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April 30, 2010

Beach Dining – There’s Nothing Better

“We’re thinking of having a barbeque on the beach.” Our clients say this often, whether it’s for a family reunion, wedding reception, birthday party or just a nice long day with friends to be topped off with a vacation portrait. It’s always a great idea here on an island where long days on the beach are common. And for those of you who just take sandwiches to a St. John beach every day on vacation – pay attention. These personally tested suggestions may just make your day!

 -         Feast On A Beach: How about an entire Thanksgiving style turkey dinner on the beach? We did it by cooking the turkey until ‘almost done, then steaming it the rest of the way in a huge pot at the beach. No pot? Cut a turkey into quarters (or smaller pieces) and cook the pieces on a grill at the beach. Assemble on a large platter before serving. Don’t forget the cranberries and stuffing! Lay down a big sheet or two and line up extra towels as a tablecloth. Cut some local flowers and put in an empty water bottle for a nice touch.    

-         Pizza Float: Perfect for a birthday party or other celebration, this one requires just two pool floats, placed one on top of the other to make a ‘table’ in the water that rises at least 3-4 inches above the water line. Bring pizza to the beach, or better yet – have it delivered (even on St. John!) and get into the water to enjoy. It’s a perfect way to enjoy birthday cake too. Skip the utensils and napkins – just dig in and have some fun with your food! This is one of our favorite evening (yes EVENING) activities with friends in summer months.

-         Catered Luxury: We have so many wonderful caterers and private chefs on the island that it is worth considering for any group dining at the beach and surprisingly affordable. Barbeque ribs, classic fish fry, or even sushi – whatever your style. If you can’t decide, just call a caterer – they are full of fun suggestions and ideas for every price range. And yes, some offer lunch packages for just two people!  

-         French Fries & Rum Punch: Okay, this one is really cheating, but the opportunity to have French Fries and a Rum Punch on the sand at Trunk Bay is just too good to pass up without mentioning. You can have a classic backyard barbeque with hot dogs, hamburgers, fried chicken and salads too from the concession stand. Don’t forget the drinks, but watch out for the gulls – they can mischievous trying to get those French fries. 

 Keep in mind that you may need an inexpensive permit to hold your larger event on a VI National Park beach or to reserve a covered barbeque space, so contact the Visitors Center for more information.

 Some reminders: Don’t feed the gulls, the donkeys, or the mongoose . And never, ever bring glass of any kind to the beach, please. Use the recycle and trash bins provided and leave only your footprints in the sand.  We like those.

 We hope to see you soon on the beach and in the water. We’ll bring the drinks – you bring the turkey.

 Bob and Karin Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

Filed under: General — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Karin @ 9:26 pm

April 26, 2010

Photo Monday 4/26/10 –

Happy Monday!

This week, we’re paying homage to the little coves on St. John.  Each one is a little gem, with no two alike. They are an important facet of our beautiful island and worth sharing.

We’re talking about beaches where a dozen people on a short stretch of sand would make them crowded places. But sand can sometimes be overrated.

This pebble beach near the end of the road on the East End may not have much sand, but the snorkeling is absolutely wonderful and the only neighbors you’ll ever see are pelicans and the occasional curious gecko. 

Some sweet little coves are tricky to reach unless you have a kayak or like to swim because there is no path, or the cove is surrounded by private property. We’ve been known to put our lunch and towels on a float and use the float as a kickboard to reach a few that beckoned us on a sunny day. But, oh, it has always been worth the effort.

If that sounds like too much work, there are other options.

Take Miss Vie’s Beach and little cove in Hanson Bay. Sure, you pay an access fee to crosss her land, but you won’t risk wet towels on a pool float. Heck – skip that float all together. There are beach chairs here!

But for the easiest, sweetest little cove on St. John, just go to our favorite little north shore cove in the VI National Park. The parking lot across the street can only hold 5 or 6 vehicles at best and that says it all. You’ll have to walk a little. 

But the stroll to the cove is an easy one and carefully groomed. It’s a gentle slope down from road and past a little bridge to this often passed over cove.

