That Foto Guy

Cooper River Bridge

2011-12-13T11:18:00.001-05:00

Cooper River Bridge, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Waterfront Park Pier 1

2011-12-13T11:17:00.007-05:00

Waterfront Park Pier 1, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Pineapple

2011-12-13T11:17:00.005-05:00

Pineapple, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Shem Creek 2

2011-12-13T11:17:00.003-05:00

Shem Creek 2, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Shem Creek

2011-12-13T11:17:00.001-05:00

Shem Creek, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Waterfront Park Pineapple Fountain

2011-12-13T11:16:00.001-05:00

Waterfront Park Pineapple Fountain 3, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Blue Crab

2011-11-16T20:21:00.003-05:00

Blue Crab, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Boiled Peanuts

2011-11-16T20:21:00.001-05:00

Boiled Peanuts, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Shem Creek Park, SC

2011-11-16T20:17:00.003-05:00

Shem Creek Park, SC, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Saltwater Fish Rule

2011-11-16T20:17:00.001-05:00

Saltwater Fish Rule, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Shem Creek Park, SC

2011-11-16T20:16:00.003-05:00

Shem Creek Park, SC, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Coastal Carolina Fair

2011-11-16T20:16:00.001-05:00

Coastal Carolina Fair, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011

2011-11-16T20:12:00.001-05:00

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

I night photography.

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011

2011-11-16T20:11:00.003-05:00

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011

2011-11-16T20:11:00.001-05:00

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Carousel lights

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011

2011-11-16T20:10:00.001-05:00

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

The new Nifty 50 really takes advantage of low light. It was a tad bit darker than this showed and I got some great blues here.

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011

2011-11-16T20:09:00.007-05:00

Coastal Carolina Fair 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011

2011-11-16T20:09:00.005-05:00

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

North Carolina Arboretum

2011-11-16T20:09:00.003-05:00

North Carolina Arboretum, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

North Carolina Arboretum

2011-11-16T20:09:00.001-05:00

North Carolina Arboretum, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

North Carolina Arboretum

2011-11-16T20:08:00.003-05:00

North Carolina Arboretum, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

North Carolina Arboretum

2011-11-16T20:08:00.001-05:00

North Carolina Arboretum, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

This place couldn't have gotten any more photogenic. At only $8 per car admission it was a steal compared to the Disneyesque prices asked by Biltmore Estates to see their gardens. At $60 per person I understand now why they call it that - with all that money they "built more".

Apple Picker

2011-11-16T20:06:00.001-05:00

Apple Picker, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011

2011-11-16T20:05:00.007-05:00

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011

2011-11-16T20:05:00.005-05:00

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011

2011-11-16T20:05:00.003-05:00

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011

2011-11-16T20:05:00.001-05:00

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011

2011-11-16T20:04:00.003-05:00

Blue Ridge Parkway NC 2011, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Shooting while driving dangerous? Yep. Worth it? Yep.

Savannah, GA

2011-11-16T20:04:00.001-05:00

Savannah, GA, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

I support local businesses!

Savannah, GA

2011-11-16T20:03:00.001-05:00

Savannah, GA, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

My old alma mater. Alot has changed since I graduated - Savannah just gets prettier. Too bad it's all touristified since the Coming of Paula.

Forsyth Park, Savannah

2011-11-16T20:02:00.003-05:00

Forsyth Park, Savannah, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Forsyth Park, Savannah

2011-11-16T20:02:00.001-05:00

Forsyth Park, Savannah, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

I love night photography and haven't had the opportunity to revisit Savannah with some new equipment. It's been 5 years overdue.

Cherrystones

2011-11-16T20:01:00.001-05:00

Cherrystones, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Some local clams farmed here in Charleston I steamed up with fresh parsley and white wine sauce. Easily 3 times the size of Little Neck Clams.

Ballet

2011-11-16T20:00:00.001-05:00

Ballet, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Tree Graveyard

2011-11-16T19:59:00.001-05:00

Tree Graveyard, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Beaufort, SC. The park ranger said I could find a mass of dead trees right on the water. I've seen some cool shots of this "tree graveyard" and wanted to try my hand one day when the tides are right.

