Travel

Grande Finale | Crossing to Florida | USA Part II

Hi folks!

We are totally psyched about the huge response on all our TATW postings and especially about the recent part one from USA west coast. Maybe it’s because a lot of people have seen that part of the world already long before we did. However, we thank everyone so much for stopping by and sure thanks for all the lovely words on Facebook as well as here in the comment section.

As said, we needed to split it up and here we continue on the road to San Francisco.

SF is a really beautiful and charming city. We had a very sunny and nice welcome. Due to our friends and fellow Photographers Ingrid and Stefan (www.stinglight.at), our official route planer in the US, we found a reasonable and clean Motel almost down town.

Our activities where as usual, enjoying the town and its people to the max. Therefore we met up with Aimee. She was with us in the Aka Hill House in Thailand and we did the jungle trip with her. Together with her friends we had a fantastic evening down at the water front at pear 23.

Stuffed with SF insider sightseeing information we were getting our selves prepared for what Ingo considered as a big high light during the US trip.

THE FLASH BUS TOUR with the Master of small lights Mr. Joe McNally and his buddy, revolutionary Blogger David “Strobist” Hobby.

Seeing this guys teaching together an entire day of small Flashes (Manual vs. TTL) was truly a great thing for both of us. It was great seeing Joe, David and Drew (Joe’s first assistant) again after the phenomenal experience in 2010 at the Gulf Photo Plus. (More about that can be read here). As so many people out there we appreciate that this amazing photographers share there knowledge with the rest of the world.

This is something we always have in mind while giving workshops that we need to contribute to this movement and share what we learned. Not saying we can do it even close to how these guys are doing it, but we find it is totally important to spread the language of light. Joe and David are icons out there since more than 30 years now and there is so much everyone can learn from them. Go and follow there blogs!

Leaving San Francisco was hard, we loved that place and its architecture as well as its hilly ground. Unimaginable for Europe and the snowy times here, everyone would have a new car every spring then :-)

Our official next stop was San Lois Obispo to meet Mike and Rachel Larson. We got friends over the last years and we where totally stoked to be invited staying at there place and hanging out with them. Also seeing there baby, little Hannah for the first time was truly an honor.

So on the way down there we passed the half moon bay and stopped shortly for a “minute of silence” as Stefan was proposing to Ingrid at the bay years ago :-)

After spending one night in Monterey we luckily had the chance to also visit the wonderful and dreamy place Carmel by the Sea. Not only was the name interesting for us, also the fact, that Ansel Adams and Clint Eastwood are famous people coming from or still living there. The latter even was a mayor for two years in the 90ies. Almost everybody we were talking to knows Clint personally and was talking in best words about him. Too bad he did not show up for our appointment we had in his charming restaurant :-)

He even refused to open his door the other day as we wanted to say good bye. However, we loved Carmel by the Sea and totally can imagine why so many artists are living there.

That last day in Carmel also was the last sunny day in California, actually the last day without heavy rain to be more exact. As the Road #1 was destroyed by the rain almost half way to SLO, we could not go and see the Big Sur Coast? So we had not much more to do than to go back to Monterey for another (relaxing) Super8 night before we drove down to SLO seeing Mike and his family using the inland highway.

The whether was terrible all days long but we enjoyed a very warm welcome from Mike and Rachel and had such a great time at their sweet place. We were talking a lot and sure you cannot miss the chance to talk biz with Mike. This guy is exploding and throwing ideas around all the time. It was a pleasure for us to be there. Sure Carmen could satisfy here “baby” thirst with sweet little Hannah. Thank you guys again for having us and we are so looking forward to seeing you soon again.

As said, the whether totally dropped our plans for the last day and so we headed straight back to the LA airport for the last night in California “Sun state” driving through flooded areas looking extremely forward to the real (!) Sun state Miami.

Have you ever flown with Continental Airways? This airline is part of the Star Alliance Group and seriously it’s ridiculous! We had a very early flight so the last thing you want is, having issues with your ticket and if so, you want some service as such issues are not the passengers fault, are they? We never had problems with our ticket but sure this time we had some. We were not booked for this flight. However the service was the worst. Carmen is extremely afraid of flying and we did not even get a chance to sit next to each other. Long story short, the bad service continued during the flight and the only question which is left is: When is Ryanair entering Star Alliance?

Herbert, Carmen’s cousin, was already waiting at the Miami airport and this pickup service was the first acts of a fantastic two week Florida stay at Angies and Herbert’s place. These two guys are unbelievable good hosts. We had so much fun and the as Herbert is the best chef in the world you can try to imagine how well we were treated with food during our stay! OMG, Herbert made it impossible for us to eat Shrimps/Prawns, Steak, Beef, Chicken Wings, Cakes and tons of other things in the future.

Angie, considered as sue chef, had birthday during our stay and we all were enjoying food and drinks to the max. Herbert’s mom was also in Miami and so we went out to the (Florida) Keys for the weekend. Boy, money does not count at all there again! It’s a bit of a drive but the Keys are best to go and have some fun at the weekend. The weather was beautiful.

Before we headed up to Orlando for joining the worlds larges Photoshop event – > Photoshop World (!!) we did some sight seeing and a photo shoot (Boudoir, we will blog about that later) and were enjoying ourselves. We loved being there and we totally loved the great hospitality from “The Waldners”! Thank you so much for everything and we are so looking forward to have you here hopefully this year soon.

 

Photoshop World – Orlando!

