XYNNImagery

Posts Tagged ‘south beach’

➥ via xynn tii imagery.™ facebook fansite.
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What’s The Latest? ↓
If you haven’t already done so, make sure to add me as your friend via my personal facebook profile At my profile, you not only receive early insight on fansite updates, but you also get a front row seat to the biggest Miami venues.

See, the fansite is simply eyecandy of my best images, but I create albums on my profile, containing hundreds of shots to the biggest Miami events for all to see. c; You can only view them by linking your profile to mine, so make that request right now! c;
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Image Detail.
I’ll say it until the day I die: Doraku Sushi knows exactly what they’re doing, more than any other sushi joint in South Florida, I’m certain of it. I fell in love with Doraku the moment I laid eyes on it [kinda like when I first saw Twitter and the Macbook Pro ^_^].

According to a few sources of mine, Doraku is only one of a handful of Florida sushi bistro’s that actually have professional chefs visa’d directly from Japan. [That's some serious stuff]. So you just have to believe their sushi is the best, and is cut perfectly every time.

I initially planned on getting some snapshots inside of the Doraku restaurant, which was no problem to the general manager because I’m such a frequent guest. c; But it was just so damn crowded that night, I really couldn’t find the angle I wanted. So I headed outside after eating with Darren and took this one.

Although I would love to be bias toward Doraku, I have to shine light on another sushi bistro that will be premiering in downtown Miami any month now. Zuma Miami. has been getting quite the buzz lately. In fact, Zuma’s debut in Miami will be its premiere restaurant to the entire United States as well. They only have about 4 other restaurants in the world so this should be big.

You can find out more about Zuma and whether they’ll be premiering in your neck of the woods by heading over to their site!
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How Was it Done? ↓
This high dynamic range image was processed using 3 different exposures, bracketed at -2, 0, +2 [Canon 7D] and fused together using the wonderful photomatix. I also did some masking in Photoshop CS4 to remove excessive lighting, as I usually have to.

I kept the ghosting effect on some of the people that were walking to portray movement in the frame, but I did take some out. The only thing I dislike about this shot is that damn tree in the top right, which really pissed me off during post-production. It’s in the way!! T_T

SO MAKE A MOVE ➾ Ask all questions you may have about… anything. Post the question to the corresponding image or at the fansite. wall and you’ll receive a response within the next update! Stay proactive fans. c; Loving your fanbase, forever! Stay tuned, see you soon.

.have an open mind | xynn tii imagery.™

via xynn tii imagery.™ facebook fansite
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Image Detail.
Lincoln Rd of South Beach, Fl has undergone a more-than-necessary renovation process toward its west end, near Alton Rd. I remember this construction site first commencing when I premiered in Miami during the spring of ‘08.

During the construction process of this multi-purpose tower at the corner of Lincoln and Alton, the entire walkway surrounding it was always fenced off. So I never got a chance to see this wonderfully stained-glass movie theatre across the way for what it really was.

There’s a sushi joint called Doraku within this complex that is easily my favorite restaurant on the beach. I had just finished eating there before I took this shot [I'll post an image really soon showcasing the Doraku entrance! c;]

A former neighbor of mine, Darren Lewis, accompanied me to Doraku for a very very late B.DAY dinner! ^_^ That would be him at center frame, talking on his out-of-date G1 phone. c;

& The Complaints Ensue.
Apparently this new extension of Lincoln Rd is not well liked by all, especially the handicapped. I just got word [from a very credible source in dwntwn Miami] that there has already been serious complaints filed in regards to the rugged pavement of this new walkway.

Now personally, I never thought of this as an issue, probably because I have two feet and I seldom use a wheelchair. But I now see how this creates a problem. The pavement is made of granite I believe, and its not smooth all the way across, its rocky. =/ Regardless, I really don’t think the city will made any changes to the walkway post-construction.
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How Was it Done? ↓
Color correction was definitely key in post production of this high dynamic range image. From the stained glass, to the granite floor, I removed a large amount of excessive color casted in unwanted places.

I definitely look to provide more images from the beach scene, because that’s what Miami’s all about right?!

.stay tuned | see you soon.