Lighthouse at Hunting Island

2011-11-16T19:58:00.003-05:00

Lighthouse at Hunting Island, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Driftwood Hunting Island

2011-11-16T19:58:00.001-05:00

Driftwood Hunting Island, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Waterfront Park

2011-11-16T19:57:00.001-05:00

Waterfront Park, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Taken in Beaufort, SC. Amazing what you find when you really look around. Shot with a Nikon D40 and the Nifty 50 prime lens I got as a gift.

Spanish Beachtown

2011-11-16T19:56:00.001-05:00

Spanish Beachtown, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Krispy Kreme

2011-11-16T19:55:00.001-05:00

Krispy Kreme, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Jellyfish

2011-11-16T19:50:00.001-05:00

Jellyfish, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

St. Augustine Lighthouse

2011-11-16T19:49:00.001-05:00

St. Augustine Lighthouse, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Ringling Museum

2011-11-16T19:46:00.001-05:00

Ringling Museum, a photo by erickpineda527 on Flickr.

Flickr

2008-12-30T23:36:00.001-05:00

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Generation Gap

2008-10-21T03:03:00.001-04:00

hands
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Cliched i know, but I had to try. Nikon D40. Manual focus.

Cat Nap

2008-10-21T03:02:00.001-04:00

Cat Nap
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

One of those rare moments when you chance upon something you just HAVE to grab the camera. Taken on afternoon after my wife nursed Nicholas and Isa fell asleep next to him.

Shot with the Nikon D40 with no flash and manual focus on. Later colorized with Photoshop CS.

Sometimes It's Not The Size That Matters...

2008-10-21T02:59:00.001-04:00

Isa and Nico
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Surprisingly taken with my wife's Motorola W385 camera phone. Yes that's right...a camera phone. 1 megapixel, no flash, limited focus camera phone. Everything about this camera evokes memories of the first camera I learned to shoot with...my mom's Kodak 110mm. Remember those horrible things? The terrible focus and coloring. Pictures that developed and had this weird purple/blue hue to it? But there's definitely something about the subject matter and the mood. Subjects are my almost 2-year-old daughter, Isabella, and my then one-week-old son, Nicholas.

A little history on them...when my daughter first met him in the hospital the best word I could use to describe the situation was "stunned". She had no idea what was going on and immediately felt threatened once we took him home. So threatened she whacked him on the head with a teddy bear and then a pillow a couple of minutes later. A few days later my wife sent this to me via phone to reassure me that things were getting better with the two of them.

Just goes to show you with cameras...sometimes you just get lucky.

Cocoa Beach, FL

2008-10-21T02:49:00.001-04:00

IMG_4555
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Late Sundays here are great. The Gulf of Mexico's beaches are always packed and traffic is terrible. While Cocoa is certainly not one of the best beaches in Florida, it's relatively close by and not crowded. After a long morning at work on a Sunday it's nice to be by the water to relieve stress. Besides, it's always nice when you have someone like this to play with?

Shot with surprisingly a Canon SD630 point and shoot. Even these little cameras have a time and place to be used. Purchased as a gift for Ellen after the birth of our first child it was a terrific camera on short trips. Sadly, an open bottle of water in the diaper bag soaked it to death and it was replaced by the "upgraded" SD750. I use "upgraded" half heartedly - the SD630 was an incredible camera. Fast, easy to use, and sharp. Sorry El. My bad.

...

2008-10-21T02:42:00.001-04:00

...
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Reading is Fundamental

2008-10-21T02:41:00.001-04:00

Reading is Fundamental
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Okay so it's POSED. So what? It's still a funny ass picture.

Umstead in Raleigh, NC

2008-10-21T02:38:00.001-04:00

DSC_0551
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Taken on a clear, cool day my wife, El shot this of my daughter and I. While it looks like play and her basking in the warmth of the sun don't be fooled. She was screaming like a banshee about something. Looks can be deceiving, no?

Fancy Shmancy Resort Hotels...

2008-10-21T02:36:00.001-04:00

DSC_0158
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

...and their oversized, plushy beds seems to make everyone just pass out and sleep soundly. Taken at the Umstead in Raleigh, NC during the New Year's weekend it also happened to be my wife's birthday on the Eve. I took her here to get away from tourists and have a spa weekend quietly at one of the nicest spa hotels I've ever been to. A real hidden gem in the Carolinas.

