The Trip To Kwame Falls

Kwame Falls St. Mary

Once gain it was the last Sunday of a month and that can mean only one thing... no not that's it is the last Sunday of the month... it was once again time for another flickr group trip! This was yet another trip that promised not just the opportunity to get some great photographs, but was another trip that promised a challenge, both physically and mentally. We were in search of a waterfall hidden deep in the woods of St. Mary, called Kwame Falls.

The scene from a beach near Robin's Bay St. Mary

The journey to Kwame falls began at a small village in St. Mary called Robin's bay, a little distance away from Annotto Bay in the same parish. We all set off a group of eager photographers, braving the heat of the sun and the immense heat, making our way up the path that was only defined by the tracks of the ATV's that traveled the route. Our journey took us up hills sides and down the sides of hill, under the shade of canopies and back into the unforgiving sun. We enlisted the services of a guide and avid, trained bird watcher (or birdist as we called him) who lead us along the path to the what seemed to be an illusive water fall.

The rugged coastline near Robin's Bay St. Mary

The path did offer quiet a few scenic views that tempted tired and sun beaten photographers to pick up their already heavy cameras, which seemed even heavier with each step, to take a few photos. We saw breathtaking views of the open Caribbean Sea bordered by a rugged coastline, a curious donkey, a mysterious carnivorous plant that trapped fies with the scent of rotten flesh, the remains of an old church and more endless trees!

The cliff side seen from a small rugged beach

A donkey that became the model for quite a few photographers

The flower of a carnivorous plant

The journey continued and continued and so did the torture of the sun and the rugged terrain that we had to endure. The road got narrower and narrower until in became single lane track that navigated between the endless foliage. We crossed what seems to be only the remains of streams in search of the two streams that were the tell tale signs that we were near the falls as told by our trusted guide. However, it seems our guide miscalculated as we ended up crossing what seemed to be about five streams! So much so we began to wonder if we were trapped in a horror movie going around in circles!

The path that went deep into the forest

The leaf of a fern like plant illuminated by a beam of sunlight

Nevertheless we followed th path, which by now was almost unrecognizable, but we persevered and it payed off when the falls finally revealed itself! There is was water cascading over a rock face plummeting bout thirty feet to the deep water below. I was expecting more of a roar from the falls, but as explained by the guide, the waterfall has been tamed by the dry season. I did manage to get a lovely shot of this well hidden waterfall though, another hidden beauty of this lovely country. We lingered at the falls a bit catching our breath, recuperating, while some of us even took a swim in the cold yet refreshing water. The journey down was bitter and hard, but the promise of finally getting back to the bus, precious water, food and civilization with cell phone coverage was enough to keep our feet going.

The group posing for a photo at Kwame Falls

I didn't get the wonderful breathtaking photos I wanted due to the harshness of the sun and the challenge of teh journey itself, but I did enjoy the outing a lot. I enjoyed the hike and the good company of my fellow photographers as we kept ourself entertained by several references to the now infamous "ulf creecha". Now that I am back home recuperating I think I'm ready for yet another similar challenge!

View more of the photos from the trip here: JWI Flickr/LOP Trip to Kwame Falls 27 March 2011

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I Did the Jamaica Pegasus Wedding Extravaganza

Victoria Mutual Building Society representatives pose for a photo at their booth

This past weekend the Jamaica Pegasus, a hotel that can be dubbed Kingston's most socially active hotel, hosted yet another event, the annual Jamaica Pegasus Wedding Extravaganza! This is a large wedding expo that is held at the Jamaica Pegasus and features several companies, both large and small, that offers wedding services to those who are ready to make that step into holy matrimony. In these harsh economic climate planning a wedding, an already expensive en devour, proves to be even more challenging. With this in mind several potential couples as well as curious members of the public, even as far as from Montego Bay, made their way to the expo to see what is being offered to make that special day even more memorable.

