Hurricane Season 2013

by Othon Gonzales
www.cozumelspanish.com

The hurricane season is starting, and, as usual, we are going to see on TV, the paper etc… the recommendations to prepare ourselves and care our families, home and our personal stuff.

Let me tell you I arrived Cozumel in June 1996 and didn’t have a clue about that. Two weeks later, my students warned me about a hurricane would hit us that very night.
I went to a several convenient stores to buy some food and water (there were no supermarkets in Cozumel yet)

and finally I took a taxi to return home and another man went in at the same time…completely drunk !… the taxi driver asked him where to… and he said: take me to the nearest bar (???)
The driver did…and dropped him two blocks away, outside a bar… I never saw him again, and the hurricane, fortunately, went South and didn’t hit us.

So, the moral of the story is… up to you!!!

Take care everybody, and I hope we’re going to be fine… and one thing… please don’t be thinking that any storm will hit us, because the universe may concede it to you.
I´ll be looking for a calm season with beautiful romantic sunsets.

Tati´s Photo tip:
Taking pretty photographs of sunsets is a matter of getting the colors right.
You can control the colors via the white balance settings.
In order to get warmer colors in sunset situations choose a higher degree Kelvin than 5600K (daylight symbol).
Or use the preset scene for “sunsets” of your point-n-shoot camera.

With all you photoshop lovers, I want to share this video.
How To Fix Common Sunset Problems In Photoshop by Aaron Nace:

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Certificate of Excellence

We are happy to announce the third Certificate of Excellence for our:

Cozumel Photo Tour

Please see : www.phototourcozumel.com

Results Photo Challenge: “Door(s)”

PHOTOCHALLENGE DOOR(s) April 2013

We received many interesting and great images for this photo challenge. Thank you all!!

Please let me first say something about the subject: door(s) & why I (Tati Biermas) thought it is worth a subject.
We all know and use doors…every day. Some are normal others special, some are pretty, some are new, old, and some are just useful.
E.g closed doors can make curious. What is behind it? Old doors tell a story, etc…
But always does an opening connect one space with another.
You see there is A LOT room for interpretation and each one of the participants submitted their special door. Great job

Our jury voted for David Lettieri´s door picture because it is indeed an outstanding door!
What an unique subject he found,  so unexpected in this location!

I want to mention the harmonic color composition…an overall very surprising and pleasant image:

We also loved Nadine Poeckel´s door:

The straight lines, the reduction to black&white without losing detail makes for a great photograph.

Paul Daniel Petock´s photograph was taken in 1969…on film. And you can guess it is a double-exposure. We think he should have cropped it slightly on the left side – but it a very interesting picture that leaves a lot of room for interpretation.

We also liked Paul Monday´s photograph very much: a balanced composition, great textures, details & colors:

The photograph with the most “likes” on our facebook page “Cozumel Photo Tour” was from Paul v.d. Heyden. His collage of Italian doors sure keeps your interest and is a fabulous design.

We are happy that so many of you submitted beautiful photographs. They all can be seen here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.573495502668900.1073741826.113254258693029&type=1

Please check them out and also visit the page in the future…there are more photo challenges waiting for you.
We will announce them soon!

The Mexican 20 peso bill

by Othon Gonzales
www.cozumelspanish.com

You know the Mexican twenty-peso bills, I suppose… but, have you noticed who is in them ?… Benito Juarez…Why?   Who was this man ?

He was born in 1806, a pure “zapoteca” native. Those days, natives were the lowest level in the social system in Mexico, without any chance to progress.

However, he decided to go to school, graduated  as a lawyer, became senator, later governor of Oaxaca, president of the Justice power, and finally, president of this country.

He fought the conservative party to avoid a monarchy, and after defeat the Mexican Emperor Maximilian of Habsburg, he created the Republic. He elaborated the first Constitution in 1857, and died in 1872 after having been designated president  several times.

His legacy, besides the political changes, was a lesson of life, demostrating that, no matter your origin, race or color, you can achieve your goals if you decide it so.

