Chris Crumley Blog

It took a few years to pull together all the pieces in the same timeframe to make this image happen.... snow, working hot tub in an open space, good light, gutsy mermaid and an aerial camera rig.

Contributors to this shoot January 7, 2018 were:

Model: Nicole (Carter) Mangune (Mermaid Ariana)
Assisting: Christopher Reyes Mangune
Assisting: Gerry Navarrete
Hot tub: Dr Richard and Chris Abriss
Location: Virginia Beach, VA, During 2018 Bomb Cyclone
Air Temp: 18°F
Water Temp: 97°F -- with Nicole Mangune.

Yesterday and today VaBch temps in the teens (fahrenheit) but skies are clear after the "Bomb Cyclone/Blizzard" of 2018. Windy/gusty, but the iBird handled it well looking down at the snow-covered neighborhood. Lakeside Avenue runs into the bottom center of the image. 53rd St runs from the right side toward the ocean. 54th St runs into the orange silt fence just above center left. Wyndam Hotel at top left at 58th and Atlantic/Oceanfront.

Today shooting mermaid in in-ground hot tub surrounded by 10 inches of snow. More about that later.

Tech: DJI Inspire 2, X7 gimbal/camera (Super 35 format), 16mm 2.8 at 250' AGL. Video to 240GB SSD recording Ultra HD (3840x2160 pixels) with Apple ProRes.

Snow...watch for the beauty and art of it

Crystal Lake. Tide fairly high.

Cars are covered, but thankfully, not with 4-6 feet of snow on and beside them.

Pair of GMC snow lumps

Picnic lunches postponed until warmer weather.

Japanese Maple and very old oak in the snow.

Test driving a remarkable piece of camera gear today with a talented dancer. 100 megapixel files combined with the dancer's skill are extraordinary.

Model: Nicole Gatchell
Stylist/Choregrapher: Angela Schneider
Set&Pre-Light: Jackie Burwood... See More -- with Nicole Michelle Gatchell and Nicole Michelle Gatchell.

Dusk flight at Chesapeake Bay Foundation - Brock Environmental Center near the Lynnhaven Inlet, Virginia Beach, Virginia

More testing. Different weather as the season shifts toward winter, wide lens and new props. Center of picture is between 53 and 54th Streets, Virginia Beach, North End near Crystal Lake looking East.

Tech: DJI Inspire 2 with folding props (like M600), X5S gimbal/camera, LAOWA 7.5mm f2 lens (very wide and very sharp) at 200' AGL.

I've been working with Florida-based JL Marine Systems on the first of some in-water projects featuring their Power-Pole Shallow Water Anchor system. The first is the 2018 calendar with a mermaid theme (14.5 x 30 inches).

Creative Director: Scott Hereford
Model: Hannah J Burgess (thevirginiamermaid)
Model: Alfred Ellison Gregg IV

Back from Bonaire for two weeks and haven't had time to edit much of the shoot, but grabbed one frame today. It's going to be 31F here Saturday and it was 86F air with 85F water here. Body shock.

Model: Celine Van de Voorde (Brussels, Belgium)
Location: NoName Beach and Divesite, Klein Bonaire

Tech: Canon EOS-5D MkIV with 11-24mm f4L in Nauticam housing from Reef Photo & Video Ft Lauderdale, Ikelite DS-161 strobes for ambient fill -- with Celine Van de Voorde, Reef Photo & Video, Nauticam, Nauticam USA and Ikelite Underwater Systems.

Virginia Beach Rudee Inlet surfing area Thursday afternoon 11/30/17 lens testing through three sets of batteries. Beautiful day for flying.

Tech: DJI Inspire 2, X5S gimbal/camera, LAOMA 7.5mm f2 lens in "narrow" mode for 4k (Ultra HiDef) 60fps video and this DNG still, 125' AGL altitude.

My Town. Virginia Beach looking south and east from the Cavalier Hotel on the Hill Bell Tower (about 10 stories high).

Tech: Canon EOS-5DS TS-E 17mm f4 lens (architectural tilt-shift)

The 55' (18m) descent into the Bonaire Wet Cave (Cave#2) was difficult with the gear we wanted. Robert Minnick and I split the load. He carried his housed Canon 5d with a 16nn and I schlepped the Keldan 8m lights. We also used Ashley Hare's housed Canon DSLR. Next session here we'll be much better prepared. If anyone is thinking about doing this, get in touch and I'll save you some guessing about what you'll need. If you're missing one piece, you're toast.
Model: Celine Van de Voorde (Brussels, Belgium) -- with Reef Photo & Video and Keldan Lights.

Dinner last night was on the Bonaire waterfront at Kariel's overwater restaurant. After eating, two mermaids dropped into the water and appeared right below our table. Fortunately, no sharks were feeding on table scraps.

Mermaids: Cydney Tolbert (Denver, CO)
Mermaid: Celine Van de Voorde (Brussels, Belgium) -- with Cydney Tolbert and Celine Van de Voorde.

Chuck Guthrie, Marty Snyderman, Christopher Chandler and others have been helpful in de-crypting the Bonaire rules regarding drone use on-island. There are varied points of view. Bonaire aeronautics, Bonaire dive operators whose guests have crashed their docks, Bonaire residents who don't want a drone flying over their propterty, National Park officials who don't want the resident flamingo population disturbed, etc.. Serious photographers who abide by some strict but logical rules from the U.S. FAA to artistically capture the island from somewhat elevated, safe and non-obtrusive perspectives are relegated to something like this..... a Drone Phone. Funny, but UnSat.

This is one of those photos with a subtle (maybe somewhat hidden) message. Sorry. If it's not obvious, at least it's loaded with color.