A Jamaica Wedding Photos representative showing off one of their wedding albums

The groom getting a hair cut courtesy of Soft Sheen Carson just before his wedding ceremony

Several companies were present at the Jamaica Pegasus to show off what they had to offer and to entice prospective clients with their services. The list of services spanned all aspects of the nuptials including but not limited to, wedding apparel, jewelry, wedding planning, wedding photography, wedding venues, decorators, makeup artists, gifts and certificates and even wedding insurance! Both large and small businesses were on show at the expo Victoria Mutual, Courts, hotels such as Sandals and Grand Palladium Jamaica and smaller companies such as Jamaica Wedding Photos, Creative Decorations and Slice of Heaven just to name a few. However, one innovative small company that caught my attention was The Photo Affair, which offers a customizable photo booth for events where patrons can go into and take mini photos of themselves. If marketed properly it could be a very successful venture for parties and even weddings.

Makeup demonstration being done by one of the exhibitors

A patron getting infoon the services of one of the exhibitors

Representatives of the Photo Affair poses in front of the photo booth

My photos that I took inside the photo booth

The expo spanned two days, Saturday and Sunday, each having its own programme lineup. On Saturday the patrons were able to witness a real wedding ceremony in the heart of the expo. Both days however, were highlighted by fashion shows that featured the collections of several designers. The audience was also treated to live entertainment by the very talented performing arts group Nexus which thoroughly entertained the masses at the show. Both days saw patrons winning several giveaways and gifts from the Jamaica Pegasus as well as from several of the companies that were a part of the Wedding Extravaganza.

Wedding ceremony being held at the expo

Nexus in performance

Wedding fashion show

Wedding fashion show

Wedding fashion show

In all the Jamaica Pegasus Wedding Extravaganza proved to be very informative and entertaining. So much so that I abandoned my original plan of going only for a few hours one day and went both days. Of course, I wouldn't go to such a large event and not take some photos! You may view the photos I took at the event on my facebook fan page in the albums Jamaica Pegasus Wedding Extravaganza Day 1 and Jamaica Pegasus Wedding Extravaganza Day 2. Overall, I did enjoy the wedding expo as I learned about many companies in the wedding business, met up with old friends, hung out with fellow photographers and tweeps and of course did a bit of networking. Keep up the good work Jamaica Pegasus!

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For all your events, portraits, fashion shoots and weddings contact Joel Finnigen | Photography: joel@joelfinnigenphotography.com
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No Rice Mi Seh!

Coconut curried chicken with rice and peas serves with pak choy 

So for the past two weeks I have not eaten even one spoon of rice! this is indeed a big deal for someone who practically feeds on rice as it is the easiest and most convenient starch to cook as well as being the most served starch at most of the island's restaurant. I decided to see how long and how feasible it its to go without rice for a while as well as to cut back on my starch intake in order to slow the exponential increase in my body fat. But how can one live without this widely eaten starch?

Spaghetti and ground beef with pak choy

Well, it is a bit of a challenge putting out the extra effort to avoid the lure of the very abundant rice, but I am happy to say that I have gone over two weeks without consuming rice. this involved changing what I eat for dinner and also for lunch for the days I go to work. The easier part however is finding substitutes for rice when it comes to dinner as I have more control over what I can source. I have opted for ground provisions as my rice substitutes, such as yellow yam, Irish potatoes, sweet potatoes, green banana and ripe plantains as well as spaghetti now and then. This has also allowed me to be a bit more creative with how I prepare these starches so I don't become easily bored and become tempted by the lure of rice. Here are some of my meals for the past two weeks:

Rotisserie Chicken with yellow yam, sweet potato, ripe plantain and pak choy 

Tin mackerel with sweet potato, Irish potato, lettuce and tomato

Cooked up franks with creamed Irish potato, sweet potato and yellow yam, served with lettuce and tomato

Rotisserie chicken with shredded Irish potato topped with onion & cheese and baked, served with lettuce and tomato

Brown stew chicken with yellow yam, sweet potato and a small dumpling served with pak choy

Potato salad with rotisserie chicken, lettuce and tomato

However, when I am at work things take a turn for the worse as New Kingston basically doesn't have any healthy food that is affordable. So on those days, I have been lured into the trap of fast food just to satisfy my hunger. this include a wide variety of foods, including beef patty, Burger King chicken sandwich and even a personal pan pizza with bread sticks. However, I was saved from the killer foods by a restaurant I was recently made aware of called Coal Stove! This restaurant is a blessing as they serve real Jamaican cooked food inclusive of ground provision at a very affordable price of $380! this is way below the cost of the fast food in the area and a whole lot more healthy! So Coal Stove shall be my new place of dining, for the most part, whenever I have to be at work in New Kingston in keeping with my no rice diet and eating healthier.

