Miami Sewing Machines

by Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography
South Beach - Miami

Closing my Orange County photography studio (Mark Jordan Photography) to go galavanting across the country is not always easy, especially on a whimsy. But when a good bud offers to pickup the tab for a jaunt out to Miami for a few nights stay at the Versace Mansion (properly titled "The Villa"), who am I to argue? Goodbye California, wife and family, and hello South Beach!

Miami Sewing Machines - ©Mark Jordan Photography 

As it tuns out, the same chap who owns "The Villa," Barton G., also runs a posh restaurant just around the corner, and of the same name, Barton G. This dining phenomenon is yet for another post, but suffice it to say, it's more than worth the flight and expense to experience again, and again. In fact I did. This is where my story begins.

The Villa Barton G: Our Balcony - The Villa Entrance at Night - One of our Rooms with 12' Wide Bed 

After thoroughly gorging myself at a scrumptious dinner extravaganza at "Barton G's The Restaurant" in Miami, rather than accepting a ride back to my hotel (this visit at the Canyon Ranch Hotel and Spa) I decided to walk off a few calories by rambling the streets of South Beach. Also having my trusty Canon 5D in hand gave me all the rationale I needed to walk a few miles when I could have just has easily been driven.

Mark Jordan - View from from room balcony at the Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa 

Being a Friday night, things were hopping in Miami. Either you like this sort of frenetic activity or you don't. My temperament leans somewhat to the latter, although there is something intoxicating about the energy and youthful lust for life - it percolates my blood. Not to mention the exotic cars, enticing aromas, reverberating sonance and provocative ensembles, if not the trappings of great wealth. Okay, so I was enjoying myself more than I thought.

Regardless, I felt very much the voyeur - a man out-of-place, brandishing an equally out-of-place appendage: a large professional camera. Each time I lifted my cannon [sic], faces would either grimace and scatter, or sparkle and shine. Nonetheless, it was not the people upon which my intent was focused, nor my camera. My fascination was the environs that seduced them - like moths to a flame it brought them by the thousands. The Miami turf, more than anything, captured my attention.

Well then, for all my talk, you'd think I'd post a few fairly outrageous images. RIght? Instead, I document my Miami stroll with a sole image of a window strewn with sewing machines. Well yes, that's me. This was my favorite image and one that seems to encapsulate best what my emotions were transmitting.

Raw Digital Image 

For all the excitement and stimulation, for all the glitz and glamour, and for all the anticipation and fertile hopes, there was an almost suffocating atmosphere of loneliness. It was these sewing machines I spotted in the All Saints window that spoke to me the loudest - each one suggesting the nature of the lives that scurried about. So many with latent design and purposeful intent, but idly active, on display, shelved and disconnected.

It also did not get lost on me that the agents of my curiosity were confined within a store boasting the emblem "All Saints." Although it's commonly thought today that "saints" occupy the realms solely defined by Websters as "persons recognized with exception holiness in the Christian Church by canonization," the Book whereupon the narrative of "saint" was first penned was a characteristic attributed to and attainable by every person. The contrast of this distinction was striking.

For me, these abandoned, inert and impotent machines, seemed to piece together my sense of the walking contradictions before me. So may lives that, though intertwined by activity, were nonetheless isolated and barren by the same force they sought to unite them. I guess if I had observed a display of robitronic zombies I could have substituted their image instead. But in lieu of such a discovery, these Miami Sewing Machines, I believe, will do just fine.

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

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Orange County Family Portraits

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BLUE DOOR

Blue Door (© Mark Jordan Photography) was waiting for me right outside to where our cruise-ship (Oceania's Marina) was docked (Oceania's Marina) in Nassau, Bahamas. As luck would have it, our driver was running late, leaving us with time on our hands... 

Blue Door ©Mark Jordan Photography

Actually, the row of brightly painted building had already drew my attention long before we stepped ashore. I wouldn't have taken this exposure had it not. Regardless, in the rush to meet our driver, my canvasing eye and hair-finger-trigger was deactivated.

Nassau Shopping Center on the dock where our cruise ship, Oceania Marina, was moored. 

However, with our driver not in sight, and with time to kill, I was forced to find something to do until our ride arrived. My default disposition is to reach for my camera. 

Raw Image of Blue Door

Considering one of the most frequently requests I receive is for me to post the "before" file, I've done so here. It'll give you an idea of the creative touches that went into crafting the final image. Should you care to hear how it was put together in postproduction, it's yours for the asking.

