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Saturday, April 23, 2011

Wave Art at the Wedge

The Wedge is firing! As the 2011 big wave season starts at the Wedge in Newport Beach we bring you this fun backwash shot taken today from the Wedge itself!


Next week's Fine Art Weekly will post Monday (only a couple days from now) to put us back on schedule!

*dwp-studios

Friday, April 15, 2011

Fine Art Weekly: Thinking of Waves

We're late in posting this week's installment of our Fine Art Weekly column...been swamped! But it's a good thing to be busy, especially in this economy!

We at Driftwood Photography Studios have been ultra busy gathering votes for our entry in the orangecounty.com cover photo surf contest. Perhaps you've seen it? Voted for it? Please keep voting through May 6, 2011! (It's super quick and easy to register/vote...and you can vote up to 10 times per hour! Click Here).

SO, as we've been putting so much attention into this contest/the photo, we thought we'd chose an empty wave shot from the same session as our cover entry image came from. We callit Behind the Curtain. Enjoy!


Thursday, April 14, 2011

Not surprising, biggest line is at @nomnomtruck and well worth waiting for!
Not surprising, biggest line is at @nomnomtruck and well worth waiting for!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Vote Us onto the Cover!

Fans and Friends:
We need your help! Please vote for DWP-Studios for the OrangeCounty.com Spring Cover Shot Surf Photo contest! It's super simple to do, and we would greatly appreciate it!

Click on the link below to cast your vote!
(http://orangecounty.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?p=V&c=30282&s=7777944)

Our photo is of Newport local/NHHS alum Bobby Okvist floating the lip at Blackies in Newport Beach on a beautiful, sunny Orange County day. It doesn't get much better than this!

Bobby's made a name for himself dropping the biggest of sets at the Wedge and for his progressive style of surfing. Who better to be on the cover than such a standout, local OC surfer like Bobby, shot by your favorite photographer!

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Save the Frog House!


To: Newport Beach Planning Commission

I am writing on behalf of the Frog House, in what I believe to be a most serious injustice.  The Frog House has been in continuous operation in the same location since the 1960's, and should not be forced to close its doors.  It is without a doubt a staple in the local surf community, and furthermore a landmark as well.


Orange County is known throughout the country, even the world, as a surfing mecca.  Huntington Beach and Newport Beach alike are it's center.  You'll note that the US Open of Surfing is just down the road in Huntington Beach.  Even more noteworthy is the very same field of international professional surfers come to Newport Beach to surf before, during, and after the US Open.

Shops like the Frog House built the foundation on which events like the US Open stand; are even in Orange County at all.  Countless surfers (locals, tourists, professionals, up-and-coming standouts alike) have at one point or another relied on the Frog House.  They are engrained into the local culture.  It is indeed shops like the Frog House which have bolstered the tourist and beach-related industries which make Newport Beach what it is.

Yes there is a harbor; yes there is an abundance of homes within steps of the beach.  But shops like the Frog House were there in the beginning; helped shape what Newport Beach as become.  Without shops like the Frog House, we're just another city along the southern California coast with the same amenities.

Newport Beach has HISTORY.  Newport Beach should be PROUD of that history.  The Frog House is indeed INTEGRAL to that history.

Indeed it is unfortunate that through a loophole and/or lack of enforcement of zoning regulations, an over-abundance of drug and alcohol rehab facilities have taken up root within the intended residentially zoned neighborhoods.  It is also understandable that the City now wishes to stringently enforce it's zoning codes to ensure commercial enterprises, like drug and alcohol rehab centers, do not overrun our community, nor that they infringe on the overall harmony of the community.

But the Frog House was around long before these elements infringed into the residential zoned tracts.  The Frog House was built and operating before the land it is now on was rezoned as residential.  They are directly adjacent to existing (and please note NEWER) commercial enterprises.

This should be a simple decision.  The Frog House is a pre-existing land use from before the residential rezoning occurred; since before the recent effort to remove the nonconforming drug and alcohol facilities.  They should have been granted a variance based on their pre-existing usage long before they were thrown into the same lot as these nonconforming drug and alcohol rehab centers.

I recognize it is too late to grant them exemption from the act which now has them fighting for their life.  We cannot undo the past.  But please, do the right thing, grant the Frog House the necessary zoning variance now.  Lets not forget, they are a long standing, pre-existing usage from before any residential zoning was mapped.  They ARE Newport Beach.

Please vote in favor of KEEPING the Frog House.
Regards,

benjamin c ginsberg
driftwood photography studios
p: 714.699.4DWP
c: 617.775.3457
Considering a medium format camera setup...

