Congrats to My Friend, FELIX GONZALEZ!!

"Security is mostly a superstition. 


It does not exist in nature. 


Life is either a grand adventure 


or nothing ...." -Helen Keller

Dilenia 

"First Capture"

This past Saturday, I got to attend a photography workshop by Mark Wallace, sponsored by PocketWizard. Getting to meet Mark and his wife/business partner, Diane was actually quite extraordinary. I haven't worked with PocketWizards that much with the exception of those that were supplied in a studio setting. I'd previously considered them to be simply an alternative means of firing off-camera strobes or flash. I use a Canon ST-e2 transmitter when I want to use my Canon Speedlites mounted on a stand (or by any means other than on top of the camera). Just as well, a Canon 580 exII can also be used as a master flash to fire any group of other slave flashes. I just figured the PocketWizards were maybe only more powerful, but the same thing. I haven't had the need to got big on lighting. I am mainly hand held or natural lighting. I'm too mobile in most cases, but there are times when I have to do a group setting in which I need to set up my stands. Mark even showed one configuration using my ST-e2 sitting on top of a PocketWizard Mini, which was mounted on my camera hot shoe. This configuration can be used to control the ratio of light coming from two groups of flash.

"Dilenia's Plight for Fame"

So in this workshop, I understood that I underestimated the power of the PocketWizards. I'm pretty sure that when I need to get an alternative transmitter, I'm not going cheap or generic. It will be a PocketWizard. Mark did a lecture on lighting and then loosed us on either of 4 stations where a model was awaiting us to come practice what we learned. Most of the lecture was on basic lighting. I had that part down. I did learn about rear curtain syncing which I plan on looking for an excuse to use now. Mark was entertaining as he spoke which kept our attention on the hard ass floor. That part sucked. Seating would have been pretty nice. Diane and Philip, one of the Pocket Wizard Ambassadors to the US...(Regional Manager), came around to our stations to work with us and see if we had probs or issues. I'm not naturally a studio guy. I like on-location gigs. That's my thing, but I still took advantage of the workshop. All of this went down at the Avrio Studios. Its the largest one I've ever seen. You can fit aircraft in this thing and its all green screen. Of the four models available, I only got to work with two of the four models, Dilenia and LaRonna and I am not disappointed in that fact. Both these two models were more than enough and I gotta get a rematch with both one on one. Dilenia brings that total package to the table while LaRonna gives you that distinct exotic appeal that lets you know you're about to do something really good. Kudos to both of them. Be sure to check out their links if you need a model in Vegas. I fully recommend them both.

LaRonna Kelly

"All Day Repose"

And lastly...hold on a sec. I'm trying to figure out how to say this without being so crass as to blurt out, "I TOLD YOU MUTHA-FUCKAS FELIX WAS THE SHIT!" That would simply be uncouth, undignified, and simply boorish. You might think me to be a simple-minded person of limited intellect, who's not entirely well-versed in the grammatical parameters of language. That being said, let me put aside the political correct speech and come to terms with the fact that there are indeed times that the most simple, albeit emotional expressions can still be most appropriate. Let me just prove my point here first. Almost a year ago, I told you all of his freakish talents on Univers d' Artistes. You may want to check out that post here. Go ahead. I'll wait. Well, now the whole world nows and its only going to get bigger for him in the next moments of time to come. I said moments because this will happen quickly. 

"An Artist's Feast"

On the Canon Professional Network, you will find that "Monica Allende, picture editor of The Sunday Times Magazine, has picked her shortlist of images from the photographs submitted to the fifth edition of Editor's Choice - an entry that highlighted the work of talented photojournalists from the USA, Australia, Italy, Portugal, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and many other countries."

Felix is among her selections. His is the second one documented in an audio-visual presentation of each of her selections and WHY she chose them.

So mosey on over to the Canon Professional Network site and select the news tab. Scroll down a bit and click the Editor's Choice Results for Monica Allende. Then click the red "presentation" hyperlink in the second paragraph to start the presentation. Okay, fine... let me just give you the direct link. CPN: Editor's Choice - Monica Allende. We're talking over 80,000 submissions. She picks like 13 and Felix made the ranks among that .0162%.

Now say it with me....

CONGRATULATIONS, FELIX!!!!