Lucky-Star Photo

New contact number

To those who have unsuccessfully tried to contact us lately, first we would like to apologize. Second we can now be reached at the following: 813-760-STAR (7827)

813-909-CUTS

We are proud to present, along with Visual Alliance Media, the One of a Kind Barber Shop 30 TV Commercial. This is a up and coming new York Style barber shop sure to "cut" you right. Check it out.

It's Halloween, but don't be scared

An issue I've encountered a lot recently, aside from no one wanting to pay for services, is people being scared to ask for production services. I met with a few clients this week and they were afraid to ask about photography and videography services. Their fear had an origin in Hollywood styled advertisement. Who's to say a single photo has to cost you several thousand or a million bucks? Our services aren't free, but we are completely aware of the financial status all of America. Don't be afraid to ask anyone for services. As with us, the worst we can tell you is No. We have the capabilities to produce a simple direct mail campaign, high profile photographic promotions, to full impact high definition video or feature productions. We do it all and have prices for all. Next time you question marketing or advertising services and your budget, ask us what we can do first. Happy Halloween all, but don't be scared!

The Spa - Olando, Happy Hour Promo

This is s short video promo from this past weekend's The Spa Happy Hour video shoot in Orlando. Short sweet and simply. Very nice place, if you're ever in the Central Florida area you should check them out. 

All I Want For Christmas is a DOF (Adapter)

Within the last year or so I’ve heard about several DOF Adapters. What are DOF Adapters? Well, DOF stands for Depth of Field. This is the cool “effect” you get when the subject you’re shooting is in focus and the background or foreground is out of focus or blurry. This technique is what gives most movies their Hollywood film style look. As I mentioned, I’ve been hearing about adapters to make your HDV or SD digital camcorders achieve this look. Two companies, Letus & Redrock provide 35mm DOF Adapters, but for a substantial amount of money. This was my dilemma! I want the look for certain projects, but don’t want to fork over the price of most of my cameras. Well, the Film Gods have answered with the Jag35 DOF Adapter. A clever filmmaker dissected the pricier models and found that it’s a fairly simple technology. So, Jag35 provides a DOF Adapter that fits nearly EVERY camcorder. And if it doesn’t fit out of the box, it’s as simple as a $20 sizer ring from Wal-Mart. This adapter screws into the existing threads on the front of your camcorder. Once attached you can add any Canon or Nikon lens (with aperture control) to the front of the adapter and you’re pretty much there. A few settings on you’re camcorder and you’re done. Changes: Set to manual focus; zoom in once to fill your screen with the image and you’re ready to rock! The video below is the effect you will achieve with this adapter. Wait, I didn’t tell you the best part… The price. The Jag35 starts off at $99… Let me re-write that. The Jag35 starts at $99. There are a few other models above the entry level that offer vibration control, filters to help with vignettes and external battery pack. ALL still WAY below the Letus & Red Rock alternative with the same results. Check out the video to be impressed. I know I was. Once I get mine, I’ll be sure to post my tests. Happy shooting!

DB Fab Makes Their Official Race Debut

After 2 years building and fabricating for other cars, DB Fab has focused on 3 major builds. EVO8, S14/EVO hybrid and a fully rebuilt SRT-4. The first car to hit streets is the EVO8 and has run some impressive numbers.  Here is a quick video we made to show a few of DB Fab's runs. Enjoy!

The Simple Life...

Someone recently told me the importance of traveling and more than ever, I understand why. Leaving Jamaica, I feel a sense of pride for where I'm from, hope for what is to come an appreciation for what I have.  The majority of the Jamaican people were welcoming and kind. An abundance of "Yah Mon" and "No Problem" showcase a carefree lifestyle. Limited hassles of cell phones, the internet, tons of fresh air and just living life. Every billboard or bumper sticker was littered with positive slogans and words of wisdom. Beautiful landscapes and sky blue water compliment the easy going attitudes. I only wish I had time to experience a little more of what nature has to offer here. 

We came here for a job and completed it with breathtaking backdrops and gorgeous locations. The wedding was subtle and beautiful. The amazing mountain side Sea Salt villa was a wonderful sight. The breeze from the ocean below filled the home with cool air. The decor was rich, the landscaping maticulous. The bride and groom exchanged traditional vows and the party began. Everyone appeared to have a great time and I'm sure the open bar helped a little too.

