Photo Safari - Ninth St Italian Market, Philadelphia

The Italian Market in South Philadelphia has to be one of the most colorful areas in the city.  Colorful enough to film a few Rocky segments. 

Rocky Movie Locations

An open air market of stalls selling fruit, vegetables, live poultry, seafood and clothing, combined with indoor shops of cheese, meats, spices and of course restaurants defines the Italian Market. Although some of the Italian flavor now has Latino and Asian overtones, it remains just as colorful. When you add in the odors and genuine characters that work there, the sum is what makes the Italian Market a wondrous place to visit and photograph.

To give you a small tour and taste of the market, there is a two hour photo safari planned along the Italian Market in South Philadelphia on Sunday, July 22, starting at 9am.

The photographers will gather near Geno's Steaks at the corner of Passyunk Ave and Ninth Street. The safari will step off heading north towards Christian Street stopping along the way to capture photographic images. Guidance for creating better compositions, exposure and camera use will be customized to each attending photographer. At the other end of the market the group will have the opportunity to stop for a sandwich and a drink with Q and A continuing for an hour.

The images in this post (except for Rocky) were captured at the market last Monday. Monday is the only day of the week when most of the shops are closed. None the less, there were several opportunities for photographs.


Come on down and join us in South Philly for what will be a memorable photo safari. Contact:dativersafari@gmail.com

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Greater Philadelphia Photo Safari

Last post was about a flea market/auction I visited early July 2012. That place got me to thinking about 

1. my knowledge of such locations that are loaded with photographic opportunities
2. my desire to share photographic knowledge with other photographers to help them create better images
3. my love of food

After a few hours of additional thinking, I combined those three thoughts into one package.

So, on Sunday 22 July I will be leading my first group of photographers on a photo safari though an interesting location in Philadelphia. What, you may be asking yourself, is a photo safari? Let me elucidate.

A photo safari is a walk with a loaded camera. A safari, if you will, to create (place the word shoot here, if you must) photographs while being guided by qualified photographers. During the safari the photographer guides will supply tips on composition, lighting and exposure: how to stalk and shoot your prey (again, if you must). Your guide will customize the session to your level of photographic skills. If you wish to become a better photographer, the relaxed atmosphere of a photo safari is a great no stress venue to learn.

The safari will begin with introductions of the safari attendees and the photographer guides. As the group enters the wilds, the guides will help each photographer sharpen their photographic skills, help with camera knowledge and operation while answering questions that may arise at the moment. When the safari ends, members of the group will have the option to stop for a drink, some food and a period of Q and A. Later, the participants will be able to upload your photographic trophies from the safari to a private website for critique by peers and the photographer guides.

The main goal of dativer safaris is to uncover and develop your photographic skills. The fact that you will be exposed to colorful areas of the greater Philadelphia area and their signature foods will be what make these adventures clearly different than any other photo safaris being offered.

If you miss even one dativer safari, you will come to regret it.

Send for more details today. Contact at dativersafari@gmail.com

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved

Exposures On Billboards - Philadelphia

The image above was taken from the back of a billboard on the roof of a building at 4th and Florist Sts., Philadelphia, PA.  What you see is a cut-out with angle iron kickers. City Hall, the PSFS building are in the distance.

I was always afraid to carry my good quality cameras to work. I did lots of climbing in and around the angle iron frames of the sign structures. The cameras I used to earn money, a Mamiya 1000TL and a Mamiya 645 1000TL, were just too, big and heavy to carry and valuable to risk damage.

Source:Classic Cameras and Photography

I was given an inexpensive Ricoh 35mm rangefinder by a friend who moved up to a Pentax K. That rangefinder was light weight and at that price, free, I didn't worry about it getting damaged. It had its own fitted leather case that easily unsnapped and snapped and was small enough to carry in my nail pouch. There was no built-in metering system. For exposures I used the sunny 16 rule.


I carried it at work for a short while capturing my fellow rotary drones at work. At least until the Ricoh fell 70ft(21.3m) to the ground. The camera was a goner. I couldn't even save the exposed film.

Jim "Bergy" Barndt emerging through a roof hatch.

This image, if I remember correctly, was taken atop a building just west of 23th and Chestnut Sts. The Philadelphia Electric Building can be seen in the background. The rooftop of the Armory is in the near background.

©Damyon T. Verbo - all rights reserved