Again shot with my trust Nikon D40 with no flash and a manual focus on Isabella so the background would have nice soft focus. Kisses.

Christmas Lights

2008-10-21T02:31:00.001-04:00

DSC_0095
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

What is it with little kids in cute pajamas, their stuffed toy of choice, and Christmas lights that gives me the warm and fuzzies? Kind of a relaxing, nostalgic feeling right?

Cinderella's Castles

2008-10-21T02:28:00.001-04:00

DSC_0396
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

With no tripod available I used my Nikon D40 with no flash to shoot this using a handrail to help stabilize the shot. It's funny how some shots require you to use breathing techniques to minimize camera shake in low light situations, i.e. slowly breathe in and press the shutter while holding your breath. Hey it works!

Disney Carousel

2008-10-21T02:18:00.001-04:00

DSC_0483
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Again I LOVE night photography. I especially love this new Nikon D40. For a long time I was hesitant to spend so much money on a DSLR, but now that I have I'm a convert. Simply turning off the flash and using a very steady hand the carousel's light gave off some interesting coloring and lighting.

Dumbo

2008-10-21T02:15:00.001-04:00

DSC_0513
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Shot with my Nikon D40 I was feeling experimental with some night photography during the Christmas season. Fairly confident with the Nikon's better software and shutter speed I positioned myself in the next car ahead and was able to still focus on my daughter and wife. While it was still shaky and very low light I think the play with the ride lights worked out nicely. I love night photography so I was more than happy with these results.

New Haven, Connecticut

2008-10-21T02:10:00.001-04:00

Isa and El at the Wedding
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Taken at my sister-in-law's wedding in Connecticut using my new Nikon D40. At this point I was still trying to figure out how to properly use this camera. I decided to replace my Nikon 8700 because of its slow shutter speed and inability to capture night time photos to my satisfaction. This is when I discovered for myself the whole "megapixel" myth. Despite the fact that the 8700 was 8mp vs the D40's 5mp the new Nikon takes signifcantly better photos. It's all in the lens.

2008-10-21T02:06:00.001-04:00

Isa and El 4
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

It took some time to adjust my aperture and shutter speed quick enough (the sun was setting fairly rapidly), but I was able to capture some pretty amazing colors in the background. Luckily I had just enough daylight to get some decent lighting without resorting to the flash, which I was afraid of using and blowing out my subject matter. I'll get that speedlight flash eventually...

Gazebo Charleston

2008-10-21T02:01:00.001-04:00

Gazebo Charleston
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527

Gazebo locally famous in downtown Charleston, South Carolina for it's history of couples' engagements and weddings. The canopy of Spanish Moss laden trees makes for some interesting lighting and shadows.

I had purchased filters for my Nikon 8700, which I've been missing since my film days and wanted to try them out. Not to bad, but got some funky vignetting going on.

St. Patrick's Cathedral candles

2007-03-15T02:06:00.001-04:00

St. Patrick's Cathedral candles
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Subway violinist

2007-03-15T02:05:00.003-04:00

Subway violinist
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Manhattan at dusk

2007-03-15T02:05:00.001-04:00

Manhattan at dusk
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

St. Patrick's Cathedral

2007-03-15T02:04:00.003-04:00

St. Patrick's Cathedral
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Gray's Papaya snack!

2007-03-15T02:04:00.001-04:00

Gray's Papaya snack!
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Beat inflation! Gray's Papaya is the best palce to test your colon and wallet. Two dogs and a papaya drink for $2.75? Come on!

Grand Central Station taxis zoom!

2007-03-15T02:02:00.001-04:00

Grand Central Station taxis zoom!
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

New York is known for its speeding taxis and Grand Central Station is the perfect of example of it. After we had wandered the station for a couple of hours we were greeted outside by an on and off again mix of rain and SNOW!

Street vendors

2007-03-15T02:00:00.001-04:00

Street vendors
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

The local food is something no seasoned traveller would forget to sample. Despite New York's reputation for fantastic "seated" restaurants, sometimes you have to live for the moment and have a famous New York pretzel and a Coke.

South Street Seaport

2007-03-15T01:59:00.001-04:00

South Street Seaport
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Another great area to shoot night photography. South Street Seaport is beautiful, but when the shops close and the tourists are gone you better watch your ass. We wandered some narrow, dark streets before we could find safety for a bit in a subway terminal and then somehow manage our way back to Manhattan.

