We went to Tampa for a wedding…

I was in Tampa a few weekends ago for a wedding and went for a little walk.  Here’s what I found….

More later….ML

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Hot and Gooey…Fire and Sugar – Michael LoBiondo Charlotte Photographer

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Winter Cooking

We had fabulous food, decent football and just a few naps over the last couple of days. I love the crackling of the fire and the quiet that surrounds the fire pit…the cold air and the melting smores. I always use the large marshmallows because the small ones are really only good for the sweet potatoes. I think one of the best parts of Thanksgiving food is all the leftovers that become this week’s lunches.

Here’s to food, fire and melting chocolate!!
More later…ML

Charlotte Photographer

Editorial Photography: Summer’s Over

Tisha's Fine Dining: Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Tisha’s Fine Dining

Labor day is a celebration of the fruits of our labor.  It’s also the end of summer.  Resort areas close down and await next springs painting, repairing and cleanup.  Places show summer’s wear and tear, some more than others.  I’m just happy to get the sand out of our toes and the rugs in the car.

More later…ML

Can you still swim?

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

at least they let you swim…

You get to the beach, you have your beach chairs, cooler, blankets, frisbee, lotion, radio (ipod with speakers?)…and you have to buy beach tags to play on the sand and all the other stuff has to go back in the car!  You can still swim and other….things (not on the sign! Besides, sand gets everywhere).  I remember the old days, where you could do all this and more as long as you were nice to your beach neighbors and picked up your trash (not on sign, either).

So have fun at the beach this holiday weekend.  The beaches are open, the water is still cool and the smell of the ocean is intoxicating.  Just make sure you pick up your trash and be home by dark:-)

More later….ML

Architecture Photography-More Images of Nashville TN

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Walking Bridge to Nashville

I wanted to post one more Architecture Photography image from my trip to Nashville TN from a few weeks ago.  Now that the rains have stopped and we can see blue sky again here in Charlotte.  This image does illustrate a point that you don’t always need perfect blue skies to get a great shot.

The other note on this image is that a few years ago, this river flooded…over the tops of the banks seen here in the background and up almost to the top where the bridge deck is.  Massive amounts of rain in a very short time.  I have other shots of this bridge and the city on Flickr and you can get a different look at the banks and imaging the water going over the bank and 2 blocks up into downtown.  We’re talking “Noah” time.

If you have seen my previous blogs you might notice that our website has changed.  There are a lot of people to thank for this and I will do so in later posts when we work out all the bugs.  Please leave me your comments and opinions of the site.

As I said, I have more shots of Nashville on my Flickr site even the ones I posted on Facebook while I was there.  Of course, a shout out to the Farm Bureau and all our local farmers.  Bring a kid to a farm.  Let them know their food doesn’t come from the grocery store but from the ground and a pig and a cow (just sayin’).

Time to put our money where our mouth is…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Get out and Vote

It’s time for a little revolution.  Every 2 years we get to choose our government.  Keep it, or start anew.  Through the billions of dollars, months of advertising we finally get to choose.  I’m not advocating whom to choose, just that it’s important that you choose.  If you don’t choose, you give up the right to complain or even boast about the people in our government. Drive, walk, ride,swim, run, hobble, fly, crawl…just get out and VOTE.  Just remember, if you don’t like who wins, you get to throw THEM out in 2 years.  Don’t ya’ just love America.

Note: No animals, flags, or ties where hurt during this production.

More later…ML

Let’s crack some eggs…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Crack some Eggs

It’s a cool Monday morning and how better to start the week by “cracking some eggs”.  It’s a term that says, ” let’s get going”, “get a move on”, insert your’s here (….. ).  Time to buckle up and get moving!!!

More later…

ML

Jury Duty…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Welcome to Jury Duty

I was on jury duty for the last 3 days.  The group dynamic in a small room is very interesting.  I think everyone should sit on a jury at least once in their life and you get a whole new appreciation of our legal system, the constitution, and just plain ole’ folks.  First, the defendant is on trial, then the district attorney, the defense lawyer and last, the jury itself.  No matter how concrete the evidence is, reasonable doubt, or lack of it, rules the day.  Everyone’s personality gets a chance to shine or show it’s “behind” as it were.  I love watching people’s faces (it’s what we do!) and the entire stage show with it’s cast of characters.

It was jury appreciation week and we were treated to cookies and popcorn, music and massages.  The folks who took care of us including the deputies went out of their way to make us feel comfortable and taken care of.  They realize how stressful it can be to “be on display” for a judge and lawyers.  Although, now that it’s over, I am glad to be back to my reality.  Back to being creative and “makin’ pictures”!!

More later…

Michael

Chairs by the seaside…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Chairs by the seaside..

I have this fascination with taking photographs where ordinary things we see everyday from angles or perspectives that you don’t ordinarily see.  These chairs are standing (sitting?) at attention like they are waiting for something to emerge from the ocean or the far horizon.  What are they thinking, what do they see?  Are they just at rest while waiting for the next person to sit on them or have they already done their job and enjoying the gaze of the sunset  and the peace of the ocean.  Do they hear the rustle of the breeze or the crashing of the waves?  Maybe they are just chairs in the grass!

More later…

ML

Big Pipe for New York City

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

86 inch pipe and welder

We shoot a lot this time of year for annual reports and we go to a number of great locations.  This is a pipe foundry in Bristol TN.  They are making water pipe for New York City and this one tops out at 86 inches.  That’s a bunch of H2O!!  This one section is about 40 feet in length.  Think of all the pipe you have to form, weld, and haul from Tennessee to NY.  The sections have to fit on a flat bed trailer to ship.  It’s almost inconceivable the amount of pipe they have to manufacture and move to New York.

I love these situations because the light is funky and I can get dramatic and crazy with lighting.  The trick was to have a light at the back of the pipe and then position the model to block it.  There is also a small light coming through the side portal and then one front light.

This was processed in Lightroom and then layered to give a slight grungy look.  Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

More later…ml