SIZE DOES MATTER ➠ FULLE SCALE IMAGE
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B.DAY = Necessary Distraction
This week, I’m out of town on my B.DAY trip, but I definitely don’t want that to get between you and all the xynn tii imagery.™ upgrades. Don’t miss a beat ➠ stay up-to-date right here at xynntii.com!

Image Detail. ↓
This mall is easily the largest indoor shopping complex in South Florida. Those who have been there should be very familiar with the high velocity of traffic it consumes everyday. Aventura Mall is ginormous, something you definitely have to see for yourself.

I had the opportunity to go there for the 88th time just after Christmas in 2009 and I brought my Mom along with me, who came to visit during the winter break. c:

Anyway, I snuck a shot of one of the Mall alleys during our tour of the place. I had a feeling it would look much better in HDRI format, so you know I had to convert it.

A big upgrade will follow this one so…
.stay tuned | see you soon.

SIZE DOES MATTER ➠ FULLE SCALE IMAGE
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Positively Overwhelming.
How ironic! I created this xynn tii imagery.™ facebook fansite in May 2009 with the initial intent on just keeping my photos organized for some people to see, and maybe even enjoy.

0_0 I can’t stress this enough: I NEVER imagined that I would receive this much constructive criticism from the fans [and even the opposers] within the past 9 months. it’s been a miraculous roller coaster ride and for that, I’m so humbled and overjoyed! c; I’ll never stop loving your fanbase and I’ll continue to take in your feedback with the largest grain of salt. >_<

HELLO TWENTY!!
B.DAY TIME ➥ It’s been a long, rigorous and life-changing 12 months for me and I can’t even begin to express how much I’ve learned and grown as a person and freelance photographer. I strongly believe that life experiences shape you into the person you are and I’ve been fortunate enough to discover so much within Miami. I’m in love with this city and the opportunities it has given me. I think you need to come see what I mean firsthand. Make a trip to orgasmic Miami today… No, seriously, bring your ass here, now. :p
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Image Detail.
Miami construction sites never seem to get old; such a true representation of this area. Another serious appreciation to Andrew Knight of Turner Construction for pressing my name to the Big Boys in Corporate, giving me access to the scene.

Unfortunately I wasn’t even able to get these guys’ names so I could give them a shoutout. =/ Too bad, I wasn’t even able to speak to any of the construction workers, they were too focused on making sure not to cut their arms off.

How Was it Done? ↓
You can now say that I’m obsessed with High Dynamic Range Imaging [HDRI]. They look so sexy. c; I combined and tonemapped 3 of these exposed images in Photomatix Pro. But I made sure to drastically lower the luminosity. Surprisingly I didn’t have to do much in relation to the lighting conditions and colors. Lightroom 3.0 helped out some though. c;

.stay tuned | see you soon.

SIZE DOES MATTER ➞ FULL SCALE IMAGE
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I’m such a Fan, take me there! ➡ Facebook Fansite!

Art | Basel | Miami Beach is easily the largest art exhibition in the United States, EASILY! It’s truly redonkulous how many credible artists [from countless countries] come to display and sell their artwork during December of every year at Miami Beach. This is actually a sister exhibition to Art | Basel in Switzerland, an event I wish to go to in the near future [a very unrealistic goal].

I have to admit though Art Basel 09 was nothing like the year prior, featuring 30 percent less the amount of artists and their artwork. I was quite disappointed because this was one the first events I photo-covered when I first came to Miami in 2008, so I wanted more. =/ Can’t have everything right?

But for the most part, I did enjoy what little I saw. I received a free press badge so I’m not really in a position to complain, Haa. Wiley Coyote stood out to me most because of the lighting conditions under which it was displayed. The spectators added a sense of completion to the frame, so I appreciate their modeling. ^_^
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HOW IT’S DONE!
This HDRI was actually taken with my older camera, the Nikon D200 which I sold last year. I’m trying to remember exactly how many exposures I used… I think 5, and they were fused together and tonemapped in Photomatix Pro. I like to think I’ve gotten so much better with this hdri artform because I’ve learned how to remove excessive saturation and lighting conditions caused by the over processing of Photomatix. But don’t get me wrong: this program is the best as a first step.

