Atlantic Current: The Photo Issue - May/June 2023

MAY

1-30

MOSAIC (MONTH OF SHOWS, ART, IDEAS, & CULTURE) @ Loggerhead Marinelife Center – Juno

3

MOUTH TAPE @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

STARDUST ONE @ Crazy Uncle Mikes – Boca

4

THE EXPANDING MAN—AN ORIGINAL TRIBUTE TO STEELY DAN @ Funky Biscuit – Boca

CRAZY FINGERS @ The Fish Depot – Boynton (every Thursday)

CLEMATIS BY NIGHT – WPB

4-7

SUNFEST (www.sunfest.com for lineup)

5

FIRST FRIDAY @ Five Concert feat. Big City Dogs

BAND @ Boynton Beach Amphitheater

MAXIMUM FRICTION @ Mathews Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK @ Arts Garage – Delray

INDIGO DREAMERS @ Leftover’s – Jupiter

CINCO DE MAYO W/ LA TRIBU ROYALE @ Crazy Uncle Mike’s – Boca

6

MAY ARTWALK @ The Peach – WPB

CRAZY FINGERS @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

THE BLUES CRUSADERS @ Northwood Art & Music Warehouse – WPB

7

BRYAN SMITH (GIRLFRIEND MATERIAL) @ Mathews Brewing Co. – Lake Worth (every Sunday)

CHRIS BONNELLI & FRIENDS @ Old Key Lime House – Lantana

UPROOT HOOTENANNY DUO @ Tim Finnegan’s –Delray (every Sunday 6pm)

9

ALL ARTS OPEN MIC NIGHT @ Arts Garage – Delray

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM @ Revolution Live – Ft. Lauderdale

10

SIERRA LANE JAM INVITATIONAL @ Crazy Uncle Mike’s – Boca

INDIGO DREAMERS @ ER Bradley’s – WPB

ROOSEVELT COLLIER @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

11

A BOB DYLAN BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FEAT. BIG BRASS BED @ Funky Biscuit – Boca

KING TIDE RISING @ Old Key Lime House – Lantana

12

FUNKIN’ GRATEFUL @ Crazy Uncle Mike’s – Boca

THE KILLBILLIES @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

MELISSA ETHERIDGE @ Pompano Beach Amphitheater

12-13

UPROOT HOOTENANNY @ Irish Brigade – Lake Worth

13

HOPPORTUNITIES 3-YEAR ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION –(11AM-3PM) + VICTORIA LEIGH (8P-11P) – Delray

SPRED THE DUB @ Crazy Uncle Mike’s – Boca

JP SOARS + LEAFY GREENS @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

HEAD BANGERS BALL (HARDWIRED-METALLICA TRIBUTE) @ Mathew’s Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

ECHO’S REUNION @ RESPECTABLES – WPB

WOODSTOCK 2 @ The Peach – WPB

THE LOT KIDS @ Stormhouse Brewing – NPB

14

HOMEGROWN SINNERS @ Old Key Lime House – Lantana

THE MOTOWNERS @ BOCA BLACK BOX – BOCA

19

PAT TRAVERS BAND @ FUNKY BISCUIT – BOCA

20

NATTALI RIZE W/ SPECIAL GUEST MINORI @ GUANABANAS –JUPITER

BRYCE ALLYN BAND @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

THE PETTY HEARTS (TOM PETTY TRIBUTE) @ Mathews Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

BOYNTON BEACH ART WALK – BOYNTON

UPROOT HOOTENANNY DUO @ JB’s on the Beach – Deerfield

LEGENDS ON THE LAWN FEAT KRUSH PARTY BAND @ Canyon Amphitheater – Boynton

THE BIG STOKE @ Hopportunities – Delray

THE ROCKIN JAKE BAND @ Northwood Art & Music Warehouse – WPB

21

VICTORIA LEIGH @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

2-YEAR ANNIVERSARY BEER FEST @ Stormhouse Brewing NPB

PORTRAIT OF ARETHA STARRING CECE TENEAL @ Arts Garage – Delray

SPIDER CHERRY @ Old Key Lime House – Lantana

24

59 SHOP @ Crazy Uncle Mike’s – Boca

PAM & DAVE @ MAXI’S LINEUP – JUPITER 25

JOHN MCEUEN, THE CIRCLE BAND @ Funky Biscuit – Boca

27

LES DUDEK @ Funky Biscuit – Boca

46 & TOOL (TOOL TRIBUTE) @ Mathew’s Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

