St. John - Cannel Bay

Caneel Bay is on the west side of St. John, surrounded by the Virgin Islands National Park. Cannel played a key role in St. John’s historic slave revolt of 1733. There are many historic ruins scattered around the grounds; most notable is the Caneel sugar mill, which today hosts one of the resort's restaurants. Rockefeller sailed into Caneel Bay back in the 1950s, laid his eyes on the Caneel Bay property, and envisioned a resort. He started buying up property on the island and eventually donated it to the U.S. government, giving birth to the national park.  This legacy of appreciating natural beauty is at the core of Caneel Bay and its many visitors. 

What a photographer's paradise!  The ruins and the vegetation are breathtaking. During that particular day, I took many shots with film and digital media.  The following picture was taken from inside the ruins looking at the beautiful surroundings.  The crowded grounds make it sometimes difficult to focus and compose. This picture was taken at ISO 100 with my Mamiya 80mm lens at F8 / 1/100 mounted on a Kodak DCS 760 with Nikon adapter. Cannel will always be dear to my heart and my eyes...

The Passing of my Father in France

Last week, March 4th,  my father passed away.  After a long battle with illness, he passed away peacefully while being treated for his condition at the Nantes hospital. My father was an avid gardener and a flower lover. He spent countless hours in gardens during his lifetime.   I remember him bringing home very nice flower bouquets to my mother. While in Bouguenais France attending his Funerals, an idea came to me: I took the Iris picture below in my sister's garden on March 8, the day of his Funerals, with the intention of framing it.  The picture was taken with my Mamiya 80mm lens at f2.8 1/1200 without at tripod.

St. John - Cruz Bay

St. John is home to the Virgin Islands National Park which protects over 7000 acres of the 12,500 acre island. It offers visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful natural resources of the island.  Cruz Bay Town in St. John is your ferry stop island entrance full of great restaurants, shops, places to stay, water sports outfitters, bars, and other points of attraction. Once you've visited Cruz Bay, you'll know why the natives call this place, Love City. Prestigious travel magazines such as National Geographic, Caribbean Travel and Life, and Islands have all at one time or another declared the beaches of St. John USVI to be among the best in the world.

I have been trying to apply three guidelines to every photograph I took during my journey:  First, decide on the subject of the photograph, then draw the attention of the viewer to my subject and finally strive for simplification. To achieve razor-sharp image every time you really need to focus precisely on the subject and avoid the possibility of camera shake by using a tripod or a very fast shutter speed.  I used both a Giotto tripod and a Manfrotto monopod for most of my photo sessions.