Stoned Wheat Thins?

Yes, I thought this was amusing, so I photographed it in my studio. The setup I used for this shot is common for products. The background paper is solid gray but the background gradient results from the light falling off as the background paper bends upward and away from the product. I used a 44" soft box, hanging directly over the product, facing down. The large soft box provides even lighting on all sides with no hard shadows. Because it is facing down, there is no direct light on the background paper behind the product. All other lights in the studio were off so there was no other ambient light. No adjustments were made to this image other than adding the text.

Nikon D7000 with Nikkor 50mm f/2.0 manual focus lens. Exposure: f/8 1/60 ISO 100. Studio strobe with 44" soft box

Teen Paranormal Romance?

Wow. I'm glad my local Barnes and Noble has an entire section dedicated to this.

What Do You Think Keeps Him Jolly?

That's a good question. I really don't know. I also have no idea what this piece of advertising is trying to accomplish. I remember seeing this in a store window but I don't remember the store or what they were selling. Frequently, I see advertising that goes out of its way to be clever and memorable, yet fails to sell the product. So the question remains. Was it a clothing store? A liquor store? A dentist? An adult video store? Anyone have any clue?

This photo was taken with my EVO 4G.

QR Codes are Everywhere!

In case you didn't already know, QR codes (Quick Response codes) are those funny looking little boxes filled with a pattern of tiny square "pixels". Normally you see them in print advertising and when you scan them with your smartphone, you can receive more information about the product. Here's one on the door of this van. I took this photo with my phone while we were stopped at a light but I think giving people another reason to do something with their phone while they're driving is a REALLY BAD idea! If you agree with me, call the company and tell them to take the QR codes off their vehicles.

Confused...

Okay, I'm a little confused. Does anyone else see a problem here? This mishmash of signage is on Oakland Park Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale, by the Intracoastal bascule bridge.

Vacant land in Fort Lauderdale

For your viewing pleasure, I photographed this large section of vacant land on East Sunrise Blvd. in Fort Lauderdale, FL. There used to be a number of stores and shops on this land. There were two car dealers, a clothing store, and a couple of fast food chain restaurants. Now there is nothing. Sign of the times? Perhaps.

VAG Plaza

I pass by this sign almost every day. It's in Pompano Beach on US1, just north of Atlantic. Its a nice sign, right? Every woman I show this to thinks its hilarious and can't even believe its real. When I show this photo to men, some get it but most scratch their heads and ask me what they're supposed to be looking at. I wonder what the people think who work at the various stores in the plaza? What about the company who made the sign? What does the property owner's mother think? What they need in this plaza is a gynecologist. Maybe several.

Gator Jerky

Driving back from Tampa, I pass through Yeehaw Junction. At some point in history, people thought this intersection of State Roads 60 and 441 would become a booming little town. It didn't happen. Gas stations that were on three of the four corners have all been torn down. Tall weeds grow where the car wash used to be. The only things remaining are the Desert Inn and a guy selling "P-Nuts" and Gator Jerky out of his 1978 Ford pickup.

Stop Her!

I'm standing near the intersection of Oakland Park Blvd. and US1 in Fort Lauderdale. I'm looking for something to shoot. I see words within words. I move a bit forward and then to the right, watching for traffic. There's a bus coming. I step back. A moment later I step forward again and line up the words. Click. ISO 200 F/5.6 1/250.

I've had a very busy week. I spent all weekend trying to get caught up with client work after completely reconstructing my office. I shot this photo during my 4pm lunch break. No matter how busy I am, I always take a few minutes to sit and look at everything around me. I think many people would be surprised at the things they would see if they just took the time to notice. If I ever become so wrapped up in the commercial world that I fail to notice random things like this, I hope one of my friends will smack me. =)