Mark
©Photosical - the photographic and personal observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography

Mark Jordan Photography
Orange County Family Portrait
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Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan Photography, an Rancho Santa Margarita Photographer, specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer (with a Rancho Santa Margarita portrait studio), and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County and Southern California. Mark Jordan's Orange County portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where Mark Jordan photography studio services are offered are as an Aliso Viejo Photographer, Anaheim Photographer, Costa Mesa Photographer, Coto de Caza Photographer, Dana Point Photographer, Dove Canyon Photographer, Huntington Beach Photographer, Irvine Photographer, Ladera Ranch Photographer, Laguna Beach Photographer, Laguna Hills Photographer, Laguna Niguel Photographer, Lake Forest Photographer, Mission Viejo Photographer, Newport Beach Photographer, Northwood Photographer, Orange Photographer, Orange Park Acres Photographer, San Clemente Photographer, San Juan Capistrano Photographer, Santa Ana Photographer, Tustin Photographer, Villa Park Photographer, Westminster Photographer, Yorba Linda Photographer, Corona del Mar Photographer, Riverside Photographer, Temecula Photographer, Chino Hills Photographer, Loma Linda Photographer, Rancho Bernardo Photographer, Carlsbad Photographer, Coronado Photographer, Del Mar Photographer, Escondido Photographer, San Diego Photographer, San Marcos Photographer, Solana Beach Photographer, Carmel Mountain Ranch Photographer, Rancho San Diego Photographer, Rancho Santa Fe Photographer, and San Diego Country Estates Photographer, Turtle Rock Photographer, Shady Canyon Photographer. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.

Ray Ban

Ray Ban is an image I captured while roaming about the Christening ceremonies of Oceania's newest flagship, Marina, in Miami. The handsome gentleman depicted here was sitting next the to the ship, which made for an ideal backdrop for the contrasting skin tones and harmonizing clothing.

Ray Ban © Mark Jordan Photography

When walking down a side aisle toward the stage, I at first passed him up. However, on my return trip up an aisle, he stood out among a sea of empty white chairs. The choir, of which he was the lead singer, had just abandoned their seats as they prepared themselves for the next musical event. He alone remained. 


The trick was to capture this man without his attention. Understandably, this was no small feat. Considering the size of my camera and that while most of the attendees were relaxing comfortably in their seats, I was walking about, I was less than invisible. This wasn't going to be easy. Any pre-attention I gave him was going to destroy the spontaneity. This was not going to happen!


My approach was to feign a conspicuous attention on the stage while directing my peripheral vision to keep my target in view. The objective was to capture him quickly, without him noticing I was there, and then simply move on - the stealth method...


I then knelt to his left and focused on a subjet in front of me that appeared to be equidistant  to him. Feeling I was set, and his attention was on the unfolding event, I swiftly turned to catch him unaware. Just as I did, however, he suddenly noticed a friend who was edging his way out of his seat row, directly behind me. I did not know what had occurred until afterwards.


He turned at the precise same time my lens settled and I caught him wholly oblivious to my presence. The expression you see is his welcoming smile at seeing a fellow musician who was ready to join him on stage. It's one of those magical moments.  


As always, should you have any comments, questions, no concern is too small.


From the heart,

Mark

©Photosical - the photographic, philosophical observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan

markjordanphoto.com
orangecountyfamilyportrait.com
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Mark Jordan Photography specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photography Hall of Fame photographer in Rancho Santa Margarita and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County. The portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside County and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where photography studio services are offered are in Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Costa Mesa, Coto de Caza, Cypress, Dana Point, Dove Canyon, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Northwood, Orange, Orange Park Acres, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda, Corona del Mar, Murrieta, Murrieta Hot Springs, Quail Valley, Riverside, Temecula, Winchester, Woodcrest, Chino Hills, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Montclair, Rancho Bernardo, Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Escondido, La Mesa, Oceanside, San Diego, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, and San Diego Country Estates, Turtle Rock, Shady Canyon. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographers in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.

The Traveler

The Traveler is none other than my close friend and travel agent extraordinaire, Steve Shulem, of Strictly Vacations. After a rousing time in the Bahamas, this image was created while heading back to our ship (Oceania's newest flagship, Marina). For once, Steve's penchant for walking far ahead was fortuitous. 

The Traveler – ©Mark Jordan Photography

As I lagged behind while rushing to our ship just moments before the gangplank was retracted, I noticed the silhouette of Steve walking into the setting sun. I called his name, he turned slightly, and I captured this extraordinary moment. 

