PhotoQuest => Brenham, McDade & Austin

A couple of weeks ago, I took a drive from Houston to Austin and stopped in a couple of towns along the way.

Brenham is known to be the home of Blue Bell Ice Cream. While I did not stop a Blue Bell, I took a walk through the downtown district.

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McDade is another town I decided to sidetrack to. It is a small town with a neat historic feel to it.

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Austin is always a very cool place to visit. So many attractions that I find something different each time I visit.

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My Austin & Brenham Flickr Sets

My Houston to Austin Google+ Album

Additional Information

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“All life is of a past nature, photography enhances this fact.” – Patrick Summerfield

Find me on: RedBubble | Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

365 Project 2011 - Week 40 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 10/2 through 10/8.

1Sunday

Sunday, 10/2 - I attended the Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk earlier today in Kemah. I had to leave a little early, but came up with some pretty decent shots. :)

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2Monday3Tuesday4Wednesday

Monday, 10/3 - This is a wide shot of my hometown high school stadium. When I went to school there our stadium was not near this fancy, but that was a long time ago.

Tuesday, 10/4 - Took this on my walk this morning. I was able to capture this yellow flower with a deep blue sky in the background which converted to black and white rather well.

Wednesday, 10/5 - I attended the Light It Shoot It Retouch It event today, I learned so much that my brain is suffering an overload right now :)

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Thursday, 10/6 - My best friend's pup, Ryder, looks as if he is curious as to what is in my hand. ;-)

Friday, 10/7 - Macro shot of a leaf that has seen better days. Taken around Austin Town Lake.

Saturday, 10/8 - Today is my Nephew's 16th Birthday. My how time flies!

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Happy Shooting!

"A photograph is usually looked at – seldom looked into." -Ansel Adams

Find me on: RedBubble | Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

365 Project 2011 - Week 39 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 9/25 through 10/1.

1Sunday

Sunday, 9/25 - We decided to take a drive to High Island early this morning. It was beautiful and very windy (guess that's expected). I was able to do a long (6-7 seconds) exposure to get this. I've been wanting to find a way to get that wispy look to water without having to buy a $$$ ND filter. With that said, I know I will eventually invest in an ND filter. ;-)

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2Monday3Tuesday4Wednesday

Monday, 9/26 - When we went to High Island we decided to take Jake with us. It has been a while since the old guy got out and enjoyed exploring a different place. He pretty much just laid in the sand ;-)

Tuesday, 9/27 - This is an edit of a photo I took in Fredricksburg, Texas some time back. I wanted to see what I could do with Color Efex Pro.

Wednesday, 9/28 - Busy day and no time to go out or setup a photo, so I find the cat. Princess Ariel is not amused that her human has that thing in front of her face again. :-)

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Thursday, 9/29 - I was walking along the beach at High Island and ran across this shell with an interesting looking pattern. It is not truly as blue as the processing made it, but it did have a blue color to it.

Friday, 9/30 - There is a Memorial Fence in Angleton. I went there back in 2007 and was amazed at how many more crosses there were when I visited today. Very sad.

Saturday, 10/1 - I was just walking around my house trying to find things to photograph and saw this group of little bitty yellow flowers. Felt it was a good exercise for the 100mm macro lens.

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Happy Shooting!

"A photograph is usually looked at – seldom looked into." -Ansel Adams

Find me on: RedBubble | Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

Photography Links of the Month for SEPTEMBER 2011

This is my latest installment of photography-related links that I have found interesting in the last month.

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I took the above photo earlier in the month … on the day my company laid me off. This is the face that told me everything happens for a reason. :-)

Links for the month

Inspirational Photo Links

Other Photography Link Collections

365 Project 2011 - Week 38 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 9/18 through 9/24.

1Sunday

Sunday, 9/18 - This is a tree that I was actually standing behind to take a lot of my Austin sunrise shots, then I realized the interesting bark. So to bring out the bark and the background, I shot 3 exposures and processed with PhotoMatix (HDR). My husband says it reminds him of Treebeard from Lord of the Rings. I have to say I agree.

