My favorites shots from Mayan Challenge

I recently photographed a karate event in Clearwater, Florida — the Mayan Challenge by USA Sport Karate. I put together a YouTube Short with my favorite shots, but I felt it deserved a second part.

 Go, Like and Subscribe, please. 

Some thoughts about wildlife photography

 One of the things that inspires me about wildlife photography is that, no matter how many times you return to the same location, you never know what you’ll encounter. Even if you’re simply photographing the landscape, the same scene will never look exactly the same.

Click on the picture to truly appreciate the details of this landscape. It was a beautiful morning, and although I’ve captured this view many times before, none compare to this one, with the fog gently draping part of the scene.

The next picture is a vertical panorama. I walked into a scene that truly stunned me with its beauty. I had to step back to find the right spot for the composition I envisioned. Knowing my zoom lens—designed for wildlife—wouldn’t capture the entire view in a single frame, I decided to take several shots along the vertical axis to capture the full landscape.

 Is not it beautiful?

The Best Pictures of Last Weekend

Here I am again, faced with the daunting task of choosing the best photographs I captured during the past weekend. Unfortunately, the bird population was quite low, so I spent some time experimenting with landscape photography, using the technique of stitching multiple images together to create a large mosaic that covers the entire area I wanted to capture. 

Click on the image to open the high resolution version to appreciate the details. 

I managed to capture few frames of a humming bird with a dark background that I like a lot. 

The rest of the pictures mostly featured flowers. While it’s commonly believed that flowers bloom during spring, that’s not entirely accurate. In fact, many flowers can be found blooming during fall. 

All pictures were taken using a Canon R6 Mark I and a Canon EF100-400 L with a 1.4x Extender. 

Having a little bit of fun

 Not always do you have the opportunity to watch a video of yourself shooting sports. 

Dramatic Sport Photos

You can shoot dramatic/overexposed sport photos in daylight and in your driveway by using flash and HSS.  can shoot dramatic/over exposed sport photos in day light by using flash and HSS. Here is a video that explains how you can do that. 

Did you know...

Some plants bloom during the bird migration season, as if nature knew exactly what was needed and worked like a precise clock. For example, the firespike flower blooms in Florida around September—right when hummingbird migration is at its peak.

Firespike (Odontonema tubaeforme).

Ruby-throated Hummingbird feeding on a firespike.  

 

How many MP do you really need

 

How is done

Have you ever wondered how that picture was taken? I’m sure you have. In this case, I’ve got a video for you that shows how to create striking sports pictures. I’m planning to do something similar in the near future.

can you guess the ISO?

Photographing a Sport Event in a hotel conference room is challenging and often results in high ISOs. Can you guess the ISO in this picture?

 1/32000! Tools like DXO PureRaw, Topaz Photo and Adobe LrC perform miracles cleaning these pictures.

Another picture from the last event

Editing over 1000 pictures, selecting the ones to keep, and then processing them is a lengthy process. It’s been two days since the event, and I’m still editing!

One of my favorites.

Editing, editing and more editing

Many assume that a photographer’s work ends the moment the shutter is released. While this may hold true in a studio setting—where conditions are carefully controlled, and images are often captured exactly as intended—in uncontrolled environments the situation is quite different. Once the shooting concludes, the extensive process of editing and post-production begins. If you think you can get a clean, noise-free, perfectly colored picture straight out of the camera, think again—especially at Karate events, which often take place in poorly lit venues rather than well-illuminated professional arenas.

Another important point to consider is that in this business, rushing is your greatest enemy.

I spent some time adjusting this picture of our grandson, taken at the USA Sport Karate, Mayan Challenge Competition in Clearwater, Florida.

Our grandsons don’t pose for me. Since they were born, they’ve been used to their paparazzo Abuelo running around with a camera. From time to time, they look at me—probably just to see what I’m doing—like in the picture above. The smile you see there is genuine; I couldn’t replicate it if I asked them, or any child, to pose and smile.

After finishing the editing, I still felt this picture had potential if the background were different. That’s when an AI tool helped me in my creative process.

Here is the end result. 