Tastee chicken sandwich that I had for lunch

Personal pan pizza with bread sticks from Pizza Hut

Stew chicken with banana, yellow yam and a small dumpling with steamed veggies from Coal Stove

I don't know how long I will keep up this no rice regimen, but I hope to go at least one month without eating rice, because man shall not live on rice alone! With these increases in food prices I certainly need to widen my  menu to accommodate different and hopefully cheaper foods that are healthy. But for now, no rice mi seh!

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Guilty, Is Buju's Verdict...

Buju Banton. Photo: Wikipedia.com

It was late 2009 when news rang out that the well known Dancehall & Reggae Artiste Buju Banton was arrested on drug charges and was remanded to await trial. This certainly shocked all Jamaican's here and abroad, including myself. but could Buju have been found guilty of such an unheard of accusation?

After spending close to a year in a federal jail, Buju faced the courts on several drug related charges, yet to the relief of many Jamaicans the case was thrown out and rules a mistrial dude to a jury deadlock. However the US authorities were still out for blood and managed to keep Buju remanded and to even get another trail with even more charges! Once again Buju Banton's many fans held their breath as this second trial took its course. Would Buju be freed once again or would he be found guilty?

Buju Banton and Legal team. Photo: Jamaica Gleaner

On Tuesday February 22, 2011 the wort fears of Mark Anthony Myrie, better known as Buju Banton, his family, friends and fans as he was found guilty on three of his cocaine related charges. According to the Jamaica Gleaner, "Buju has been found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilogramsor more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of and during the course of a drug-trafficking crime, and aiding and abetting others in using a communication facility in the commission of a felony." A very serious verdict that could see the famous and Grammy winning artiste 15 years to life in prison!

Even though Buju's legal team has announced it will appeal the verdict, things look dismal for the famous artiste. It is only hoped that they may score some form of victory and/or that the judge is lenient in sentencing Buju. In any case, it seems he will be seeing some serious prison time for these charges. I won't comment on whether or not I think he is guilty, the jury has already decided that and their thoughts are what really counts. All I have to say is that getting involved in drugs in any way or form, even if it's empty boasts is not a good idea and has dire consequences. Definitely something to stay as far as you can from, something Buju should have done in my humble opinion, because "it's not a easy road" in "bondage".

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Jamaica Pegasus Goes Tweetheart

Top Of The World, the Jamaica Pegasus third tweetup venue

On June 18 2010 the Jamaica Pegasus (@JamaicaPegasus), located in the heart of New Kingston Jamaica, did something no other company had ever done before when they held the first ever tweetup on Jamaican soil. Even though it was a new event and a new phenomenon in Jamaica it was a success. Following up on the success and buzz created by the first ever tweetup they did it again with a second tweeteup, held on September 3, 2010. Some say a sequel is never as good as the original but the Jamaica Pegasus certainly proved that wrong with a bigger and better tweetup with even more sponsors and a larger crown of enthusiastic guests. Earlier this year the Jamaica Pegasus announced that they would do it, yet again, yes another tweetup! But could they manage to have the success and demand of the the previous tweetup?

Guests at the tweetup L-R: @RyanMattis, Jo Mini Will, Geoffrey A. Bailey, Nikiel Nezzy, @Jamaipanese 

On January 23, 2010 the Jamaica Pegasus opened registration to their loyal twitter followers for the third tweetup, themed the Tweetheart Edition, scheduled for February 11, 2010. This announcement created a buzz of anticipation both for those who have only heard of the previous tweetups and those who experienced it and hungered for more! This hunger was so great that all slots were sold out with 14 minutes of the announcement. The demand was so great that the Jamaica Pegasus had to make room for over 70 more guests! That registration process even superseded the first as all 70 slots were sold out in just 2 minutes! So the Jamaica Pegasus certainly had the interest of it's twitter fans, but could it live up to their expectations?

