Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Playing With My Camera

B and I were sitting on the high curb across the street from Om Bar the other night. It was not very busy.* In fact, you see all of the customers in this first photo. At any rate, I took out my Canon PowerShot A720 IS camera and started fooling around with the settings. In my opinion, for the money, these little Canon cameras are one heck of good buy.



These first two shots were done in Auto mode, using black and white setting.










The rest of these were done in Portrait mode with an ISO setting of 1600 to let in more light. All of these pictures were without flash, using only the available light in the bar or on the street.



These type of photos will never replace good 'ol color shots, but I like them. What do you think?































* The new Mayor (whom I am NOT liking very much) recently instituted a crack down on liquor licenses all over the island. If the owner name did not match the name of the bar and address, the license was revoked. As a result, fully half of the businesses on the island have lost their license. It has always been that the license followed the bar, not the original owner. She expects each business to pay $25,000 US DOLLARS to get a new license issued. Guess how many people have that kind of money just lying around? So don't be surprised when some of your favorite places can't even sell you a beer. Way to go Your Highness, you have just signed the death certificate for a lot of businesses and put quite a few people out of work.


17 comments:

JoAnne in CT said...

Nice photos, Wayne! It's fun playing with the camera settings to see what you'll come up with.

What a shame that this new mayor doesn't realize what she's doing to the businesses. The way I've heard it explained is that the beer distributor obtained licenses for many of these restaurants and as long as they keep buying inventory they have the license. But with the crackdown, they're no good anymore because the owner's name isn't on them, the beer distributor's is.

Not that big a deal for us, when we return in Sept. we'll just stop at a tienda for cervezas before heading to a restaurant. I've heard that Fredy's is one of the ones effected, and he's one of my favorites when we visit!

1st Mate said...

Very artistic, the stair shot is especially good.

Sounds like the city wanted to fatten their coffers and clear out the less-than-upscale bars in one move.

Anonymous said...

Sure wish there was some "list" of the restaurants affected. Not like I am a lush, but I sure love to have a nice cold Sol with my ceviche!

Islagringo said...

joanne & 1st mate: it is not just the bars. The little tiendas in the colonias all over the island have also been affected. Unless that license was in the owner's name, you will not be picking up beer at your local store. Cantinas are also closing their doors. Some of the restaurants I know that have lost their license:
Komono, Fredys, San Cochos & Argentine Steak House.

Shana said...

hm, i understand that to make improvements one needs money.. but it's terrible that the fine is so much that good places can't afford it.

nice pictures of om! possibly my favorite bar. i think you should've featured some of those cute bartenders though. hehe

Jill said...

Hi Wayne- been reading your blog for a while, but never commented. About time I did, especially since Erik and I stayed at your cabana in April 07 (stumbled across your blog long after that and saw a photo of the place!) Always like your pictures...I just got a new camera and on a little getaway this past week up here in the Northwest I played around with the settings...if you have an "underwater" setting try that sometime out and about...I thought it was a pretty cool effect even above water.

Anonymous said...

What is going on down there!!?? Tulum hotels closing and no booze on Isla!! More people out of jobs. The coffee shops will be doing a booming business. BUT I NEED A SOL !!
KW from Michigan

Islagringo said...

shana: it's not a fine. they have to buy a license in their name. they can no longer get a "leased" one from the distributor. I agree with you about the waiters. Thats Omar in the picture by the sushi sign.

Jill: i remember you! I don't think i have underwater but I have aquarium! Feels like I'm living in one anyway!

kw: i wish i knew. there is booze on the island though. the older, more established places still serve. Places like Don Chepo, Rolandi's, Adelita's (thank god!), Feyne's and Amigos.

Anonymous said...

By any chance do you know if Social Justicia, at the fisherman's co-op is still serving? I have asked around but so far no answer. Thanks!

Shana said...

ahh, i see. it sounded punitive to me, but i guess it was just a sudden correction of oversight.

& i thought that might be oscar. whoops. do you know if om has 2-for-1 drinks anymore?

Islagringo said...

md: i'll check it out for you. i'm working on a list to publish this weekend with all the names i can get info about.

shana: I know his name is Oscar and yet I persist in calling him Omar half the time! Age. Old age.

Islaholic Trixie said...

And I think that is ChuCho in the first picture with his back to you.

Seems in one breathe the new administration wants to bring tourism to Isla and then in the next they want to squash it!! What are they really trying to do?

Islagringo said...

trixie: you are right. It is Jesus. He was the featured band that night at Feyne's. When he does that, he feels like he needs to play "tourist" stuff. I much prefer his own music. Have you heard "Queso Oaxaca"? Tremendous! I'd rather listen to him play at OM, especially when Delfino joins in on the turtle shell drum!

The question of wtf this new administration is doing is a good one. They are now bitching about the poor job AquaCan did of resurfacing the road on the bay side after they put in new sewer lines. Aquacan refuses to repave it so the Mayor has told them no new projects will be allowed. Kind of like cutting off your nose to spite your face. Of course, all this is too late to save the property in front of my house from destruction by them.

Anonymous said...

Very nice photos.I especially like the 2nd one of the stairs.

Islaholic Trixie said...

I have both of ChuCho's CD's. He is my neighbor on Isla and a good friend. I love "his" music too. One of the best musicians on Isla, in my opinion.

Anonymous said...

Oh.... PLEASE GOD (or Wayne) tell me that the little tienda directly next to our casa was shut down by this!?!?!?!

If so, I swear I am flying down there tomorrow and buying EVERYONE on the island a beer, and TWO for you Wayne if you are the bearer of what could possibly be the best news I've ever heard in my life!

Kel

Loretta said...

Nice photos. I just bought a PowerShot A650 IS a couple of weeks ago. You've inspired me to start really learning to use it!