#photography art camera

Wedge Monster

Summer is drawing nearer and nearer, and it's almost time for the massive shorebreak known as The Wedge to start firing in Newport Beach, CA. What is the Wedge? It's what you get when a massive wave refracts off the local harbor jetty creating a 25-foot high Monster.

In honor of our rapt anticipation of this freak of nature, we give you our latest Weekly Fine Art photo: Wedge Monster.

*dwp-studios

Sunday, April 3, 2011

The line outside of 85°C Bakery on Jamboree...worth it for done quality Chinese pastries!
The line outside of 85°C Bakery on Jamboree...worth it for done quality Chinese pastries!

Friday, April 1, 2011

New art on display/for-sale @stratumins in their costa mesa ca location! Come in to view/purchase during reg business hours
New art on display/for-sale @stratumins in their costa mesa ca location! Come in to view/purchase during reg business hours

Monday, March 28, 2011

Fine Art Weekly: Ski Town Ruins

This past week the US freestyle skiing community converged on our home mountain, Stratton Mountain, in Vermont. Why you might ask? Because the past week Stratton hosted the US Freestyle Championships. The last time Stratton hosted nationals was in the late 80's. How the sport has progressed and grown since then!

So, in the spirit of our home, skiing, and the progression of the sport of freestyle skiing, we are proud to give you this week's Fine Art Photo.

Over the years a certain ski shop in Bondville, VT has discarded their old, broken, and over-used rental ski boots in what has become a giant pile. Look closely and you'll see a history of ski boot technology, ranging from comfortable yet ill-fated the rear-entry models to a myriad of composite materials and colors. Set that pile of color against a lush green Vermont mountain side and we give you our photo entitled: Ski Town Ruins.

*dwp-studios


Monday, March 21, 2011

Winter Storm Swells Fine Art Weekly

Winter storms in Southern California mean rain, winds, and some heavy surf along the coast. But it also means empty beaches, save the odd local crowd gathering to watch the storm.

Stay tuned for more updates from Driftwood Photography Studios and for our next Weekly Fine Art posting!

Winter Crowd

Monday, March 14, 2011

Fine Art Weekly

We've begun posting one fine art photo per week on our Tumblr page, and have had great success, so we're instituting it on our blogs as well! Be sure to look for them every Monday!

Monday March 14, 2011

Waves makeup the world. Wether it be a light wave, sound wave, magnetic wave, or even a wave in the ocean. They can be beautiful. They can be fun to play on.  As the recent earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Japan one again showed the world, they can be destructive and deadly too.

This week's fine art post showcases a trio of images illustrating just how powerful and massive waves can truly be. They're not tsunami waves, but rather the result of a large winter storm that swept across the Pacific Ocean. In the first two images the swell found the quiet little town of Morro Bay in California; the third is when the same swell found Avila Beach, also in California's central coast.

In the first shot we see a SUP (stand up paddle boarder) inside the harbor jetty while a massive 30-foot wave explodes on and over the breakwater. The SUP is great for scale. We tried for an hour to get a shot of him riding a small wave in the foreground while massive waves exploded over the jetty in the background, but it wasn't meant to be.

Don't be fooled by the second photo...this is the same breakwater as the first, taken only minutes before the SUP paddled into our frame. Yes, that's over 50-feet of white wash exploding in the air up and over the harbor jetty!

Our third photo has a great sense of scale...we are certainly much farther away from this wave, but it's truly amazing to see a wall of water completely covering a massive harbor breakwater, and the resultant spray from it's impact shooting well over the heights of the boats safe in the harbor. Just another reminder...the Army Core of Engineers might know what they're doing, but mother nature really doesn't care, and will find a way to trump man whenever she wants.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Ralph's Pic: Just posted the weekly blog...sorry I was a little late, but I'm a little under the weather. The column is filled with some insane pics, like this one from Hawaii's Bernie Baker and some INSANE California action sequences from Ben Ginsberg. Plus the usual suspects from New England...it's all here in color. http://ping.fm/Vipxq

Thursday, March 3, 2011

A look at our new wedding and events brochure...
A look at our new wedding and events brochure...

