This year’s cherry blossom season has come and gone and it felt like it went by in a blink of an eye. The weather in March was all over the place with nice warm days and cold snowy days so it was nice to see the flowers finally bloom. It felt like all the days that I went out to photograph were very cloudy. The silver lining to clouds meant that when the sun would peek through them, it created this beautiful glow on the flowers. This was the moment I was living for.

I have been photographing the cherry blossoms for almost 10 years now and each year is still very exciting. Obviously, I love photographing the typical scenes: cherry blossoms with the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, and just the flowers themselves.

I also like trying to photograph the images that tell the unique story of that year. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of going to the same location and photographing the flowers in the same way, but I tried my best to do things differently this year. That meant parking my car in a different location (other than Ohio Dr) standing a little further back in the grassy areas instead of the sidewalk, and basically, letting life unfold in front of me instead of rushing to find the shot.

The first morning I went out to the Tidal Basin had a bit of fog presunrise. As I was walking from my car to the trees, I couldn’t help but capture the way that it was glowing in the lights of the Washington Monument.

But I found the most fun just standing back and people watching. Since I was there in the early mornings, the light varied each day and as the time went on.

Another way that I tried to make this year different was by switching up my gear. My go-to lens is usually the 70-200mm telephoto lens. I just love the compression that I get from this lens but for some reason, was not feeling it this time around. I had my 50mm prime on for 90% of the time.

This allowed me to get a wider view of my surroundings and capture more of the environment. I guess that means I like the isolated person shot of them photographing the blossoms? LOL

It’s just so light and easy to carry around. It’s also a lot less intimidating and much more inconspicuous to photograph others.

But the Tidal Basin is not the only place to see the blossoms. These were captured while I was walking around the National Mall outside the Hirshhorn Museum and National Gallery of Art. Two of my favorite museums in DC.

Although I wish the cherry blossoms could bloom year around, I really look forward to the one week that they here. It makes being in the city just that much more special. Luckily there are other flowers and blossoms around the city that I look forward to photographing. Until next year cherry blossoms <3

The whole metaverse is new and intimidating. But it’s something I have an interest in and wanted to learn more about so what better way than to dive in.

When it came time to sit down to really look at my body of work, there are a few that stood out as favorites. That is when I came up with Purple Hour. I realized purple was such a common theme in my work. Not intentionally but it was just the way that I saw a beautiful sunrise, flashes of lightning, or reflections in a piece of glass.  It reminds me that it is ok to just sit down and be present to what is going on around the world. That things don’t always have to be rushed.

I’m excited to mint these pieces of art that mean so much to me. Each one has a back story that brings back so many memories of patience and persistence. And looking at them as a whole makes me emotional, especially since becoming a new mom. It reminds me of a time when I had less worry and could concentrate on making something just for me.

So to introduce my genesis collection, I thought I’d write a little backstory to each of these images:

Dancing in the Water

Waking up before the sun is up is hard. It’s even harder when it’s below zero outside and your bed is extra comfy. But on a particularly cold valentines day, I remember watching this beautiful sunrise fill the sky. I was sitting along the US Capitol reflecting pool not even realizing how cold my feet were, I was just having the best time clicking my shutter.

Snapping

When I created this piece, it was the first time I had intentionally included people in my images. Sounds a little silly to say, but before this, I would wait for the whole scene to be clear in order to capture a scene. I think when you’re starting out in photography, you have this image inside your head of what it should look like. And when it doesn’t go that way, it’s hard to roll with the punches. At least that’s what it was like for me. But if you have ever been to the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC, you know that is very hard to come by. I liked this image so much that it became the cover of the first book I ever published, Snap DC.

Purple Hour at the Monuments 

One of the first times I had ever used my 70-200mm lens on my Sony camera system. It quickly became one of my favorite lenses after this particularly purple sunrise. I loved how I could capture this classic view in a different way. Plus these clouds were so dreamy.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Lightning

Even when you want to give up, there is always more to be seen. This was true on this dark and stormy evening on the National Mall. My friend, Zack and I had started off at the Lincoln Memorial. We did not capture anything worth mentioning but we kept on tracking the storm. We figured if we moved locations, it may be better. I was ill-prepared with no tripod. But persistence led me to create one of my favorite images I’ve ever captured at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr memorial.