Following the initial merging, I usually mask the original hdri with the raw images in Photoshop CS4; this gives the hdri a more realistic look. I also used the plugins Portraiture and Noiseware, to remove SOME, NOT ALL of the noise. A little bit of noise is necessary because it displays some texture objects.

SO WHATS NEXT?
Don’t worry! I’m going to post another one of those construction images shortly. T_T But next will be a real journalism-type image, one of my first, of a homeless man in downtown Miami. I’m sure this image will speak to you in so many ways, as it shows the hardship of homelessness and a lack of necessary medical treatment. But I must warm you prior to the update, it is fairly graphic.

.stay tuned | see you soon. c;

via xynn tii imagery.™ flickr.

I tell ya, if I got a nickel each time I heard that statement… well I’d still be broke, but the point is that I’ve heard it quite a few times. c;

This is one of several sculptures scattered around the Miami Dade College Wolfson campus in downtown Miami. It’s directly across the street from where I reside so I’m there all the time for images. It’s simply referred to as the “X” and it’s an common meet-up spot for many of the students.

What this location is mostly known for though is attracting musicians. Don’t ask how it has come about, it just is. I always see bands and spectators in the area, relaxing, more than likely waiting for their next class to begin. So with that, I felt it was necessary to get some musicians in the frame, creating a true representation of what the “X” is all about.

These guys were real cool and didn’t mind me taking the photo. Actually to be honest, I don’t even think they realized I was even there; they were mad focused on their tunes. 0_O

SO WHAT’S NEXT?
Another hdri image from the construction site I visited the other week. I’ve still got a couple more to share with you from that assignment, which was a great experience. Or maybe next I’ll share with you a shot I got of the American Airlines Arena just after the SOS Haiti Concert ended. I’m not really sure yet. =/

.stay tuned | see you soon.

SIZE DOES MATTER ➠ FULL SCALE IMAGE
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Are you a fan?! ➡ Facebook Fansite!

The only reason I’ll ever leave my balcony door open is to hear the sound of drills and jack-hammers raping the Miami streets [and also to save money on my energy bill! c;]

There is never a day that goes by where you will not come across a construction site in Miami, especially in the dwntwn area! It’s just human nature. As you may have already seen through some of my previous images, Miami is going through a serious facelift, or self-proclaimed “Manhattanization wave.”

29 floors and two blocks away from my place of residence is a relatively new construction site on the Miami Dade College campus. Apparently a premiere 13-level Culinary Arts building will be added to the MDC Wolfson campus by October of this year. 0_0

It was so frazy [fcukin crazy] how many people I had to go through just to get permission and access to this construction site. Affiliates of the MDC campus and managers of Turner Construction Co. were so focused on my safety, it was ridiculous. Everyone was afraid of getting sued in the event of me getting injured, so I had to wear the hard hat and vest, as expected anyway. =/

I’ll be posting several other eye-candy images from this construction site during the course of February, instead of all of once [everything in moderation].

HUGE APPRECIATION ↓
to Andrew Knight of Turner Construction Co. for getting me on the site smoothly. & thanks a billion to Lazaro, Manolo & Sergio [great Miami press colleagues of mine] for helping me choose the best image from this assingment to share with all of you. Make sure to see the larger version at xynn tii imagery.™ flickr! c;

& yes, I’m always in love with your fanbase! ^_^

via xynn tii imagery.™ flickr.

Receive the xynn tii imagery.™ VIP treatment via the facebook fansite! Seriously, the fans are treated like royalty, because they deserve it! All image upgrades are featured at the fansite before anywhere else on the web. 0_O That’s right, I said it: all xtii.™ images premiere at the fansite before heading to flickr and even xynntii.com! c;

10,000+ supportive fans | Once again, I have to express my appreciation to the entire fanbase that have responded to the call of diversity. I’m seriously in love! ^_^ Continue to share any and all images with credits and links to your friends, family and co-workers.

