ComplexCon - Long Beach, CA. 2019

ComplexCon is a catalyst for creative collaboration between the most influential people and hottest brands that move our culture forward. The groundbreaking festival and exhibition that brings together pop culture, music, art, food, sports, innovation, activism, and education. People shopped hundreds of exclusive releases from the most sought-after brands, catched stunning live performances, watched inspiring talks from the most influential minds in our culture, and experienced the future through the most immersive and ambitious pop culture.

Here are some photos I took while there. Note that some images were taken before the doors opened so there aren’t many people in the shot. Once the doors opened it was packed.

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Canon Booth at Portrait Masters - Phoenix

Just got back from Portrait Masters Conference in Phoenix, Arizona. I had a great time managing one of the two photo booths supplied by Canon USA. My model for three days was Gabriela who was great. It’s not easy posing for 5 hours a day for 3 days straight. Hundreds of people came by to shoot using the Canon remote ST-E3-RT to trigger several Canon 600EX II-RT flashes.

Portrait Masters is three full days of intense learning, networking, and FUN! Each day new speakers take the stage to do live-demos and presentations. In between presentations, you have time to practice what you’ve learned by visiting one of 35 shooting bays. In addition, more than 50 manufacturers are on hand to display and demonstrate the latest in imaging technology and software in the conference Shoot and Shop Room. After a full day of learning we kick back and relax each evening at the after-hours events and parties.

Here are a few photos I took of Gabriela.

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Album - CD Cover - Cloud Gate Dream

Yvens Fernandes is a singer/songwriter from Brazil. After visiting Chicago last year, he hired me to do some photos of Chicago and more specifically Cloud Gate. The cover of the CD coming out is a composite from one of my photos. It was shot early in the morning before the crowds arrived. Had to photoshop out my reflection and the 2 remote Canon 600 flashes I had underneath. Night sky added later.
Here's a copy of the original and final.

You can get Yven’s 4th album named Cloud Gate Dream through CDBaby and soon it will be available at Spotify, Itunes, etc.

List of songs

  1. Beacon Hill Lights

  2. Beacon Hill Lights Remix

  3. Cloud Gate Dream

  4. Craggy Heights

  5. Hues of Blue

  6. New Leaf

  7. Over the Rail Track

  8. Rivers

  9. Stone Cross

  10. Tempora Mutantur

  11. Time is Not Kind

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Ensemble Espanol Spanish Dance

“To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful… This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking”
Agnes De Mille

The Ensemble Español is the premier Spanish dance company and center in the United States to have in-residence status at a university, making its home at Northeastern Illinois University. Founded by Dame Libby Komaiko in 1975, and incorporated in 1976, the company tours nationally and internationally, provides extensive arts education to young students, maintains a pre-professional training academy, offers university level dance courses for college credit, and conducts a wide range of community outreach programs and classes.

The organization includes 40 dancers, singers, and musicians, as well as an administrative staff. Under the dynamic leadership of artistic director Irma Suárez Ruiz, and executive director Jorge Pérez, the company also produces the annual American Spanish Dance and Music Festival in the Chicago area.

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New Canon R Full Frame Mirrorless Camera Review

Canon just this week, announced the new EOS R full frame mirrorless camera system.  I spent the week in Phoenix at Sue Bryce’s Portrait Masters Conference  where we were part of the big roll out.  I was able to play with the new mirrorless for a couple of days and thought I’d share some images and thoughts about the camera.

 

To be honest, I’ve tried out mirrorless cameras before but have never bought one.  For years now I’ve been using the 5D and 1D series of cameras.  I like the feel of a large heavy camera.  However, the EOS R camera was surprisingly comfortable in my hands.  The grip is bigger than the Nikon and Sony grips and it really makes a big difference.

 

With Nikon releasing their first full frame mirrorless camera just a couple of weeks ago and now this weeks release of the Canon R, there’s been a lot of comparisons in the specs between Sony, Nikon and Canon.  Yes there are many great specs and new features on the Canon R that beat the competition but I haven’t seen much about the “look” and color of the files on the new EOS R.  That’s what really sold me once I got home and opened up the files on my computer.  They are gorgeous.  It’s just something you can’t grasp from numbers.  On top of that, I’ve been only able to look at the jpg files since the RAW software has not been released yet.  I assume that will come with the release of the camera in October.  If the jpg’s are any indication, the RAW files are going to be awesome!

 

All four of the lenses produced beautiful images.  Just crazy sharp and super fast to focus.  I also really loved the addition of eye focus on top of the face detection focus we’ve had for awhile.  It was particularly comforting to use it with the new 50mm 1.2. 

 

Here are some of my images from this week.  Unfortunately I can’t share them at full size here but hopefully you can get an idea of the quality of the files.

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After Dark 1274 - Wausau, Wisconsin

After Dark is one of my favorite photography education seminars.  Dave Junion created the event in 2009.  After Dark 1274 was held in Wausau, Wisconsin where Dave lives.  All profit from the event went to the family of a fallen police officer.  1274 was his badge number. After Dark always has the best educators, models and make up artists.  The local police department and SWAT team also donated some time modeling for us.  Great fun as always.

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Brandi Carlile - Bottom Lounge, Chicago - 6/15/2018

I had the pleasure to attend another WXRT Studio-X Concert.  This one starred Belinda Carlile and her band.  I wasn't that familiar with her but can now say I'm a fan.  She will be performing again July 11th at the Pritzker Pavillion here in Chicago.  I'll be there. Studio-X shows are performed at a secret location for a small group of fans.  In most cases the performer has another performance scheduled in a much larger venue later that evening.

