Bikini Contest at Muscle Beach from July 26, 2014 - Part II - Showing the Winners

Before getting to the photos of the winners, and you may wish to skip this and go right to it, but I have to write about this.  How many who watch TV see those ads for prescription drugs that say to "ask your doctor if "drug x" is right for you?"  I have an extreme dislike for those ads, because I know that many times they do more harm than good, and many times changing your diet to a healthy one, and getting proper exercise, will resolve whatever problem the drug is for - of course, they won't tell you that.  It is extremely rare that a healthy diet or proper exercise will have negative side effects, although check with your doctor before making these changes.  Before you ask your doctor about any drug, check online about the possible side effects.  I just read that most prescription drugs have around, on average, 75 of those side effects, up to and including death.  The ads don't list all of them.  You have the internet at your fingertips (literally) - so please, for your health, do your research and be informed.  Don't let those happy smiley faces in the ads make you think you have to have whatever it is they're trying to get you to buy.

Now for what you visited for:  more photos of beautiful women in bikinis, including the top 5....plus one of the men's competition.

Hope you've enjoyed this post and seeing who the winners were.  One of the past problems with shooting these is that people are constantly would walk by and obstruct the view (same thing happens with Halloween in West Hollywood event).  The only way to change that was to get on the top level of the bleachers - of course, then I can't get up as close as I might like - although my "beach camera" has a pretty good zoom on it.

Please always feel free to leave comments.  Would love to hear feedback....I think.  No, really, I would.

Bikini Contest Photos from July 26, 2014

This was the third bikini contest I had the pleasure of photographing.  The conditions for photography at the time of the contest are not the best due to harsh shadows at that time of day.  Also, all the orange surrounding the stage tends to reflect onto the contestants, making them look a bit more orange.  Able to neutralize that mostly, with LightRoom.  I used my "beach camera" for these - a Panasonic FZ30.

Here are some of the photos - once again, the judges and I agreed on the top three.  The only difference is that I would have switched places for #2 and #3.  In the next post, you will see the winners with their trophies - meanwhile, can you guess who the 5 winners were, from #1 to #5?

If there was a category for best tan, this one would have been the winner, no doubt.

Not sure what she said or was doing, but she got the attention of the other contestants.  I like it - a fun photo.

Here is an over view of the event - with the judges sitting in front of the stage.

More photos from this contest to follow in the next post.  As always, hope you enjoy these photos and have a great week.

Rain and Lightning Strike at Venice Beach on July 27

I've been living in and around Venice Beach since around 1980 or so.  I don't remember it ever raining in July, nor do I remember any thunder in the past in July.  Yesterday, as I was about to leave for the paddle tennis courts at Venice Beach, it started raining, so waited around 15 minutes and it stopped.  Rode my bike to the beach and started playing some paddle tennis.  Suddenly, with no warning (i.e. - no distant thunder getting closer, no really black clouds, etc.) there was a pretty bright flash of lightning, and a strong lightning bolt flashed across the sky, followed instantly by one of the loudest claps of thunder I've ever heard.  Car alarms went off, and people ducked thinking there was a bomb or explosion.  It was that loud!  Then sirens.  And shortly after, news helicopters, so figured something had happened.  There was only one more lightning bolt much farther away to the south.  Might have been the one that hit a house in Redondo Beach.

Unfortunately, the one at Venice struck the beach/water injuring at least 12 people and killing one.

I'm originally from Long Island, and we could always see approaching thunderstorms, and get out of the way.  This one, there was no way to know or be warned.  All I can say is that if it is hot and humid, and starts to sprinkle, be very careful.  It may be that way for a few more days out here.

On a more positive note, photos of the bikini contest will be posted here in a few days.  Meanwhile, this is what it looked like from the bleachers looking towards the ocean at Muscle Beach on July 26, when it was nice and sunny:

Hope you all have a good week and enjoy the Summer.  Take care and be well.

Bicycles, Cell Phones, and Electronics

Something a little different today (well, at least for this morning - later there will be another bikini contest at Venice Beach, and I hope to have, and post, some photos).

This may be different in other states, but in California, if you get a moving violation on your bicycle, it goes on your driving record, and your insurance rates on your car will go up.  I just found this out, not because I got a ticket (thankfully!!!), but because someone told me LAPD was writing a lot of tickets for bicyclists near Venice Beach, where I ride my bike a lot.  So, the moral of this story is if you ride a bike and drive a car, beware of running stop signs with either one.  Or anything else illegal with either one.  On bikes, it's even worse, as there is no traffic school for bikes in LA (not that I know of, anyway).

Now for cell phones (and electronics in general).  Here is a link to a short news video about a young girl who put her cell phone under her pillow at night:  Cell Phone Danger - The moral of this one is to always read the cautions in the manuals for anything electronic.  Or, for that matter, using anything that can put you in danger (that would also include your bikes manual).

Hope you all have a good and safe weekend.  Stay tuned for another Venice Beach Bikini Contest later today or tomorrow.

Paddle Tennis Picnic at Fox Hills Park in Culver City (and Retouched Image)

On Saturday, July 19, 2014 there was a great paddle tennis picnic.  I played somewhere around 10 sets of paddle tennis, plus a full game of softball.  There was a great turn-out and had tons of fun playing PT with some different players.  Lots of good food.  Below are some of the photos I shot while there, in between playing softball and paddle tennis.  The picnic was organized and sponsored by Romy Hightower and Kim Knab - here is the announcement as shared by them:



Here are some of the photos:

Romy doing the barbecue.

The above photo is of Bill Brothers (aka Mr. Paddle Tennis) talking with Denise - both are great players and wonderful people.   Kimberly, one of the organizers, can be seen in the background, playing soccer (which I skipped).

Romy is in the above photo, with camera.

More of the soccer game in the above two photos.

The above photo is of Paula - I shot only two photos of her, this is one of them.  The background was a little distracting, so retouched the photo.  I mentioned that I only shot two photos because sometimes you don't have to shoot hundreds of photos to get a beautiful result, especially when you have a good photographer....and someone who looks as great as Paula.

Hope you enjoyed this post, and if you play paddle tennis or want to, perhaps you can make it to the next picnic and have some fun!

Muscle Beach, Venice California Bikini Contest July 12, 2014

Another beautiful Saturday at Venice Beach, and another Beautiful Bikini Contest.  Here's proof:

The one with the hat was one of my two favorites to win - she had a wonderful smile.

The one of the left in the photo above and below was my other favorite to win - and she did.

The girl on the bike in the photo below was not entered, but perhaps she was thinking about it.  I have a feeling she would do well.

I will miss next Saturday's bikini contest because there is a paddle tennis picnic/barbecue - but will be back with more of the contests the following week.  Perhaps some picnic photos next week.

My Retouched Photo (by Me)....New Bikini Photos to Follow

Here are my final before and after being retouched.  I'm sure I could do more, but because I am the "customer" as well as the retoucher, and I'm happy with the results, decided this was as I wanted it.  Everyone has his/her own thoughts on this, and if I was the one who photographed you, and you wanted your photo retouched in a certain way, we would go over every detail that you wanted.  And then I would do my best to fulfill your preferences.

If you click on the images, you can see them larger and use your left and right arrow keys to go back and forth to see the changes made.

There is another bikini contest today at Venice Beach - hope to shoot some more great photos there, and then post them here.

Hope you all have a great weekend.