Reflections from Arlington

This image took me about 4 different visits to “The View of DC” in Arlington, VA.  I photographed it through two glass panes. The rainbows in the image were created by the Kennedy Center’s Honors lights that happen once a year. When the first few visits didn’t align with a proper capture, I was so determined to finally get it.

Watching the Sun

I have this idea in my mind that cold weather brings beautiful sunrises. This morning proved that point. I was there with a few photographers from the Washington DC area and as they stood watching the sunrise, somehow I ended up behind them. I originally thought their shoulders made for beautiful framing but now when I look at it, it stands for solidarity and friendship.

Lightning Strike at the Capitol Dome

Have you ever experienced FOMO? Fear of missing out. I was definitely experiencing that when I was getting alerts on my phone about lightning strikes in the area but I was at a gallery event. I remember carrying the phone in my hand and with each alert, I inched my way closer and closer to the door. I ended up leaving earlier than I had planned and made my way to the west side of the US Capitol. There I was, standing in a dress with my camera and tripod trying to capture the storm. It was probably one of the most thrilling experiences I’ve had capturing lightning strikes.

After the Storm

A huge tornado hit the Washington DC area and I was super excited to go out to photograph it. I even captured a huge lightning strike. I was so excited that I knew the sunrise the next day would be nice and I was right. This is a morning that will be hard to forget. It also happened to be the day that one of my best friends gave birth to her baby.

So if you are interested in owning an original piece of work, check out my opensea.

What are NFTs?

A non-fungible token (NFT) is a unique digital asset. A misconception is that you are purchasing art (asset) but you aren’t. You are purchasing a digital certificate of authenticity where you own the asset. The asset is considered to be anywhere from an image to a video or even a house. It can be anything that is original. The certificate on authenticity is then tracked on the underlying blockchain and provides buyers with proof of ownership.

And for people who say that NFTs are bad for the environment:

There are many strides to become more energy efficient. There are some block chains who are already use the proof of stake system which allows cryptomining to be much more safer for the planet. It can reduce carbon emissions and cutting energy consumption by 1/10000th of the usage. Etherium 2.0 has been working on the change and its rumored to be done by this year and is the the environmental aspect is the number one concern for many other blockchains coming out.

Long time no speak. Sorry about that and I hope it’s never this long again. My world got rocked at the end of August and just now finding the time to sit down and be thoughtful of my life in the past few months.

To sum things up, I had my baby almost 2 months premature. What started out as a regular visit to my doctors, ended up being a 10-day stay in the hospital and delivering at 33 weeks and 1 day. Little baby Tony spent 3 weeks in the NICU but we’re all doing great now. Bringing him home was the happiest but also one of the scariest days of my life. How am I responsible for this little baby?

In general, motherhood has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. Everything in my life changed immediately and my priorities shifted massively. For the first two months, every week seemed like it brought a new challenge or something I was not aware of. Whether it’s questioning if he’s getting enough to eat, if he’s sleeping enough, or even if he’s sleeping too much? I was not prepared for how much I’d love this little boy but how much I’d worry about him all at the same time. My life turned into doomsday scrolling on google at 3 am all while looking at pictures of him on my phone missing him and crying about how much I loved him. The emotions after labor are nuts!

After a while, I started to feel like I was losing myself. I hadn’t picked up the camera in weeks and I missed being able to wander without having to worry about anything else.

Then one day I got a message that my friend, Andy was leaving DC. A group of people was getting together for one last sunrise with him. As soon as I read it, I knew I had to go. It was a clear sky but it still brought all kinds of drama with the sky column and fog. I’m grateful for this outing because it made me realize that it is still possible to go out to shoot, even with a baby. So from that point on, I told myself that I would try my best to go out at least once a week to shoot.