Manhattan by the Brooklyn Bridge

2007-03-15T01:57:00.001-04:00

Manhattan by the Brooklyn Bridge
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Yet another great shot we risked life and limb for for the sake of "art"?

Brooklyn Bridge

2007-03-15T01:56:00.001-04:00

Brooklyn Bridge
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

I've always loved shooting at night, especially with moving lights and a slow shutter speed. The flurries of people and cars make the effort worthwhile. Did I mention we had to walk an hour abck and forth to get to this spot? Not to mention...it was at night and the pedestrian crowd was thinning in what was a kind of scary area?

Steel drums

2007-03-15T01:53:00.001-04:00

Steel drums
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Where else can you get steel drums during the Christmas season in the heart of a major, bustling city of tourists and locals alike? Only in New York.

St. Patrick's Cathedral

2007-03-15T01:51:00.001-04:00

St. Patrick's Cathedral
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Despite the cold and rainy weather droves of tourists came to this famous cathedral. Since we stayed right in Times Square everything was pretty much within walking distance.

Radio City Music Hall ornaments

2007-03-15T01:50:00.001-04:00

Radio City Music Hall ornaments
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

A cold, drizzly day to see Radio City Music Hall. Christmas season of 2005.

Manhattan from the Jersey shore

2007-03-15T01:49:00.001-04:00

Manhattan from the Jersey shore
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

My cousins drove us to the Jersey shore to capture this great shot of Manhattan.

Yasaka Lanterns

2007-01-10T05:32:00.001-05:00

yasaka lanterns
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

One the most famous shrines in Kyoto, Yasaka is incredible in the daytime, but beautiful at night. By evening the lanterns were lit, the weather had cooled down and the shrine was covered in tourists and street vendors who were allowed to open up shop right on the premises. It made for some fantastic evening shopping. Most of our souvenir hunting was done right here.

Higashi Honganji Temple

2007-01-10T05:29:00.001-05:00

Higashi Honganji Temple
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Outside of Tokyo this particular shrine was alot more immense then we were let on to. After strolling the multileveled shrine we realized we had completely left the area we were exploring and already deep into a whole new neighborhood. One of the experiences we enjoyed in Japan was the freedom we had to explore and "get lost" without fear of actualyl getting lost. Once we had figured out how to interpret the rail system and schedule we could easily scour the countryside at our leisure. On most trips abroad we were always bound by bus schedules, excursion schedules, hotel switches, etc. But here we left the hotel EARLY in the morning and explored until evening had well set in thoroughly engrossing ourselves in the culture.

Rows of Tori Gates

2007-01-10T05:23:00.001-05:00

Rows of Tori Gates
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Again shot at the Inari Shrine.
Canon A70.

Tori Gates Inari Shrine

2007-01-10T05:22:00.001-05:00

Tori Gates inari Shrine
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Tori gates are very common with the multitude of shrines in Japan, but I think none rival those of the Inari Shrine. Bright red laquered gates are kept up on a daily basis to ensure that they are always clean. This particular shrine might seem familiar to some people as I beleive it was a location shoot for a couple of big Hollywood films.

Field Trip

2007-01-10T05:19:00.001-05:00

Field Trip
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Japan is one gigantic photo opportunity waiting to happen. I completely love shooting normal day life and the abstract of the countries we visit. While in Kyoto we hiked about 15 miles one day through the city to the more suburban areas just to capture such moments. In other cities it might be dangerous since we couldn't really read the language (most was writen in Kanji), but here we were able to walk unmolested and without fear of getting lost. People were always willing to help, especially the younger generation who knew quite good English.

Conveyor Belt Sushi!

2007-01-10T05:14:00.001-05:00

Conveyor Belt Sushi!
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

We thoroughly enjoyed the cuisine of Japan. While most people are familiar with Americanized versions of Japanese food (think Kobe or Benihana steakhouses) the old capital of Kyoto offered superior offerings of the local cuisine. Although we spent a week in cities across Japan at that point it wasn't until we got to Kyoto we were able to have sushi. We enjoy sushi, but this was a whole new experience. At the Kyoto train station we fell in love with sushi on a conveyor belt. Packed with locals we were the only gaijins there the three or four days we visited. We couldn't get enough of this. In fact, we actually became regulars and the wait staff knew who were as soon as we walked in and knew our drink orders before we sat down! Biros! Funny how once you actually try to learn and use the language and customs how the Japanese warm up to you. Oyesumi nasai!