Awaiting at the end of the short trail, lays Jumbie Beach – an idyllic little cove. When a storm front comes through, it can be a bit rough. And if there are 5 carloads of people, the beach can be darned full. But it is a wonderfully romantic and tranquil spot if you catch it at the right time.

And despite the number of visitors this year, it’s surprisingly pristine. On Sunday members of the local Rotary Club of St John performed a beach clean-up here and even they were surprised by the lack of litter they were able to pick up.

Little Jumbie certainly is a beauty. Thanks to everyone whose been remembering to keep our beaches and little coves cleaner this year. Good Jumbies to you all.

Until next time,

Bob and Karin Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

Filed under: General, Photo Mondays — Tags: , , , , , , , — Karin @ 10:57 pm

April 23, 2010

30% Chance of Showers

St John VI 10-Day Forecast - Courtesy of www.weather.com

“How’s the weather?” marks the beginning of many phone calls and e-mails from friends in the States, especially when Mother Nature is acting up wherever they live. Weather is important in our photography business. Clients want to know what the likelihood is that it will be sunny on the day of their family vacation portrait or during their beach wedding. And our real estate photo shoots are extremely weather dependant to get those perfect crisp horizons that everyone craves.

 And yet, have you ever noticed that the weather forecast for the US Virgin Islands – whether posted on MSN, CNN, or the Weather Channel – is almost always 30% chance of precipitation?  Yes, it’s almost always the same. Check out our current 10-day forecast.

 Mention the words “30% chance of showers” when asking a weather-related question to a local resident and you may hear a muffled giggle or catch their eyes rolling, before receiving either a dissertation on the uselessness of weather forecasts or their expert position on the matter dependant on their individual mood or personality.

 No, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to rain 30% of the time. Nor does it mean that 30% of the islands are going to have rain. We will, however, admit that somewhere on some US Virgin Island there is a 30% chance of a perceptible precipitation occurring at some time, even if just for a moment. But not always.  Once in a great while, we get a nice solid soaking rain, but it’s a bit unpredictable and not a normal occurance.

 And when it does suddenly rain more than a quick passing shower? On western St. John, we look towards St. Thomas to see if it’s disappeared behind the downpour. Then we turn on our TV channels and break to the local weather forecast in case we missed something. Most likely, we’ll see it’s just another “30% chance of precipitation”. Yeah. What really makes us groan is the typically added notation – “current conditions: partly cloudy – clear visibility” that makes us doubt the seriousness of the forecast.

 So, don’t stress the weather here in our Virgin Islands paradise– it’s almost always perfect.  We’re here, ready to enjoy it any moment we can. That is, of course, in the rare case that we are “under the weather” ourselves.   

Until later,

Karin and Bob Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

 

Filed under: General — Tags: , , , , , , , , — Karin @ 11:09 pm

April 19, 2010

Photo Monday 4/19/10

Happy Monday!

It’s certainly been a busy week on-island, with many villa companies switching over to Off-Season rates and you know what that means….

 Brides. Lots of brides.

It actually means lots of visitors of all kinds enjoying the first week of lower rental rates for the year.  Budget minded brides know it is also a perfect time to get married on St. John, whether you are eloping, or bringing the entire family. 

 

Admittedly Trunk Bay was crowded in the middle of the days this week.  On Saturday, when we took this photo, it was also designated a Fee Free day by the VI National Park.  With no fee charged to enter Trunk Bay, many sunbathers felt it was worth the extra company.  

Excessive people on the beach can make photographing a wedding a bit tricky, but that’s why we recommend using a pro for your photos.  Then too, most weddings are late in the day or early in the morning, which always means less people on the beach. On Saturday, there were three late afternoon weddings on the beach at popular Trunk Bay all happening concurrently. 

But you’d never know it - even from our untouched images like the one above.  And that’s a good thing, because every bride deserves their own intimate wedding moments filled with magic. And magical beach weddings are our specialty.  

Don’t get us wrong. That tranquil, nature-loving St. John island you know and love is still here, hiding in full sight.    

And bone-fishing is still a nice choice for whiling away an afternoon on the North Shore away from everyone and everything. But, we digress.   