The trip was an amazing experience and one that I would reccomend to anyone wishing to get away. It truly is a retreat for the body and mind. Kinda hard to continue life's stresses when everyone tells you, "everything gonna be alright Mon." Spread the word and spread the love...

Yah Mon, We be chillin' in Jamaica

Greetings from Jamaica everyone! For those who have been following us, we have arrived safely in Montego Bay, Jamaica in early preparation for this Wednesday’s mountain-side Wedding shoot. This project will be both exciting and challenging. Due to TSA restrictions and obscene checked bag charges, we traveled as Lucky-Star Lite for this adventure. Here’s how it's been so far:

Captain’s Log: Star date September 7th 2009, 4:00 am

I awake this morning thinking, “Damn, I just went to bed at 2 am and need to leave in 30 minutes…" hahaha, but not really. It was an early morning for both my partner/brother and I. After a quiet sleepy car ride to the airport, we were dropped off. Grabbed our bags, stepped inside and saw the longest, who-the-hell-is-up-this-early line. Do we really have to wait in this snail’s paced line or is there another way… and there was. A separate line that we would like to call the “Baller” line. (aka eTickets). Swiped our Passports, typed in a few numbers and we were free from the ever growing non-Baller check line. Here’s the kicker, after a tasty BK Crossandwhich we headed to the gates. Get this, I have my camera bag (which I don’t let go of), and my rolling travel bag, and a red folder with all of my necessary paperwork. I reach the gate… “2 carry-ons sir” I hear. I pay no attend, I have 2 carry-ons. The guard gets my attention. “Only 2 carry-ons sir, you can’t have the folder”. I stare at the minimum wage paid rent-a-cop in amazement. My FOLDER with all of my TRAVEL documents is considered a carry-on. It’s not bigger than a hip Hollywood Gossip magazine, or no thicker than an 8th grader’s vacation reading list period-piece novel. So WTF! I was asked to put my FOLDER away before entering the terminal. Let me repeat, I was asked to put my “3rd” carry-on FOLDER, into another one of my carry-ons before entering the terminal. Marinate on that for a few, here I’ll give you some time………………………………………….. Onto, the next WTF moment. We reach the TSA check area, people are being stopped for metallic belt buckles and 3.2 oz liquid containers, yet my “must-look-like-an-explosive-device” camera bag flies through the motorized X-ray conveyer belt. Again, dumb-founded. I was prepared for anything just shy of a cavity search, but instead received a grin and “Umm, you can go now”. Here you go, another moment to ponder…………………………………………………….
The flight from Tampa to Miami was uneventful (which is good) and if I blinked too long, I would have missed it. We touched down in Miami being met by a two hour lay-over. Not too bad, walked around, used the restroom, met WWE wrestler The Big Show, went to the restroom again, and then surfed the web till boarding time… Like how I passed over the Big Show stuff… Haha! Look him up if you don’t know who he is. 7 feet plus, 400 and something pounds of giant MAN. Dude, is a beast and borderline rude… Must have been cranky too… Hell, I hate sitting in the seats and I barely tip the 5’8”, wish I was closer to 6’ scale. Crazy!

Now, off to Jamaica. I believe I slept most of the way, because I don’t remember the hour and something flight here… Well, mostly don’t remember. I thought, animals of a certain size weren’t allowed on a plane. I had what I believe to be a furry bigfoot/caveman next to me, and if not for my free heavy cotton blanket, I may have vomited for the continuing fur-tickles from the man-beast next to me. Not, not, not fun.