EVENTS MAY/JUNE 2023

LOW GROUND + NYF @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

MATT BROWN @ Hopportunities – Delray

THE PURE ZEPPELIN EXPERIENCE @ Boca Black Box

28

UPROOT HOOTENANNY @ Deck 84 – Delray

JUNE

2

FIRST FRIDAY @ Five Concert @ Boynton Beach Amphitheater

THE FLYERS @ Crazy Uncle Mike’s – Boca

NEW DAWN FADES—TRIBUTE TO JOY DIVISION & NEW ORDER @ Respectables – WPB

VICTORIA CARDONA + UPROOT HOOTENANNY @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

JASON MONTERO TRIO @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK @ Arts Warehouse – Delray

2-3

TAZ ALL STAR POWER TRIO FEAT. NIKKI GLASPIE & BRAD MILLER @ Funky Biscuit – Boca

MELODY TRUCKS W/ SPECIAL GUEST JADEN LEHMAN @ Funky Biscuit

Boca

3

UPROOT HOOTENANNY @ Old Key Lime House – Lantana ONE REBELLION @ Mathew’s Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

3-4

TITO PUENTE JR. @ Arts Garage – Delray

4

MIKE GARULLI @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

UPROOT HOOTENANNY DUO @ Tim Finnegan’s – Delray (every Sunday 6pm)

7

INDIGO DREAMERS @ DAS Beer Garden – Jupiter

PAM & DAVE @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

8

ROCK THE PLAZA @ Ocean Plaza feat. Rogue Theory – Boynton

CLEMATIS BY NIGHT – WPB

MELODY TRUCKS W/ SPECIAL GUEST JADEN LEHMAN @ Funky Biscuit – Boca

9

INDIGO DREAMERS @ Paddy Macs – PBG

SHINDIG @ Old Key Lime House – Lantana

TASTY VIBRATIONS @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

9-10

UPROOT HOOTENANNY @ Irish Brigade – Lake Worth

10

DARK SIDE OF SOL (PINK FLOYD TRIBUTE) @ Mathew’s Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

JACKIEM JOYNER @ Funky Biscuit – Boca (2 shows)

THE CRAVENS @ Northwood Art & Music Warehouse – WPB

WALKER HAYES W/ SPECIAL GUESTS INGRID ANDRESS & BREELAND @ MIZNER PARK AMP – Boca

15

THE FLYERS @ Crazy Uncle Mike’s – Boca

16

BRETT STASKA + EAST HARBOR @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

JAY VALOR @ Old Key Lime House – Lantana

SUNDOWN SILENT DISCO @ Singer Island Beach

17

UPROOT HOOTENANNY @ Biergarten – Boca

JOJO’S FARMERS MARKET @ Carlin Park – Jupiter

SIERRA LANE BAND @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

METALICIOUS @ Mathew’s Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

18

MANGROVE MARK @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

22

BRIAN SMITH & FRIENDS @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

23

SELWYN BIRCHWOOD @ Arts Garage – Delray

24

TAND @ Crazy Uncle Mike’s – Boca

BIRDMAN’S CLAMBAKE + CLEMENT AUBREY FULL AH VIBES @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS @ Mathew’s Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

29

SOULS OF MISCHIEF: 93 ‘TIL INFINITY 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR @ Respectables – WPB

30

VICTORIA LEIGH BASH @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

ROGUE THEORY @ Old Key Lime House – Lantana

D.R.I. 40 YEARS TOUR @ Respectables – WPB

STICK FIGURE W/ PEPPER AND THE ELOVATERS @ Sunset Cove Amp. – Boca

GIRLFRIEND MATERIAL @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

JULY 1

ANNUAL LUAU PARTY @ Mathews Brewing Co. feat. Spred the Dub, Girlfriend Material, The Shake – Lake Worth

Subscribe to our Weekend Things newsletter at theatlanticcurrent. com to get the best weekend events sent straight to your email every Friday.

Check venue websites for exact times. Schedules subject to change/ cancellations.

