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!

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.

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.

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?!

Get Your Own Photoshoot ↓

Already, dozens of you have answered the call from xynn tii imagery.™ to host a photo session for you, your friends, and even those with their own company. Several clients have traveled from outside of Florida to receive the xtii. Treatment, which is extraordinary.  The xynn tii imagery.™ name is surpassing the Florida borders and appealing to models, entrepreneurs and businesses alike!

You don’t have to be left out! Just come to the Greater Miami Area and choose your very own Selection from the xtii. :Selection Forms. It cannot be stressed enough how wallet-friendly these selections are. They were set up strategically, catering to the bank accounts of broke college students, like myself. c;

A total of 6 selection categories are available within the Midscale Selection & Upscale Selection. You also have the option to manually form you own Selection by using the “:xtiiCustomize” column.

Where’s My $ Going?

This is something that might just be on your mind. xynn tii imagery.™ is proud to report that every single penny made by the company, stays within the company. Your money is directly used for company necessities such as camera equipment and advertising campaigns. c: Your support is literally what keeps xynn tii imagery.™ in process! Have an open mind, take the initiative → contact xynn tii imagery.™ today to receive your personalized images! c;

Image Detail.

The lighting in this bathroom was frazy! Great illumination for a shot that I couldn’t resist. I had never taken this type of shot before so I decided to continue shooting even if someone came into the bathroom with me. & not surprisingly about 4 total guys entered and left the bathroom within a 3 minute time-span, which was hilarious. All 3 of them looked at me like I was crazy, but I had to stay focused yo!

This is the first time I ever had so many thoughts going through my mind, in Korean, while editing an image. I decided to add them in, streaming vertically along the bathroom wall. Do you like? Something new! This HDRI was developed using Photomatix, Portraiture and of course, Photoshop CS4.

Sour, Then Oh-So Sweet.

If I told you that this masterpiece didn’t have my heart, mind and soul, then I should be slapped…then shot in the face! ^_^ I love you Sweden!! Sour Patch Kids has got to be the best invention called candy…ever! Believe me, I wouldn’t advertise it for free if I wasn’t seriously speaking from the heart. >_< I’ve been eating them since 1st grade, and I consume a 1lb bag every week. It’s just oh so necessary.

Do This Now ↓

If you haven’t experienced the ‘sour, sweet, gone’ orgasm, then please be more practive with your life and buy sour patch kids. Swedish Fish [the manufacturer] better not ever go out of business or I’m never taking photos again.

0_o Okay, so finally another horizontal image makes its way into the portfolio! Some of the fans were getting quite upset with all of my vertical shots, which wasn’t showing any diversity whatsoever. =/ For that I apologize. While shooting some illegal digital images for my film photography class during the fall ’09 semester, I had get a shot of my favorite candy. Not surprisingly, my ego wanted to include the xynn tii imagery.™ cards in the  frame as well. I shot this image in the privacy of my condo in dwntwn Miami.

The course assignment was; shoot a self-portrait, without physically being in the frame. =/ So I decided to shoot a couple subjects that described my taste for life: the candy and my company. c;

This is Not an HDRI

I’m giving that artform a break for a couple more updates. c; Silver Efex Pro, an excellent photoshop plugin, converted this image to monochrome. This plugin is also responsible for the split tone, giving the image a yellow-blueish tint.

I hope you enjoy! & I also hope you’re enjoying all of the meaningful tweets via xynn tii imagery.™ twitter. Receive consistent links of other photographers who are inspirational to the hdri world by following xynn tii imagery.™ now! There’s also some social media involved. c;

Oh Sheeeiit ➡ The Fans Playground

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. c;

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! >_<

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. ^_^

Ay Dios Mio!

I need to stop taking so many vertical photographs. =/  What’s happening to my diversity?

It’s been dubbed “Unconditional Surrender”, a statue monumenting the epic kiss between a Navy sailor and a nurse of the WWII efforts in 1945. The situation took place in Times Square, New York City following the announcement of V-J Day. Naw, I don’t know what V-J stands for. =/

But, I’ve been able to research some controversial news regarding this statue. O_O Seems as if some [perhaps even most] Sarasota, FL natives are not too happy with this statue and its location, deeming it as a false representation of the real moment. What’s your take on that? I clearly don’t see how it’s demeaning in any way.

In fact, opposition has gotten so out of hand that an online petition has been going around to keep the statue in its place along Sarasota’s Bayfront coastline. I’m pretty sure the artist J. Seward Johnson is sweating bullets each and every day. ^_^

Seriously, “Unconditional Surrender” has been relocated several times within the past 4 years for security purposes. Prior to Sarasota, it was displayed in San Diego, CA. What is this about? & why is it now in Sarasota? If you know, please clarity via your comments.

As for the image itself, this is an HDR, using 3 exposures set at -2, 0, +2 with the new Canon D7. Masking was done in Photoshop CS4 using a couple of the original images to take away the excessive detail created by Photomatix. A program that I’m finding useful is Noiseware, which was used to create the blur effect of the clouds.

Warning ↓

You may like this so much that you’ll want to BUY THIS PRINT NOW @ the xynn tii imagery™ storefront! c;

Wow, Everglades on the Bay just displayed the condominium Christmas Tree today! Getting a snapshot was a must. Although I was very surprised it wasn’t a palm tree, but instead the traditional pine tree. This is a really good look.

I sincerely wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a responsibly-celebrated New Years! c;

Join the fanbase via xynn tii imagery™ facebook fansite.

I’m officially in a relationship

…with my condo residence, that is. Ha It has begun. I’m now taking random hdr images of Everglades on the Bay. But it’s like a necessary-random, I think. This place has an incredible amount of eye-candy, especially the amenities level. But I seldom head down to this level for the 6 pools or the weight rooms. Why?

For one, we all know blasians don’t swim [ yes, I said it! and it's true >_< ] Secondly, there is still no one even living here, so the amenities level gives me that “I am Legend” feel. Awkwarrrrrddd. Although I do plan to check out that new spa that just opened. I’m secure enough with myself to say that busy men need massages once in a while. c:

OH & BY THE WAY: If you’re wondering whether or not this photo was taken in December… yea, it was, on a typically humid 85-degree day is good ol’ Miami, Fl. No snow, no breeze, no holiday feeling what-so-ever! Is this ridiculous? To me, yes it is. I’m used to having all four seasons [being from South Korea] and the humidity gets old after about… 10 minutes of living here.

So before you visit the Miami area during any part of the year, slap yourself for even considering to pack a scarf, let along a pair of jeans. c;