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Ralph's Pic: Just Posted the weekly BLOG. It's FULL of all the surf action I shot earlier today.
Plus I added a NEW RUN REDUX Video clip featuring the music of QWLL and TODO BIEN...and Ben Ginsberg sent some insane pics from the West Coast. It's all there on the weekly BLOG. http://ping.fm/3Zeku

Original Facebook Status: http://ping.fm/J2jED?id=100001222189187&v=wall&story_fbid=207048809310438

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Thursday, February 17, 2011

Overhead Huntington Cliffs
Overhead Huntington Cliffs

Saturday, February 12, 2011

February WOM Art Show

February Word of Mouth Art Show in Echo Park, Los Angeles...Great times with amazing art, bands, live performances, aerial acrobatics, fire dancing, and more!  For those who didn't make it out, here's some of what you missed:
Our Art On Display 
This Band's Singer has a Carrot for a Head!
Aerial Acrobatic Performance
Live Metal Art Showcase
This Band's Bass Player was also a Contortionist 
More Contortions...

Camera Phone Photos From Mammoth

Cell phone cameras are getting pretty impressive these days. The following are some quick camera phone shots from a recent trip to Mammoth Mountain, CA.
Sunset Glow Flying to Mammoth

Sun Glowing Mountains from Above

Lots of Snow

Mammoth Morning

200+ Inches in Dec...Still Great in Feb!

There's Some Great Terrain in Mammoth

Heading to Ski Cornice

Dangerous Emissions...

Wipe Out Shoots...They Were a Little Firm!

Sky on Fire Over Mammoth Airport

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Poor puppy has a hot spot he needs to be prevented from chewing

Poor Toohey got a hot spot near the base of his tail and managed to pull all his fur out/break the skin. Sadly that means time to break out the cone to keep him from being able to reach it. He looks so pitiful! Though it is funny to watch him still try to pick up a tennis ball when he wants to/tries to play!

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Super inconsistent waves this am, very hard to line up a shot! Still got some good ones though. Pics to follow soon!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

SOCO Farmers Market Costa Mesa

Lemon grass chicken bahn mi from @nomnomtruck

Yummy lemon grass chicken bahn mi from nomnomtruck here at the soco farmers market in costa mesa! Was so excited to get my pork bahn mi forgot to take a picture before chowing down :)

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Monday, December 6, 2010

Liquid Expedition: Newps

Got in the water for the first time with the new housing from Del Mar Hosing Projects.

Awesome.

Despite a little condensation inside the housing/lens port, and taking more than a few waves to the head, still got some great shots.  (Definitely user-error on the condensation, not manufacturing...was so excited to jump in the water I not only forgot my fins but forgot to properly switch to multi-shot from single, so had to open up/change settings after already having been in the cold water, then of course didn't wait long enough for temps to equalize before going back in, so the warmer air condensed inside the housing...oops).

*To see more shots from this surf session, and to see the latest from dwp-studiosimages visit our Fan Page/Galleries on Facebook, and “like” / become a fan! (Fan page is free/public, but we would appreciate if you click the "like" button and become a fb fan!).  Also please visit our Home Page and Galleries.


 West Newport Beach Surf Action Photos from the water (dwp-studios.com)
 Factor 54 Team Rider Zach Porteous
 Porteous finding a small almond to squeeze into
 Atwater rider Jared Cassidy is all smiles after a long flat spell
 Cold water meets warmer skies under amazing cloud cover
 Waves roll by the lens in Newps
 Analog rider Bobby Okvist aims down the wave face
 Count 'em, that's 3 fins out...way to slash at it Bobby.
 Green barrels in the OC / SoCal winter waters
 Bobby O getting shacked and coming right for the lens!
 Okvist behind the curtain
Bobby in deep

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Waves found, time for some water shots!

Waves found, time for some water shots!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Beautiful sunset over the hb pier. No bring on some consistent waves!
Beautiful sunset over the hb pier. No bring on some consistent waves!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

surf,waterhousing
Big thanks to the guys at @delmarhousings for such an epic job on our new surf waterhousing
Headed down right now to delmarhousings to pick up our new surf waterhousing !
Timberland Friends and Family - use my personal coupon for 40% off!! Coupon Code = jjAuNtf3pjK

Thanks for sharing Beth!

Sent via TweetDeck (www.tweetdeck.com)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

picture,anypost,heislerpark,lagunabeach
picture upload test with anypost. From heislerpark lagunabeach

Friday, November 26, 2010

Testing anypost again...maybe it can work better than pingdroid this time? (which works well, but is not without issue...) android

Dollar tacos at Great Mex on a friday

tacos,leftovers,thanksgiving,oc,newportbeach,food
Had definitely forgotten Great Mex did dollar tacos on Friday as well a Tuesday. No leftovers from thanksgiving this year, so a perfect pick-me-up dinner! Yum!

#greatmex tacos leftovers thanksgiving oc newportbeach food