xynn tii imagery.

Fansite Community Growing Rapidly! Join In.

In May of last year, I started a puny sharing platform for :xynn tii imagery over at facebook. Soon enough it became a Fansite and folks actually started looking at my photos and reading the write-ups (at least that’s the impression). But don’t be discouraged; now that you’ve been informed, you don’t have to be an outsider any longer! Join the facebook fansite now and take advantage of that sexy Like Button. c:

Now, All It Needs is Some Paint

Back in February I rendezvous’ed with the construction workers in Dwntwn Miami. This was my first and (still so far) only photo opp on a satisfyingly dangerous construction site. I really want to do this again, but Turner Construction doesn’t seem to be budging. Either way, it’s a bit too late to return to these specific grounds because the structure of the building has been enclosed and is waiting for primer and painting.

These guys are working on what will be the Culinary Arts building for Miami Dade College, a couple blocks from where I live. It’s about 9 stories with abnormally high ceilings, which caters too the students cooking activities.

You Might Not Understand This, But You May.

This is Talitha Anyabwele, a client from May. I was fortunate enough to photograph her while she was in Miami on business. We set up at the sexy Mandarin Oriental on Brickell Key. She’s a great spirit and is a theater actress of her own show called Black Girl Speaks. Go to her website to learn more about the performance and locations!

I was feeling pretty damn artistic the day I decided to take this specific photo in a different direction. The original actually looks fairly different from the end result. I don’t know exactly what I created, but it looks more like it could be Talitha’s Avatar, minus the blue scaly flesh. I don’t want there to be a misconception: all of her shots were not edited to look this way. I decided to experiment on this one to see what I could create. This editing style is definitely a premiere to my Eyecandy Portfolio. Perhaps only the open-minded will be able to view and understand such an image; it’s not the typical shot.

Lakers! Love you guys and the entire front office! I’m looking forward to the 3-Peat run next season! ^_^

Don’t Mess w/ Her; I’m Serious!

Thanks so much to Darren Lewis, top security at Miami’s Epic Hotel, for allowing me to barge in for some night shots! Be sure to click on his name and request him via facebook. He’s kinda old so he doesn’t really believe in Twitter (amateur! ^_^) I’ve visited Epic countless times and never realized what great scenery its vantage point captures. It’s from this location where I also grabbed the shot from Vacating Brickell w/ the Quickness!

Well, she’s definitely been running things in Dwntwn Miami for quite some time and deserves the title Head Bitch in Charge! Although the Four Seasons in the Brickell District has surpassed the Wachovia Financial Center as the tallest skyscraper in Miami, its exterior design and time period from which it came simply cannot be matched. During the summer of 2008 when I first landed in Miami, I would have never guessed that this masterpiece came from the early 80′s! For this tower to still look so modern is remarkable, considering how often Miami goes under construction.

I’m Tellin’ You: Ultra Never Gets Old!

Be sure to friend request me via facebook. I released this photo to my facebook friends way back in March along with 99 other great Ultra 12 images! For those not too familiar with Ultra Music Festival… it’s pretty much the sheeeiit! It the largest and most successful electronic music venue in the United States. This year, it easily surpassed its record, attracted more than 100,000 during the 2-day event.

What I look forward to more than anything is Ultra 13! From what I hear, the venue will be extended for a day and just may double in size. This, by far, was the most amazing photo opportunity I’ve had thus far. Another ginormous music venue, that usually succeeds Ultra and takes place every April, is Coachella! The west coast hosts this; I really look forward to attending next year (unrealistic goal).

:xynn tii imagery Newsletter Approaching Circulation!

During the fourth quarter of this year, Eyecandy Newsletter will be delivered to your inbox!  Email that is, and I’ll make sure they live up to their name; less text, more graphics! A great HTML Email Team will assist me as these monthly Newsletters will highlight everything present and upcoming for :xynn tii imagery within the calendar month. Also Included will be a great stream of the latest images released by :xynn tii imagery (an easy way to play catch-up if necessary!) Eyecandy Newsletter will share the same design and theme as Eyecandy Portfolio. Consistency, so you don’t get confused or lost. =D

This will be an excellent leap forward in the marketing department for the company, as I know people love to share fun and interesting emails by forwarding them to family and friends! I love making everything entertaining and user-friendly; a colorful and inviting monthly Newsletter will be a great addition to my repertoire. Stay tuned for yet another way to enjoy and share my Eyecandy! c:

Kim Clijsters w/ the Quick Smackdown

If you just started following :xynn tii imagery then you may have missed out on my first image from the Sony Ericsson Open 2010. Let’s all go back for a moment to Venus Williams = Pretty Damn Intimidating, my favorite Media shot thus far. Even though Venus looks sizzling in the photo, Kim Clijsters cooled her way down during game time. Clijsters managed to deliver the ass whooping within an hour, taking home the trophy with that Belgian smile of hers. Game Over!