Wedding parties were easy to spot in Love City this week  whether mingling with the locals at the Tap Room in the evening, or headed for a late morning brunch at Rhumb Lines before heading back to their cruise ship.

Every night this week there were celebrations all over the island. It was enough to make us both exhausted, but we loved it all.  

Thank goodness we know those quiet places where one can sit back and appreciate the lively charm of it all before heading off to sleep.  And that is something we need dearly, before our next week here  in Love City.

Until later,

Bob and Karin Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

Filed under: General, Photo Mondays, Weddings — Tags: , , , , , — Karin @ 11:20 pm

April 16, 2010

“Green” Photography – Is It Just Hype?

The truth is we can all be greener in what we do every day whether with our photography or any other activity. Even using a digital camera negatively impacts our environment and greener photography is possible. It should matter to all of us.  

 Here are some simple ways you can make a difference whether you are a professional photography company like us or an amateur shutterbug who loves taking photos:

 1)      Share electronically.Friends and clients benefit by getting photos faster and you also eliminate the need to use excessive cd’s/dvd’s, photo paper and ink.    

2)      Skip the gadgets – Be creative. Use the natural sunlight reflecting off sand and water to complement other lighting techniques. For special effects move around – get down close to the ground, up on a rock – and learn to tweak your camera’s settings. Most people use less than 10% of their camera’s capability!    

3)      Use quality equipment.  High density photo cards, portable hard drives instead of cd or dvd media, and (important in the islands) rust-proof tripods all make a difference in the long run, Quality equipment lasts a long time and that’s a very green thing.    

4)      Save electricity. Turn off computers and other equipment when not in use and work open-air when viable. In warm places like St John, do any post-production work for photos in the evening when it’s cooler so you can skip the a/c.

5)      Recycle old equipment and supplies. Use rechargeable batteries and recycle them locally if you can. Check out options:  http://www.call2recycle.org/home.php?c=1&w=1&r=Y  Do the same with ink cartridges: https://www.officemaxperks.com/RecyclingProgram.aspx 

 These suggestions just scratch the surface: Buy supplies in bulk, go paperless, recycle, re-purpose, use green suppliers – the list of what you can do to help goes on and on. Just by thinking about it once in a while, you’ll find yourself naturally being greener each time you lift the camera.

 Tropical Focus is proud to be a Certified Greener Photography company – the only one in the entire Caribbean, but we’re hoping others will join this effort soon. We still have a long way to go to reach Premier certification status, but we keep working at it every day knowing it all matters.  Sharing tips with you is one way we are doing something positive today.

 “Leave only footprints in the sand”.  That is something that we can all do to make a difference everyday on our little island. So whether you are photographing our gorgeous landscapes for your scrapbook, planning a beach wedding, or just headed to the beach with lunch and toys in hand for some fun in the sun, please keep that thought in mind. And what could be better for our grandchildren and their future than leaving only footprints in the sand?

  Until next time,

 Karin and Bob Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

p.s. – April 22nd is Earth Day. A  full week of activities and celebrations are planned starting this weekend all over St. John, neighboring islands and all across the US. Take part and make a difference in your community. 

Filed under: General — Tags: , , , — Karin @ 9:52 pm

April 12, 2010

Photo Monday 4/12/10

Happy Monday!

This week we’re back on St. John and celebrating the beginning of “Off-Season”, which is just as busy as “In-Season”, but that’s island life for you!

It's Off-Season and St. John's Welcome Mats Are Out!

  The water is getting warmer and the white sandy beaches are a joy. 

Annaberg Plantation on St. John's North Shore

 It’s a great time to take a full or half-day snorkel excursion around our little island or to explore our Annaberg Plantation ruins.

Emancipation Statue in Cruz Bay/Yellow Cedar In Bloom

St. John has a rich history – but ask anyone about the Emancipation and you can expect an earful. It’s that important a part of our island history. There are spring flowering trees blooming around the island, as our recent drought is slowly giving way to occassional welcoming showers. 

Toy Boat in Spectacular Caneel Bay

 There is a special place to ‘float your boat’ on St. John, whether it’s your own 52-ft sloop, or an electronicly remote controlled sailboat like this one in sunny Caneel Bay. 