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Monday, 9/19 - Taken at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory during the Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza. Some of the flowers that were blooming pretty that day.

Tuesday, 9/20 - Found these baby mushrooms in my front yard this morning. They are the result of the recent rains.

Wednesday, 9/21 - I was wanting to work with my make-shift light table, so I picked some clear red thumb tacks up while I was in Office Depot yesterday. I need to find more objects for my light table.

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Thursday, 9/22 - I got down pretty low to get this. Hoping to get the white flowers in the distance too. Taken at the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory during the Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza.

Friday, 9/23 - This is my nephew JR. I was able to watch him on the cheer squad last night at my hometown's JV football game. He is very talented at gymnastics, so he gets to put that talent to use.  I am a very proud aunt :-)

Saturday, 9/24 - A bridge over Austin Town Lake. I thought the reflections looked cool.

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Happy Shooting!

"A photograph is usually looked at – seldom looked into." -Ansel Adams

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

Photowalk => Bolivar Peninsula

A few weeks ago I drove Highway 87 from High Island to the Bolivar Ferry, spanning the length of Bolivar Peninsula. I actually did this two Saturdays in a row because there is so much to see on this stretch of road. I am sure I could take about one or two more drives and still find something new to photograph. There were several places to stop and explore, hence me calling it a photo walk.

It is really great to see the Bolivar Peninsula coming back to normalcy after being devastated by Hurricane Ike in 2008.

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The rest of my Bolivar Peninsula photos can be found in my Flickr Set and Goggle+ Album.

Additional Information

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"The more you understand what inspires you, the more readily you can put yourself in it’s path." - David duChemin

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

Photowalk => Historic Rosenberg

A couple of weeks ago I took a walk through the historic part of Rosenberg, Texas. I love historic districts because the antique stores, brick roads and old town city halls make you feel like you are truly walking in the past.

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More of my Rosenberg photos can be found in my Flickr Set and Goggle+ Album.

Additional Information

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“All life is of a past nature, photography enhances this fact.” – Patrick Summerfield

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

365 Project 2011 - Week 37 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 9/11 through 9/17.

1Sunday

Sunday, 9/11 - This is an edit to a shot I took on the Bolivar Ferry a couple of weeks ago. Thought it fitting for the 10th Anniversary of 9-11.

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2Monday3Tuesday4Wednesday

Monday, 9/12 - I stopped in old town Brenham while on the way to Austin and talked to a nice man who makes these cool metal items to put in your yard.

Tuesday, 9/13 - My sleepy cat and her big paws. Taken with my new 40mm Macro lens.

Wednesday, 9/14 - I took this on my walk this morning. They were watering the grounds at the church I pass through and I noticed this reflection in one of the puddles.

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Thursday, 9/15 - My husband's family has ranch property outside Brekenridge, Texas. These are a couple of the brands that were used a long long time ago. The ranch has been in his family for over 100 years.

Friday, 9/16 - I made a make-shift light table and put a blue gel over my light source. Just experimenting with some DIY stuff. :-)

Saturday, 9/17 - I went to the 2011 Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza today in Lake Jackson, Texas. It is really interesting to watch the banding and freeing of the hummingbirds.

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Happy Shooting!

"A photograph is usually looked at – seldom looked into." -Ansel Adams

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

365 Project 2011 – Week 36 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 9/4 through 9/10.

1Sunday

Sunday, 9/4 - We took a drive to the Rosenberg area today. In addition to a nice Historical Downtown area, we ran across some fields of cotton. I don't see cotton often, so it was a pretty cool site.

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Monday, 9/5 - Saw this sign in a Rosenberg antique shop and could not resist the urge to grab a shot of it. The ultimate message is to chill out and not be a jerk ;)

Tuesday, 9/6 - Tonight I attended a Studio Lighting Photo Shoot with the NW Houston Photography group. We were shown what settings to use and how to use a Pocket Wizard. Fun stuff! For this, I just walked around and got a few shots of the action with my iPhone and put them together with the Photoshake app.