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The Ensemble Espanol - Dress Rehearsal - 6/14/2018

f you don't have plans for this weekend, go see The Ensemble Espanol at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie. Here are 6 photos I took at the dress rehearsal this past Thursday. The performance is incredible as usual. Tickets are only $20 so don't miss it!

José Greco 100th Anniversary Greco’s children Carmela Greco, José Greco II and Lola Greco perform on stage for the first time since their father’s passing. Other Program Highlights Include a World Premiere Ballet by Carlos Rodriguez honoring Dame Libby Komaiko and a Commemorative Performance of “Bolero” to mark its 25th Anniversary.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta 2017

Canon once again was the main sponsor at The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta.   Canon offered people cameras and lenses to use each day of the event for no charge.  Everyone was also given a free 8GB SD card so they could take all their images home. For the second year in a row I worked in the large Canon tent manning the “Ask The Expert” counter.  I stayed busy all day mainly showing people how to adjust their borrowed cameras to capture the days festivities.

The Balloon Fiesta is the largest balloon convention in the world. The number of registered balloons reached a peak of 1,019 in 2000, prompting the Balloon Fiesta Board to limit the number to 750 starting in 2001, citing a desire for "quality over quantity". The limit was changed to 600 in 2009 — citing recent growth in the city and a loss of landing zones. On any given day during the festival, up to 100,000 spectators may be on the launch field where they are provided the rare opportunity to observe inflation and take off procedures. Countless more people gather at landing sites all over the city to watch incoming balloons.

Mass Ascensions

One of the biggest events of the fiesta, where all participating balloons launch in two waves, filling the sky with hundreds of balloons at once.

Balloon Glows

Large numbers of balloons are illuminated at night by their propane burners. They stand static and do not take off during these events. The "Glowdeo" is a night glow for the special shapes balloons.

Cubs vs Dodgers 2017 NLCS

Finally got called up to the big league this summer. Chicago Cubs hired me to try and capture what happens inside and outside the stadium during the playoffs.  It was a lot of fun even though the Cubs only won one of the three games and were eliminated from the playoffs.

The 2017 National League Championship Series was a best-of-seven playoff pitting the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs for the National League pennant and the right to play in the 2017 World Series. The series was a rematch of the 2016 NLCS, which Chicago won four games to two en route to their first World Series victory since 1908.

Here are just a few of the many photos I took during those three days in October.

Finding the perfect spot on the chalk wall at Wrigley.

Owner Tom Ricketts handing out baseballs to kids during the game.

Green Day - Wrigley Field 8/24/2017

I was fortunate to be home when someone from the The Cubs organization called me.  "Can you be at Wrigley Field in a half hour?  Green Day wants a photo with the Cubs World Series Trophy during their sound check" I somehow managed to change my clothes, pack my gear for photo shoot and still make it to Wrigley in time.  Shoot went well and the concert was great.  Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tre Cool treated their Wrigley debut on Thursday night as if it was an opportunity to show they still were young at heart. Green Day played all their hits as well as songs from “Revolution Radio,” the group’s most recent LP.

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Taste of Uptown 2017

The Taste of Uptown is a culinary celebration of Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.The 2nd Annual Taste of Uptown is an event that celebrates Uptown’s amazing cultural and culinary diversity. This restaurant crawl featured small bites and samplings from Uptown eateries. Participants received a passport at check-in at Fat Cat Bar (4840 N. Broadway) and strolled from restaurant to restaurant along the Broadway and Wilson corridors enjoying samples at various locations.

Photo Copyright  Dave Suarez Photography 2017

Photo Copyright  Dave Suarez Photography 2017

Photo Copyright  Dave Suarez Photography 2017

Photo Copyright  Dave Suarez Photography 2017

Photo Copyright  Dave Suarez Photography 2017

Photo Copyright  Dave Suarez Photography 2017

Photo Copyright  Dave Suarez Photography 2017

Milly’s Orchid Show: 29 Years and Holdin'

You never know what you're going to see when you go to a Milly's Orchid Show. Fire eaters, singers, dancers, rope-twirlers, storytellers, poets, musicians, filmmakers and those less easily categorized.  Over the years she's had guests such as Blue Man Group, David Sedaris, Eric Begosian and Poi Dog Pondering. Murphy was, and is, Milly May Smithy, a sassy, saucy, bespangled character, a sort of weird combination of Dolly Parton and a Las Vegas showgirl. She dresses in crazy outfits, has a huge beehive hairdo, giant eyelashes and some fitting gaudy makeup.

This show featured Karol Kent's Cubs trilogy, the band Expo '76, Wendy Clinard & Company Flamenco Dance, Marc Smith (the poet and creator of the Uptown Poetry Slam), actresses Paula Killen and Consuelo Allen, Blue Man Group and a hilarious letter written by David Sedaris. all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com all photos © davesuarez.com

Salsa in the Park - Chicago Summers

UPTOWN — Uptown Saturday Nights will celebrate the 21st anniversary of Chicago Summerdance with Salsa lessons and live Latin music. Chicago Summerdance is a summertime celebration that transforms parks across the city into dance space, according to the City of Chicago website.

The monthly event hosted by Uptown United will begin at 7 p.m. Saturday at Buttercup Park, 4901 N. Sheridan Road.

Shutterfest 2017 - St. Louis

Shoot. Learn. Party. That’s the mantra here. ShutterFest is all about growing as an artist and being around like-minded people who share the same love and passion of photography.

Had a great time networking with peers and working side-by-side with some of the leading professional photographers and educators in the world!

Here's a photo of just a few of the Canon support staff at Shutterfest.