The Carey Adventures » Mexico

A Block Of Puerto Vallarta As Seen In License Plates

Peter West Carey — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:36:10 +0000

Wandering Puerto Vallarta, I was struck with how international areas of the town were. Up from the water, the homes become modest and comfortable. A place I would like to live. Near the beach, the highrises and hotels crowd the sun and beckon travelers to the water’s edge. The stretch along the beach can have a large variety of visitors from around Mexico and further away.

To show this diversity, I turned to license plates. For some reason, they tend to fascinate me and are something I look to in each country I visit. I wasn’t looking for exotic plates from the tip of Chile or Northwest Territories. I wasn’t looking for anything, really. I simply found the variety of plates, as compared the hills around the beach, to be interesting. Here are the license plates from just one side of one block of Puerto Vallarta I found on my recent trip.

Disclaimer: My trip to Puerto Vallarta was arranged by Velas Vallarta resort. As always, I retain control over what I post on my blog and no one has editorial input. And really, do you think Velas Vallarta flew me all the way down to Mexico just to take pictures of license plates and forced me to write about them here? They were cool, but not insane.

Playing Around With Time Lapse In San Francisco

Peter West Carey — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:04:53 +0000

My last visit to San Francisco afforded me a few moments to shoot some time-lapse videos. These shots are comprised of between 70 and 240 images each and were aided with the help of a tripod and patience. Behind the scenes: The 747 landing was one of about 30 landings and take offs I shot, crowding two 32GB cards with small images (but big enough for HD video). The images were shot with a Canon 7D and either a Canon 28-300mm L lens or a Canon 10-22mm EF lens. Filtering through all of those images was worth finding the jet landing concept that I want to try again some time soon.

I am shooting time-lapse on almost every trip I take at this point. It’s an enjoyable, different way to represent a location. I will be stringing these images and video through my presentations with the People, Places & Patterns Project and more will be presented on this blog as well. Enjoy!

And as a bonus, a video I shot last week at from the roof of Velas Vallarta with a GoPro Hero 2 thanks to BorrowLenses.com.

Photo Of The Day – Balance

Peter West Carey — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 16:24:46 +0000

Title: Balance

Location: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, North America

Photograph Creative Commons Copyright Peter West Carey

Are you interested in joining a photo tour in Nepal, Bhutan or India in 2012? Email me for more information or click here.

Photo Of The Day – Power Hungry

Peter West Carey — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 05:56:54 +0000

Title: Power Hungry

Location: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, North America

Shot with a Canon 7D and Canon 28-300mm L lens with settings of ISO 100, 40mm, f/5, 1/125th of a second

Photograph Creative Commons Copyright Peter West Carey

Are you interested in joining a photo tour in Nepal, Bhutan or India in 2012? Email me for more information or click here.

My trip to Puerto Vallarta was hosted by Velas Vallarta Resort, but they sure as heck didn’t force me to take pictures of gorgeous sunsets and post them, that was my doing and always will be on this blog.

How To Take A Decent Tropical Sunset Photo – 31+ Days To Better Photography

Peter West Carey — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 19:20:52 +0000

Raise your hand if you’ve taken this type of picture:

Great sunset, huh? I know, because I took this. It was an awesome sight. My first night in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and out of the sub-freezing temps in Seattle. On top of that, SUN! And relaxation (of a sort). A memory I want to keep so…click!! Take it home and post it on Facebook.

No!!! Please don’t.

Please don’t post pictures like this on Facebook or force your friends look at them. Shots like this are memories for you and that’s awesome (believe me, sunshine in February is awesome).

But you can do better! Yes you can, and it’s simple. It’s about composition. For a refresher, take a look at the Rule Of Thirds, that’s what we’ll be going over here and applying it to sunsets.

First, taking a shot of the sun setting over the ocean can be one of the most boring subjects. Water, sky, sun. Not many elements. And putting the horizon in the middle of the image is often what most people do, like the image above. But remembering what you read in the Rule Of Thirds, let’s change things a little.

Ok, now we’ve moved that horizon down to the bottom third and opened up the sky. Awesome clouds, include them! One step further:

Moving the sun over to the intersection of two of those dividing lines helps balance things better. It gives us a direction to go in the image, out to sea to join the sun. Let’s try exaggerating things a bit now and throwing caution to the wind (which was warm and welcoming this night, might I add):

Meh. I’m not sold. There are enough clouds, but let’s see what we can get going back to the Rule Of Thirds with the foreground:

Well now, that’s more exciting! Waves and sun and sand. With the on rush of the waves, I don’t want the sun too far off to the side and bring it ever so slightly back toward center, but not all the way. This gives the sunlight a chance to light up the sand that the waves are not yet attacking. I also GET LOWER! Just crouching down helps change perspective.

That’s more like it. Can you see the difference in the composition in the last two? The foreground is more prominent and that works for me.

Mind you, this is just one option, but it is so easy and people will want to look at your vacation photos more often. All I did was to crouch down closer to the water, put the horizon near the top third (not even to that point in the last image) and clicked away, waiting for the waves to make something pretty to shoot.

Try it! The next time you’re on vacation, take a stab at this simple technique. And post your results here, I’d like to see them.

31 Days To Better Photography is a series written by professional photographer Peter West Carey on The Carey Adventures.Com. The series is designed to unravel the mysteries of photography so you can take better pictures. Subscribe here to receive all the updates and bonus material. Your comments are always welcome.