Tati´s Photo tip:
Macro photography is extreme close-up photography of usually very small subjects like coins, blossoms of flowers, insects etc… Look for interesting textures, details & pattern and work either with a special macro lens or the macro setting (the small flower symbol of your point-n-shoot camera.

Results Photo Challenge: “Light and Shadow”

In this post, I have put together some truly awesome photos that make strong use of lights and shadows. Creative light and composition were used to become more aware of light and shadows in a picture.

This time I asked for judgments & opinions of my friends Tania Nacif – professional photographer and Debbie Felixson in order to write this blog and showcase some of your best shots. Thank you very much for your help dear friends! In fact we found every submission very inspiring. Congratulations to all participants!!!

This black and white photo of Fred Felder captured the subject “Light and Shadows” the best.

The captured light & shadows in his picture are the main composition and contrasting elements that created an interesting pattern & atmosphere. Backlighting, which lights foreground elements from the hind part, causes the edges of an object to glow adding an angelic effect and a pure dreamy feel. Amazing is also the fact that all 3 family members (Fred, Nici & Allison) submitted truly awesome pictures that make strong use of lights and shadows:

by Nici Felder

by Allison Felder (8 years old)

Besides, the strong use of shadows in color photos tend to be mostly used in silhouettes where the subject is made featureless apart from its outline against a bright background. The silhouette effect can be achieved with any bright light source – some focus on artificial lights, others on the sun at certain times of the day. Often photographers prefer the time around sunset because the sun causes the sky to be brighter than everything else for greater contrast. What’s also interesting is that when the artist aligns the sun directly behind the subject that can cause a glow effect around its outlines.
Paul von der Heyden´s picture caught our attention due to the play of light that created those amazing shadows – those almost surreal images add a meaningful facet to a photograph.

 

Also I want to mention the picture with the most “Likes” which is from Nike Martiné:

The shadow of the crab enhanced the relationship to the subject.

The reason to have these challenges is to work on an assignment, share ideas and learn from others. The next one will be coming up soon. Stay tuned.

CARNIVAL 2013 in COZUMEL

by Othon Gonzales
www.cozumelspanish.com

Hi my friends… party is never ending in Mexico, so now, everybody is getting ready for Carnival, a tradition that started hundreds of years ago in Europe
as a consequence of a Catholic period of abstinence…The Lent.

” Carne vale ” is a late Latin expression that means farewell to the meat because it is forbidden on Fridays. In ancient times, however, it had another
context…abstinence was: ” Not to have physical contact of any kind “, so somebody thought it would be a good idea a festival to enjoy all the
worldly pleasures before the Ash Wednesday.

Colorful customs, music and dancing start this Saturday 19th in Cozumel, when the Queen and the King of the ” Carnaval ” will be crowned.

Tati´s Photo tip:
There are many dancing groups doing kind of rehearsals – for the parades starting February 8 – on the streets of Cozumel now.
Mexican colors and party atmosphere at its best!! Whenever you see them – stop by and take some pictures.
Best results are with a fast shutter speed (minimum 1/800 sec.) and then wait for that instant when the dancer stops moving.
So, have a good time and enjoy party !!

 

CHRISTMAS in COZUMEL

MEXICAN POSADAS

by Othon Gonzales
www.cozumelspanish.com

The ‘posadas’ in Mexico is a tradition every year from the 16th to the 23rd of December…it’s a party where families get together and children break ‘piñatas’ with a stick and eat candies & fruits.

The word ‘posada’ means post, a place for pilgrims to spend the night and get some food.

In the catholic tradition it is said that Joseph and Mary travelled to Bethlem for the census when she was about to give birth the baby Jesus, and when they got there, knocked the door for shelter in eight different posts, they were turned away because all of them were full.

The 9th time they ask for shelter, the owner told them there was no vacancy, but anyway they could stay at the barn.

