Dancing to Live Salsa Music in NY: Featuring Frankie Vasquez at Monique’s Lounge 108 (NYC)
When going out salsa dancing in NY, you’ll occasionally get the following question: “So, what type of salsa club are we going to?” Though one salsa club is the same as any other salsa club for most people, there’s a delineation in NY between clubs/socials that have “trained” dancers, and those who’ve primarily learned in the ...
How I Quenched my Foodie and Photo Cravings Along the Malecon in Panama City (Panama).
Anyone who’s had to make a connecting flight towards South America knows that Panama City serves a major hub for most airlines. The next time you’re heading in that direction, instead of simply waiting a few hours at the airport, I highly recommend you take a few extra days to check out the sights and sounds of this ...
5 Reasons Why Barrio Santo Domingo Savio is an Awesome Place to Take Photos in Medellin (Colombia)
Even though it’s been years since Medellin renounced its title as ‘Most Violent City in the World’, my friends in the U.S. still seem surprised to hear that I would want to go there again for a vacation. What I love about photography is that photos allow me to relay the beauty of a place in a ...
Plaza Bolivar: The Historic and Political Heart of Bogotá
I was recently asked to recommend some places to visit by a friend who was planning a trip to Bogotá (Colombia), and I could think of no better place to start than in the Plaza Bolivar (aka Bolivar Square). Located in the heart of the historic Candelaria district, the plaza was named after Simón Bolívar, the Venezuelan military ...
Photoshoot with Argentinian Bachata Champions Marcelo and Julieta
I recently had the opportunity to do a photoshoot with the Argentinian bachata champions Marcelo Alcaraz and Julieta Ibañez. One of the aspects I love about shooting elite level dancers is that they have such an acute awareness of their bodies, and generally have years of experience emoting feelings through facial expressions and subtle gestures. Qualities ...
Performance Videos from the NY Salsa Competition Team Fundraiser (Updated 2/10/15 with video from the 2015 World Salsa Summit Champions)
*Updated 2/10/15* I was originally unable to post this video as the team had requested not to have their routine uploaded online due to it being their new competition piece. Now that the 2015 World Salsa Summit competition is complete, I am proudly able to present the video of the routine that won them their ...
Instagram-itis: How the Lazy Use of Filters are Ruining Your Photographs
As a rule of thumb, I generally try not to use any of my social media outlets to rant, as I believe there is already too much negativity out there on the internet, but there was something I saw last week that really dug under my skin. I had been going through my Facebook feed, ...
How to Verify your WordPress.com (not .org) Site with Google Webmaster Tools
If you’re reading this article, it’s most likely because you’re having a hard time finding the specific info you need for your WP.com site (I found that most of the tutorials out there on this topic seem to be tailored to WP.org). So why would you need to verify your site with the big G? Personally, I ...
Performance Videos and Photos from La Fuerza’s Ugly Sweater Holiday Party
Thx to all who came out to celebrate with the La Fuerza fam! 🙂 Fausto & Isabel La Fuerza Ladies Gifted Souls NYC MDN Dancers Formula F Descarga Latina Santo Rico Tumbao Alma NYC La Fuerza Brava To see all the pictures from the event, check out: facebook.com/mapes24photography
Review of the Interactive Theatrical Production, Sleep No More (Chelsea, NYC)
Over the past 10 years in New York, I’ve had the opportunity to take part in some very cool, entertaining experiences. Sitting front row, center, at the Broadway show “In the Heights”, being in the audience for a taping of David Letterman, being present at Yankee Stadium for Mariano Rivera’s last game, and seeing some ...
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