Un Petit Monde (A Small World)
  • HOME
  • GALLERY
  • ABOUT
    • MAKING OF
    • MEDIA
    • FAQs
    • CONTACT US
  • BLOG
  • STORE
  • HOME
  • GALLERY
  • ABOUT
    • MAKING OF
    • MEDIA
    • FAQs
    • CONTACT US
  • BLOG
  • STORE

Roaming the Ancient City...

4/8/2014

0 Comments

 
of St. Augustine in Florida...Situated on the East Coast of Florida and founded in 1565, it's the nation's oldest city. We knew we wanted to visit it with the miniatures before we leave the area. Kurt was so inspired by St. Augustine that he's thinking about creating a separate gallery of images revolving around it!

PictureThe lighthouse keeper getting some fresh air
On our first day, we decided to walk everywhere. After spending the early morning at the Castillo De San Marcos, we crossed over the Bridge of Lions to get to the Lighthouse. 

The Lighthouse of St. Augustine is very photogenic with its black and white stripes and its red top. We didn't expect to find it inland, away from the water.

We scoped a good vantage point and Kurt tried different angles for about half an hour. As it turns out the best angle was outside the lighthouse premises, between two private properties, underneath tree branches.

Light was a struggle. The sun was illuminating the lighthouse, leaving the foreground in the shadows.  We waited a while for the right light. 

For this scene, Kurt kept the storyline simple: the lighthouse keeper was out for a bike ride and he ran into an old friend.

Picture
Kurt's lens peeking from behind a tree branch
The Castillo De San Marcos was built in 1672. We went early in the morning for the best light and to avoid the crowds. We walked half-way around the fort and Kurt found a spot he thought he could work with.
Picture
Miniatures touring near the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument
Picture
Kurt is trying to balance a mini scooter on the outside wall of the fort
We had a lot of fun at the Old Drugstore. The drugstore was abandoned in the 60's with all its inventory inside, dusty but intact! The best of it is on display and the girl at the front was kind enough to slide the glass door open and let our miniature inspect the different potions.
Picture
Reading drug labels at the Old Drugstore Historic Downtown St Augustine
Towards the end of the day, we roamed through narrow streets and looked at old houses. Kurt stopped in front of Murat House - ca. 1790. The late afternoon light was reflecting back on the walls. Kurt pulled out the old man with his cane and after a few tries thought that he needed company so he added the old woman and dedicated the scene to me :)
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Photo shoot at 1950's Motel near Venice, FL

3/17/2014

1 Comment

 
While driving down Tamiami trail (the route that connects Tampa Bay to Miami), We saw a name on a sign: Warm Mineral Springs. We wanted to capture the miniatures next to the Springs and learned that we couldn't get access because they were closed for renovations. Not far down the road, we discovered a beautiful, original motel built in 1958: the Warm Mineral Springs Motel. Tamiami trail: the Route 66 of Florida!
Picture
Picture
1 Comment

Wednesday, March 12th: Between Ft. Myers and Punta Gorda

3/14/2014

0 Comments

 
We like to look for the old Florida. Some businesses and attractions built in the 50's are still up and running. North of Fort Myers, we stopped and photographed an ice cream cone shaped building where ice cream is sold since the 80's. As we continued on our way to Port Charlotte, a dinosaur and a sign claiming the world's largest shell factory caught our attention :)
Picture
After trying out different scenarios, Kurt found the right story for the miniatures
Picture
Final image
Picture
0 Comments

Sunday, March 9th: Matlacha, Florida

3/10/2014

0 Comments

 
We spent the weekend around Matlacha and Kurt found the colors inspiring!
Picture
Kurt focuses on a miniature painter
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Causeway Photo Shoots

2/22/2014

0 Comments

 
We spent a few days on the Sanibel causeway and took many bike trips to the island to explore. Kurt got his best work towards the end of our stay, which tends to happen this way. We had sunny days most of the week, except for the last couple days which were foggy. 

Kurt took care in preparing the props and the scenarios ahead of the photo shoots. While in the field, there were many challenges: keeping both the camera and the lens dry, not loosing a miniature to the surf (alas we did lose our sea captain in Tarpon Bay), finding the right shells to include in the scene (interesting in shape and color), finding the right texture and color for the sand, evaluating the tide and anticipating the advance or retreat of the sea, keeping an eye on the light.

For me, it's a very rewarding moment when Kurt exclaims: " I think we got it!" I love to hear this because it means: "I accomplished what I had in mind, it'a wrap".
Picture
Picture
Kurt is arranging the scene on a shell covered beach on the Sanibel Causeway
Picture
Final image
0 Comments

Florida Gator

1/9/2014

0 Comments

 
A few day ago I videotaped Kurt attempting to photograph a miniature in front of a wild alligator in Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, Gainesville. Kurt took a sample shot of the gator to gage the distance and I have the impression that the gator thought that Kurt was a little too close!
Picture
0 Comments

Utah in Two Minutes

4/30/2013

0 Comments

 
My intention was to produce a good quality, short video about how I photograph the miniature figures. Instead, the following video turned out to be more of a "home movie". Doing it right requires more effort than we can invest at this time. We will eventually post a video showing our process. But for now, enjoy the silliness :-)

Kurt
0 Comments

Field Kits

3/12/2013

1 Comment

 
Kurt and I have another photo shoot planned and these are our field kits:
Kurt's kit
Picture
- Miniature props
- Fenix TK15 flashlight
- Nikon 35 mm lens
- Miniature figures
- Nikon 10.5 mm lens
- Sun Bum lip balm
- Leatherman Squirt PS4
- Tag Heuer 2000 automatic watch
- Tombow Airpress pen
- Defiant UV flashlight
- Yong Nuo remotes
- Acid free glue stick
- Samsung phone
- Nikon D7000
Edwige's kit
Picture

- Nikon Eagleview Binoculars
- Victorinox Swiss army knife
- REI whistle
- Burt's Bees lip balm
- Rite in the Rain Outdoor Journal
- Fisher Space Pen (replaced by Tombow Airpress Pen)
- Flip video with underwater case
- Momentum Atlas watch
- Black Diamond carabiner
- National Geographic trail illustrated maps
- Silva Starter compass
- Fenix E05 Flashlight
- Nikon D2X
1 Comment

A Taste of Chicago

7/17/2012

2 Comments

 
We were in Chicago over the weekend for some business and had a little bit of time to go out and explore with the minis. I think we will need to return at some point to do a Chicago themed set of photographs.
Picture
2 Comments

Photos From The Road...

3/15/2012

0 Comments

 
The best looking saguaros were located too far from the road. I settled for this one just before the sun set behind the mountains.
Picture
Old jail cell in the Holbrook Courthouse.
Picture
0 Comments
<<Previous
Forward>>

    Archives

    November 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    June 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    July 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011

    Categories

    All
    Adventure
    Events
    Exploration
    Lifestyle
    Little Dramas
    Making Of
    Media
    News
    Politics
    Route 66
    Sports
    Travel

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.