Finding the Best Light for Outdoor Photographs

Tulane University graduate John Gandolfo is the operations manager at G&G Duct Cleaning in Long Island City, New York. He has increased gross earnings of the company by 20 percent each year since he accepted a leadership role several years ago. In his free time, John Gandolfo is an avid photographer and he frequently takes pictures of buildings and other sights in and around New York City.

Any outdoor photography relies heavily on the natural light that is available when photographers are out shooting. The so-called golden hour is one of the few times of the day when natural light is perfect for many types of outdoor photography. It is excellent when shooting city scenes and landscapes, but can also be used for outdoor portraits, pictures of plants and flower, and some still lifes.

There are typically two golden hours each day, one right after sunrise and one before sunset. Each time period lasts for about an hour depending on the season and creates a soft, diffused light. This light is much less harsh than light during the middle of the day, but it also produces less contrast. For this reason, pictures taken during the golden hour may have strong shadows or highlights that disguise a picture’s main subject.

Although the golden hour is well-known to photographers, it’s not the only time good natural light can be found. The blue hour occurs right before the golden hour of sunrise and right after the golden hour during sunset. At these times, all the sun’s rays are reflected to the Earth, so the clouds and sky are extra blue. Meanwhile, light at this time is at its softest.

How to Minimize HVAC Duct Contamination

The operations manager at G&G Duct Cleaning in Long Island City, John Gandolfo holds a bachelor of arts in health and wellness from Tulane University. Managing a wide range of G&G projects, Tulane graduate John Gandolfo emphasizes the health benefits of clean HVAC systems.

To keep air ducts as clean as possible between professional cleanings, follow a few simple steps to dramatically reduce the amount of dirt that enters an HVAC system. First and foremost, home and building owners must use HVAC filters with high-efficiency ratings and change filters according to manufacturer recommendations. If filters become dirty or clogged, change them even more frequently.

Keeping an HVAC unit itself clear of dirt and debris is also essential. Make sure that any vegetation is kept at least two feet from outside units in all directions.

Vents must be airtight and well-insulated, particularly in areas such as attics and basements, where moisture tends to accumulate. Immediately repair any duct leaks to ensure that the HVAC system is properly sealed.

New York's Shinnecock Hills Golf Club Hosting the 2018 U.S. Open

The recipient of a bachelor's degree in health and wellness from Tulane University, John Gandolfo is a New York City resident who enjoys photography and exercising. Since graduating from Tulane, John Gandolfo has worked as an operations manager with G&G Duct Cleaning. A former college athlete and avid sports fan, he enjoys attending live sporting events in his free time.

One of the most prestigious events coming to New York in the near future is the 2018 U.S. Open. The United States Golf Association selected Southampton's Shinnecock Hills Golf Club to host the annual golf tournament, which will take place from June 14 to 17. It is the fifth time the course has been chosen to host the event and the first time since 2004, when Retief Goosen won his second U.S. Open title with a two-stroke victory over Phil Mickelson. Other players to win the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills include Corey Pavin, Raymond Floyd, and James Foulis, who won the second U.S. Open in 1896. The 2018 tournament will mark the 19th time the U.S. Open will be played in the state of New York.

Shinnecock Hills originally opened in 1891 and was the first 18-hole course on the East Coast. Additionally, it was America's first golf clubhouse complete with a grill room as well as a locker room and showers.

The World's Healthiest Diets

Tulane University graduate John Gandolfo has served as operations manager of G&G Duct Cleaning since 2015. He received a bachelor of arts in health and wellness from Tulane before relocating to New York City. In his free time, John Gandolfo enjoys working out and maintaining a healthy diet. 

In his book The 5 Factor World Diet, Harley Pasternak examined the diets of the healthiest countries in the world. The author included the long-revered Mediterranean diet, which incorporates fruit, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and olive oil and has been linked in numerous studies to a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The New Nordic Diet is also noted for its similarities to the Mediterranean diet, with the main differences being that it relies on rapeseed oil instead of olive oil and uses produce native to the Nordic region. The diet has helped individuals lose weight and also comes with ecological and socioeconomic benefits. 

Pasternak also studied the French diet, the Okinawan diet, and the diet of other traditional Asian countries, which all offer unique benefits. Ultimately, Pasternak discovered that the primary commonality between those who lived in the healthiest countries was the fact that they all walk more than the average American.

A Brief Introduction to Aperture

The operations manager at G&G Duct Cleaning, John Gandolfo oversees all service personnel and handles project management duties. He joined the company after earning a bachelor of arts degree from Tulane University and has been responsible for increasing gross earnings by 20 percent annually since 2015. In his free time, Tulane graduate John Gandolfo enjoys photography.

Aperture, one of the essential components of photography, refers to the opening in the lens that allows light to travel into the body of the camera. For many people, it’s easiest to think of aperture in relation to one’s own eye. As a person moves from dark to bright environments, their iris shrinks or expands to control how much light passes into the eye. The iris, in this case, it sort of like the aperture on a camera.

When the aperture is open, the brightness, or exposure, of an image is higher. Similar to how the iris opens more in low-light settings, photographers also use larger apertures in low-light environments to ensure the camera captures as much light as possible. However, in bright settings, the aperture should be a smaller size so the image doesn’t become too whitewashed.

Aperture also affects the depth of field on a photograph. Images with a shallow depth of field have an out-of-focus background. They result from a large aperture and are common when shooting portraits. Landscape and architectural photos typically have a small aperture to ensure the background is not very blurred.

Photographers don’t usually discuss aperture in terms of large and small, so it’s important to understand how aperture is measured. Typically, it’s measured using an f-stop or f-number. When the number is higher, the aperture is smaller. For example, an aperture of f/8 is quite small while an aperture of f/1.4 is large.

Oft-Photographed New York Landmark Buildings

Tulane University alumnus John Gandolfo serves as a junior vice president and the operations manager at G & G Duct Cleaning, Inc., in Long Island City, New York. Having studied health and wellness at Tulane, John Gandolfo enjoys attending sports events in his free time. He also has an interest in capturing the street scenes and buildings that New York City offers in abundance.

One of the city’s most iconic buildings, the triangular Flatiron Building was constructed in 1902 and unlike anything that had been attempted up to that point. The narrow, angled shape was so radical that some engineering experts thought that the building would collapse in the face of a major storm. Today, the Fifth Avenue landmark remains upright and sturdy with a pedigree that includes a turn as the home of the Daily Bugle in director Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man.

Another striking landmark, the Harlem Courthouse was built in the late 19th century in a unique Romanesque Revival style that incorporated Victorian elements such as archways and gabled roofs. Also featuring an iconic belfry that has clock faces on all four sides, the building is still in public use as the Harlem Community Justice Center.