Wednesday, 9/7 - I just received my new Sigma 24-70mm 2.8 lens, so I roamed around my yard finding things to photograph. Other than being the heaviest lens I own, I am really liking it.

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Thursday, 9/8 - Jake posed for a nominal fee of a treat.

Friday, 9/9 - Cool car that was parked outside the Soda Fountain in Rosenberg, TX.

Saturday, 9/10 - I saw this sign on my way back to Houston from Austin. It was just outside Brenham on 290. I found it so true to the issues we are having with the drought, I just could not pass it up.

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Happy Shooting!

"A photograph is usually looked at – seldom looked into." -Ansel Adams

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

Photography Links of the Month for AUGUST 2011

This is my latest installment of photography-related links that I have found interesting in the last month.

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Links for the month

Inspirational Photo Links

Other Photography Link Collections

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"Life is like a good black and white photograph, there’s black, there’s white, and lots of shades in between."  -Karl Heiner

365 Project 2011 – Week 35 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 8/28 through 9/3.

1Sunday

Sunday, 8/28 - My boy Jake wanting a chip, LOL! Told him he would have to pose for me first ;-)

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Monday, 8/29 - A coworker saved this little girl from being run over this morning. She spent the day in my boss' cubicle, so I went to visit her every chance I had. The best news is that she went to a good home at the end of the day. :)

Tuesday, 8/30 - I'm a little under the weather today. These caught my eye while I was in the grocery store picking up some meds for myself. :)

Wednesday, 8/31 - I've been sick today, so I did not feel like getting out and taking any photos. The only decision I have made today is whether to take the green pill or the orange pill.

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Thursday, 9/1 - Taken at Bear Creek Park. I have always loved signs like this - especially the little duck tripping. :)

Friday, 9/2 - I ordered a SIMA led light an it came in today. Thought I'd try it out on my guitar. I put it behind it and slanted it up. Looking forward to experimenting with it more. Pretty good price at $28. Used Photomatix, Silver Efex Pro and HDR Efex Pro to obtain the effect.

Saturday, 9/3 - Trying out my new light on a live model, LOL!

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Happy Shooting!

"A photograph is usually looked at – seldom looked into." -Ansel Adams

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

Sima SL-20LX Ultra Bright LED

I was listening to Episode 11 of the Digital Photography Café podcast and heard a recommendation for the Sima SL-20LX Ultra Bright LED light. Since they run about $30, I thought I would pick one up and try it out.

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It is fairly bright and has a built-in diffuser to disperse the light nicely. I am still experimenting with it, but below are a couple of shots I have taken with it.

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The light stays cool to the touch even when on for several minutes, which is nice. The only thing I see so far to be aware of is that while charging the plug itself gets pretty hot.

I am looking forward to more experimenting with this very portable light. If all goes well, I will likely pick up another.

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“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” -Ernst Haas

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

365 Project 2011 – Week 34 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 8/21 through 8/27.

1Sunday

Sunday, 8/21 - Took this on a walk through my neighborhood this morning. :)  Not sure what they are, but they sure are pretty.

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Monday, 8/22 - Stopped and shot this sunrise on my way into the office this morning. Applied a polarizer filter to it and the colors went wild.

Tuesday, 8/23 - This is Ariel. Like most cats, she is the center of her Universe.

Wednesday, 8/24 - Taken at Hermann Park in the early morning. Thought it was a cool juxtaposition.

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Thursday, 8/25 - The Sri Meenakshi Temple in Pearland, TX. I pulled into the parking lot, took a few photos and left. I would love to go back and get more, but I'm not sure of their rules for photography.

Friday, 8/26 - I decided to make a run to Bear Creek Park during my lunch hour today. They have a Bird Sanctuary as part of the park. I think this guy was winking at me ;-)

Saturday, 8/27 - My (2nd) Cousin Caitlin's 12th birthday. Took these at her family birthday party. :)

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Happy Shooting!

