The LEGOLAND Florida Experience

We're back! The rain soaked preview day of LEGOLAND Florida did not discourage my family but actually lured us for more on this past grand opening weekend. As official annual pass member holders, the one hour drive to the new theme park is the only obstacle for our LEGOLAND Florida experience.



An amazing sunny day with cool temperatures gave my kids ample time to enjoy the new rides such as the "AquaZone" in LEGO TECHNIC. Another priceless expression captured with my Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lens.



Ready for lunch? T minus one second for auto start sequence of STS-Granny's Apple Fries into my son's mouth topped with cinnamon and sweet cream. The epic skyline of LEGO New York City and large scale replicas such as the Kennedy Space Center gave my family a hungry appetite. MINILAND with its vast LEGO cities will definitely eat up your camera memory card and battery.



Very odd. Both hands on the wheel, eyes on the road and non existent swerving. The new Apple iPhone 4S must be in the safe hands of my Facebook App wife. Posting life's status one picture and video at a time. Mahal Kita! Kathleen!



Ford Motor Company's sponsored DRIVING SCHOOL spearheaded by the life size 380,000 red LEGO brick Ford Explorer replica gave my son and daughter a real behind the wheel experience. Of course, a very long wait followed by a brief but fun LEGO car ride illustrated patience and frustration.



Ships Ahoy! If LEGO cars are not your fancy, how about LEGO boats? Piloting your very own personal watercraft through the wary seas of BOATING SCHOOL will make you a worthy Captain.



The only shark bait being consumed will be your wallet. My kids chum the water with constant "I want this and I want that" until your Mountain Dew soda induced psyche wears off and compliance sets in. Just like at Mickey D's, it is service with a smile.



My COASTERSAURUS experience in LAND OF ADVENTURE will have to wait until my next visit. I wanted to extinguish my kid's overwhelming desire for their LEGO rides and attractions first before I get on this bad boy roller coaster. There is always a next time with an annual membership.



My almost 8 month old daughter Serena just wanted to put every LEGO brick in her mouth. Very simple and nothing complicated about that!



The historic botanical Cypress Gardens provided the natural backdrop for my family portrait. Concrete and LEGO bricks did not pave over the entire former Winter Haven, Florida sanctuary. Beautiful remnants of the first commercial theme park in Florida founded in 1936 still remain. The Southern Belles are now replaced by a LEGO replica at the front entrance and the past water ski shows now have LEGO Pirates treading water. Only in America!



You can view more pictures and video shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS and the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS lenses in my LEGOLAND Florida Experience 2011.



Stay updated with the latest HD DSLR gear by Becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

First Day of School 2011

The dog days of summer are behind us and the infamous first day of school hit the Soriano household like freight train. Up before sunrise, get the lunches packed and bulldoze the kids out of bed is just the short list of morning endeavors. There is something refreshing about this school season. It is Serena's introduction to her sibling's and cousin's elementary school. Consider it a precursor to her preschool days!



I remember six continuous weeks of preschool tantrums of year's past for my grown up son. Those days have come and gone. First grade complete with addition and subtraction tables is the new stubborn obstacle for my mini-clone. Wait! I take that statement back. Getting out of bed is obstacle number one.



A big whopping Fourth grade already! Social networking is now a required course for these up and coming Millennials. Without a doubt,my daughter is awaiting the arrival of the iPhone 5 with open arms of anticipation.



I am counting the days, hours and minutes when my youngest daughter Serena will join this first day of school portrait. They will have iPad 5's in their backpack for course books and iPhone 8's in their pocket to text each other about the latest cool App!

Serena on the Fourth of July

The Stars and Stripes are big and bright. My newborn daughter is four months old on this very Independence Day. A celebration of a nation and the many milestones of Serena. The laughing, giggling, smiling and rolling over on her tummy runs deep in the hearts of her mom and dad.



Only if milestones could explode and cause pyrotechnic havoc, my son would pay more attention to more sentimental occasions. This is the extent of my firework photography. Grilling ten pounds of meat and conducting the explosive celebration was not conducive to image making.



There is no doubt Serena looks like her mom and her big sister. My oldest daughter loves her baby sister with all her heart. The uncanny resemblance is unmistakeable. Check it out yourself.



