#photolessonsbyessdras When it comes to #portraitphotography is all about capturing a bit of the essence or personality of your subject.

This is @jasonlsilva the host of @natgeo #braingames whom I had the pleasure of photographing as he gave a presentation a couple of weeks back in #sanjuanpuertorico for the @bellagroup ...

#photolesdonsbyesssdras Your goal as a photographer should be that of creating interesting images that make the viewer spend just a little bit longer examining your photo. .
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* Color or B&W? ...

#photolessonsbyessdras Having people in your composition can give the viewer a sense of size perspective and relatability.
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NOTE: I’ve photographed this statue many times but it was until I saw people working on it that I could tell it’s real size. .

* Color or B&W? ...

Great day at @uflorida talking to students at my alma mater. It’s been a full decade since I was last here and it’s mind blowing how much it’s changed. Lots of great TV, Radio & multimedia studios full of technologically advanced and immersive communication experiences being offered to students. Definitely the place to go if your focus is in communications. Go #floridagators !!! ...

#photolessonsbyessdras When doing #streetphotography walk with an open heart, open mind, and open spirit. Carry a smile on your face and be honest in your purpose and humble in your dealings with your subjects.
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Video by @joel.hernandezmarin.3 ...

From last week in Trinidad, Cuba.

#photolessonsbyessdras As photographers we are slaves to light our goal should be that of becoming masters of light.

This means we should strive to understand light so we’ll that no matter what kind of light we are dealing with, we should be able to produce a great photo..
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* Color or B&W? ...

#photolessonsbyessdras There a myriad of reasons why Cuba is one of the best places in the world for #streetphotography One the most important ones is that you and your camera are very likely to be welcomed with a smile and a nod.

Thank you to @joel.hernandezmarin.3 for the video. @thinktankphoto ...

Quite a week working for @bellagroup I’m so grateful for the opportunity of being part of their 60th Anniversary. I was tasked to do the photos for their commemorative book. Thank you @bellagroup.
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#photography #photographer #nikonz9 #nikonz6II #nikonz7 #photodocumentary ...

Today! 350 people group shot! 😬 ...

A bit about what we did yesterday. This week: Feeling lucky, blessed, and honored once more for having the opportunity of working in #sanjuanpuertorico for a great company @bellagroup and the Lopez Lay / Estéve family. Always fun, always a pleasure. Always thankful. ...

#photolessonsbyessdras One way of creating sophisticated images is by adding layers of information to your composition. Usually, the more layers, the more interesting your photos are.

* First layer: Three boys watching the game
* Second layer: Kid w the ball running forward w the other kid guarding him.
* Third layer: The mural, specifically the jumping silhouette moving in the same direction as the kid with the ball.

* Color or B&W?

#NikonZ9
70-200mm 2.8
F5.0
1/12,800th
ISO: 500
Comp. Value: -0.7
Aperture mode ...

#photolessonsbyessdras A “feathered sunburst” is what happens when you use a high aperture (i.e. F18, F22, etc.) while you point your camera directly at the sun (or other source of light) but partially block it with a solid object. This tends to produce the best-possible defined sunburst. .
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* Color or B&W? .
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Tech stuff: .
#nikonZ6II
30-40 4.0S
F22
ISO 640
1/250th of a second
Exp. Value: - 1.7
Mode: Aperture mode ...

#photolessonsbyessdras When telling the story of a place, work the angles, the perspectives, look for graphic elements, and decisive moments.

Place: Christopher Columbus Cemetery in Havana, Cuba ...

#photolessonsbyessdras During one of our EMS Photo Adventures’ Cuba, a Photographic Journey programs, while visiting El Morro castle across de Havana Harbor. This location provides a wonderful setting to get scenic shots of the Havana skyline.

Excited to be going back in a couple of weeks with another group of photo aficionados. After that, we have one more trip left for this season in March. If interested and you want more info DM. ...

What a year!!! It’s been full of blessings and surprises at a personal level and with my photo your company EMS Photo Adventures. We’ve been to Panamá, Ireland, Mexico, NY, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. @sarasuarezv22 @rnank @laurahmaldonado 🙏🙏🙏

May the new year bring you all health, happiness and prosperity🙏🙏 ...

#photolessonsbyessdras .
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How about this idea for a New Year’s photo resolution:.

Pick one subject to photograph over and over again. This will allow you to practice and will challenge your creativity. You’ll be amazed at what you can concoct. .
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** Whats going to be yours?

My personal challenge: The Washington Monument

Interesting facts about the Washington Monument: .

1. The original design for the monument looked more like a mixture between the Jefferson Memorial and the current version of the Monument.
2. The original design was supposed to cost $1 million (about $32.5 million in today’s equivalent.) By the time the new design was finished, it cost $1.4 million (equivalent to about $8 million in today’s world).
3. The cornerstone was laid on Independence Day 1848 and it wasn’t until four decades and a half later that it was finished.
4. The Monument opened its doors to the public 95 years after the death of the first US president.
5. The Monument is made of two different shades of white stone.
6. The very tip of the monument is not made out of gold, or silver but aluminum.
7. The Monument is the tallest obelisk in the world.
8. In DC, no other building can be taller than the Monument.
9. Fifty American flags circle the base of the monuments.
10. The monument is the only presidential monument in DC that requires a ticket. ...

#photolessonsbyessdras Photographing in frigid conditions brings graphic elements to life for the stark contrast of the snow against everything else makes even the most mundane things seem unusually appealing.
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* Write below 1, 2, or 3 and let me know your favorite.

NOTE: Having lived in Boston for a dozen years, I am no stranger to extreme cold. But the inclement weather hitting a swath of the US is not normal. It has caused material losses to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars and even dozens of fatalities.

So, if you are going to go out there to make some photos remember to stay warm, stay safe and keep in mind No Photo is Worth your Life! ...

#photolessonsbyessdras When doing #streetphotography and encountering someone you find interesting enough for an impromptu portrait session. Know that you’ll never know if they’d be willing to pose for you unless you ask them.

Last week, after walking by a table where Bella @bella_hizzy and her boyfriend Neal were sitting down. I told my #WPS private photo workshop student she’d be a great portrait subject. But I wasn’t sure if the person sitting with her would be okay if I were to ask her to pose for some photos... the only way to know was to ask.

Well, I did, and she and her boyfriend turned out to be the nicest people. The moral of the story is: The worst type of photo is the one you never try to make.

Model: #NIKONZ9
Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 1000
Aperture: 4
Shutter: 1/125th - 1/200th
Exp. Comp.: -0.3- -0.7
Program: Aperture Priority ...

#photolessonsbyessdras As you move through the world make mental notes of places or things that you think would make for good photos under different circumstances. Then make it a point to come back under the right conditions: i.e. better light, different weather conditions, etc.

* Do you prefer the red-color predominant photo or the one with the different colors?

Tech stuff:

NIKON Z 9
Lens (mm): 200
ISO: 3200
Aperture: F6.3- F22
Shutter: 1/80th- 1/5th
Exp. Comp.: -1.0
Program: Aperture Priority ...