PUBLISHER

Dustin Wright

EDITOR

Darien Davies

MANAGING EDITOR

Ava Bourbeau

DESIGN

Richard Vergez

WRITERS

Darien Davies

Ava Bourbeau

David Rolland

Rachel Levy

Jessica Tzikas

EVENTS

Danny Wright

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jennyrose Ball

Jeff Biege

Alex Celis

Chase Dickinson

Phoebe Fitz

Chelsea Franklin

Pierce Gainey

Natalia Gomez

Chelsea Gould

Zach Guinta

Dylan Hughes

ADVERTISING

561-449-2263

Perrin James

Nick Kelley

Noah Lavin

Matthew McCarthy

Lauren Nash

Greg Panas

Kyle Soto

Paige Vuoto

Will Whelan

Marissa Wil

Ian Wilson

info@theatlanticcurrent.com

THE COVER

THANKS

…to our advertisers who make this local mag you’re about to enjoy both possible and free. As you’ll notice, we’ve worked hard over the years to curate our sponsorships with businesses we know you’ll enjoy. They’ve become an integral part of our mag being one cohesive piece and we can’t thank them enough.

Please support us by supporting them.

I

Copyright 2023 by the Atlantic Current LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Atlantic Current is a registered trademark of The Atlantic Current LLC.

Photo: Zach Guinta

THE PHOTO ISSUE

PHOTO BY PHOEBE FITZ

PICTURED: CHANDLER BAILEY

Underwater

Phoebe Fitz @phoebefitz

Model: Lainey Floeck

Jeff Biege

@jeffbiegephotography

PHOTO

Chase Dickinson

@chasedickinsonphotography

Kyle Soto @kylesoto

Paige Vuoto Mailey

@vuotophoto

Model: Paige Dugan

Zach Guinta @zach_guinta

Greg Panas

@gregpanas

Alex Celis @yomrcelis

Dylan Hughes

@dylanhughesphotovideo

Brianna Fournier @the.sandy.lens

@mr.ippster

Stephen Ippolito

Zach Guinta

@zach_guinta

Logan Graham @logangrahamphoto

Nostalgia

Alex Celis @yomrcelis

Logan Graham @logangrahamphoto

Natalia Gomez

@gypsyxcompany

Model: Marina Hane

Noah Lavin

@noahc.lavin

Dylan Hughes

@dylanhughesphotovideo

Lauren Nash laurennash.com

Model: Tommy Brumley

Chelsea Franklin @chelseabytheshore

Matt McCarthy

@matthewjessemccarthy

CATCHING UP WITH

Perrin James

Farm life, navigating the globe using stars and, yeah, how the Instagram algorithm sucks

From Pompano Beach to the Big Island, Perrin has gone the distance for the shot. Or should we say depth? His career with a camera began in 2010 and has grown to include working for companies like Patagonia, making documentaries, and now, starting his own conservation startup fund. Read along to see what else is new and what’s to come.

PHOTO BY PERRIN JAMES 39

“You know what man, there still should be secrets left in the world. Not everything has to be photographed.”

PHOTO BY NICK KELLEY

Atlantic Current: How have you been, man? What’s new?

Perrin James: Crazy. Life has been crazy. So, I bought a farm. Now I’m a part time or full time farmer, and a full time underwater filmmaker. It’s been a fun transition. It’s really fun being terrible at something.

AC: So how long have you been in Hawaii now?

PJ: 10 years man.

AC: What’s your favorite part and what was the biggest thing that surprised you when you first moved there?

PJ: The people, 100%. I swear every person I dove with was the best diver I’ve ever met. I was like ‘How is this even possible?’ Looking back on it, I definitely had just reached out to the best people and they really were well they still are some of the best divers. Some of the people I dove with were world record/championship divers, but I didn’t know that. I had just met them living there like ‘Hey, you wanna go for a dive?’ Then all of a sudden they’re 140- to 150-feet down trying to shoot these little fish and I’m like ‘What’s wrong with you? That is so deep.’ Trying to shoot a 4-pound fish at 150-feet deep? You are out of your mind. I just thought: this place is definitely for me. Everyone lives around the water; whether you’re a surfer, diver, kiter, fisherman, everyone in Hawaii has that ocean mindset and I really appreciate that.

AC: Do you feel like your skill as a photographer/videographer eased you into it a bit?

PJ: I think photography and videography both helped, but I think spearfishing is what built my community out here. If I wasn’t a spear fisherman and I didn’t have that relationship with other divers, it would’ve been very hard to integrate into Hawaii. The cool thing about Hawaii is that it’s a place where you can prove yourself. You can prove yourself in surfing or diving or whatever your ocean-related thing is. And if you prove yourself and you’re not an asshole, you’re gonna do great out here. It doesn’t matter what color your skin is, the ocean holds you accountable for who you are.

AC: What’s it like having that kind of access to endless beauty to photograph?