Every month from now we will see Serena grow and her family glow with anticipation. I could very well see an Apple i-device in her future, pink of course.



Serena is poised to crawl east on Hillsborough Avenue towards her favorite restaurant. Just follow the trail of slobber and spit-up.

You can view more pictures shot with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II in my Serena on the Fourth of July 2011 Gallery.

Stay updated with the latest HD DSLR gear by becoming a Fan on my Facebook Page and following me on Twitter.

Happy 6th Birthday Jude !

Kindergarten days are soon over. Nap times and sing alongs will soon be replaced with addition and subtraction tables. My son turns 6 years old and celebrates with a new sibling this year. Despite the foreboding end to Kindergarten nirvana and the obvious gender imbalance in the household, my mini-clone still loves a good Whoopie Cushion prank.



The "Donut King" celebrated his birthday with his classmates and his older sister's class with 60 delicious glazed rings of pure sweetness. As you might have guessed, he was voted as "Most Popular" for the day.



Fond memories of my son 6 years ago relives with my newborn daughter, Serena. The diaper changing, mixing formula and sleepless nights make a comeback in the Soriano family. Seeing my children grow in front of my eyes makes it all worth it.



My son's birthday would not be complete without a trip to Cheesecake Factory. I passed on my usual Hibachi Steak and pursued the slow roasted Beef Ribs with Onion Rings. The Cheesecake Factory special Mac and Cheese made my son's 6th birthday complete.



I have been field testing the Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM lens the past couple weeks for my upcoming practical review. The Sigma is designed exclusively for crop sensor cameras like the Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D.



The scourge of baby smiles and bed wetting are things of the past now. Call of Duty :Black Ops and SOCOM 4:U.S. Navy Seals fill my son's itinerary. Hope is not lost when it comes to nurturing baby time. Serena fills the void.

You can view more in my son's Birthday Gallery.

Stay updated with the latest equipment reviews and tests like the upcoming Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM by becoming a Fan on Facebook and following me on Twitter!

First Communion Revisited

'Tis the season of Holy Communicants. Armed with my Mark IV and fast glass, I stepped into the dark halls of St. Timothy with much trepidation. Canned lights mixed in with overwhelming large pane windows caused white balance worries. Restless youths yearning for unleavened bread provokes motion blur. Does it sound like a "Body of Christ" photo disaster? Just like my daughter's First Communion experience, I was prepared to photograph my daughter's younger cousin receive the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.



Amidst the mass reception of the Altar, my nephew readies himself for this rite of passage as I prepare my Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II zoom lens to capture this once in a lifetime moment. Lens wide open at f/2.8 and ISO set to 1600 to 3200 gives me enough shutter speed (1/125th)to freeze the action in the dark cavernous halls of the church.



The lure of brightly lit candles distract and reminisce my restless family. A St. Peter's Basilica Holy Communion and Positano seafood delicacies fill the faint memory of our Italian vacation. My son just wanted to burn something.



Speaking of Holy Sacraments, my newborn daughter Serena will be soon ready for her Baptism. Her personal "Paparazzi" will also be ready for her Holy water dousing moment.



As you can see for yourself, this First Communion photo shoot will not be my last for awhile. In addition to Baptism, Reconciliation and eventually Confirmation, the Holy obligations continue to no end.



Congratulations Nathan on your religious rite of passage. I am looking forward to more family photo events and eventually your younger brother's reception of the Holy Eucharist.

You can view the entire event shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L and the EF 35mm f/1.4L prime lens in Nathan's First Communion Gallery.

Stay updated with the latest Canon HD gear by becoming a Fan on my Facebook Fan Page and following me on Twitter!

Super Target Rebel-lion

Armed with the Canon Rebel T3i, the Soriano tribe descended upon Super Target to hunt and gather edible subsistence. As the pseudo-dominant male of the family, basic essentials such as fragrant baby shampoo and baby back seat mirrors filled the fire red shopping cart.



I train my young at an early age to listen closely for announced overhead bargains and have a sharp nose to smell refreshing baby body wash. With provisions gathered by my newborn's siblings, the real hunt for big game begins with a turn of my nomadic mini-van key.



With precise focus, I point my Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D towards my prey. As soon I hear the AF confirmation beep, I pull the trigger and my 22 ounce Rib Eye goes down one juicy bite at a time.