TWITTER! continues to gain appraisal from fans as well. When you follow xynn tii imagery.™ you will not only receive links to unreal images from other photographers in the world, but sneak-peaks on what to anticipate from xtii.™ in the near future. Yea, like I said: VIP treatment! Believe me, you will always be informed on anything and everything xynn tii imagery.™ So necessary.

IMAGE DETAIL
I’m not really too hung up on horizontal images, as my current portfolio suggests. But sometimes its just unavoidable. =/ View the larger size of the image; the smaller size looks so disgusting. Bigger is better.

While at Bayside Marketplace, across the street from where I reside in dwntwn Miami, I caught a shot of the lonely carousel to which I rarely see in action. When it’s in business, there are never kids riding on it. The carousel operator seems to treat it like an iPod, turning it on  just so the music plays, hoping to entice the kids that walk right past it every time] How embarrassing.

I kept debating whether to post this photo as color or monochrome. Then I came across a Photoshop plug-in that I used for the first time. Silver Efex Pro is the sheeeiit! It gives the photographer more options to play with lighting and structure within black-and-white shots! I really love it and I may just have to take more monochrome images from now on because of it.

Happy ‘10! >_<
.stay tuned | see you soon.

via xynn tii imagery™ flickr.

No, seriously, it really is! All these one-way streets in the dwntwn area is what really pisses Miamians off! I complain about it on Twitter all the time yo!

Now, from an Everglades on the Bay vantage point, looking to the north, you just might see the legendary Freedom Tower, American Airlines Arena, Marina Blue, 900 Biscayne, Ten Museum Park or even the ridiculously luxurious Marquis Miami. But none of that is what makes dwntwn Miami just straight-up weird.

It’s the fact that dwntwn has an unusual look to it, or at least for right now it does. =/ With all this construction going on you could see it as a renovation period, or what architects are dubbing a “Manhattanization wave”. But that’s just half the story.

What’s my Point?: nothing is being done to expand the roads in dwntwn, which is a major mistake. As I mentioned in an earlier vlogcast™ image detail, so much money is being invested to bring traffic and residents in, but Miami is simply too damn small for this movement. Some might say the city is ‘too far gone’ meaning an excess of construction has already taken place, eliminating the opportunity or room for road expansion. =/

Would you believe that construction on Miami Beach has created the same exact problem? Ha, but who am I to say: I’m just a broke college student! Oh well.

IMAGE DETAIL |
Another HDR brought you to via the Canon D7, my new Akemi >_< I actually didn’t have to edit this image too much; lighting was the main focus. Some artificial light was implanted on the main road [Biscayne Blvd] in the image to contrast it from everything else.

& yes, I have to admit the moon is fake, but give me credit; it looks pretty damn real. c; I added it using the selection tool in CS4 and it is placed behind the clouds. I also dodged the skyscapers to highlight them. I edited this image using the following software below.

NECESSARY SOFTWARE!
Photoshop CS4
Lightroom 3.0
Photomatix Pro

There are also several plugins for Photoshop which I also find useful. They will be revealed in the next few vlogcasts™ for xynn tii imagery.™ Anticipate progression and improvement from xtii™ in 2010!

HAPPY NEW YEARS!
to the entire fanbase over at the xynn tii imagery™ facebook fansite! Love ya so much for your interest.

.stay tuned | see you soon. ^_^

via xynn tii imagery™ flickr.

Miami Int’l wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be the other day. 0_o

I headed to Tampa for the weekend to go see my Mother’s side of the family, but first of course I had to be statutorily raped by flight cancelations and delays. What a disgusting series of events.

My initial flight was terminated due to a crazy storm that made way into the Miami area the morning of. Then my alternate flight was delayed 3 hours. How fun!

But fortunately I was able to book a seat on a jet plane that got me to Tampa in half the time [ a little less than 30 minutes c; ] I love you Continental Airlines and I accept your apology!

During the major delay, I had enough time to watch Hannibal via Netflix and also to take an HDR shot inside the airport. Everyone obviously looked at me crazy because seeing a person take out a tripod in an airport usually raising suspicion. But I really liked what I saw when I looked toward one of the concourse alleys. The ceiling was insane! Hope you enjoy. c:

Happy Holidays to you and yours! Celebrate responsibly. c;

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