PJ: I find myself, when I’m here, enjoying it more than I’m shooting it. Some of the most beautiful places here on the Big Island, I don’t photograph them, other people don’t photograph them. You know what man, there still should be secrets left in the world. Not everything has to be photographed. If you find something in your hometown that’s special to you, do yourself a favor, don’t photograph it, don’t post it, just enjoy it.

AC: We’re getting some house envy looking at your place in Hawaii. Can you tell us about the spot?

PJ: You’re looking at nine silkie chickens, two ducks and my Australian Shepherd here. I’ve got a pepper garden, and I’ve planted avocados, lychee, citrus; everything that I ever want to eat because living in Hawaii is the most expensive place ever. So basically, I catch all my protein and I’m trying to grow my food, but it’s gonna take like three more years for the trees to grow. The farm itself is a fully off-grid working farm where we catch our own rain water (we have 15,000 gallons of water storage), everything is solar powered and it has a composting toilet because we don’t have a septic system yet. I have a shipping container built out with Starlink internet and that is my off-grid editing studio. It’s pretty sweet.

AC: Lately you’ve been doing some projects that are less on the social media/posting side and more on the business side. What have you been working on the most lately?

PJ: Man, all my best work I can’t post anymore. It’s all documentaries and movies and commercials. I’m trying to post on Instagram and stay current but it’s really hard when the best things you shoot are feature films. The coolest projects I’ve been working on, I’d say, are for Patagonia. There is a piece about the Haenyeo. The women in South Korea who dive for Conch shells. I just did a piece with them a couple months ago and that will be a little feature doc for World Ocean Day. Another piece I got to work on was the Hikianalia and Hokulea. The Hawaiian sailing canoes. They circumnavigated the globe using only celestial navigation and I got to sail 1,100 nautical miles with them only using stars. That’ll be another full-length feature with Patagonia.

AC: What was the experience like being on those canoes?

PJ: Honestly, the coolest thing I’ve ever done. You’re never just filming or photographing because the boat is so limited on people and on manpower, so I had to learn how to be crew. I walked onto the boat and they handed me the rudder and the captain was like ‘Okay, steer the boat.’ I was like ‘Holy shit, I can’t steer a boat using stars.’ I’m trying to fight this giant piece of wood that’s turning the boat and honestly it’s all about mental skill and reading the ocean because if you tried to fight the rudder, it would just smack you and bruise your ribs. It would break your ribs if you let go of it.

When you were sleeping, pilot whales and dolphins would swim up to the canoe and you could hear their echolocation in the hulls,

because it’s basically like a floating guitar. The pews resonate sound. You’d be sleeping and all of a sudden you’d hear dolphins and you’d be like ‘What the f*ck.’

AC: So, you aren’t always shooting in pristine conditions, “Frozen Ceilings,” being an example. What was that experience like?

The skills I learned on that boat I feel like I can take with me anywhere and I honestly tried to learn as much as I could. There is a wealth of knowledge from the head navigators who are called Pwo navigators, which was just remarkable.

AC: Speaking of a project you did for Patagonia, we really enjoyed watching “Fish People” and noticed you still keep up with Kimi Werner. How did you first meet her and what’s it like working with her?

PJ: One of the first people I met in Hawaii, but we didn’t dive together until we both got sent to a little island off the coast of Africa. I’ve traveled with her more than any other person. She’s incredible. She just looks like she’s part of the ocean; everything swims up to her. She has something magnetic when it comes to fish and things like that. To work with, she’s wonderful. She definitely mentored me to become a kinder and better human being.

PJ: Oh man, under ice, well, simply put it, it was cold. It was really, really cold. What made that trip so special: I dedicated that to my friend, Mike Hong, who had passed away. I find myself really busy with all the different creative work that I do these days and that piece was really for me and for my friend who passed away. I got to take some time off to grieve my friend’s loss and through that creative process push myself mentally and physically to create a film I’ve never worked on before, to dive conditions that are really, really harsh. When you’re doing something hard, but you’re doing it for someone that you love, it’s definitely an easier thing. That film was kind of about mental struggles and mental health and what people will go through. It’s kind of supposed to be a metaphor for how life can get pretty dark. I couldn’t really take a darker way than diving under ice in Canada with a bunch of crazy human beings that are all out of their minds.

PHOTO BY NICK KELLEY

PHOTO BY PERRIN JAMES

PHOTO BY WILL WHELAN

AC: We’ve seen the prints from there and it’s amazing, man. That leads me to my next question, what would you say is your best-selling print?