At the time, there was an installation of over 660,000 white flags over the National Mall. Each one represents a person who had lost their life due to covid at that time. It was very moving to see it in person and I’m so glad I had the opportunity to photograph it before it went away.

And once November hit, I was on the hunt for fall color.

I finally found it at the Tidal Basin. I purposely went a little bit later than sunrise because I wanted to wait for the sunlight to shine through the leaves but I should have gone a little earlier. I remember missing the beautiful sunrise colors. Oh well. I am happy with what I was able to create.

And whenever the weather conditions are right, I bring Frank to take pictures with me. It’s just easier on everyone if he can get his morning walk in while I’m out shooting. However, shooting with him means we’re extra taking our time.

But unlike before, I can’t be picky with the days that I am able to go out to shoot. Even when there were less than ideal weather conditions, if the opportunity presented itself, I go out. On one eerie morning in December, all the lights were out at the Lincoln Memorial. I had never seen President Lincoln so dark.

While I wasn’t able to make it EVERY week, I find these postpartum walks so therapeutic. It really gives me a break to do something for just me. I love getting fresh air with a camera in hand. Hopefully, in the near future, I’ll be able to go more often and even more so with Tony and a camera in his hand. As for now, there are a few things that I have planned for the future. The best way to hear about them will be to follow me on my socials: Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

More soon

Here are a few things I do to make sure I come home with some great sports photography shots: 

First things first, when attending a professional sporting event, make sure to check the rules: Is professional camera equipment allowed? How will you carry it? Are backpacks allowed? 

Research the venue or ask people you know who have been to games before. Ive been to several arenas where they are very strict on backpacks or professional cameras are totally not allowed. If that is the case, then a good old mobile photography will have to do. However, if they are only strict about backpacks, I just have my camera around my neck and a little sling bag to carry one extra lens and additional accessories I may need. Keep it light and minimal to prevent any problems.

Camera Equipment

If there are no lens restrictions, I recommend bringing at least a 200mm lens.  My 70-200mm is usually on my camera the entire time. Especially when you’re up in the stands, a 200mm will bring you in nice and tight into the action. I also love a good wide-angle. The wide-angle shots are great for some context and give your viewer a sense of where you are and how big the event is. The 16-35mm wide-angle is usually in my sling bag and brought out only a few times.

Go Early and Get a Feel for the Environment 

If possible, I like to go at least 30 minutes to an hour before the start of a game. That way I have time to wander the venue and check things out. Sometimes if you go that early, you can even go to different sections than your tickets and check out the vantage point from different spots. There can also be some possible backdrops for photos you may have never noticed. Taking your time is key to photography.

When I went to the CitiOpen in Rock Creek Park, Washington DC, I didn’t anticipate being able to watch players practice prior to their actual match. Otherwise, I would have not have been able to get such close-up shots of Rafael Nadal which was very exciting to capture.

It’s also fun to get some images of sports fans getting ready for the game.

Get to Know the Sport First

Who are the key players? Who are the stars of the team? There are some repetitive actions that occur at every sporting event, get to know the goal of each play. Understand their movements so you’re not guessing while the game is going on.

I think some of the best shots are when you can see the emotions of the players as they are playing them. The best thing about sports is that they are always moving around, so even if you have to stay in one spot, chances are that at some point of the game, you’ll be able to photograph players as they are facing your direction.

Know Your Camera Settings

I like to keep my camera on aperture priority. You’ll only have to set your aperture and allow the camera to do the rest. It will help you in capturing great action shots but I do recommend keeping an eye out and making sure that your shutter speed is at least 1/125th of a second to freeze motion. Even for baseball, which is a relatively slow-moving sport, I like to keep my camera on burst mode. There’s so much that can happen in a split second, you want to be ready for it. And if your camera has it, face recognition is super helpful as well.

Focus on Details

Sometimes it may be hard to move around once the game is going on. And if you’ve been following my blog for a while, you’ll know that I hate coming home with a memory card full of the same shots, so that’s where the 70-200mm comes in handy. Unless you’re on the field, I’d have to say that the more zoom, the better. While still focusing on the plays, you can focus on some details as well.

