My favorite Super Bowl Commercial was…

Photography by Michael LoBiondo

Future Farmer, seeder, planter,driver,farrier,milker,rider, etc…

I have a special place in my heart for farmers so my 2 cents for best commercial last night was the Ram Truck “so, God made a farmer”.  Here’s a link in you want to see it again: http://youtu.be/AMpZ0TGjbWE.  I get to spend some time with farmers every year but it’s not enough.  I grew up next to a farm, have cousins and uncles who are farmers, worked at a place that hauled farm goods and produce.  I can’t begin to know what it takes to be a farmer but I know that there’s never enough appreciation for what they do.

So when you look at that apple or head of broccoli or box of cereal, think of the hands and hearts it took to get it to your grocery store.  Eat well!!

More later…

ML

Closed for the season…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

The Strand

Summer’s over, the boardwalk shops are closing, the kids are back in school.  The seagulls look for their next meal.  Cooler weather is soon approaching.  Halloween costumes are in the stores.  Here comes fall….

More later…

ML

Street ride in Charleston…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

a ride in Charleston

My last trip to Charleston gave me time to “walk about” between shooting and client meetings.  There are many places you might never see this for fear that your ride will not be there later in the day.  Here, it seems to fit in with the Southern charm of this South Carolina town, bright colors, lazy afternoon.

Heading out to North Jersey and Philadelphia for next weeks shoot. Will share upon my return…

ML

It’s the simple things…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Simple Seatbelt

It’s simple what we get used to.  Electricity, running water, air conditioning (hot as hell here in the South), cell phone, ipad…the list goes on.  I’ve been on the road a bunch this month driving all over the country and it got me thinking…

When I started driving in the last century, seat belt laws were just being started.  After all this time, I got used to wearing one.  I don’t even let anyone sit in the car without one.  So when I got in the van this afternoon, I was rushed and didn’t put it on immediately.  I took a curve and almost found myself in the passenger seat.  I felt a little naked without my seatbelt.

So on your travels this summer, drink lots of water, conserve electricity, turn off your cell phone, take off your watch, and please, wear your seatbelt.

More later…

ML

Red,White and Blue

I can never get enough of neon signs and marquees. Especially when the sign has been dark for many years and someone comes along and refurbishes a great theater like this.  This is the place where I saw Star Wars for the first time.  I was a senior in high school.  Do the math. In 1987, it closed down.  It had survived 50 years.  You can read more here.  A lot of businesses on the “avenue” closed down during that time and this small town in south jersey is very different from when I lived there.  But then again, what hasn’t!

In case you’re wondering, this was shot handheld with my old Canon G5 camera while I was resting against a lightpole.  I turned off the flash and just relaxed into the exposure.

More later…

ML

Curlys Flags in Ocean City New Jersey

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Curlys Flags wait for customers

It’s been a long time since my last post but here is an image from one of my favorite places in the world, Ocean City NJ.  Actually, I love most beaches, boardwalks, and grand strands.  I grew up not far from Ocean City and a few weeks ago, I was shooting a job in South Jersey.  Just so you know, only someone from South Jersey distinguishes South Jersey as different from the rest of the state.  Not enough words to explain it, just go with me here.  I had an extra morning so I drove to OC in the morning before they got busy and started to charge you to “use the sand”.

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

nothin’ about nudity!!

There’s still a lot you can do on the beach.  But sand does get everywhere!  I love the beach in the morning.  I have great memories of being in the station wagon with my mom and driving to OC in the morning and being back at home by lunch.  Now I drive a mini-van.  See how far we’ve come!

Being on the beach before the crowds get there allow me to scrounge around and get access to pictures that I might not have when there’s a lot of people around.  Hence, Curlys Flags.  5 minutes after I took this, the attendant came out and scattered the flags everywhere.  I will be posting some other shots on my facebook page.  Please friend me if you haven’t already.

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

Working in Hawaii…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Working in Hawaii at the American Farm Bureau Convention

Yes, I did go to Hawaii and, yes, it was beautiful.  We were shooting a group of 50 or so folks at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and when climbing up the ladder, I turned around to see this image.  This is the only photo of me (really) from the trip but it proves the point that sometimes the most interesting images are behind you.  It also reminds me of something we don’t have here in my neighborhood.  Palm Trees.  There are some here in Charlotte, but I have never seen them.

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Mokolii-Chinaman’s Hat

I had the opportunity to travel with Mike Danna and his video crew from Louisiana, to Kualoa Regional Beach Park off the North Shore of Oahu to view the island of Mokolii, also known as the Chinaman’s Hat.  At low tide, you walk right over to this smallest of Hawaiian islands (1477 ft) or just take a canoe or kayak.  A storm was brewing so we only had a short amount of time to get the video needed and for me to take a few shots. When I turned around to leave, here’s what we saw…

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

View into Kahana Valley State Park on Oahu, Hawaii

Back home in Charlotte, ready to tackle 2012.  Couldn’t have started any better.

More later…

ML

Walkabout in Cape May NJ

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

Quiet booth in Cape May New Jersey

On the day after Christmas, I was on our family trek to Cape May NJ.  My sisters started this tradition many years ago to get the kids out of the house and away from their new electronic gizmos for at least a day.  Last year we didn’t get to go because of the “big” snow that hit the east coast so I was especially excited about the trip.  Usually, it’s very cold, overcast and dreary.  This year, it was cold and windy but very sunny.

I love the beach and beach towns in the winter.  They’re quiet and don’t have a lot of folks wandering around.  The beaches are desolate but you can hear the ocean in a way you can’t in the summer.

This image combines many things about photography that I love:  the quietness of a place, the ability to see something differently than you normally would, and the ability to shoot spontaneously.  Walking to the beach, we passed this restaurant that was closed.  I put my camera next to the window as close as I could and used my body to block out reflection in the glass.  Canon G5 (ancient, I know) set at aperture priority with the flash forced off.  Some photoshop post to reduce noise.

Happy New Year.  More later….

ML

 

Cheap Hamburger, Anyone

PHoto by Michael LoBiondo

The Varsity in Gwinnett GA

Photo by Michael LoBiondo

The Varsity in Gwinnett GA

So, your north of Atlanta off I85, and you want a cheap hamburger but “not” a cheap hamburger.  I was there during my birthday late last month and picked The Varsity for 2 birthday meals.  It’s the most amazing cheap hamburger you can get.  Plus fabulous onion rings and scoop ice cream.

Your thinking, so what’s with the signs.  Well, I was able to go the The Varsity twice during my stay.  The first time the sky was beautiful blue with puffy clouds.  2 days later, a storm was moving in.  This became a simple exercise in “just because you shot it once, doesn’t mean your finished”.  Things change over time, some slower like rust on metal, some take a change in the weather.  AND, always have some way to create images with you at all times.  A sketch pad, notebook, camera phone (!!!). Doesn’t matter.  What’s important is SEEING….and of course, a great cheap hamburger!

More later

ML