PJ: It’s a picture of Kimi in a cave in Tonga. Swallows is the name of the cave. That image has just gone around the world so many different times, with so many different clients. Honestly, that single image made my career, 100%. Which is insane that an image can still do that. You could take photos your whole life and create one of those or never create one. I, hopefully, create more than one, but we’ll see how that goes. Hopefully, I can create something else as cool as that.

AC: Looking back to your South Florida days starting out as a photographer, could you have imagined your life today?

PJ: No, I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. I could never imagine what my life is today living in South Florida. I honestly never thought I would leave. But, that being said, I also love South Florida and for people who are shooting and they’re from South Florida, I don’t think they should look at it as a place like ‘Oh, I need to get out of here,’ necessarily. Florida overall is an underrated eco place.

AC: Can you tell us a little about Dark Waters?

PJ: Dark Waters is just supposed to be basically like a startup, or an accelerator, for young people in conservation. I want to find younger people who are interested in doing it but they’re struggling to make it their full-time thing. And Dark Waters is a grant. So basically, I come in and give someone like $5,000 to $15,000, or more, for their ecotourism project and with that, I would also come in and create all image content, and basically build out web, media, social and create a following and help these people kind of get their message out of what they’re trying to say whether it’s seaweed, sharks, mangroves, like, whatever it is they’re doing. I want to come in, help tell their story. Give them money to continue it and make it sustainable.

AC: At what point did ocean conservation become a clear focus of your work?

PJ: I think I just got kind of burnt out on spearfishing. The sport was always, for me, about catching my own food and then during my career it just turned into trophy hunting. With that being said, I was traveling around the world and seeing all these endangered species at different markets and stuff like that. And I thought, you know what I’m going to make films to protect what I love and protect this ocean.

AC: So what came first, photography or spearfishing?

PJ: Spearfishing definitely came first. When I was in Florida, I bought a yellow three prong. I feel like everyone has one of those yellow, bright yellow, three prongs that scuba divers use. I bought it at a garage sale for 10 bucks. And then I took that thing with me everywhere. I took it to the Bahamas and Keys and everywhere. I was just shooting hogfish and lobster in the Bahamas. And I was kind of on from there. I was like 10 years old, I was off to the beach in the Abacos for like four or five hours by myself.

AC: I think a lot of people base their like count on their success as a photographer. Were you selling more prints when you were getting more likes?

PJ: The thing about Instagram and actual business is that for the most part, if you work with a good company, those two things aren’t related. If you get a million likes or 10 likes: if you have a great relationship with a company that you enjoy working with, they’re going to pay you the same. Those companies care about who you are as a person.

That’s not to say [Instagram] isn’t important for people starting off. It definitely is a great way to share photos and it’s cool to stay connected. There’s a lot of positive things. But Instagram would also be the one thing I think would be really discouraging to someone starting off today, because Instagram is not what it was. It’s just a weird place to show regurgitated content which is kind of getting old, you know? I would definitely tell people starting off in photography, to not get held up on whether their photo gets likes or not. And, that should not affect their rate. They should still charge professionally.

AC: Social media makes photography feel like an awfully crowded industry. That said, is there any advice you would give to new or aspiring photographers?

PJ: Find your niche. Create your own style. That’s the crucial one. Ultimately, if you want to stand out, you need to create your own style based on how you create your own art. If you want to create art; create your own art. Otherwise, don’t. Don’t create. And, keep shooting things. People will get discouraged after like a month or two. Just keep shooting, keep trying. Whenever things get hard creatively, go out and create some more.

@perrinjames1

Chelsea and her family, minus the newest family member

PHOTO BY MERMAID AND ME PHOTO

Chelsea Gould

Saying “I Do” to the Shutter

BY DARIEN DAVIES

PHOTOS BY CHELSEA GOULD

If you’re not sure exactly what true love looks like, or what that perfect “Yes!” engagement moment feels like, or the emotion of seeing the first sonogram image of a baby, just ask Chelsea Gould. She’s been there for it all, taken pictures of it all, and literally can’t see it and capture it enough.

Most people don’t want a job where their clients cry all the time. But for Chelsea, at least they’re crying with joy, immense happiness and with the knowledge that their perfect moment will last forever.

As one of the most notable wedding and engagement photographers based out of Southeast Florida, Chelsea loves love as much as the next person. Well, maybe a little bit more.

She loves being able to be part of special moments for her clients. She also loves being able to be part of her own special moments, of which there are many as a mom of two. Using her eye for those moments provides her with the ability to truly capture what’s important, including her own work-life balance.