"A photograph is usually looked at – seldom looked into." -Ansel Adams

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

365 Project 2011 – Week 33 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 8/14 through 8/20.

1Sunday

Sunday, 8/14 - A lot of the beach houses along the Texas cost are very brightly colored and I just love looking at them. Sometimes I wish I had a house on the beach, but as much as I like the coast, I love the countryside even more. I see myself having a house in hills or mountains.

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Monday, 8/15 - Slow and relaxing morning at Starbucks.

Tuesday, 8/16 - How anything can grow in this drought we are having is beyond me. Took this along Highway 3.

Wednesday, 8/17 - Taken on the Bolivar Ferry. They kinda looked like they were preserving the preservers...hence the caption. :)

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Thursday, 8/18 - Shopping for a gift at Barnes and Noble. Not sure what it is about journals that I like so much.

Friday, 8/19 - A co-worker bought a new Mini Cooper recently. I love the form factor of the Mini Coopers, so I asked him if it would be okay if I photograph it.  I shot 3 exposures, merged using PhotoMatix Pro and then ran it through Color Efex Pro. I may have gone a little over the top, but hey, it's Friday. :)

Saturday, 8/20 - Ran across this cool mural on the campus of a Webster Area school.

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Happy Shooting!

“There is only you and your camera. The limitations in your photography are in yourself, for what we see is what we are.” -Ernst Haas

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

My Daily Photography Fix

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Photography, to me, is my break from the mundane. It is definitely an escape for me, so I do everything I can to keep current and get inspiration where I can.  There are several photography-related sites that I visit on a daily basis.

Shutter Sisters | Collaborative photo blog that welcomes all women with a passion for photography from experts to amateurs alike.

PetaPixel | Photography and camera industry news

Pixiq | The place for photo experts and enthusiasts to engage in an open and on-going dialog about everything photography.

PhotoFocus | Podcast and companion site. The site is updated 7 days a week.

LightStalking | Contains posts about beautiful photography and the photographers who produce it as well as posts on knowledge and techniques.

Digital Photography School | Site dedicated to giving photography tips and tutorials to photographers of all levels.

The Photo Argus | A resource for photographers novice to advanced.

Current Photographer | Contains the latest digital photography news, tips, tools, techniques, how-tos and reviews for beginners through professionals.

500px Pop Page | Great photo community that contains inspiring images.

HDR Spotting | HDR photo community.

EarthShots | Nice photo of the day site.

Whether it be news, education or inspiration - the above sites deliver what I need on a daily basis.

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"The more you understand what inspires you, the more readily you can put yourself in it’s path." - David duChemin

Find me on: Flickr | 500px | Google+ | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Zenfolio

365 Project 2011 – Week 32 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 8/7 through 8/13.

1Sunday

Sunday, 8/7 - Decided to work in my studio to come up with today's picture for my 365. Pulled out my light box and cut up a tomato. Need think of some better angles on subjects like this.

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Monday, 8/8 - Took this on my drive of Highway 87 from High Island to Bolivar Peninsula. Took three exposures and processed in Photomatix.

Tuesday, 8/9 – Took this in the old town area of Smithville. There were many old shops and buildings in this cool little town.

Wednesday, 8/10 - My Brother has a few scrap race cars on his property. One of them has this cool spider on the hood/fender. Thought I would take a shot with my iPhone and process in the Percolator app and the WordFoto app (both are very fun to play with). Then I put both versions together with the original in a collage.

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Thursday, 8/11 - Had dinner at Floyd's Cajun Seafood with friends this evening. There were a few cool little things to photograph. My favorite was this stained glass.

Friday, 8/12 – Taken on a beautifully calm morning at Sheldon Lake State Park.

Saturday, 8/13 - Went back to Bolivar Peninsula today and drug my husband along. While on the ferry I spotted how the clouds were reflecting in the mirror of a parked motorcycle. :)

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Happy Shooting!