There are many AI tools available online that can do this kind of editing work. Most of them offer a free trial; after that, you need to pay for a subscription based on a credit system, where credits are consumed, and you must purchase more once you reach your monthly quota.

I’ve read many articles and opinions about photographers using AI tools, with some even being labeled as “cheaters.” I don’t see it that way—unless the image is being created entirely from scratch. In this case, everything begins with a real boy, in a real setting, captured through a genuine photographic process. The editing, supported by AI, simply enhances the image to reflect the photographer’s artistic vision. To me, there is nothing “cheating” about this creative process.

It all started with your RAW image and ended with your image still.

P.S. If anyone is willing to fund a trip to a location in Japan for me to take a picture like this—including handling the numerous permits, fees and other paperwork required to shoot in a sacred location using flash—please let me know. 

What happened last weekend

 Well, last weekend we travelled to a Karate competition in Clearwater, Florida. Here is an image to proof it. 

This picture was taken using a Canon EF70-200 L f2.8 which is around 20 years old and adapted to a Canon R6 Mark I. 

Practical Uses of HSS

HSS or High Speed Sync can be used for many things including and the most common use, overpowering the sun. 

However, I find it particularly useful for other purposes, such as creating a completely black or nearly black background.

The image above was taken indoors with an ISO of 1/100 and a shutter speed of 1/4000. This combination was sufficient to achieve a nearly black background. 

Be aware that if your flash is not powerful enough to handle such a high shutter speed, you may notice some banding in the darker areas of the picture. 

What is the most difficult shot you’ve taken?

Good question. In general, birds in flight are difficult—especially small birds that tend to fly very fast. Swallows are particularly challenging, so that would be my first choice.

Another difficult shot is that of a flying dragonfly.

Of course, hummingbirds should be included on this list. Their erratic flight patterns make them very hard to capture. You have to wait until they hover near a flower.

 

Flash tutorial for wedding photography

There are many flash tutorials on YouTube, and it's hard to pick one that will cover all possible scenarios. This one is one of the best I have found. 

With flash photography, the most crucial aspect is not to be apprehensive about using your flash and experimenting. There are no absolute right or wrong choices in this field; it all boils down to how you envision your photographs to appear. 

Keep your turnaround time short or...

Every day you learn something new. Here’s a story I read on PetaPixel: A photographer is hired to shoot a wedding. She is paid before the wedding upon the signing of a contract, where both parties agree to this condition. In the contract, the photographer specifies that the turnaround time is three months, keep in mind that for weddings this amount of time is not unusual. She delivers a preview of about 100–200 photos and continues working on the final product. However, one month after the wedding, the bride files for divorce and asks the photographer for a refund on the basis that he no longer needs the final product.

 

On one hand, you have the photographer’s work—eight hours of shooting and delivering the previews. On the other hand, you have a bride who no longer wants anything to do with the wedding or to keep photos that will remind her of it.

I do not know if in the contract the photographer mentioned anything about refunds. I for example have these two points included:

- Do you require a deposit?

Yes. A non-refundable deposit is required to reserve your date and time. The remaining balance is due on or before the day of the shoot. Payments can be done via Zelle or PayPal. 
 

-What if I’m not satisfied with my photos?

My goal is always your satisfaction. While refunds aren’t possible after a session, I will gladly work with you to make adjustments through editing—or even schedule a reshoot when appropriate. 

But this scenario is different. It’s not that the bride is dissatisfied with the final product—which hasn’t even been delivered yet. Rather, it’s a case of someone saying they don’t want the final product at all.

What is my opinion in this case?

In this case, the bride is not entitled to a refund.

Here’s why, in neutral and straightforward terms:

• The contract was fulfilled on the photographer’s side. The agreement stated payment upfront, a three-month turnaround, and the photographer had already worked the wedding day and delivered previews.

• The product/service was provided. The photographer spent time, effort, and resources covering the event. The fact that the marriage ended shortly after does not undo the fact that the service was performed.

• Client’s change of circumstances is not the photographer’s responsibility. A divorce (or simply not wanting the photos anymore) is unrelated to whether the photographer upheld her part of the agreement.