“It all started in college when I bought my first DSLR from a friend (whose wedding I would shoot a couple years later). I’d take it to Ski Rixen and shoot my friends on the cable, to the beach when there were waves and on the boat wake boarding on Lake Ida,” Chelsea said. “Later on, I took it back to the beach with some champagne and shot models for my friend’s swimwear line. That’s when I realized I loved photographing and posing people! From there, a friend asked me to do his engagement photos and that’s when I realized what I loved shooting most was people’s connections.”

In 2015, fully immersed in the photography scene, she decided to quit her sales job. She got a part-time job as a nanny and spent her “free” time assisting at as many weddings as she could. With a year under her belt, she started 2016 shooting her own weddings. Funny enough, she hated her first experience.

“My very first wedding was a bit of a shit show and actually made me never want to shoot another! I was a lot younger though and completely unprepared,” said Chelsea. “It wouldn’t be until a couple years later that I’d go back into the wedding world with my head on my shoulders.”

That bride from her first wedding shoot ended up becoming one of Chelsea’s best friends. That’s what she considers one of the best parts of what she does. On a personal level, she values the friendships that have come from her jobs, saying that she’s really close with a lot of her past brides, fellow photographers and vendors that she’s met in the industry. On an artistic level, it’s all about getting the chance to tell people’s stories through her own eyes and lens. On a business level, she wouldn’t trade the freedom of building her own schedule, which is invaluable as a parent.

“I love my work and I’ll always make room for it, but my family comes first.”

“Work-life balance will forever be a work in progress. Only six weeks in and still figuring out the mother of two thing. Really what it comes down to for me is not taking on too much work,” said Chelsea. She shared that crafting her professional life makes her a proud mama. “The fact that most weddings are on weekends just comes with the reality that there will be personal things you have to miss out on for work. I hate saying no to people, but I realized after having my first that saying yes to clients essentially means saying no to my family and personal life. If that doesn’t hit home, then I don’t know what does. I love my work and I’ll always make room for it, but my family comes first. I’m blessed to have a skillset that has allowed me to build a career around that sentiment.”

It’s a fantastic balance of work and play. When she’s not working, her focus is on her kids, who are the “cutest kids in all the land,” in her unbiased opinion. But when she is working, it’s all about the clients and helping them to capture their special moment in time. She believes that the planning and prep that goes into shooting a day is more important than the artistry, because it helps to ensure a stress-free and fun day where photos don’t run over time, and it can feel like fun instead of like work.

For Chelsea, being a photographer is manually putting the focus on where it needs to be: clients, special moments and family. Now that’s worth a thousand words.

5 REASONS WHY YOUR IPHONE PHOTOS ARE

& HOW TO FIX IT

MOVE YOUR BODY, NOT YOUR ZOOM.

If you find yourself wanting to zoom in, you need to take a few steps forward instead. Even more influential than the Moon landing, learning to take one small step forward or one giant leap, if needed will make the world of a difference in your photos. Using a digital zoom (otherwise known as the finger pinching) can often result in a loss of image quality unless you are switching between different lenses with different focal lengths. You can switch between lenses on your iPhone by using the numbers right above the shutter button (this also depends on how many cameras are on the back of your iPhone). But, getting in the habit of taking a couple extra steps in the subject’s direction will make a big difference when composing your photos.

We’ve all been there — you snap a photo with your cell phone, and it just doesn’t look quite right. Maybe it’s too blurry, or the subject isn’t quite centered, or the lighting is just plain awful. Fear not, for we have compiled a list of five reasons why your cell phone photos may not be up to par. With a little bit of know-how and a few simple tricks, you’ll be taking stunning photos in no time.

2.

COMPOSITION IS KEY.

No, you don’t have to stand in front of an orchestra. We’re talking about how you set up your photo. What’s the main focal point, what’s in the background, what’s in the foreground, where the focal point is in the frame, and so on. A common trick is the rule of thirds. You can turn on the grid feature to help visualize the thirds. Essentially, it’s more visually appealing when the focal point is in a third of the frame. So, if you can picture someone standing in front of a nice landscape, it will look much better to have them situated off to the left or right third, with the landscape out of focus to the opposite side. You’ll (hopefully) never slap your subject right in the middle of your frame again.

UNDERSTANDING NATURAL LIGHT.

Understanding light is one of the single most important elements in photography, period. Getting a good idea of how you want light to interact with your photo before taking it is key. Do you want to slightly silhouette? Do you want the subject lit evenly? Questions like these should be answered before snapping off any pics. If you want the subject to be lighted evenly, the light source should be pointing directly at the subject, without anything obstructing it. Another option, for softer lighting, is to find some shade or, better yet, something that diffuses the light like a window. Want that slight silhouette look? Place the subject between you and the light source.