Arriving in Jamaica was cliché to the movies, and music videos. Beautiful crystal clear beaches, colorful mountain side shacks, Bob Marley and Usain Bolt memorabilia everywhere and my personal favorite: “Welcome to Jamaica, now what?” No signs, barely any terminal workers, and quiet long hallways that go down stairs then back up. After an only slightly exaggerating 2 mile trek we reached customs, the people were rude and nice at the same time. Talk about killing with kindness. Hey stupid American, love your shirt… See? Just bad (hahaha, only kinda kidding). Passports stamped, no goods/gifts declared, and then it starts. Like a busy garment district alleyway in Los Angeles, EVERYONE attacks you with: “May I take your bag Mon?” “Where to Mon?” “You want some smokey-smoke Mon?” Yeah, that bad. We pushed on to the booth we needed to reach. Told them our destination, and forked over $50 for our road trip. Initially shocked, but realized it wasn't too much for the 2 people two-way trip. We waited a good minute for someone to take us to our bus. I swear he forgot about us several times during the 100 foot walk to the bus. Once reaching the bus, we were bombarded with the “May I take your bag Mon?” “Where to Mon?” “You want some smokey-smoke Mon?” Danny put up a Texas-Style showdown look with the driver as he reached for his bags, again! We let them place the bags in the back of the bus, again… my camera bag didn’t leave my side. Oh they tried… but hell no! After waiting for a couple more people to join us, we headed off to our hotel. The drive was, how do you say f-ing nuts. The mini bus pummeled through bi-directional, one-lane roads. Up and down Oceanside cliffs nearly missing oncoming traffic every 7 seconds. Oh and the the detour… The driver didn’t feel like waiting for a construction area, so we off-roaded… like a four person Jeep, through a cemetery. Ok, again… WE OFF-ROADED IN A BUS THROUGH A CEMETARY. The tourist behide us were wondering if this is a usual part of the tour… Not so much! After visiting the recently deceased we continued our life threatening… sorry… Once in a lifetime ride… much better… to our destination. Of course we stopped at a roadside bar so all the tourist could drink. Funny how the driver was drinking too… Another Safe point in my book.

We finally made it, alive, to our hotel. Very nice! We have several phone pics up on our personal Facebooks and will take some pro-pics tonight and tomorrow to post on Lucky-Star. Everyone was friendly with their “No Problem Mon” and “Yeah Mon”. BUT we get to the front desk and when I reach for my itinerary, I realize the lady who directed us to our super fantastic, not scary at all bus ride, never gave my paper back… which more and more I’m starting to believe that people are in cahoots with each other for cash. The hotel wouldn’t take the confirmation numbers from my phones email; they wanted the real unofficial laser printed page. However, we could go downstairs to the internet café and pay 5 dollars for 15 minutes and print one there. Sigh! The front desk asks me for my credit card so we can still check-in. We go through the process, just to be told the room won’t be ready for another 3 hours. Sigh! So we continue to lug our 50 lbs dead weight bags over our shoulders. We head down to the internet café to print the missing page. The computers were down. Sigh! The lady asks us to come back in a few. We do, once we return and I reluctantly hand over $5 dollars to print a damn pade. I then sit at the prehistoric computer and surf the web at non-lightning speeds just to find that the computer I’m on won’t print. Keep in mind, working or not, slow or not, your timer on the bottom of the screen flawlessly counts down to your impending no-printout doom. With barely 4 minutes to spare, we now had our missing page. Ran back to the front desk, got my credit card information back, got our keys, and enjoyed the room for all of an hour before passing out on the couch.

Now awake after a much needed nap, time to get something to eat, take some night pics, organize the equipment and back to bed. Tomorrow starts at lunchtime. Thank you all who have been following this journey and will be following here on in. Pics will be posted on our Facebook and MySpace soon. Take care everyone. Spread the word and spread the love…..

Sony ECM-HST1 Modifications

I really wanted the ability to connect my external wireless and shotgun microphones to my Sony HDR-HC3 camcorder.  Shame on Sony for not providing a microphone input on this camera, but it was the right camera at the right price for me when I needed to go to High Definition in mid 2006.  I didn’t want to be limited to Sony’s small collection of Active Interface Shoe microphones.  After googling around and finding a photo that William Zaggle posted about modifying the Sony ECM-HST1 stereo microphone, I decided to try it myself.  It was a delicate operation to cut the traces and solder such tiny components, but it seems to have succeeded. Here are some pictures I took along the way.  Click any photo for a larger version.

via laundrie.org

Very very cool concept. I own several of these HDV camcorders and my biggest complaint is the lack of external microphone connections. This quick DIY project fixes that problem. Check it out and if you can, try it out. I know I am.

For Those Who Aren't Social Media-ing

Good evening everyone, I would like to take this opportunity to unveil yet another online portfolio for Lucky-Star Photo. For the random few that aren’t on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter, we created a simple website that will be updated along with our other portfolios. So new pics will be simultaneously posted to our Social Media sites and the new website as well. Simply visit our Lucky-Star blog (www.lucky-starphoto.com) and click on the “Lucky-Star Portfolio” link on the top left. Enjoy everyone; please let us know what you think. Take care...