Photo Of The Day – Blazing Sunset

Peter West Carey — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 05:16:51 +0000

Title: Blazing Sunset

Location: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, North America

Description: Taken from the beach with a 50-500mm lens, the sun pancakes into the Pacific Ocean but not before lighting clouds afire.

Shot with a Canon 7D and Sigma 50-500mm lens with settings of ISO 100, 500mm, f/6.3, 1/100th of a second

Photograph Creative Commons Copyright Peter West Carey

Are you interested in joining a photo tour in Nepal, Bhutan or India in 2012? Email me for more information or click here.

Photo of The Day – Puerto Vallarta Sunset

Peter West Carey — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 04:13:57 +0000

Title: Puerto Vallarta Sunset

Location: Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, North America

Description: I just arrived in Mexico this evening and was treated to a becalming sunset right in front of the resort. A good way to start a trip.

Shot with a Canon 7D and Canon 28-300mm L lens with settings of ISO 100, 28mm, f/11, 1/160th of a second.

Photograph Creative Commons Copyright Peter West Carey

Are you interested in joining a photo tour in Nepal, Bhutan or India in 2012? Email me for more information or click here.

Learn More Photography (And Blogging) In The Mexico Sunshine This Winter

Peter West Carey — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 02:13:54 +0000

I’m happy to announce I will be presenting photography tips and tricks at a parenting blogging camp this winter in Puerto Vallarta. My slice is small, but I’m also there as a resource when not presenting.

This camp is a far more easy going time than a normal conference and is meant to allow more time for mingling without the heavy emphasis on parties. It’s also family-friendly (it is officially labeled a “Mom Blogger” camp, but all parents are welcome as I am clearly not a mom) with good discounts on an all inclusive resort. There are a host of topics to be covered by some of the most knowledgeable brains in the niche. January 5-8, 2012 are the dates and I hope to see you there!

Here’s the latest press release from the resort. And a link to more information http://www.velasresorts.com/momblogger/

Mom Blogger Camp Offered by Velas Vallarta, Jan. 5-8

Topics Include Monetizing, Legal Issues, Photography and More

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (October 27, 2011) – To kick-off 2012 in style, Velas Vallarta in Mexico will host eight notable bloggers and photographers January 5-8 for Mom Blogger Camp 2012. The camp will help all levels of bloggers sharpen their skills and provide inspiration for others to start a blog. Daily seminars will focus on improving blogging skills and brand and business building, with seminar leaders available for follow-up questions and conversation.

One of BlogHer’s 2011 Voices of the Year in the Perspectives category, Amy Whitley will lead a seminar on Blogging as Memoir, while Mary Jo Manzanares, Editor in Chief of The Travelers Way, will guide participants on Legal Issues in Blogging. Photography and Video breakouts will be lead by Peter Carey West and Adria Richards respectively. Deb Ng will lead a session on Community Management, and Anne Taylor Hartzell, founder HipTravelMama, will guide attendees on Working with PR and blog monetization. Jenny Lawson, recognized by the Nielsen ratings as one of the Top 50 Most Powerful Mom Bloggers, and Aparna Vashisht-Rota, founder and CEO of Parentella, are also slated to lead seminars. Jennifer Miner, co-creator of the award-winning travel blog The Vacation Gals, is the conference organizer.

The three-night Mom Blogger Camp 2012 tuition is $450 USD per person based on double occupancy, and $900 for single occupancy. Up to two children under 12 are complimentary when staying in parents’ suite. Non-bloggers staying in same suite as camp attendee will receive the $150 nightly rate. The all-inclusive rate includes all camp activities, deluxe accommodations in a One Bedroom Suite, a la carte gourmet meals at a choice of specialty restaurants, premium branded beverages, 24 hr in-suite service, fitness center, kids’ club, evening entertainment, activities for adults and children, taxes and gratuities, and more. For reservations, call 1-866-847-4609 or visit http://www.velasresorts.com/momblogger/.

About Velas Vallarta:

Velas Vallarta, an all-suite resort and convention center located on 10 acres of oceanfront in Puerto Vallarta, is walking distance from Marina Vallarta Golf Course and just minutes from Downtown Puerto Vallarta’s captivating attractions, activities and landmarks. Situated on the emerald waters of Banderas Bay, Velas Vallarta features 345 suites, a high-tech Convention Center that can accommodate up to 700 people, three swimming pools, a rejuvenating spa, fitness center, multiple restaurants, and an inviting lounge with live music and entertainment nightly.

Photo Of The Day – Loreto, Baja California Sur – JoAnna Haugen

Peter West Carey — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 17:38:19 +0000

Title: Loreto, Baja California Sur

Location: Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico, North America

Description: This photo was taken from the roof of La Mision Hotel in Loreto, Mexico. Though the Sea of Cortez, which was behind me, was certainly picture worthy, it was this shot I liked best.

Photograph Copyright JoAnna Haugen

Photo Of The Day – Cross and Cruise Ship – JoAnna Haugen

Peter West Carey — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:23:11 +0000

Title: Cross and Cruise Ship

Location: Huatulco, Mexico, North America

Description:This photo was taken in Huatulco, Mexico. What really struck me were the two contrasting features of the photo: The cross, which sat outside a small church, and the cruise ship, which had pulled into port not long before we arrived.