5.

3. USE EXPOSURE.

When you tap to focus on your screen, you’ll see that little sun icon with an option to slide up and down. That’s the exposure. The automatic settings on phones can be amazing, but sometimes they don’t quite nail our desired look. Say you’re shooting a sunrise and want to get a silhouette of a person standing in front of you. When you tap to focus on the subject, it will expose for them. The result? Unwanted detail of the subject and a likely overexposed background. For this situation, try reducing the exposure after focusing to make your subject black for the desired silhouette and to get a clear look of the sun rising in the background. The opposite rule may apply when you want to increase exposure for an image before shooting.

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, WIPE YOUR LENS.

We see this all the time. Nothing ruins a cell phone photo or video like a big, blurry splotch of who knows what over your photo. The solution is simple: just give that lens a good ol’ wipe down before snapping your masterpiece. For a phone, a simple T-shirt will do. You’ll be amazed at the difference in clarity after this simple step.

4. There you have it:

five simple reasons why your cell phone photos might be falling flat. Remember to move your body, not your zoom, pay attention to composition, understand natural light, always wipe your lens, and make use of exposure to achieve the desired effect. With these tips in mind, you’ll be well on your way to taking amazing photos that will impress your friends, family and Instagram followers.

How I Got the Shot

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

Every photo has a story. You know that saying. Well, we didn’t have the real estate for 1,000 words so let’s say these photos are worth about 300 really, really quality words written by the photographers themselves.

On a more serious note, we so enjoyed hearing about the patience, persistence and adventurous nature of these photographers. They’ve captured some truly breathtaking images in their careers and have agreed to share the tale behind these three. A lot more goes into it than you might think. Whether it’s a multi-mile walk to the shoot destination or sitting and waiting for hours for a pod of dolphins, these photographers got the shot.

Blacktip Migration Mania

JENNYROSE BALL

“I’m thankful to spot even just one shark when flying. And naturally, it’s hard not to get so excited every time it happens. This was a morning I could barely wrap my head around. I’ve shot images of the blacktip migration before but never under conditions like this, and never with such a large amount of sharks. This was one of those once-in-a-lifetime mornings. When I put the drone up to see what I could find, I started out pretty low. Found the first shark, then two together, then three, then eight…. then I decided to ascend a little higher and the biggest school of sharks I had ever

seen came into frame. And, this was just ONE of two large schools in the area. Making the morning even that much better was the abundance of life in the water along with these sharks, including tarpon, jacks, sea turtles, and a few other bull sharks. After shooting wide shots and nice close-ups, it was amazing to watch their movement as a whole just observing and taking in the moment.”

@jrbblue

Eagle Ray Clarity

PIERCE GAINEY

“One random morning I decided to drive up to Delray Beach with my drone to see what it’s like, as I am always looking for some new perspectives. While flying the drone, I noticed something dark in the distance that was moving in the water. I quickly flew the drone over to see what it was. To my surprise, it was this absolutely gorgeous ray. I was stunned and in awe, and I knew I had to get the photo. So, I hovered and followed the ray for quite a distance, and I was snapping some pictures. I wasn’t fond of my current perspective, so I began to lower my altitude from the drone and hovered just above the water, so much so, I thought I was in the water at one point. Once I had the lower altitude with my drone,

I began snapping picture after picture and I was utterly shocked at the insanely amazing quality of the ocean and the color. It felt like I was in the water watching this ray pass by me. Finally, the ray came just below the surface of the water and that’s where I was able to snap this picture. I knew I was satisfied with these photos and decided to return the drone back to me. The ocean is such a mysterious yet awe-inspiring place and I am forever grateful to call South Florida my home. A beautiful moment that will live on in my memory and is now hanging on my wall!”

@piercegainey

Pelican Patterns

“The hardest part of capturing animals is their movement. A shark doesn’t move like a turtle. A turtle doesn’t move like a ray. There’s a flow to each animal. The more you observe them, the more these patterns become apparent. A drone gives me a bird’s eye view of the ocean, but a bird’s eye view of a bird is a little different. Pelicans have an elegance to them that is easily observable from above. They don’t just follow the coast; they follow the water. A key factor to getting a shot is anticipation of the next move.

Once I noticed that pelicans liked to follow the waves of the ocean, their movement became more predictable. They’d follow a swell from several yards off the beach until it would crest just offshore.

