"Paradise Island – Our Home Away From Home"

"Paradise Island"
©David A. Ziser

This image was taken a few years ago on one of our first visits to San Jose del Cabo. Let be first explain about the city. I've been referencing Cabo, Mexico in all of my posts this week - that would be Cabo San Lucas at the very tip, lands end, as they say of the Baja peninsula.

Actually we stay at a little town about 20 miles up the road from Cabo San Lucas called San Jose del Cabo. It is a much smaller and quieter community devoid of the Squid Roe and Giggling Marlin bars.

As you head out on MEX 1 heading east, you will pass about every kind of store you see in any major metropolitan location in the US - Sam's Club, Costco, Office Depot, Lowes, a Mercedes dealership along with other dealerships. You will also pass all the fancy, dancy hotels and time share communities too and many of them are gorgeous.

About 20 minutes later you arrive at San Jose del Cabo. You know you've arrived because there is a big MEGA store, that's it's real name. Think of Mega as a giant Wal-Mart where you can purchase just about anything from food, clothes, DVDs, electronics, etc. - you get the idea.

Go through the round-a-bout, veer off to the right and take the first street to the right - it's called Finesterra. I've blogged many an image from photographs taken on this street. Anyway, go a short way down the street and you'll arrive at the home pictured above - yes, this is where we stay when we come to San Jose del Cabo.

Our friends purchased the property about 5 years ago and we have been invited guests each of those years - it's a great place to hang for a few weeks and we love it. They call it; Celebration of Life Cabo and it can often be found available for rent at charity auctions.

About the photograph. On the morning this image was taken, a beautiful sunrise, beginning about 6:00 a.m. was developing on the horizon. All four of us were awaken to enjoy the evolving view. Kent and I grabbed cameras as usual and began shooting away.

I had just picked up my super wide 12-24mm Sigma lens and, on the Canon 5D, you have the widest, rectilinearly corrected view of any camera/lens combo on the market - perfect for the morning's shoot.

I was shooting inside and out, first floor and second, from the patio to the balconies - this view is from one of balconies. It's actually the balcony right outside of our bedroom. Yes, this is our view for many mornings during our visit down in Mexico. You can see why we love it so much down here.

There was minimal processing done to this image - the image was taken before Lightroom was invented. It really was that beautiful. The super wide angle lens certainly adds to the dramatic feel of the striking landscape too. This image went on to be featured in the Professional Photographers of America Loan Collection and was also part of the American Society of Photographers special presentation of images at the Imaging USA convention in 2006. It's still one of my favorites from that early morning sunrise shoot.

Camera specs: Canon 5D fitted with Sigma 12-24mm super wide angle lens at 12mm, F5.6 @ 1/250 second, ISO 800. Enjoy! -David