SecondFocus Blog

The overall winner, Mike Manibog…

The newer, leaner and meaner retired IFBB Pro, Eryk Bui…

The always popular, always competing, always having fun and still sporting a trimmed  “300″ beard, Lorenzo Reynaga…

And finally, in case you missed it, there is a beach at Muscle Beach…

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It is that time again for another bodybuilding and figure competition at "Muscle Beach" at world famous Venice Beach California. July 4th is the Mr. and Ms. Muscle Beach show and it is always fun. So if you are around and want a lot of fun for the day, head out to Muscle Beach! And look for me, I will be there!

Even Arnold came riding through on his bicycle last year…

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It was a lot of fun; 2 days with a fly over by a United States Air Force C-17 Globemaster, bodybuilders, figure girls, guest posing by super heavyweight Brian Yersky, the always amazing 62 year old Bill Grant, a visit from Academy Award winner Angelica Huston and for the first time - amateur boxing at Muscle Beach…

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I have been so busy going from shoot to shoot but here is one from the Memorial Day weekend at Muscle Beach Venice.

That is Jake Sawyer at his very first competition. He had a lot of fun! I will get some more posted soon. Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

For taking good photos and to get something different, watch your backgrounds and where you are shooting.

And keep your eyes open for some action like in this photo of Marcus Haley. So like I said in the previous post, get your focus right, see if you are getting good exposure and white balance and then watch where you are framing your shot. Any questions, just send me a note to SecondFocus@mac.com.

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One of the questions I am asked often is how to get good photos at a bodybuilding show. Here is one from a Southern California NPC show last year that is a good example…

What makes this photo work are a few things. First, it is in focus and second, the exposure is correct. And for digital shooting there is the problem of white balance where the camera is recording the correct color temperature of the lighting on the stage. The white balance in this photo is correct. And photos like these are not shot with flash or strobes.

Now if you are shooting at a show with your point and shoot with the screen on the back, for the most part you are going to get what you get, that’s ok. But if you are taking your more advanced camera to photo your girlfriend, boyfriend or gym buddy, there are some things you can do to make your photos look better.

If you don’t know what I am talking about from here, you need to read your camera manual so you can catch up some. So first set your iso higher, maybe to around 800 so you can use an aperture of f/8 or more if possible and a higher shutter speed. This will give you more depth of field for focus and less camera shake and movement.

Next, when you point your camera at your subject, point it at a mid-tone area so you get a more correct exposure. If you point your focus area at a really dark area, your photo will be overexposed because the camera will compensate for the lack of light. The reverse with a really bright area will give you a dark photo.

And when you focus, let your camera focus on the face with the center focus point and then frame your shot.

White balance is tricky so you need to read up a little. But for the most part, your auto white balance settings will usually fail and give you odd looking colors, not realistic. In auditoriums like this, you can usually go with a setting for Tungsten and be much better off.

So now you are an expert! Go take photos and have fun. Any questions, send me an e-mail to SecondFocus@mac.com

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But coming back…

That’s right, that is all that is left, a small pile of rubble. But let me tell you why…

All of that equipment was getting pretty tired. So last year BodyBuilding.com agreed to buy all new equipment for the world famous "Pit" at Muscle Beach at Venice Beach in California. Even the flooring mats will be all new also courtesy of HeadBlade.

The Grand Opening of the renovated "Pit" is May 17, 2008 at 2 pm.

Of course Russ Deluca, Bodybuilding.com will be there to unveil the new equipment from StarTrac will be there as well as Todd Green from HeadBlade.

Following the Grand Opening, the 2007 Inductees into the Muscle Beach Venice Hall of Fame will have their plaques unveiled on the Walk of Fame. The inductees are Tony Pearson, Pudgy  Stockton, DeForrest "Moe" Most (both Muscle Beach pioneers), Franco Columbu and Lifetime Achievement recipient, Jack LaLanne.

Following the unveiling, Jack will be signing and giving away 200 copies of his new book "Fiscal Fitness".

All of this just in time for the big Muscle Beach Memorial Day Competition on the next week end. So if you can drop on by, it is history in the making at world famous "Muscle Beach". Even I will be there!

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Ok, here are a couple more of Figure Competitor Sasha Anna Brown. These were just a few days after her overall win at the NPC Max Muscle Naturals in Anaheim California.

And one of me, hard at work…

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Well I have been busy, but not too busy to take notice of this newcomer, Sasha Anna Brown. Fresh from an overall figure win at the NPC Max Muscle Naturals in Anaheim California, Sasha drove on out to do a photo shoot with me at a beautiful scenic location, 360inPalmSprings.

I will post some more photos of her soon. But if you get to the Emerald Cup, coming up, look for her. She is someone to look for! Thanks and keep coming back if you "Wanna See More…?"

Actually I had not thought about it. It was back at the beginning of the year. But I just noticed that the Arnold BodyBlog is still one of the most viewed and the most recent post was a video compilation I had done with the photos I shot and set it to a sountrack. And looking at it again, it is really fun!

So if you want to see what it is like to sit up close at a big show like the Arnold, take a look at it and turn your sound on. Let me know what you think! It is right HERE!

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