Then they’d rise with the wave and follow the developing trough back offshore. The undulation becomes a rhythm and you’re no longer struggling to keep up. Instead, you’re following the curves of nature in a fluid and seamless pattern. “

@marissa_wil

BEACHCOMBER

There are 14 shark teeth in this photo — can you find them all?

If you’ve been witness to the hordes of people at our beaches bent over like ostriches with their heads practically in the sand, you’ve probably been wondering what they’re on. Let us clear the air: they’re actually looking for fossils. Fossilized shark teeth, to be exact. Sharks have hundreds of teeth each, and can cycle through tens of thousands in a lifetime, so there’s no shortage to be found. Recent dredging and beach renourishment in Palm Beach County have unearthed even more of the previously hidden treasures, but hurricanes can also disrupt the sand and bring them up. Jupiter and Juno Beach, especially, are littered with shark teeth, with people going home with handfuls like very successful tooth fairies. Beachcombers can find teeth that belonged to species such as bull sharks, lemon sharks, and if you’re lucky, even a great white.

We thought it’d be fun to give our readers a little taste of hunting away from the crowds before throwing you to the sharks literally.

GEAR GUIDE PUBLISHE R S PICKS

DJI Mini 3 Pro w/ DJI RC

Available at dji.com

Fujifilm X100V

$1,399

Moment CineBloom 10% Filter Available at shopmoment.com

$59

This is a super common add on for cameras like this that are looking to accomplish a film look. 10% is a nice option that accentuates highlights and takes off a little bit of that digital edge. It’s also great for shooting at night when you want neon signs, street lights, etc to have a little more oomph.

Out of stock everywhere

This camera has become a great personal shooter or everyday carry. Many of the pics you’ll see from our distro day photo dumps are shot on this, with photos being posted with zero edits straight out of camera. That’s thanks to the sweet film simulations that come stock or can be customized afterwards. This is a great starter camera or an excellent personal camera for professional photographers who need a break from a big body and lens. If you can find one, that is.

Canon EOS R6

Available at usa.canon.com/shop/p/refurbished-eos-r6-body

$1,699 (Refurbished from Canon)

$2,399

If you’re searching for one lens to pair with your Canon R6, this is it. The lens barely leaves the body and is the go to for everything from portraits to food to interiors. Of course the RF 70-200 F2.8 and RF 15-35 F2.8 might also be on your list, but we’re surprised at how often we keep the 24-70 on for most of our needs. It’s currently out of stock as the refurbished option, but if you can find it on Canon we would recommend that route.

Often overshadowed by the Canon R5, the R6 is (in our biased opinion) one of the best professional cameras you can buy for the money. Especially considering you can get it refurbished from Canon for $1,699. Whether you are looking to make the leap to mirrorless from your current setup or want to break into professional gear in general, this is one you don’t want to sleep on, even with the newly release Mark II. We have been super impressed with the image and video capabilities as it’s been the workhorse for most shoots over the last couple years.

Polarpro DJI Mini 3 Pro Filters Available at polarpro.com

$79.99

The aperture on the DJI Mini 3 Pro is not adjustable (they do a good job of not mentioning this), so you are going to want to get some filters for video to keep your shutter speed at an ideal spot. We went with the Vivid collection that includes the ND8/PL, ND16/PL, ND32/PL filters. There might be some scenarios where you would like an ND64, but chances are you can adjust your settings to compensate and get away with this setup for the most part.

The capabilities of this drone are insane for the size and price. It’s regulation friendly weight (under 250 grams), 4k/60 video (w/ D-Cinilike color profile) and 48 MP still capabilities make it a great option to throw in your bag while taking up minimal space. But the real selling point for us was the rotating gimbal for vertical shooting, because...phones. We would also highly recommend the DJI RC (remote controller) so you aren’t trying to read text messages while you’re mid flight along with the fly more kit for extra batteries.

Pelican 1535 Air Carry-On Case

Available at pelican.com

$377.95 w/ padded dividers

$409.95 w/ TrekPak Divider System

We have been using Pelican products for years and their reputation speaks for itself. But there is one issue when they are loaded up, the weight. That’s where the Pelican™ Air cases come into play. This model is the largest allowable for size for a carry on, so you never have to part with your gear and it also nearly 40% lighter than its counterpart. It’s waterproof, crushproof, can be wheeled around or lifted with a side handle, has a limited lifetime warranty and is made in the USA.

Canon RF24-70mm F2.8 L IS USM Available at usa.canon.com