Hakone Boat Cruise

2007-01-10T05:07:00.001-05:00

Hakone Boat Cruise
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

In the small town of Hakone we were trying to make a two day stay to see Moutn Fuji, but unfortunately a typhoon had made it's way to the Land of the Rising Sun. While we only caught a hint of Mount Fuji through the fog we were able to salvage our rain soaked hike of the mountain by waking up early the next morning to capture some interesting sights of the empty town - no tourists!

Canon A70.

Imperial Gardens Waterfall

2007-01-10T05:04:00.001-05:00

Imperial Gardens Waterfall
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Set up on a tripod at the Imperial Gardens to catch this motion blur. I forgot how mild the fall and winters are in the Far East.

Canon A70.

Shibuya Kabuki

2007-01-10T05:02:00.001-05:00

Shibuya Kabuki
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Taken outside of Tokyo in Shibuya. Performers dressed as kabuki advertise one of the kabuki shows coming up soon. We were able to catch one act of the show in one of older theaters. Very pricey so we got a bird's eye view in the nosebleed section.

Shot with a Canon A70.

Isabella and El

2007-01-10T04:57:00.001-05:00

Isa El touchup
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

December 2006.
Isa at 1-month-old.

2006-12-11T13:11:00.000-05:00

Isa and me
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

I've found new love for black and white photography. I had done plenty of it in 35mm, but because of inaccesibilty to a darkroom and lab I tried my hand at color more then ever. With the advent of digital potography i took it for granted that I could easily convert over to grayscale in photoshop. Photo credit to Eleanor Ruiz Pineda. Shot with a Nikon 8700 and later effects added by me in Photoshop CS. December 2006.

2006-12-11T13:08:00.000-05:00

Isa
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Of course, I'm going to put a photo of my baby girl up! Shot with a Nikon 8700 and effects later added from Photoshop CS. November 2006.

Jazz on Savannah's River Street

2006-08-02T10:46:00.000-04:00

Jazz on Savannah's River Street
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Originally shot for a conceptual poster for the Savannah Jazz Festival and later made into a tee shirt design. This one was also shot using my Pentax k1000 35mm.

Bonaventure Cemetery Guardian

2006-08-02T10:44:00.000-04:00

Bonaventrue Cemetery
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

Shot near my home in Savannah, Georgia, the now famous Bonaventure Cemetery of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil fame during a winter where it actually snowed in Savannah.

Forsyth Park / Savannah, Georgia

2006-08-01T23:40:00.000-04:00

Forsyth Park / Savannah, Georgia
Originally uploaded by erickpineda527.

I've always loved black and white photography. I've also always loved night photography. Set up on a tripod using the manual shutterspeed with my Pentax k1000 35mm. It took a few tries, but I finally managed a great shot.

2006-08-01T23:15:00.000-04:00

Over the years Eleanor and I have taken quite a few trips both domestically and abroad. During these trips we always try to capture these moments by dedicating a great bit to photography. I love photography.

Ever since I was a preteen I had always been fond of taking photos of friends, family and events. It was only natural for me to continue exploring my passion for it through high school, college and then my career.

Our home is LOADED with images caught with either my Pentax k1000 35mm, Canon A70 or Nikon 8700. We're running out of room on our walls. What are we gonna do with all these other photos that never made it up?

A coworker of mine recently went to Charleston and Savannah to tour and we got to talking about my love for both of these places. Charleston is where I grew up and first got my taste for design and photography. Savannah is where I resided for a few years to earn my design degree at the Savannah College of Art and Design. We got to talking about photography and I offered up one of my favorite photos from there and she came up witht hebrilliant idea of...

...posting a photoblog of my best stuff. Why didn't I think of that??? So the gauntlet has been thrown down. Will I maintain this blog along with my other blog That Design Guy? We'll see.

What do I do with another blog besides posting some of my best photos? I've entertained the idea of possibly selling my work online or physically to interested parties. Will it take off? I don't know, but it'll be worthwhile to try...

So here it is. Check it out. Let me know what you think. Thanks for the interest.