OMG, this was our last high light on the trip. Ingo was freaking out even before we left Munich that this event is going to rock! And sure it did!

PSW is considered to be the larges Photoshop and Photography Event in the world and if you want to meet the best Photographers in the world and talking to them, learning or even drinking some beer with them, you want to go to PSW. It’s twice a year. Orlando and Vegas.

Scott Kelby, Matt Kloskowski, Joe McNally, Dave Cross, Jeremy Cowart, Moose Peterson, Dave Black, Jay Maisel, Cliff Mautner, RC Conception and Larry Becker (D-TownTV) you name it. The list is very long and the best thing of all is that this people have time for chatting with.

The side events, mostly in the evenings, are superb. Having Joe McNally introducing you to Bill Fortney (with your first name ;-) is something you need to realize later.

Midnight dinner with Scott Kelby and a small bunch of people is a chance you will not get so fast again. Having Scott saying: “Six month around the world? I want your job!” makes you remember that at TATW impresses the coolest people! :-), Being interviewed for D-TownTV (here is the show) was another kicking butts experience… and and and… We could continue the unbelievable meet-ups and experiences from just three days. And besides all the great people there, we learnt tons of stuff too!

Again, we had a blast and we were so honored to be part of this amazing three day event in Orlando. Special thanks to Matt, we would not have been there without him. Last year Matt and Ingo got to know each other in Dubai (GPP) and he invited us to come to Kelby Headquarter during our TATW and instead of the HQ, our schedule was fitting for PSW!

Not sure when we are going to be at PSW again, but you guess right if you think this was not the last time for us!

Loaded with photography and Photoshop knowledge we headed back to Miami for another Boudoir Shoot, some sight seeing and getting ready for the incredible home coming.

With a wet and a dry eye we got prepared to fly home on 6th of April, but the most important thing is, that both of us are now home safe. We did not have anything (regarding health) during the trip which we could remember now. On top of that, and foremost, our love and respect for each other got even stronger if that is possible!

As we reached home meanwhile and are done with blogging the countries in detail, we are not finished yet. We do have more things to share with you in the upcoming weeks/month. Very soon, we will come with the very last posting about the trip, a little sum up and a conclusion.

Love from back Home

Carmen and Ingo

Pier 39

Had a very nice conversation with Milton (55), who suffers from diabetes and ‘works’ on the street in order to get ca. 12 bucks. due to his diabetes he needs to cook himself. so whenever he got that money, he walks home and cooks. we just made his finishing time this day.

People say, this can only be seen in SF! A naked bike right, Saturday afternoon :-)

you might guess both of them got something even though we refuse to give money normally

Joe is the master of TTL – This is a screen shot but final image is here – BTS shot below :-)

CSI Miami? ;-)

Shot from the Hotel room – if you see a grid, thats the a moscito net

Family Group Shot at sunset.

sunet in Key West

one Wedding was right at the beach, 10 others came to shot here :-)

Hollywood Beach!

Angie and Herbert are THE Chefs and we were blessed with the best food on earth during our time staying in Hollywood/FL

 

Some Iphone Shots from Photoshop World

The living Legend Jay Maisel (80)

Scott Kelby

 

The Photoshop Guys during PhotoshopuserTV

With our buddy Matt K.

Ingo interviewed by RC during the D-TownTV show.

Robert Vanelli with Ingo during the Tweetup (Iphone Flahs Light Photos FTW! :-)

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10 Comments

  • Reply
    Catherine Mac
    10. May 2011 at 2:13

    Awesome! LOVE the San Fran street shots! I want you guys to keep traveling FOREVER so you can keep making beautiful travel photos for us to see!

  • Reply
    Kismet
    10. May 2011 at 9:12

    Aren’t you two cute! and talented! love these!

  • Reply
    Horst
    10. May 2011 at 13:28

    Ich beneide Euch um Euren Reportagestil. Tolle Fotos, wie immer. Benutzt Ihr irgendwelche Presets in Lightroom oder spezielle Plugins, oder wird jedes Bild individuell bearbeitet?

    VG Horst

    • Caringo
      10. May 2011 at 13:30

      hallo horst,
      jedes bild wird individuell bearbeitet, aber wir haben einen workflow in dem wir presets und auch ps actions verwenden. plugins sind für die bearbeitung bislang noch keine in verwendung, obwohl wir aktuell einige nik software plugins testen.
      es wird eine bildbearbeitungs workshop geben für die leute die sich für unseren workflow interessieren.
      bg
      carmen und ingo

  • Reply
    Lilli
    10. May 2011 at 14:36

    oh ja, ich will. Super Fotos. Liebe eure Travelpics.

    LG

    Lilli

  • Reply
    Mary Papadopoulou
    11. May 2011 at 16:35

    Ihr erweckt Reiselust pur !! Eifach umwerfend schöne Bilder !LG, Mary

  • Reply
    Johannes Fenn
    12. May 2011 at 12:31

    Oh yeah, that’s California! Superklasse!

  • Reply
    Hanna
    10. June 2011 at 16:00

    Fabulous..Love your work, love that trip, love your stories!
    U guys r my (photog)heroes!

  • Reply
    Eddette Steynberg
    29. June 2011 at 15:18

    I am so happy to have “met” you guys via Christine and Ian’s KIKI videos and how fabulous was your worldly trip! Very inspirational!

    Hope we meet in person soon!

  • Reply
    For us it’s one Day for others it’s a Lifetime | Help Portrait | Carmen and Ingo Photography Blog
    13. December 2011 at 12:26

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