So unless the contract explicitly includes a clause for refunds in the event of a divorce or change of mind (which is highly unlikely), the photographer is within her rights to keep the payment.

 

 

High Speed Sync (HSS)

High-Speed Sync (HSS) is a feature found in modern speedlights that allows you to use flash with shutter speeds faster than 1/250, which is typically the maximum sync speed of older flashes. This video demonstrates why this feature can be so useful.

I also like this other tutorial which compares HSS vs using ND filters.

And using HSS

Last weekend

Over the weekend, I went shooting at my local park. I’m not sure what’s going on, but there seem to be far fewer birds than usual for this time of year.

I did spot a pair of great egrets perched on the pier and had the chance to capture a few shots of them, beautifully backlit by the low sun on the horizon.

I also got some good pictures, at least I like them, of gators. I love taking pictures of them. They are like Dinosaurs. 

The skin of an alligator is like living armor, built of rugged, textured scales that shine with a prehistoric beauty. It tells the story of survival through millions of years. No two alligators share the exact same skin pattern. The dark ridges, speckled spots, and subtle hues of green, gray, and black make their skin as unique as a fingerprint. When sunlight hits their backs, the rough texture almost glimmers, giving a strange elegance to an otherwise fierce predator. Their skin symbolizes resilience — both tough and beautiful, a perfect harmony of nature’s artistry and functionality. Beyond aesthetics, the skin is perfectly adapted to camouflage in Florida’s swamps and marshes, a reminder of how beauty in nature often serves a purpose.

Why I Sometimes Use Flash in Photography

His eyes look alive!

Many people worry that flash makes photos look harsh or unnatural. In reality, when used properly, flash is a tool that helps me enhance the natural light, not overpower it.

• Comfort first: Always use diffused or bounced flash so it feels soft and doesn’t distract.

• Better quality: Flash helps reduce graininess in dark settings and keeps colors true to life.

• Brighter eyes: A touch of flash adds a natural sparkle to the eyes, making them look more alive and vibrant.

• Natural look: My goal is for the photos to look authentic, warm, and natural—often you won’t even notice I used flash.

In short, flash is just one of many tools I use to make sure photos look their absolute best in any situation.

As an important note, always check Venue rules: If a location doesn’t allow flash, respect those guidelines and rely on low-light techniques. 

It's hard to notice that I used a flash in this photo.

 

A full frame camera does not make you a Pro

I recently watched this video from April Clayton aka Camera Newb who was talking about her journey to became a Professional Photographer. 

I thought that buying a full frame camera was the key to becoming a professional photographer, but I may have been wrong. 

 

Unfortunately, photography today isn’t just about mastering your main tool—the camera—at least not anymore. As a profession, it has evolved into a field where roughly 60% of the work is marketing, 20% is post-editing, and only about 20% is actually taking pictures. And please, don’t confuse online exposure with “marketing.” From my own experience, you can gain plenty of exposure, but if it’s with the wrong audience, it won’t lead to being hired. Plain and simple. Photography is one of the toughest professions to market. 

An Iconic picture

Of all the pictures I took at the last karate competition, one impacted me the most.

 

But why? 

This picture has a powerful visual impact because of the way it captures intensity, focus, and presence in a single frame.

• Expression & Emotion: The young martial artist’s face is locked in concentration and determination. His gaze is sharp and unwavering, which immediately draws the viewer in. That expression gives the photo emotional weight—it’s not just a boy in uniform, it’s a competitor embodying strength and resolve.

• Body Language: The stance is strong and commanding. Holding the bo staff with confidence, his posture communicates readiness and discipline. It tells a story of practice, respect, and the seriousness of the moment.

• Contrast & Setting: Against the softer, blurred background of spectators and the hotel conference setting, he stands out crisply in his white gi and hakama. That separation enhances the sense of focus—not just his, but ours as viewers.

• Impact on the Viewer: What makes this image impactful is that it feels iconic—a moment frozen where youth, tradition, and determination intersect. You don’t just see a karate student; you see the spirit of martial arts captured in one decisive moment.

