Can't think of a clever title

See, I'm back in less then two months. Hurray for me.

Since I've been gone from the blog I've been playing some games, using a few of them to actually connect with my friends who are far, far away. (Everyone move down here, it's warm!)

But I have actually spent the last few weeks with my mind obsessed with a possible business idea. I honestly felt like a genius, because I'd never heard about anything like it before, I even searched the internet and found nothing similar. So I spent the better part of a day frantically scrawling down details and plans, imagining what could happen if it took off.

The next day, first thing in the morning, I did another search and found a very similar idea. It broke my heart. But it looks like it's not exactly working for them...so I've adjusted my idea and we'll see if I ever actually get to the point where I seriously consider talking about it with people.

Anyway, on to some photos.


Swimming is fun to shoot, but I've said that before.
The one below I've been thinking about for awhile; getting someone completely underwater from over them.  It didn't work exactly like I wanted, but I think it's a good first attempt.  The water distorted her face, but I like the way it curved her and the lines.



I believe I've mentioned it previously, but my favorite sport to shoot is boxing.  Probably because it's just fun to watch from right next to the ring, but also because I don't cover it often.


The story is about the guy on the right, Terrance Woods. He will be boxing on ESPN2 or 3 on Friday, I believe.  He seemed pretty damn good.  They were having him box for eight rounds, with different guys every couple rounds, so they stayed fresh and he had to deal with it.   In his sixth or seventh round they put in a really big dude and after Woods got a few good shots the guy just kept running away; actually almost turning around to move faster a few times. I wish I had those channels.


A cool shot that didn't run because it was a junior varsity kid (boo!). Very intense.


This little girl was the first place female finisher in a local 10k and her dad still gave her a hard time about being slow. Sports parents are jerks.




She was playing a game where you keep a feather floating by blowing before it gets too far down.


Didn't run. Double boo.

That's it for now. I was going to post a shot I took so I could tell the story of how I almost got run over by a car.

But that's the story, I was shooting tailgating and was crouching in a driveway packed full of cars and the guy didn't see me and started to drive his Escalade into my back.
No harm though.

WTF: Despite the cold, I'm still alive.

Yes, it came down into the 20s in the area today. Lame. The record low for the Houston area this time of year was previously 24 degrees. I suppose that's not bad, and I feel like a wimp for already being unable to not handle the cold but... screw that! It was almost 80 degrees last week. That's just not fair, trying to adapt to that kind of savage change.

Got a little behind on my updates. Sorry. I still have a job, I'm still taking pictures.

Shot some more boxing recently, a club training for upcoming an golden gloves competition. But I won't bore you with yet another slew of boxing pictures.

Okay, maybe just one.


Trading lefts

This kid in white had a good left hand. You might even have to call it Wikked!, if you are prone to misspelled italicized fits of description; which feels appropriate right now.

I have one shot of him bringing his fist in to the other kid's face and both of his feet are up on the tippiest of tip-toes. I don't think he hit flush, or that other kid would have been flat on his ass.

Today, in the midst of this 23 degree rash of global warming, (screw you, Al Gore) I had a few things, one of which was outside. Lame.

The first event of the day was swimming practice at the high school by my apartment.

Most high schools, and colleges really, have their pools in poorly lit boxes that make me feel like I'm going to catch some illness in the thick, humid darkness that strangles every breath I try to muster inside its wretched maw.

I've been itching to write, so the descriptions are coming out a little thick...could you tell?

BUT!!! This high school has a natatorium (big room with a pool in it) that has one wall made entirely of windows. So I don't even have to light the room. :D

I got one of my favorite swimming shots ever. I don't have a whole lot that I like really, because I haven't found a lot to do with swimming. It's cool stopping water, like I said previously, but they swim down a lane, turn around and go back. No one ever jumps out of the pool mid-lap and tries to run the rest of the way, eventually slipping and breaking their arm in a gruesome display.

Today I was really trying to get something I hadn't done before. I got my safe shots, the same old crap. But then started moving, ducking and weaving, doing hand stands and jumping up and down. Okay, not that crazy.


It just looks neat to me. She looks like a plane making a water landing or something

I also tried some artsy shots cross the lanes, shooting towards the big windows. Some of them look a little abstract, like if I made the right crop and blurred them a little you wouldn't know what the hell was going on.



Today was signing day for high school athletes. Almost the same level of interest for me as a grip-and-grin shot. Someone at a table, signing a piece of paper. Woo hoo. The one I shot was actually fake too. The kids had done it earlier in the morning, so it was staged, which really wasn't interesting to me. So I tried to shoot other aspects.

But as I left, feeling slightly dirty for shooting the some of the staged setups (for hope of reprint monies), I had to quench my artistic thirst somehow.

Luckily, there was a nice cloud formation behind a nearby water tower. Nothing award winning, but still looks cool to me.


I kind of liked it in color, because there is a red light on top of the water tower, but black and white has more drama and I want to end with a flourish!

WTF: Late to bed, early to rise = tired photographer

So last week I had two early assignments on the beach. Poor me, huh? Well...kind of, because they were early. I don't do so well in the mornings, but I think I've figured it out. I've been trying to ride my bike more often, since there is the kind of weather down here where I can ride my bike in January. :D But usually that means riding after I get out of work, which is sometimes 10 or 11 pm.

Not the best time to ride, it's nice because it's cool. But you may get hassled by the man. Yep...I got pulled over on my bicycle. Kind of ridiculous. But whatever, the man ain't got shit on me!

Anyway...yesterday night as I was riding around I realized, if I force myself to wake up early and ride before I go to work, that may help me start the day on the right foot. I did today, and aside from being tired, it went very well. I might even ride a bit after work, we'll see.

So, last week:

There was a 5/10k run on the beach that started at 8am. Super crazy people running on sand, in the morning. It was a little chilly at first but then turned into a very nice day.


Sunrise over the gulf, nice. Very bright, but nice.

I shot the run, nothing too fantastic to share, sadly. The next event was a dune protection thing. They were tying tossed Christmas trees to fences along the dunes to help with sand retention.

Good recycling, I suppose.

The next event was a bit later in the day. MORE BOXING! Which I was excited about, but because of an early deadline I didn't get to shoot the whole event. I also got screwed, because I bought some rechargeable batteries that were expired or something, so about two minutes into the first fight my lights stopped working correctly. Super lame. Still got some good stuff though.


I like this one because I rarely get to use the phrase, "Upside your head!"


Overall it was fun. I like boxing a lot more now.

I've also been working to get photos of some of the area swimmers before district meets, which start soon.

I was trying to do some creative things with the portraits, like getting the kids to splash water, but most of it didn't work out, so I just have boring portraits of them standing there.

Except this one:

It worked out almost exactly like I had planned it. I had to stand around for almost an hour waiting for them to be done, but I'm pleased.

Also did action shots, those were all pretty standard. Not a lot you can do with swimming, unless you have underwater gear, which I do not. That would be fun as hell though.



I love stopping water in a photo. It always looks so cool.