Considering how distracted as I was by the insufferable heat, I was surprised to  get a nice colorful shot of the entrance along with some attendees. I was actually standing in the rush hour traffic as I took this. As usual I received a great deal of blank stares and car-honking.

Miss Out on the Premiere?

If you did… I forgive you, but let’s get you up to speed on the latest. My Eyecandy Portfolio came to life on 1 June! The grand opening went pretty snazzy and I made sure to celebrate the occasion responsibly with a handful of Associates here in Miami FL! You can check out the photos from the party I hosted over at my facebook profile. Yea, that was clearly a joke; I just wanted to find a way  to sneak in my facebook link. ^_^

At any rate, make sure to check out the Screenshot Tour I created for Eyecandy so you can get familiar with all the nice features. The greatest thing about Eyecandy is that you can buy prints directly within the Portfolio! This redefines what it means to have a user-friendly site!  I created a separate Screenshot Tour for purchasing prints as well, over at xynntii.com/buyprints. Prices start at a remarkable $12 and because of this, they are selling pretty damn well; much better than I projected for this first week. Get in on the fun: Go consume (and buy) my Eyecandy today!

Yohji Yamamoto = Genius!

Last summer, around the time I had just established :xynn tii imagery as a company, I tagged up with Ludwing Laboriel to embark on a awkwardly diverse photo session. Nothing was really planned, we just rolled with whatever. I have to admit: most of the shots involved his abdominals more so than anything else.

We took some editorial shots at the amenities level of my condo residence and in the studio, which turned out great! But I enjoyed the candid ones the best! We walked randomly in the dwntwn streets, Ludwing with guitar  in one hand, and a colossal ego in the other. It was funny how many blank stares we attracted.

Ahh, those sunglasses; the most superior eyewear I’ve ever witnessed. Fortunately in 2002, Japanese high-fashion designer Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas went into collaboration to mold the Y-3 brand, Adidas Style. I’ve been following Y-3 for a few years now and they’ve become a serious powerhouse, considering that the brand combines elements of couture with that of sportswear. It’s worthy of attention! It’s pretty pricy, but as I always say, “You get what you pay for.” Marinate yourself in Adidas Style by visiting y-3.com.

By the way, those are MY shades! Ludwing just borrowed them for the photos. Sorry, I couldn’t hold that one in; my self-indulgence made me do it! =/

It’s More Than Just a Slideshow

A goal that has been 12 months in the making, this is the sole reason why I continue to taking photography so seriously. I’ve worked and progressed tirelessly to establish portfolio.xynntii.com and it is finally here for everyone to consume! I call it Eyecandy because this portfolio is remarkable and includes a variety of neat features! First off, it opens up with slideshow that displays a handful of fan favorites (and some of my personal favorites too).

Don’t be misled! The slideshow is just an appetizer. The following screenshot details how to navigate to any of the 6 genre gallery’s. Here, I’ve neatly organized all my images based on the genre they fall under. Like many of you already know, I take a crazy amount of different shots, so I make sure to categorize them for a user-friendly viewing experience!

Buy Your Prints Directly w/ in the Portfolio!

The greatest feature of Eyecandy is the ability to Buy Prints with just a couple clicks while you browse the different genres gallery’s. Head over to the Buy Prints page where I included an easy-to-follow screenshot guide on how to choose your prints, the sizes and paper finishes. Sizes range from 4×6 to 30×40 canvases! I was surprised myself on how diverse the size selection is. Here’s the remarkable part: Prices Start at a Jaw-Dropping $12! The massive size variety will be able to accommodate all requests.

Enough of my jaw-flapping; go check out my Eyecandy Portfolio now! The best thing to happen for :xynn tii imagery thus far!

Great Discussions over at the Fansite!

Make sure to become involved in the deep conversations I have with fans and opposers alike at :xynn tii imagery’s facebook fansite. One of my latest responses to a question sparked a big rally of comments and constructive controversy I suppose you could call it. Actually, as I write this update, the conversation carries on, so go throw yourself in the mix! It’s within the landscape image titled ‘Soaring Above the Cloud Beds’.

Since xynntii.com is only around 6 months old, I still have a very lop-sided fanbase over at facebook. But patience and time will soon bring all of that traffic here to my photo blog. Also, look forward to the premiere of my online portfolio with smugmug coming next week! 3 months is the making ➥ This is going to be a revolutionary playground extension to xynntii.com where you will be able to view my 6 genres of photography and also buy prints directly within the portfolio site! I’ll leak all of the details in the next update. Can’t wait to share it with all of you!