Of course, you cannot end the carnivorous meal without a sweet ceremonial finish. We track the "pitter patter of little feet" towards the local Carvel Ice Cream store. The weekday special of buy one get one free Banana Barges rewards our glorious hunt for the day.



Just one more year until Serena can enjoy the sweet taste of ice cream! Until then, it is Kirkland Signature Infant formula and water on her menu.



We just celebrated Serena's 1 week old birthday with a Carvel Ice Cream cake topped off with sparklers. Who said one birthday a year was a steadfast rule?



This "Rebel-lion" was entirely shot with the new Canon EOS Rebel T3i/600D paired with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens.

You can read and view more pictures and videos from this wonderful camera in my Canon EOS Rebel T3i Verdict and Video Review.

Please become a Fan on my Facebook Page and follow me on Twitter for the latest updates and reviews of Canon HD DSLR gear on my ChadSorianoPhotoBlog!

Maternity Mayhem

Just like the latest Canon gear I review on my ChadSorianoPhotoBlog, I wish my wife's upcoming special delivery had a tracking number. Billing information received, origin scan and finally a scheduled delivery date to my front door. Somehow the folklore of UPS and FedEx deliveries of newborns seem unfit for fables and fairy tales.



My family maternity photo shoot of Serena's arrival continues after the debacle at Fort De Soto Beach, FL. Hair trimmed and flattened. Bangs cut and layered. A father's photography patience tested repeatedly.



The Stork is the harbinger of child birth and my kid's cooperation leads to a successful maternity photo shoot. The proper pose, the perfect smile and the glowing expectation of many good things to come make good pictures that last a lifetime.



Happy Valentine's Day to my beautiful wife of almost ten years. Very long years. "Heart" day is here again for intimate companions showing their affections and for going broke in the wallet. My love is never ending because my "Parlement of Foules" rest in my family.



This tumultuous yet fruitful maternity photography session is shot with the Canon EOS 1D Mark IV paired with the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L and EF 100mm f/2.8L IS lenses. You can view more in my Maternity and Family Gallery.

Fort De Soto Beach Park

Thirteen pounds of charcoal briquettes. Check. Ten pounds of marinated chicken. Check. Large bag of frozen corn on the cob. Check. Canon EOS Rebel T2i with EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens. Check. This may sound like a Thanksgiving feast but it is only a day trip to my favorite Fort De Soto Beach Park with the family.



While the entire Northeast suffers through another record blizzard, the Tampa Bay weather enjoys another 74 degree sunny day. The local beaches invade my ChadSorianoPhotoBlog like Gasparilla Pirates.



As you may have noticed, the "boss" is expecting. Six more weeks to be exact until the cameras are rolling and clicking. I may have to expand my hard drive space. Baby Serena in Full HD coming soon. Do you think the maternity ward has room for an IGUS Drylin Camera Slider?



Somehow this attempt at a family maternity shoot went horribly wrong. Cute sibling kisses turned into "Twilight" turmoil.



Let me leave a favorite video of mine from my past local beach visits.

You can view more pictures in my Fort De Soto Beach Park 2011 Gallery.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays Win Over New York Yankees!

Kudos to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays for the 3 to 2 victory against the New York Yankees in the July 30th American League East baseball game. I witnessed Rays Matt Joyce hit a three run homer in the sixth inning. The sold out crowd at Tropicana Field roared into a frenzy as number 20 knocked the ball beyond right field granting the Rays with all their runs.



The brief moment my son unglued his eyes from his Nintendo DSi, he got into the ballgame spirit with his own personalized Devil Rays wooden bat. A black bat for my son and of course a pink bat for my daughter.



New York Yankees Alex Rodriguez strikes out. A-Rod fails his attempted 600th career homer.



Our family Friday night out would not be complete without overpriced sugary cotton candy. Nintendo DSi followed with souvenir bats and finally sugar overload to finish off the July 30th Devil Rays victory over the Yankees.



The competition is not over for the American League East. Baseball fans of Tampa Bay look forward to another Rays win and my kids are hopeful for more cotton candy.



I used a Canon EOS 1D Mark IV with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, 24-70mm f/2.8L and 35mm f/1.4L lenses.
You can view more in my Tampa Bay Devil Rays vs. New York Yankees American League East Baseball Game Gallery.