Spring in Washington D.C.

A couple of months ago I visited my Humble Grape sippin' friend in Washington D.C. where we wined, dined, danced and also did a little sightseeing. It was great to get a break and just shoot somewhere new with no pressure. A lot of shoot-from-the-hip, no worries style photos came from the weekend. Here are a few them. Also, I'm trying out slideshows on the blog, in keeping with the website update I completed not too long ago. http://tommccarthyjr.com .

Run for the Sun

I just ate it so hard running to the beach to photograph a sunset. Since it is summer in Florida it rains every afternoon (usually starting around 3 p.m.), which can be a hassle if you need sunny skies for that portrait or building mug you've got planned. However, it also can make for some pretty nice light late in the day. This evening I noticed that the conditions were perfect for a sunset rainbow over the ocean (the last time I bolted out of the office for this shot I got all the way to the sand before I realized I'd left my memory card in the computer). Alas, no rainbow tonight (at least not much of one), but a beautiful sky did materialize in the final moments of daylight. I was already in the process of updating the phlog when I made my mad dash for the beach, so I'll just tack the shot onto the end of this post.

I was combing through my files looking for any overlooked gems for an upcoming portfolio submission (hint: the deadline was extended) when I came across a few shots that never made it into print for whatever reason. The first shot here is from a sunrise on Easter (I was there shooting the beachside "Sonrise Service"). Up next is a shot I got while riding along with the St. Edward's School's crew coach as the sun set on the Indian River Lagoon. Third is artist Sharon Sexton working on a new piece on the back porch of her ranch home in west Vero. Fourth is just a simple window light portrait of R.G. "Ace" Cappelen. I miss my cheapo 50mm f1.8. Up next is some of that sunset light during the half-time team warm-up at a St. Edward's football game. Nearing the end is a shot of a kid jumping off some brand new playground equipment at the newly renovated Humiston Park. And lastly, the sun sets on the Vero Beach Pier.

Well into Spring

The photos have started to pile up again over the last couple of months. Included here are shots from art festivals and galleries, fishing tournaments and aquariums, sports action, sportrait and sports feature, a dog show, a cancer walk, heavy machinery on the beach and another addition to my never-ending quest to shoot the perfect face painting photo. The last photo is of the Vero Beach High School Girls Lacrosse team, who pretty much beats every opponent to a pulp with unwavering consistency. In the game pictured here, the entire starting line-up sits on the sidelines eating grapes after gaining a double-digit lead in less than a third of the first half of play (that sounds like a fourth grade math problem). Also, I've redesigned my website (AP style) and updated my portfolio. The edit is a little loose right now so feel free to check it out and send any suggestions my way via electronic mail.
www.tommccarthyjr.com

Dining Page

More food photos from the weekly dining review page. Since the last food posting I've messed around a little more with composition and made more use of the setting in some of the shots. I've been told that we've covered almost every restaurant in Vero at this point so I've photographed quite a few plates in the last few months.

OK, Look Right In Here.

I shoot a lot of portraits. Half of my time is spent trying to keep from shooting posed photos. I'm a big fan of photographing people doing things. When I get an assignment to shoot a portrait I always try first to figure out if the subject has any upcoming plans to do something relevant to the story that I can just show up to and actually document. Upon arriving I often hear "What do you want me to do?" To which I respond, "Just pretend I'm not here. Do whatever you would be doing if I weren't here. I'll do the rest. That's what I do." Sometimes it works. Sometimes I'm left with no choice but to do a standard portrait. Honestly, neither situation is easier than the other to shoot anyways. Here is a small selection of portraits from the last few months. I've been wanting to post some of these for awhile now but haven't been able to force myself to decide which ones to show. Here's just a random handful to get something of my portrait shooting up on the photo blog. There are so many more. Maybe they'll make it into a future post.

Birds and a Bug

No people in this post. Just some birds on an old abandoned dock in Sebastian, Fla., a couple of shots of birds on power lines on an overcast day, and a white bug I found camouflaging itself on a white door frame. The third photo reminds me of musical notation.

House Fire Dog Rescue

I've shot a few pet rescue photos (it's been awhile since my last, though) and today's house fire provided yet another opportunity to photograph a fire fighter carrying the family pet out of a smoldering building (today's house wasn't as smoldery as some have been). I also hung around and got a couple of shots of the dog (named "Q") getting oxygen in the back of the ambulance and a shot of Q being reunited with one of its owners (four-year-old Ceterria).