Obviously, capturing this exposure was the just the beginning of the creative process. A few hours in Photoshop, along with my trusty software, OnOne, helped to give this image all the power and energy I had in mind. 

As always, should you have any questions, no concern is too small.

Mark

©Googtoon - Life • Popular Culture • Politics • Entertainment • Public Figures

Keywords Make for Poor Communication [i.e. for orange county photographer, or photographers in orange county, etc.]

©Photosical - the photographic, philosophical observations of Orange County Photographer, Mark Jordan

markjordanphoto.com
orangecountyfamilyportrait.com
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orangecountyseniorportrait.com


Photographers looking for the most efficacious keywords would do best to contact a professional service who can do the research for them. It's fairly inexpensive and will save any portait studio a great deal of time, especially portrait photographers whose primary focus is family portraits.


Photographers in Orange County, or any large metropolitan area, or a photography studio in any bustling Orange County city such as Irvine, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Newport Beach or Tustin, would do best to discover targeting keywords exclusively for their local. 


As a family portrait photographer, specializing in not only studio photography, but family portraits at the beach (i.e. beach portraits), park portraits, empty next portraits, and contemporary portraits, could do no better than contacting Golden Nugget Keyword search. They not only were instrumental with my portrait photography studio, but for any photographer in Orange County they would be most helpful.


Now that you may be wondering why I've said a great deal while saying nothing, this was simply an exercise in seeing if I could quickly write a couple paragraphs using all the keywords I just discovered were most beneficial for my portrait studio. As a photographer in Rancho Santa Margarita, a smaller city with very few portrait photographers, my keywords are more specific than let's say a photographer in Irvine, or a photographer in Mission Viejo. 

Regardless, it appears that once I began trying to incorporate all my keywords in a single posting, I simply cannot stop inserting them willy-nilly, such as a photographer in Tustin might do were they attempting to promote their portrait studio, or photography studio, which more than likely specializes in family portraits (and possibly senior portraits and Orange County headshots).


Which raises the question, do you prefer to spell headshots with no hyphen, or head-shots with a hyphen? Or maybe with not hypen at all, head shot? Regardless how one might spell headshots, it's better to do them well than worrying about how to spell headshot. As an Orange County Photographer, and more specifically, a photographer in Laguna Niguel, it's vital to have a portrait studio where the photographer can create family portraits and meet with fellow portrait photographers, regardless if they do headshot business portraits. Senior portraits are a different matter altogether. 


However, photographers in Orange County, as well as photographers in Irvine (and photographers in Mission Viejo) might find it beneficial to incorporate keywords that not only show them as portrait photographers, and headshot photographers in Orange County, but that their portrait studio, whether it be a photography studio creating studio photography, also is proficient at designing creative family portraits, children portraits, and senior portraits. 


Having been a portait photographer in Rancho Santa Margarita for nearly 16 years, and a photographer in Orange County for over 30 years, I can attest to the turism that a photographers portrait studio will thrive only when their portrait families can find the type of portrait photography they need for their family portrait needs.


Enough said.


Mark ;}


Mark Jordan Photography specializes in crafting stunning contemporary, traditional, classic, and storytelling family portraits (high school seniors, children portraits, babies, maternity, pregnancy), headshots and pets. Mark Jordan, a Photographers Hall of Famer is a photographer in Rancho Santa Margarita and provides portrait photography throughout Orange County. The portrait studio also serves San Diego County and Inland Empire. Studio Photography Services are also provided in Riverside county and Los Angeles County. Local Cites where photography studio services are offered are in Aliso Viejo, Anaheim, Brea, Costa Mesa, Coto de Caza, Cypress, Dana Point, Dove Canyon, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Irvine, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Newport Beach, Northwood, Orange, Orange Park Acres, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park, Westminster, Yorba Linda, Corona, Murrieta, Murrieta Hot Springs, Quail Valley, Riverside, Temecula, Winchester, Woodcrest, Chino Hills, Fontana, Grand Terrace, Loma Linda, Montclair, Rancho Bernardo, Carlsbad, Coronado, Del Mar, Escondido, La Mesa, Oceanside, San Diego, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista, Carmel Mountain Ranch, Rancho San Diego, Rancho Santa Fe, and San Diego Country Estates, Turtle Rock, Shady Canyon. Portrait Photographers everywhere (photographes in O.C. as well) are welcome to contact our portrait studio for mentoring/guidance.