I have tried several times to take pictures in Galveston using a long exposure causing the waves to blur and the water to look diffuse. Last weekend, the weather was terrible. Before it started to rain, I took my camera and tripod and ND filters down to the beach and tried to get the 61st St. Fishing Pier. I got several images, but the rain really started and I had to leave. This was the best of what I got.
The AMCA Board of Directors held its interim meeting in Savannah. I went a day early too give me time to visit some of the sights.
One of the icons of Savannah is the fountain in Forsyth Park. It is impressive. Savannah personifies the old South. Lots of Live Oak trees and Spanish Moss.
I took the Hop On Hop Off Trolley tour, and it was great. I spent the whole day seeing all kinds of sights. I ate lunch at a restaurant called The Pirate House which was allegedly on old inn where pirates stayed. The restaurant added to the flavor by having “guides” in pirate costumes tell the customers stories of the place.
Even when we were done for the day, there was still a great moon to finish off the pictures.
The Guid held its annual Shoot Out at the Arboretum on Tuesday. We had several “models” for the competition. My first one was a couple of bikers from Gatesville. The light was strong, and patchy through he trees, but this turned out to be a really good image
My last session was with a senior. By that point, the models and photographers are all kind of tired as we have only 10 minutes to shoot, and it is quite hectic. In spite of that, I god a nice head shot of her.
Saturday was the annual Waco Wild West 100 Bike Ride. As always I got lots of pictures at the start of the ride. The last couple of years, I have stood on the side of the Washington Avenue Bridge and gotten photos of the riders as they left. This year, though, there was also a rowing competition on the river. I looked down from the bridge and saw several of them rowing by. In the midst of it, I got this shot.
The TMCA had its annual meeting in Kerrville this week. We stayed at the YO Ranch, and, as always there was a little time for photography. There is an old wagon in front of the hotel.
The lobby of the hotel is quite impressive with lots of trophies and western items.
In back of the meeting rooms, there was a small flower bed with flowers that were reaching the end of their lives, but they still made for good subjects.
Saturday was Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk Day. We started at the Farmer’s Market. The light there was strong, The sunlight was bright, and there were patches as it came through the trees that set up strong lighting patterns.
We went from the Farmer’s Market along the river. I got this shot from beneath the Suspension Bridge looking up and out.
We went around to Indian Spring Park, and I got this new pic of the bridge from there.
We went over to River Square and walking up Mary St. I found this old remnant of a garage.
and, as we walked back to our cars, we walked by a pair of blue doors.
One of the places in Waco, that I have wanted to get an image of was the old Circle Drive In on LaSalle. Friday afternoon, on the way out to eat, I went by there and got a few pictures.
After dinner, the sun was going down, and the sky started to turn colors. I went out to Midway Park and, as the sun was setting, got this picture.
Sunday was a rare combination of a lunar eclipse and a “Supermoon.” During such an event, as a result of the nature of the light, the moon appears to take on a deep red color. It wasn’t the easiest picture to take, as the area in shadow is extremely dark and the area not in shadow is bright. So, an exposure fusion ended up being the best way to get a good picture.
Saturday I was asked to donate photographic services for The Freedom Ball. This event raises money for scholarships for the children of service men. It was about the same thing as a wedding reception, with a couple of wrinkles. One of the things they do is show their appreciation for the widows.
One of the ceremonial portions was the “Missing Man Table.” It honors those who could not attend the event.
The Heart of Texas Professional Photographers Guild has monthly image competitions. Each month, anyone in the guild can submit images to the competition. Additionally, in a separate competition, there is a specific theme, and the images must be in that theme. For September, the theme was “a product.” I had planned on doing an image of pouring beer out of a bottle. I was going to have a glass and above the glass, at an appropriate angle was going to be the neck of the bottle, and I was going to have beer coming out of the bottle into the glass.
August is the month in which Hatch Chili Peppers are harvested. The “season” is rather short, but the green chilis are special. Debbie was at the store and saw they actually had a beer that had Hatch chilis in it. So, I changed my original concept. I wanted to photograph that beer. Next to it was a glass. Some beers are trying to distinguish themselves by having some form of garnish – usually a slice of a citrus fruit. I used that and had a garnish on the glass of a slice of a chili pepper, and surrounded the bottle and the glass with peppers. My image can in first in the competition.