Whatever your vision of paradise is, St. John has something for everyone provided you take the time to relax ands enjoy it.

The sun may set, but tomorrow is another beautiful day here on the island of St. John. We hope you can enjoy it with us, even if only with our photos.

Until later,

Karin and Bob Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

Filed under: General, Photo Mondays — Tags: , , , , — Karin @ 8:55 pm

April 9, 2010

Finding Your Perfect Wedding Officiate

At Tropical Focus we work with many local wedding officiates and know first hand that every one has a unique style all their own. Regardless of where you live and where you plan to get married, picking a wedding celebrant can be rather tricky. You already know from countless magazine articles and wedding blogs that you should choose a wedding officiate to reflect the values you both share as a couple. It’s easy to narrow down the choices because you need a specific religious ceremony or want an extreme wedding venue. But finding the right style for you – now that makes a memorable wedding!

To ask potential ministers about their style and approach to their ceremony is only a beginning. Our suggestion is to get a second opinion and do it before you sign on the dotted line or otherwise make a commitment. Not from a wedding planner – but from your prospective wedding photographer, whomever they may be.

The minister sets the tone for the entire wedding ceremony and professional photographers know that when the bridal couple and minister mesh well – it’s magical. They see it in every photo, whether  you’re having a simple beach wedding or a traditional ceremony in a house of worship. (If your prospective photographer is too busy to give you an answer, find another one to ask – and too take your wedding photos too!). 

There IS a perfect minister for every couple, no matter what your wedding venue is. Some specialize in certain locations and types of ceremonies. But NOT every officiate has a style that is perfect for every couple.  Do you want a minister who:

  • �
    • Looks like a judge, mother earth, a businessman, a clergyman/woman, an island bum or does it matter?  
    • Actively involves any children in the ceremony details, or the entire wedding party? Or someone who thinks children should be seen but not heard? 
    • A bystander who does the weddings from the side, keeping the bride and groom the center of attention at all times or one who becomes your best friend and confidant within seconds?
    • One who shares personal anecdotes and philosophies during the ceremony in hopes you will agree, or shares your own personal journey with the wedding party and anyone else on the beach during the ceremony?
    • Incorporates symbolism and traditions – whether religious, from nature, or their own portfolio of island fun – into the ceremony?         Sings or chants or has a melodic voice?  A quiet one, or one that will carry and be heard by everyone in the wedding party?
    • Reads material you’ve prepared for them for the first time at the ceremony, or has a very hard time remembering names?        Incorporates your personal vows into a ceremony that feels specific to you, or one that uses a singular set of words for every couple?
    • Stretches out a ceremony to bore most brides, or one that is so speedy that you will not even remember saying I Do before you did?   
    • Shows up one minute before the ceremony start time and departs before you remember to stop kissing and turn around to say thank you? Or one that sticks around and maybe even takes a photo of you for his/her personal memory book?

Do you really need to care about all this? Some people pick a wedding officiate with little thought. They just select the first name they see, or the least expensive priced person listed on a website. The local photographers know, though, that when these same couples to do a vow renewal, they will have learned their lesson and give weight to this all-important aspect of their special day the second time around. A wedding is for a lifetime of memories – it’s a cliché, but so true. So decide what your own ‘must haves’ are as a couple, and ask a wedding photographer for an opinion.

Most wedding photographers are like us and are pleased to help out with any information that can make your day more special. In fact we’re glad you asked. When a wedding officiant matches the personality and style of the bridal couple – no matter what the combination may be – perfection happens and it shows in every photo. By asking, we get to know you more intimately as a couple and these personal connections always make for better photos.

We also love it when our future brides send us photos of their wedding dresses and other details before their island wedding. But, all that’s for another blog!

 Until later,

 Bob and Karin Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

Filed under: General, Weddings — Tags: , , , , , — Karin @ 9:15 pm

April 5, 2010

Photo Monday 4/5/10

Happy Monday!

We learned on a phone call to upstate New York this weekend that the weather was a balmy 84 degrees, as warm as St. John. For our dear friends who wondered what happened to Spring and for those islanders who have never smelled a hyacinth, this Photo Monday is for you!

