HDR

A couple of weeks ago I took a workshop with master photographer, Howard Austin Feld.  Howard has been a fixture around South Florida for a very long time.  He has developed a revolutionary technique in digital imagary that has dazzled the photography, computer and art worlds.  He calls his technique “pixel impressionism.”  He was kind enough to share his technique with the class .

We had 3 days of shooting and one day on the computer working on the shots we had taken.  It was great experience because I had the opportunity to visit new photo-sites that I had never thought of to photograph and introduced to some fantastic models as well.

The best part of the class for me was learning to use a new program that synthesizes HDR.  HDR (High Dynamic Range Imaging) is a set of methods used in image processing, computer graphics, and photography, to allow a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than current standard digital imaging methods or photographic methods could produce.  It has endless possibilities, and the results, in my estimation, are painterly and surreal.
I have just posted some of the pictures that I completed on my website   http://www.mitchellblochphotography.com/hdr   Please take a look and let me know what you think.

Orchids and Flowers

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A few months ago I visited the American Orchid Society gardens in Del Ray Beach, Florida. I spent the day roaming amongst beautiful orchids, flowers and gardens. I went there with a black cardboard backdrop to place behind the orchids to isolate them. I must admit I looked ridiculous holding the back drop with one hand and shooting with the other. All the while people walking around and me waiting for a lull in the breeze.

I used a Nikon 105mm macro lens. If anyone has tried to photograph macro in a breeze you know how hard it is. The orchids were constantly moving back and forth. It was like shooting a moving target. I tried to get the most depth of field (most of the picture in focus) using a tripod and remote trigger set-up.

If you would like to see more pictures of that day please go to my website in the gallery labeled flowers. http://www.mitchellblochphotography.com/flowers

Pin-Up Girls at the Mendy House

This past Sunday I was lucky enough to be invited to a photo shoot at the Mendy house in Fort Lauderdale.  From the minute I walked up to the house I knew it was going to be a great experience.  The house is an old Mediterranean style structure with wood floors, fireplace, stucco walls and archways. The home has a very 1920′s vintage feeling.  It was a great backdrop for period shoot of this genre.  

The Mendy sisters, Erika and Tracy, made all the necessary arrangements for the models and providing this beautiful home for our shoot.  The home’s interior is detailed to accomodate photo sessions such as this or any other theme that a photographer, or group of photographers may choose.  Each room was furnished and accessorized with old-time props and the natural lighting was perfect.  Makeup artists were on hand during the shoot to provide their finishing touches as per the photographer’s request. 
The back yard of the house has garden paths and an old garage with great textured walls and old garage doors. The entire house and gardens were available to us for shooting. The models were beautiful and dressed in pin-up fashion and we all worked hard to get just the right pose. I felt like I was transformed back in time.
Please visit my website to view additional pictures.

http://www.mitchellblochphotography.com/

Mitchell

The Bread and Puppet Museum

You’d never guess that an old weathered barn, located in the small village of Glover, Vermont, would be home to some of the world’s largest and most outrageous puppets.  And I’d never guess that I’d be here photographing them in the middle of winter at 14 degrees and no heat!  Frozen to the core of my being, I could not pass up this opportunity.

What once began in New York city’s lower East Side as the Bread and Puppet Theater  is now a museum whose performances cover political, social and economic issues, entering the semi-retirement stage and finding their place in theatrical history.

Whether you find it humorous or haunting, being in the presence of these magnificent pieces of art will certainly have an effect on you.  It’s a place of imagination, of creativity and of a time when art forms interacted with us personally to present a message.

The barn houses puppets from only a few inches tall to masks that measure up to 18 feet from chin to forehead.  They’re propped in corners, lying on stairs and hanging from the rafters.  They fill every square inch of the building.  They are arranged as if the characters were frozen in time during their performance. These are the inspiration of primarily one man,  choreographer and sculptor, Peter Schumann and cover a period of over 4o years of performances.

And since this is not your typical museum concerned with preservation but rather a natural display subjected to the elements of time, I’d suggest you visit it sooner than later.

Feel free to visit my online gallery to view the entire collection:

http:www.mitchellblochphotography.com

Mitchell

Blue Cypress Lake

The cypress islands that nature created surpasses anything that even the best Disney designers could possibly envision.  Ageless, timeless, rooted through the water into the earth, they stand as monuments to time when Hernando de Soto and Ponce de Leon first discovered this tropical territory.

Located about 20 miles west of Vero Beach, Florida, lies the cypress haven known as Blue Cypress Lake.  Covering about 6500 square acres, Blue Cypress is home to some of the best bass fishing in the state as well as thousands of Osprey and countless alligators.

The name comes from the blue color appearance of the cypress as the morning sun reflects off the water.  The lake is only about 8 feet deep at its deepest point but from the surface is appears to hide an underground world that has yet to be discovered.  It’s a rare and fairly unknown spot and it took me over 30 years living in South Florida to find it.

If you love nature as much as I do, I think you’ll find these images will inspire you both spiritually and intellectually.

Feel free to browse through my entire gallery of images at:

http://www.mitchellblochphotography.com

Mitchell

The Everglades

Beyond the edge of civilization, nature returns to a time untouched by humans.  Aligators bask in the sun, wild rare birds feast off the land and the sawgrass prairie comes to life.  You can almost hear the echoes of indian tribes of centuries past as you make your way into a place that only a few dare to go each year.

Its mystery and beauty calls me back at least a few times each year.  Covering some of it by boat and some by foot, it never disappoints me and I always find new things that catch my eye.  Somehow the dangers that lurk seem less intimidating than the timeless landscape that surrounds me.

It was because of my Everglades shoots that I also decided to meet and study some fascinating techniques offered by one of the great masters, Clyde Butcher.  His personal input has helped me immensly and I’ll be forever greatful.

Feel free to view my entire Everglades gallery at:

http://mitchellblochphotography.com

I hope you enjoy The Everglades.

Mitchell

The Neon Boneyard

Established in 1996, The Neon Boneyard is a non-profit organization dedicated to collecting and preserving Las Vegas’ authentic art form…the neon signs.   Signs date from  l930 to the 1990’s and represent hotels, resorts, casinos and local businesses.

While the park is not open to the general public, special arrangements can be made to tour and photograph the memorabilia.  It’s quite an experience to be in the presence of signs that lit up the strip when the Rat Pack and Elvis were headlining in Vegas.

The signs are no longer electrified but their magnitude and structure are more than enough to testify to the power they once held.   You can notice the changes in sign technology, finishes, fittings, etc…with time having taken its toll but only enriching their mystigue.

Please feel free to visit my online gallery to see the full collection.  If you’d like to order a print, feel free to drop me an email and I can arrange the size, shipping, etc.   They are truly a unique piece of art.

http://www.mitchellblochphotography.com

Mitchell

Welcome to Mitchell Bloch Photography

The world is an exciting place, even in the quietest of times.  The shapes, colors and shadows often go unnoticed as we scurry through our day to day lives.  It takes but a fraction of a second to capture that moment and it’s with that image, that we sometimes come to a better understanding of who we are and what we feel.

Beauty surrounds us in every detail.  Noticing each detail enhances our awareness of balance, color and form.  The simplest thing becomes the most complicated while an image of chaos can often help us see things more clearly.

It’s a wonderful world and I invite you to join me on my journey.  As I travel and venture into new places, I will try to capture the essence of the subject but it will be up to you to interpret how it affects you.

I hope you enjoy viewing my images as much as I have enjoyed taking them.  View my portfolio gallery at:

http://www.mitchellblochphotography.com

Mitchell Bloch