During the Citiopen, I really enjoyed focusing on shadows and the bright yellow of the tennis ball.

Last but not least, look for the story

Even if you didn’t capture the game-winning touchdown, there are still stories to be told throughout the entire game. Whether is the display of determination, consistency, or just pure luck, there’s always a pretty cool story to tell your friends after the game. Keep shooting and keep looking for those angles.

Attending a professional sporting event can be a lot of fun, but even better when you bring home some great pics. I hope these tips help you capture some images you are really proud of. If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments below. I’ll try my best to help.

Happy Snapping!

So here’s my list of the 15 best places to photograph in New York City:

Central Park

A visit to New York is not complete without a stop at Central Park, and it is HUGE. This particular image was captured in Bethesda Terrace in Central Park and is just one part of the 1.3 miles long park that spreads across 51 city blocks. There’s also an ice skating rink, zoo, views of the city and so much more. If anything, grab some takeout and have a nice picnic on a park bench. There’s no other place in the city like it.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Close to Central Park is the Metropolitan Museum of Art also known as the Met. A place where celebrities dress up in wild costumes for the Met Gala once a year and where you can see one-of-a-kind art. One of the largest fine art museums in the world, The Met offers many fantastic photo opportunities inside the museum.

Times Square

How can there be a list of places to photograph without Times Square? It’s a must-see when visiting the big apple, especially at night. It’s like the whole city lights up. I like to go after it rains. The reflections that are found can make your images really pop with color.

Or experience Times Square in a totally different way by visiting a rooftop. I created this from a hotel rooftop bar in Times Square. There are plenty of them, depending on what view you want to get but it can be absolutely breathtaking.

New York Public Library

Although it is a library used by students and academics, it’s obviously a place that needs to be captured by photographers. Taking pictures in public areas is allowed for personal use but there are some places that are roped off too. Regardless, it’s definitely worth the stop-in.

The Vessel

One of the newest attractions in New York City is the Vessel. It’s a very cool experience to walk around the different levels and sides of it. Just be warned there’s a lot of stairs. Or you can just go straight up on an elevator. I highly recommend taking your time and walking up the steps if you can. Also, try to go around sunset. It’s great to see it glow!

Get your tickets here. 

The Edge

Right next to the Vessel is the Edge, located on the top floor of Hudson Yards, the Edge gives you amazing views of the New York City skyline and even New Jersey. The day we went had lightning in the vicinity so they closed the outdoor area for a few hours. So before you plan your visit, I highly recommend making sure the weather is clear.

Get your tickets here.

Tudor City

In Tudor City, there is an elevated overpass with this view down 42nd street. I can imagine this view to be amazing any time of day or any time of year. Imagine this street covered in snow, or with colorful trees in the spring. A viewpoint that should be visited over and over again.

World Trade Center

A must-see transportation hub in New York City is the World Trade Center on the PATH system. Where the twin towers once stood now is an amazing memorial to the 9/11 attacks from 2001. The light is amazing and something to be seen, even in the middle of the day.

Fulton Center

Right across the street from the Oculus is the Fulton Street Station. A very cool stop since you’re already in the area. Looking up you’ll be in awe of all the concentric circles and different ways to photograph them. I highly recommend having your wide-angle lens for this station.

Grand Central Station

For some great indoor street photography, check out Grand Central Station. There’s always so much commotion going on that you’re bound to get some interesting shots. In order to capture this, I stood on the steps and placed my camera along the edge. I did not have a tripod with me but was still able to keep still for the 4 seconds it took to capture this image.

Chinatown

Another great place for street photography is Chinatown in the Lower East Side. I love it for its diversity and colors. It’s always busy and you can always find something interesting to photograph, even when you’re walking through some of the small alleyways. Bring cash with you if you want to get some cheap eats.

Top of the Rock

For the ultimate sunset spot, I recommend the Top of the Rock at Rockefeller Center. Even if though you are taking pictures through glass, you can still get very clear shots of the city. My biggest tip would be to put your lens as close to the glass as possible, touching it if you feel comfortable, so you don’t get any reflections in your images. Viewers of your image will not know the difference!