London Magnolias in Bloom

Living here in the tropics, we miss the blossoming trees that require cold hard winters before their buds emerge with the promise of elegance.  Last year this week we were in London and spring was in full bloom.  

Daffodils in Upstate New York

Daffodils are the tumpeters of the season, screaming SPRING with their sunny colors.  We have seen them at a florist shop here in the islands, but only on vacation can we see them naturalized alongside a country lane.   

Cherry Blossoms in London, UK

We owned a beautiful cherry tree many years ago and it bloomed profusely every year like this one we saw in London. But it was the year we sold our home to move to St. John that our explosion of blooms finally led to a harvest of cherries.   

Spring Irises in Massachusetts

A crowded bunch of early irises is just the thing to eradicate those winter blues wherever you may find them. Tiny irises on stems the length of a finger, and the later huge bearded variety that stand 3 feet tall - we love them all . 

English Tea Roses in April Bloom

Wherever you live and whatever spring flowers come your way, be sure to take time to smell the roses – literally! Their season is all too short, so get out and enjoy your Spring even if it seems like summer already.  Don’t cry for us. Our hyacinth bulbs are out of the refridgerator where they have been wintering, and in their water-filled bulb vases. With luck we’ll be smelling the fragrant scent of those lovely April flowers soon right here at home in the Virign Islands! 

Until later,

Karin and Bob Schlesinger
Your Island Photographers

Filed under: General, Photo Mondays — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , — Karin @ 9:59 pm

April 2, 2010

Questions, Anyone?

Toeprints Require Toes!

We believe in taking care of our customers and enjoy answering their questions about having a photoshoot here in the islands. No question is ever frivolous to us. Because we like to make cients happy, virtually all requests that ask for a beach session are met with a resounding “Absolutely”.  Sometimes, though, the questions we get just aren’t that straight forward:

  •  Will you take pictures we want? Isn’t that our job? Maybe other photographers are gnarly or mean? The first time he was asked this, Bob said the automatic “Absolutely“, but then added after a pause – “If you want”. Admittedly, we had restless nights thinking the client might dream up some impossible photo setup before their shoot. But they just wanted someone who would listen well.  
  •  Can I go barefoot in my beach photos? Surprisingly, this is a question asked regularly by first-time visitors to the islands. Maybe people who live in cold spots can’t imagine going barefoot? Maybe their mother told them always to wear shoes? Obviously they’ve never experienced our orgasmic white sand – they are in for a treat! Out pet answer for this one is also very true:  “Of course – how else would we get photos of your toe prints in the sand?”

    Love That Red Sky...

  •  Can the sky be red during my shoot like that photo on your site? Most people realize that we have no control over the weather and we certainly can’t promise a vivid red sunset any more than we can predict it will be pinks and purples on a given day in the future. Knowing this client would likely love our late afternoon light no matter what (and they did!), we still offered to go the extra mile:  “If it matters and Nature and God don’t cooperate, we can tweak a few photos to give you some red. But, you might want to just enjoy whatever the Universe sends your way.”    
  •  If I go in the water, will I get wet? We don’t believe any question is stupid, so whatever could they be really asking about? Karin decided the only way to answer this one was to take the middle ground, clarify the question and fish around for more details so she said:  “Probably, but only if you go INTO the water. Is that okay?” The client said that was fine and moved on to a completely different topic. We may never understand the initial question, but if you do – share it with us PLEASE!

Wet Yet?

We hope this clears up a few open questions for some of you and has provided entertainment for the rest of you.

Seriously - do you have a tough question you’ve always wanted to ask about the islands or having your photos taken on the island of St John?   Just drop us an e-mail or write on our Facebook page. We promise to try to answer them as honestly and clearly as we can. This is our life and we love it.

 Until next time,

Your Island Photographers,
Bob and karin Schlesinger

Filed under: General, Photo Mondays — Tags: , , , — Karin @ 10:46 pm




Bob Schlesinger | Bob@TropicalFocus.com | 340-642-9696 | PO Box 1559, St John VI 00830


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