Archive 4/26 to 5/15

My Key West Journal

Follow my adventures (and misadventures) as I try to make Key West ... the Mermaid Capital of the World !

April 26... 3:30pm

Let the Adventure Begin!

Alrighty Then!... let's get this show on the road. This is ME... well, this was me 8 years ago. I swear to update the photo as soon as my vanity allows. Anyway, here is a link to my bio page if you want to learn even more about me. Bio.
Readers will have to be patient with this blog as I learn the complexities of the 'ExpressionWeb's software ... Templates, CCS, HTML and Super HTML... OY!. If anyone in Key West knows this software and wants to tutor me... please call 305 295 6150. Cash involved.
I'm going to stop here and publish what I have created so far and see if the layout is what I hoped for.
Ok, I'm back... had to make a minor adjustment but overall it looks good... your feedback is appreciated - comments

April 26... 5:30 pm

Key West Beauties Transform into Sea Sirens


Above is Brittany and Brianna; two local beauties that auditioned last week. Just a note here to say I am continually updating the Mermaids page, starting with the 2008 gals. I hope to be adding videos around May 15th so stay tuned here... comments

April 27... 5:15 pm

Mermaid Erina, Friend of Mermaid Carina, Visits From Japan!


Worked on a few more images today and posted them to the Mermaids page. I am way behind schedule and the Mermaids are waiting patiently for their images to be posted on this site. BTW, for everyone's edification, my shooting process is this... I shoot 95% of my work in Hi-Def video. I review the footage in slow motion and select individual frames of video to use as still photos... these frames are called video captures or vidcaps for short. I further process the selected vidcaps in Photoshop. It's a time consuming process but by shooting video I don't miss "the shot". When I do need better resolution I shoot 12 meg. stills on my Sony still camera.
BTW, I highly recommend the Sony HDR-HC7 Hi-Def camcorder. Once you see your stuff playing on a hi-def 42 inch TV... Well, there is just no going back.... period! Anyway, I updated some 2008 mermaids, go take a look... comments


April 27.... 10:18 pm

All Work and No Play


Photo Credit: Swank Photography
Checking my email before going to work at the Casa in Key West where I'm responsible for overnight Security. Also getting a little excited about my next audition this Saturday. Ashley and her mom will be visiting for a day. Ashley says she was born half a mermaid... swam competitively all during high school and has been SCUBA diving for years... and she is only 19!
Well, the question is: can she survive my underwater obstacle course?!?!... We'll see... keep it tuned right here.   comments


April 30... 9:50 pm

Summer is Here!   May 1st is MY Official Beginning of Summer and Ocean Filming

May 1st has always been my official calendar date for filming in the ocean. I live on Cow Key Channel and the water temps have been reading 82 degrees for a few days now... and while it's not bikini temperature  yet, it's close. Key West had a cool Spring with an unusually high number of northern weather fronts.... brrrr! For future reference take this link to the Key West radar and weather page. Now if only 2008 can be hurricane free... Please!  comments



May 2... 8:42pm

Busy, Busy, Busy.... Getting ready to audition Ashley tomorrow... Oceans is still too cold for ME... I'm such a wimp when it comes to cold water. I hope the hi-def videotape I ordered arrives by mail before we shoot... or I'm in trouble. Key West really needs a computer/electronics superstore. Anyway, I really like the way one of Mermaid Erina's images turned out... kinda like an underwater rainbow... enjoy!    comments



May 3... 8:20pm

Waterbaby Ashley Gives Her Best Effort at Her Mermaid Hunter Audition

Well, today was the beginning of Ashley's big adventure. I'm not going to say too much because Ashley is a college journalism student and promises to write a first hand narrative of all she 'endured' during her audition. I will say Ashley did very well - but the cold water was too much and we had to abort the effort earlier than I hoped. But, I think she will return for more...
So, Ashley, I want to tell  you "you did good today girl".


Photo Credit: Swank Photography

Ashley and Me posing for a P.R. shot.



Ashley giving us her best underwater Siren Stare... don't look too long or she'll take control of your mind.




Ashley exploring a sunken boat that's 33 feet deep.   comments

May 8... 8:41 PM

Work... Work... Work...

I've been super busy this past week. The biggest news to report is MermaidHunter.com is now on its own internet server somewhere out in Arizona. The upgrade includes significant more website storage and 2 Terabytes of download transfer. I needed the upgrade to make videos of the mermaids' audition footage available for purchase and download in the Storefront.
Now the hard part begins... tomorrow I begin to editing the audition footage... I have never attempted such a big project before... I hope to have the first video available for download May 15 or so...check the Storefront.

May 11... 3:00pm

It's Sunday... A Day of Rest?!?!   No Way, Too Much to Do

What ever happened to the practice of Sundays being days to rest and slow down... Not me or anyone I know enjoys Sundays in a Biblical sense. Oh Well, can't get on my soapbox now, too much to do...

Mermaid & Makeup Artist Comes Home



This is Luiza Sucharska. Luiza played mermaid for me about 10 years ago. Since then she has gone on to learn Makeup Artistry and she apprenticed with the Best in the Business. In fact, Emmy Winning MUA's in Hollywood were trying to convince her to stay in LALA land and work for them... But the Siren's call of the Florida Keys was too much and she came back home... and now I got her!!!
Finally, a top flight MUA in Key West... and a mermaid to boot. Who's lucky now - ME!
Luiza and I are going to collaborate on a 2008 Mermaid Calendar this summer. I have talked her into putting on a mermaid tail again and Starring as the Principal Mermaid for the project. GOD, Please, no hurricanes this summer, I'm beggin'ya.
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You can reach Luiza at the following:
Tel: 305 296 5215   
email: luizasucharska@hotmail.com

I have created a separate page to showcase Luiza's excellent work... take this link - Luiza


More Talent Coming to Key West



This Beautiful woman is Fauna Moore and she wrote asking for a Mermaid Hunter audition. She is no stranger to underwater modeling. Fauna swam for Brad Miller, a tremendously talented Photog/Artist in the Orlando area. She is coming this weekend and I can't wait to test this mermaid in the Ocean.
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You can see Fauna's Modeling Page at:http://www.modelmayhem.com/member.php?id=540180


May 12... 10:30 pm

Mermaid Ashley Reports on What It Takes To Survive a Mermaid Hunter Audition


Photo Credit: Swank Photography

Ashley is a Journalism Student and a Competitive Swimmer. She agreed to write a journal that had elements of a personal journal as well as elements of a newspaper reporter... Read her entry at this link... Ashley Reports
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May 15... 9:06pm

OMG... I Hope Today Never Ends!

Well.....! Today has been one great day. I got a thumbs-up from my eye doctor in Miami... (long story) then, came home to read emails from Fauna (see above) saying how excited she is coming to key west tomorrow... (me too Fauna) And, lastly, I received a "make me a mermaid" request from this beauty...OMG!

I have been filming women underwater for over 40 years and it never, ever,  ceases to amaze me how many of the fair sex are in love with the thought of  becoming a mermaid. What is it about mermaids that appeals so much - to the most beautiful women in the world? If you know, email me a comment


 
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