"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away." ~Eudora Welty

League City Photography Meet Up – 08.04.11

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The August 2011 League City Photography Meet up took place on 8/4/11. Below are my notes.

Announcements

David has uploaded a list of Glen Hausinger’s photo gear. It can be found under the [More] menu option and then select [Files]. Here is a link straight to the PDF: Photo Gear of Glen Hausinger

Tentative date for the National Photowalk is October 1st or 2nd

Upcoming Events

Aug 23 Tue 5:00 PM | Celebrating Shuttle – An American Icon

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Topic – Size Matters or How Big is Your Sensor

Mike Fisher gave a informative and detailed talk on size, He went into detail on the difference between crop and full frame sensor.

Basically, a larger sensor means less noise, greater sensitivity and cleaner images.

Since there was so much to this lecture, I requested that Mike send me a copy of his PowerPoint.

Size Matters or How Big Is Your Sensor? (Note: may take a minute or so to load)

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Additional Information & Links

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Photos from the Meeting

Photos from the Group

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“To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson

365 Project 2011 – Week 31 in Review

This is a summary of the photos I posted for my 2011 365 Project from 7/31 through 8/6.

1Sunday

Sunday, 7/31 - There is a set of sculptures, named Tolerance, that sit at the corner of Allen Parkway and Montrose. I had heard about them from several different people, so I went to see them in the early hours of this morning. They are indeed a sight to see.

They were created by Barcelona-based artist Jaume Plensa. Below is a link to an article about them.

houston.culturemap.com/newsdetail/02-20-11-jaume-plensas-...

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Monday, 8/1 - Worm's eye view of some mushrooms in my yard.

Tuesday, 8/2 – Old fire truck taken at Lake Buchanan and processed with HDR Efex Pro. I was playing around with the old-time effects and thought this old fire truck would be a good subject.

Wednesday, 8/3 - I went to visit my cousin and see their new puppy, Sophie. While I did get some shots of Sophie, I thought this shot of their older dog Abby turned out nice. I think I like that there is a lot of reds and browns that just goes well with her. She is a really cool doggie too.

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Thursday, 8/4 - I received a Lensbaby Scout with the 16mm Fisheye optic for my birthday, so I did nothing but shot with it today. One of the places I went was Ellington Field because I know they have this huge plane out on display at the entrance. The Lensbaby is definitely fun to play with.

Friday, 8/5 – Taken off of Highway 87 around the Rollover Pass area. I thought it was cool that I was actually able to catch a seagull on the sign that says “Gulls on the Horizon”. :)

Saturday, 8/6 - I laid on my tummy to get this where the flowers meet the sky. If it were a few inches higher you would see the Gulf of Mexico in the background. Taken in the High Island area.

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Happy Shooting!

"A good snapshot stops a moment from running away." ~Eudora Welty

Tolerance Sculptures

On the corner of Allen Parkway and Montrose, in Houston, sits five interesting sculptures named Tolerance. They are made of melded metal characters that are in Latin, Greek, Arabic and several other languages. The sculptures are there to represent our city’s diversity. At night, they are lit and look amazing. Below are a few photos I took in the early morning hours.

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More of my Tolerance photos can be found in my Flickr Set or Goggle+ Album.

Additional Information

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“Photography takes an instant out of time, altering life by holding it still.” – Dorothea Lange

The Lensbaby Scout

I received the Lensbaby Scout for my birthday this year. It is the first Lensbaby that does not bend and offers an affordable option for fisheye photography.

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The Scout offers creative lensflare and unique focus, which makes it a fun tool for the photographer’s bag. It is available in mounts for the following cameras: Canon EF (EOS), Nikon F, Sony Alpha A / Minolta Maxxum, Pentax K / Samsung GX / Sigma SD, Olympus 4/3.

Below are some of the photos I’ve taken so far:

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It takes getting used to, like others in the Lensbaby line, but it is a creative and fun lens.

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Happy shooting!

“To me, photography is the simultaneous recognition, in a fraction of a second, of the significance of an event.” – Henri Cartier-Bresson