Decadent chocolate fountain

The Jamaica Pegasus team took its team took its guests to The Top Of The World, their rooftop venue overlooking the city of Kingston & St. Andrew. The all white decour was on point, complemented by the open air feel of the rooftop structure, decorative lights, laser displays and the city lights that extended into the distance. A decadent chocolate fountain greeted guests by the door, smooth, warm creamy chocolate that would evoke the desires of any chocolate lover. An open bar also greeted guests, the perfect recipe to get people relaxed and in a more sociable mood [big grin].

Dancehall artiste Tifa

Alric & Boyd controlled the turn tables and kept the party rocking with their usual great juggling and even got a quite few dancing up a storm at the latter part of the tweetup. The Jamaica Pegasus also treated its tweetup guests with a performance from one of the hottest female Dancehall artist on the local charts Tifa. As usual the food was great, especially the pork and the shrimp pasta, and it was there in abundance allowing for seconds and even thirds!

A variety of tasty meals enticed the palates of guests

Alric of the due Alric & Boyd

The lovely Paula-Ann Porter Jones

Radio personality Paula-Ann Porter Jones was the MC for the evening. Even though she did a good job, I must admit I missed the craziness of the vivacious Elva. The sponsors came on board once again with prizes and giveaways including: a ticket for two from Air Jamaica to one of the their many destinations and 2 Blackberry Perl 3G smartphones from LIME. Other sponsors included Kingston Minicakes, Nuvo, NCB and Freestyle & Xklusive.

Winners of the LIME giveaway poses with LIME executives

A guest collecting her prize, a gift basket from NCB

A big part of the tweetup is the opportunity to put faces behind the tweeps you follow, meet other tweeters that you are not yet following, reunite with other tweeters that you have met and of course networking. I got to do all of that plus managed to take quite a few photos of the event! It was great seeing the familiar faces again as well as meeting tweeters that I follow, tweeters that follow me and a host of new tweeps. Of course as a photographer I could not go without carrying my partner in crime, my trusted camera! You can view the rest of the photos I took of the third Jamaica Pegasus tweetup on my here on my facebook page.

Me mingling with fellow tweeters @VisualEmbrace and CamJayFen

Guests dancing up a storm to the music of Alric & Boyd

Once again the Jamaica Pegasus proved that it could pull off a successful tweetup, showed that it can organize a great event, showed off yet another awesome venue the hotel has to offer, teased the palates with their culinary creations, and treated its twitter followers to a lovely night of fun and socializing.

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Black Is Beautiful

A model from one of my recent shoots

Ever since I was small I have always heard that phrase, "Black is beautiful". Yet it seems for a large number of people with darker skin, especially here in Jamaica frown upon such a thought. Many, especially those in the lower socio-economic group admire the fairer skin and seem to me mesmerized by what seems to be the illusive power of the fairer skin. Yes, the relish the thoughts that by getting a lighter skin they will achieve more in life, wealth, prestige, acceptance and yes, most of all Beauty.

Photo of local Dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel before and after bleaching (http://www.djcarmela.com)

This infatuation with being fairer, or for a local term, being brown, has permeated our society in so many ways that it seems the lightning of ones skin has gained even more acceptance. Bleaching of the skin has become common place in my sections of our society and is now embraced with open arms. This is quite evident in the many songs that are promoting bleaching and especially a famous Dancehall artiste, Vybz Kartel, being the poster child for this bleaching culture! Despite his many public denials about his bleaching and his flimsy excuse of being lightened by the his use of cake soap, it is quite evident that he is bleaching... no, not just bleaching, he has now invented the category of extreme bleaching! Bleaching and the dangerous and ridiculous attempt to become "brown" has crossed gender and even age.

Another model from one of my previous shoots.

It is time that these people wake up and stop burying their faces in "cake soap" and realize that true beauty is not in the pale, zombie like appearance that bleaching gives! They need to realize that a clean, dark skin is a thing of beauty and nothing to be ashamed of. Beauty is not defined only by the lightness of ones skin, but by other factors both physical and within. Living in a country like Jamaica and being a photographer, I have come across many beautiful women who have lovely, rich, dark, clean, beautiful skin. And that is something I definitely admire. Beauty is not just skin deep for me, pun intended, it transcends colour to multiple factors including figure, facial features, how well a woman puts herself together and of course her personality. To me the colour of ones skin is not the definition of beauty, it's merely a variation of beauty, given by the Creator to be admired by all! White is beautiful, brown is beautiful, tan is beautiful and of course BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL!

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