In short: The picture is impactful because it communicates strength, discipline, and determination in a way that feels larger than the moment itself.

Intriguing...

Sometimes animals intrigue me with the way they act. For example, this squirrel lay down on its belly just to watch me taking pictures.

Is it curiosity? 

 

 Or, is it something else? 

 

Who knows? 

I like to think they’re as intrigued by us as we are by them—a little reminder that observing nature often means being observed in return. 

Why Photography Never Died with the Invention of Video

When video arrived, some thought photography might fade away. After all, video adds motion, sound, and a fuller sense of reality. But photography never died — because it offers something unique.

A photo freezes a single moment in time. It allows us to pause, reflect, and feel the power of one frame without distraction. Unlike video, photography invites imagination — what happened before and after that moment? What story is hidden between the pixels?

Photography isn’t just about recording life, it’s about framing meaning. And that timeless ability will always keep it alive. 

Above are two of the best pictures I took this past weekend. 

Lot of Megapixels, Lot of problems

 That's basically the Conclusion of this article recently published by FStoppers. 

The camera industry thrives on spectacle. Every new launch has to sound revolutionary, and the easiest way to do that is with bigger numbers and shinier promises. But in practice, many of those hyped specs do little to improve photography, and some make it worse. Professionals know that what matters isn’t the number on the brochure. It’s the reliability of the tool in the field. At the end of the day, cameras should serve the photographer, not impress shareholders. 

I used to shoot with a Sony camera that delivered 46 MP, and I experienced many of the problems described in this article. Now I’m shooting with a Canon R6, a 24 MP camera — and it works perfectly for me.  

Distractions or... about deleting them

One of the features included in the latest versions of Lightroom Classic is the ability to remove people from a scene. I had the opportunity to test this option on a few photos from our last trip to St. Augustine, and I’m impressed with the results. Here are two of them.

These pictures were taken on Labor Day weekend, on a Sunday. Believe me, the Castillo de San Marcos was packed with people.

Another popular spot with people cleaned/deleted by this option. 

 The feature may fail to detect people who are too close to the camera or when only partial body parts are visible in the frame. In such cases, manual selection and removal using the traditional tools in Lightroom is still required. For best results, try to use the tool on scenes where subjects are fully visible and at a moderate distance—this gives the AI a clearer reference and produces cleaner edits. 

By the way, all these pictures were taken using the Tamron 28-300mm F/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD Zoom Lens for Canon EF Cameras, you can find the link to buy this lens and my opinion about it here.

Karate Events in Hotel Conference Rooms

The last karate event was held in a hotel conference room, and the lighting was less than ideal for sports photography.

 For this event, I set my Canon R6 to Auto ISO capped at 25,600, which wasn’t enough to produce bright images when shooting at a 1/1000 shutter speed even when I was using my trusty EF70-200 L f/2.8. All my photos came out dark, and fixing them in post-processing was challenging because bringing up the exposure also amplified noise, which ruined the shots.

 In my usual post-editing workflow, I start by running all my photos through DxO PureRAW. This step helps clean up the files and prepares them for Lightroom Classic, where they’re automatically exported at the end of the process. In Lightroom, I fine-tune the exposure and adjust other aspects of the image, and for extra sharpness, I often send them through Topaz Photo AI. Normally, I don’t rely much on the DeNoise feature in Topaz Photo AI, but in this case, the amount of noise in my pictures made it necessary. It’s a good reminder that each situation requires flexibility in editing, even if it means stepping outside of your usual workflow.

 Another challenge is that in such large rooms, the lighting is uneven across the space, which often requires more frequent exposure adjustments during post-processing. This significantly increases the amount of time spent on editing.

I hope this gave you a better sense of what goes on behind the scenes, because photography is so much more than just pressing a button. For me, the joy is not only in creating the pictures, but also in sharing the journey with you.

Do you need a Karate Photo Session? Check my services here.   

Karate: A Path to Strong Friendship

 

When I look at karate, I don’t just see a martial art. I see a place where friendships grow stronger than anywhere else.