Late Night at the ol’ Bayfront Park

Living across the street from Bayside Marketplace and the Port of Miami is probably only a bad thing if your condo faces Biscayne Blvd. Next to Bayside is the Bayfront Park Amphitheater where all the cultural festivals take place annually. The Haitians have some serious pride and when I say noisy, I mean straight rambunctious! Sometimes the crowd can have a way of guiding to them with all of the crunk in the air. I took the time to head out there after it had died down a bit. I didn’t take any shots on the festival grounds, but saw an Eyecandy opportunity at Bayside. I decided not to mask out the moving people or the moving ship because I feel it adds some meaning to the frame. c:

It Feels So Real Up There!

Well, during my time near the runway strip I got stopped by airline security as I tried to snapshot the American Eagle Jet that flew me from Miami to Pensacola, Florida. Guess I wasn’t sneaky enough and too far away from their sights, but there’s always a next time. ^_^ Because I didn’t get a shot while on the ground, I made sure to take full advantage of my window seat! I’ve never really looked out at the clouds while being level with them. There’s an ironic feeling that hits you in the gut once you notice how much of a contrast there is above and below the cloud beds. Such a tranquil vibe seems to exist where humans don’t reside, this case being up in the sky. Then of course you have the world that exists under it where we as a people implement countless strategies on polluting the air, but cannot find one successful way to stop a damn oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. Everyone say “awkwardly pathetic” on three!

Photographer or Photoshopper?

The other day I received an excellent question from Danilo over at my facebook profile. He asked: “Are you a photographer or a photoshopper?” Alright, so let me get right to the point. Asking a photographer that question is the same as asking James Cameron: Are you a filmmaker of a CGI-er? [Cameron is writer and director of Avatar.] To answer Danilo’s question, which I gratefully appreciate him asking, I am a photographer and I’m not sure exactly what it means to be a photoshopper. If by using the Adobe program Photoshop at least once in life deems me as a photoshopper, then… okay and whatever, sounds like fun to me. =D

What I do know is that software and technology have escalated beyond our years, providing endless possibilities within the realm of visual arts. If one is to notice the post production techniques used on photos, you can’t help but see similar techniques used in film as well; our levels of creativity are evolving. This all plays into the part of :xynn tii imagery‘s slogan – have an open mind – and not limiting yourself. But of course, this is simply my opinion.

She’s an Argentine Israeli!

I don’t know what was more thrilling: photographing this beautiful specimen or almost getting hand-cuffed for climbing to the rooftop without authority. =/ Either way, I have memories from this day that will last forever; Eva Levin is clearly a big part of that.

This photo session was not really planned at all, more of a random thing we did in-between classes. [Okay, I can sense the hate emails coming in already: Keep in mind, this took place months before :xynn tii imagery was established as a company. So no, Eva was not a client of mine.] Luckily the Gusman Center was just a few blocks away from campus and Eva was down for anything. I took the initiative to get entry to the back of the building where these older looking staircases resided.

We went crazy with this! I remember we bought some balloons thinking we could incorporate them into the session. Then we realized after the fact that we didn’t have acces to a helium machine. So we decided to inflate them manually and… yea it didn’t really work out. Eva’s a photographer too so her poses and facial gestures came so naturally; it was a breeze. My favorite shot from this day was her suicide photo called “Just Do It”, which I snapped just before we were escorted off Gusman’s roof. Miss ya & love ya Eva Diva! Forget the Middle East, come back to Miami. c:

Tell Me How You Really Feel

For those who are not familiar with my personality and way of running things: I respond to all questions posed by the likers and dislikers, whether they be positive, negative or just straight-up weird. If there’s anything I strive to evoke more than your acceptance, it’s your attention. I don’t share my images with the expectation of winning over all that see them. You cannot please everyone, I figured that out years ago. But I’ve come to the conclusion that if I earn your attention, make you think a little bit and  leave you with something in mind, then mission accomplished.

As I express within my conversational auto-biography over at the about page, my approach towards visual arts is inextricably linked to :xynn tii imagery‘s slogan -Have an open mind. Growing up in Asia, and traveling around the World multiple times during the process, I’ve been exposed to cultures and situations that have broadened my way of thinking far beyond most people’s realm of imagination or understanding. It’s because of this that I enjoy reaching deep into the heart of certain matters and making of it something that is unique and is less common than what is typical.

My perception on photography is a great example. Even though :xynn tii imagery and my photo skills are just one year in the making, I can’t help but showcase diversity; my open-mindedness will not allow otherwise. This is why I focus on six main genres: commercial, editorial, landscape, media, monochrome and runway. For me to limit or narrow my photo opportunities to just landscapes or wedding portraits would be asinine. Miami is too grand of a place for me to dismiss all of what it has to visually offer.