Get tickets here.

Brooklyn Bridge

There’s something about being able to walk across a bridge that is so cool. But walking across the Brooklyn Bridge really gives you a perspective on how far apart Manhattan and Brooklyn really are from each other. I’ve done this walk on a few visits and it never is boring, especially since the lower part of the bridge is for cars and the top is for pedestrians.

Brooklyn Bridge Park

After you cross the Brooklyn bridge, hang out at Brooklyn Bridge Park for sunset. It’s a great view and some may say it’s even better at night. Either way, you can’t go wrong.

From the Airplane

I’ve only flown into JFK for layovers but it’s always a treat to be able to see the skyline from an airplane. Definitely, a unique perspective if you can make it work, but that’s the not only way to see it from the sky, booking a helicopter ride will also give you a great view and sometimes without any doors.

I hope this guide helps you get some ideas of what to photograph on your trip to New York City. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments below! Happy Snapping!

The fireworks prep started a few weeks prior to the 4th. I wanted to do something special this year since I missed out on photographing the fireworks last year. So I decided that I would rent the 200-600mm lens again from lensrentals.com.  I like renting from them because they are a small business and I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them. They have a selection of gear and prices that are comparable to other gear rental companies I’ve seen so why not.

iPhone 11 plus PAN-orama of Netherlands Carillon waiting for fireworks

I set the delivery date for July 2nd, figuring I could spend the weekend with the lens and then return it after the holiday. I should have thought about the fact that it was a holiday and shipping things may be delayed. I kept on checking my tracking and the final update said that it wasn’t going to be delivered until July 5th. I was really bummed out and sent an email to lensrentals.com and they were super accommodating with options that would work for both of us.

But that still left me wanting a lens for the 4th. Then I remembered my friend, Larry owns the lens. Fortunately, he had no plans of using it over the weekend and let me borrow it.

On the actual day of the fourth, I met up with my friends Michael and Virginia at Netherlands Carillon. Netherlands Carillon is just an iconic place to go in Arlington, Virginia that will give you amazing views of the top three landmarks of Washington DC, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the US Capitol. The show was going to start at 9:09 but we had all planned to be there around 6 pm. Luckily we were early enough to find a great spot. At that time, there were a few spots available but if we got there any later, it probably would have been a lot more difficult. The good photo spots were filling up fast.

Not only did Larry let me borrow the 200-600mm lens, but he also lent me his 1.4 teleconverter. All I had to do was mount the teleconverter in between my camera and lens and I was able to zoom from 600mm to 840mm at F8. It was incredible how much more detail it allowed.

At first, the lens had image stabilization off, even using a remote and a tripod, it got a little shake in the images. I assumed it was the teleconverter so I took it off but I was still getting it. I think the 200-600mm lens is just so heavy that no matter what, there was going to be a little shake, especially considering it doesn’t mount directly onto the tripod. It has to be mounted with the lens foot. So I turned my image stabilization back on and all the images turned out super sharp. Luckily there were a few small neighborhood fireworks that were going off before the show that I could practice a little bit to make sure everything was how I needed it to be.

I did not use the teleconverter for the actual show because I thought that would have been too much zoom. The 200-600mm was perfect for some really compressed, tight shots of the monuments. It helped me create a variety of images that I would have not otherwise been able to capture.

Once the show started, I tried different focal lengths and tried moving the camera around to find different points of view. One of my favorites was just concentrating on the Washington Monument. The image on the left is actually a picture of the Washington Monument but there were too many fireworks going off to see it very clearly. Can you see the two red lights peaking through the fireworks?

Not only did I try different focal lengths, but I also tried to physically move my camera around. At one point, I found myself crawling on the grass trying to get shots of other photographers and attendees of the fireworks. It was a little difficult with such a heavy lens and tripod. But it’s something that I’d like to try more of in the future.

Overall I feel like this year’s firework show was a huge success. There was barely any wind or clouds that got in the way of the show and I loved experimenting with the 200-600mm lens. I kind of wish fireworks would happen more than once a year!