofino, setting up my camera on my tripod and getting ready to fire away. It had rained on and off all day, so I knew I had to quickly fire away just in case it started up again. Though I must admit, the threatening skies were the main reason I went that day. I love the drama of cloudy skies in my photos. I feel it's much more interesting than plain old blue skies.
Thankfully the rain held off the entire time I was here shooting, and I even caught some great light and clouds in the process. It ended up being one of my favorite outings during the week we were here, mostly due to the beautiful stuff I was pointing my camera at (and that I had it all to myself with hardly any tourists in sight!)!
In a couple of these shots, you can see I made some alterations to the generally overcast and gray/blue skies that I had while there. In those cases I used split toning in Lightroom, which is my new favorite thing to do. You can read all about split toning here if you are interested in hearing more about it. In short, it's a very powerful and yet simple way to change up your shots. I love it!
Enjoy the photos and let me know if you have any questions!
Sunset light over the marina at Portofino Bay Resort in Orlando, FL
Sunset in Naples
I caught this sunset in Naples, FL earlier this year. Obviously, it was incredible. That's about all I have to say about that!
EPCOT's Chinese temple
First of all, I just want to say THANK YOU to those who continue to visit my site frequently, I really appreciate that. Also, thanks for those of you who leave comments here or on Facebook, as well as the Likes and Shares. I am still enjoying Santa Fe with the family (which you would know if you subscribe to my public updates on FB here - and you could see some iPhone shots there too!), and will be coming home soon with a load of great new pics to share.
Daily Photo: EPCOT's Chinese temple
I love EPCOT, which you surely know if you have visited here much in the past. It's such a great concentration of different cultures that it feels like a quick world tour. Yes, I know it's staged, but having been to many of the places represented there (Germany, Canada, Italy for example) I feel like they do a great job of making you feel like you are really there. I haven't been to China yet, but I bet this is a good representation of it. Well, except for that trash bin. :)
Campanile reflections
Shooting at EPCOT is just plain fun. It's like a million mini-vacations rolled into one. One minute you are shooting in Japan, then you are in Italy looking at this beautiful scene. Throw in some nice color in the sky at sunset, and it makes for a pretty exciting time with the camera!
The Italian wine bar at EPCOT
Oh, EPCOT. I do enjoy this place. In fact it came up today in a conversation with some friends. By the way, hope everyone had a great Easter weekend. We had a great day today with family and friends - had some good food, ate some candy, hid some eggs, ate some more candy, watched a little Masters golf (great finish) and might have had a little more candy when no one else was looking. But let's keep that quiet, shall we?
Ok, back to EPCOT. It's quite a place, whether you bring a camera or not (but of course you should). I love all the different snippets of culture that they have recreated there - it gives you sort of a mini-whirlwind tour of some great spots. Which reminds me that I am getting ready for a whirlwind tours of sorts as well, real soon. More on that later. You'll have to come back to read about it - and see the photos of course!
Hope you enjoy the photo, and thanks for stopping by!
Paris in Florida
Oh how I enjoy my visits to EPCOT. It's fun to cram 20 countries and cultures into a few hours, but it does get tiring. The good thing is that when you get tired, you can go find a quiet little spot in a corner, soak up a little more culture, and relax. I had done just that over in the French section of EPCOT and was gearing up for some more photos when this scene caught my eye. It really looks Parisian to me - they do a fine job there of recreating the feel of certain places.
Goodnight, Spaceship
This is Spaceship Earth, which is sorta the centerpiece of EPCOT at DisneyWorld in Orlando, FL. It sits on the edge of this lagoon, and has all these cool lights, so it's a great spot to get some shots there at night after you have (hopefully) HDR'd all over the rest of EPCOT (which I consider an HDR heaven). I had just witnessed (and photographed) the laser light show which happens over the lagoon, and was walking to the exit when I saw this scene, and thought, "well, maybe one more shot". This is a basic long exposure, no HDR this time. But more coming next week!
Walking the beach in Naples
I tend to be more of a mountain guy as opposed to a beach guy, but I can totally get the beauty of a wonderful beach under a blue sky. There is something about it that appeals to me at some level. I caught this shot while wandering along the beach in Naples, FL. I only had a little free time there and knew I wanted to see the ocean up close. What I didn't know is how close I was going to get. Take a look at this second photo. The beach was COVERED in shells, literally. They were everywhere, and lots of those little conchs were walking around like they owned the place. It was awesome!
The Torii Gate at EPCOT
I love EPCOT. In addition to offering up so many wonderful photo opportunities, it's a great cultural experience. It's not like being there, but it sure is a good substitute when you are longing for some internationalism kinda stuff. I have always wanted to visit Japan and someday hope to photograph that beautiful country. For now though, I am totally fine firing off shots like this, pretending I am there.
One other place I have always wanted to visit is Ireland, and that is happening as I type this. I got into Dublin over the weekend and have TONS of shots to process and stories to share with everyone, so look for that coming soon! I also have some iPhone shots I will be sharing on my iPhoneography blog, in case you want to see them. More soon!
Wandering at the Ritz
Thanks everyone for all the visits and comments this week, I really appreciate it! I am a bit behind on returning the favors, and am preparing for a big trip wherein I hope to return with lots of photos. More soon!
This is the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Naples, FL. Actually, there are two of them there. Isn't that odd? Two Ritz-Carlton Hotels in one not-so-big town, separated by just about 3 miles. It's true. There is one on the beach, and the other one (featured in this photo) is on a golf course. I know because I went to the wrong one first, before making my way to this one. Anyways, one morning while there I popped out for a stroll around the grounds, while carrying my Nikon of course! Always make time for that!