With the ‘posadas’, the Mexicans celebrate the eight times they were turn away with a party, which 50 years ago was more religious, but nowadays, it’s more a pretext to party, drink beer and have a good time.

The place for the posadas, if you want to go to one in Cozumel is the Ballroom ‘Mobydick’ on 65 ave. You might discover private ones all over the island.

Tati´s Photo tip:
It is an act of politness to ask permission to photograph posadas, people praying, singing, etc.
I have never had bad experiences in Cozumel. People are very friendly.
Whenever I asked if I could take a picture I was welcome to.

Once you have permission you become part of the event…use it wise to get stunning pictures.

Merry Christmas

IRONMAN in COZUMEL 2012

Ten years ago, one of my sons, who was 25 years old, told me that he and one of his friends would go to Oaxaca to compete in a triathlon. The ones who get to finish it would have the possibility to participate in an ironman race.

I didn’t have an idea about what exactly was that race… first, 3.86 km swimming, then 180 km biking, and finally 42.2 km running !!!
   
I had only seen the marathon in the olympics which is similar, without the first two races, and I wonder… who is fisically capable to do that??, well, not my son.
He and his friend did the swimming and half of the biking and got so exhausted that decided to go get some beer and eat some tacos instead.

It was here in Cozumel where I had the opportunity to see those athletes in action. Last year, particularly, they did the biking in the middle of a storm, it was
pouring so, you can add going biking fast on wet floor!, however, one of the atlhetes told me next day that the rain was great and very refreshing.   Accidents?
for sure, but for them, no matter if they are amateurs or pros, their goal is to be there and get the satisfaction to finish the race and know they are in a good shape.

All I can tell you is… they are incredible women and men, and it’s amazing to stay there for a while and see them.

I would only suggest to the WTC, the ones who organize it, to think in organizing the Tinman race…swimming 3 meters, biking 18 m and running 42 meters… i would
inscribe right away.

Othon Gonzales

Tati´s Photo tip:
Use a fast shutter speed setting of your camera to freeze/stop an action/motion in order to avoid blurry pictures. E.g. on S or T mode put a speed of 1/1000 sec.
Or try some panning pictures. Therefore I recommend a shutter speed between 1/30 and 1/60 sec and pan with the moving object while exposing.

With some practice you will get really stunning pictures.

  

 

Results of the November Photo Challenge

First of all I want to thank all the participants for sending in their work.
You all rock!!!

There were scary, strange, funny, interesting, relaxed, beautiful and extremely detailed self portraits.

And I want to present 3 pictures and their photographers that I found the most creative and skilled ones.

In my personal opinion I liked the picture of Manuel Santiago the best…allthough it was not an easy choice!

He found a very interesting point of view….with the camera and regarding his personality!
The leading lines from the eyes to his hand, the fact that a person is sometimes big and sometimes small
and the color composition impressed me. Great job, Manuel!
He is 28 years old, Mexican & lives in Veracruz.
To see more of his work please visit:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/che251

Another entry that I want to mention here is the picture of Bernd Moritz:

This picture is telling a story. Especially if you know that Bernd (born in Germany) works as a cameraman.

And last but not least there is the photograph of Allison Felder. She is by far the youngest participant – 8 years old.
I admire her sense of humor and self-esteem to participate with a very funny photo of herself.

Well done – all of you. To see all entries please visit:

http://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.506518842699900.121816.113254258693029&type=1

More photo challenges will follow! Stay tuned!!!

The day of the Death in Mexico

The Day of the Death

by: Othon Gonzales
www.cozumelspanish.com

“Mictecuacihuatl”, goddess of the death

The origin of the day of the deads is very ancient; Mayan and Aztecs used to celebrate it 3000 years ago in the 9th month of their calendar (around August)
and it was dedicated to ” Mictecuacihuatl”, goddess of the death.

They believed that the souls headed in different ways as a consequence of the type of death the person had, and they used to collect the skulls of their
believed ones, which were set on an altar to honor them.

read more here…