In the dojo, I’ve watched people of all ages train together. At first, they’re strangers—unsure, maybe even a little nervous. But as the weeks pass, something special happens. The shared sweat, the discipline, the challenge of pushing past limits—those experiences bring people closer. Sparring partners become teammates, and teammates become friends.

What makes karate different is the respect it builds. Every bow, every handshake, every word of encouragement deepens trust. Even in sparring, where intensity is high, there’s no room for malice. Instead, there’s a bond—an understanding that we’re here to help each other grow.

I’ve seen friendships form in karate that last years. Kids who cheer for each other in tournaments, adults who encourage one another through tough times, families that come together around the dojo. These friendships aren’t casual—they’re forged through discipline, respect, and shared effort.

For me, karate is more than training or competition. It’s about the people, the friendships, and the sense of community that stays with you long after class is over. The punches and kicks may fade, but the friendships remain strong.

Fountain of Youth, a magic place

Visiting Saint Augustine is like stepping back in time to an old Spanish city, and don’t be surprised if you encounter a few pirates along the way, mock-shooting at you.

Weapon demonstration at Fountain of Youth.

 

The Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park in St. Augustine, established in 1904, commemorates the legendary spring said to restore youth. It highlights the early Spanish settlement founded in 1565, the oldest continuously occupied European-established city in the U.S. Visitors can explore exhibits on Native American and Spanish history, see reconstructed 16th-century settlements, and stroll through gardens where peacocks roam freely. 

Ponce de León statue. 

 Juan Ponce de León was a Spanish explorer and conquistador, best known for leading the first European expedition to Florida in 1513 and for his legendary search for the Fountain of Youth.

 

Cannon shooting demonstration.

At the Fountain of Youth, history and nature intertwine. Stroll among ancient ruins, wandering peacocks, and lush gardens, and let the past come alive around you—an experience that lingers long after you leave.

 

Introduction to photography

 We got our grandsons some old Fujifilm cameras and they loved them!

Even the 5-year-old mastered the art of switching between shooting photos and videos, pretending to be vlogging—which was funny to watch.

I explained to the 8-year-old the concept of switching the camera’s orientation to better fit vertically oriented objects or figures. He quickly understood the reasoning behind it and immediately began applying the newly learned information.

Liam and Leo taking pictures of their parents!

They quickly picked up how to half-press the shutter button to focus before taking a picture—something I honestly thought would be the hardest part for them to grasp. Of course, they were shooting in Auto Mode, but here’s the interesting part: many adults I know never switch their camera out of Auto, either!

The 10-year-old’s and the 8-year-old’s pictures were all in focus, and they quickly deleted any that were blurred or that they simply didn’t like. All three of them ran around looking for interesting things to photograph—and, of course, kept an eye on me to see what I was shooting, often taking pictures of the same subjects.

They’re kids, and of course the cameras felt like new toys to them, but I’m sure they’ll never forget the joy those old cameras gave them. I believe they’ll continue taking photos and videos for the rest of their lives.

One thing is certain: watching them capture moments by my side is a memory I will forever carry in my heart.

 

 

During the last busy weekend

Oh yes, last weekend was a busy one, and I’m still post-editing pictures. We traveled to Saint Augustine to cover our grandson’s karate competition and also took the opportunity to explore the city—and of course, take thousands of pictures. I’ll be sharing some of them here. Peacocks are something you don’t commonly see in the U.S., but there are a few places in Florida where they can be spotted.

 Peafowl—the correct term encompassing both the flamboyant male peacock and the more modest peahen—are originally native to the Indian subcontinent, including parts of India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka 
Everglades Holiday Park. Their vibrant presence in Florida, however, is purely thanks to human introduction.

At St. Augustine’s famous Fountain of Youth Park, the first breeding pair was introduced in the late 1960s. Today, dozens of peafowl—some of them striking white leucitic variants—roam and roost among the oak trees and historic ruins of the park. 

Today, peacocks in Florida have stepped off exotic bird posters and into everyday life. From roadside sightings to community mascots, they represent both nature's unpredictability and the whimsical side of human–wildlife interactions.

Whether you see them as beautiful relics of the past or charming neighbors in feathers, these birds have made Florida their home—and given us quite the story to tell.