#654. The Watcher (rollover)

Taken this morning at Clear Lake Park in Houston, Texas. Hold your mouse over the photo to reveal the original (unprocessed) image.

Happy New Year!

Title: "The Watcher" (rollover)


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 50MM f/1.4 prime
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > textures from flypapertextures.blogspot.com

#653. Donkey

Taken last week in Wimberley, Texas. Why? Not sure but probably because I don't see that many donkeys around here. I see cattle and horses a lot but not so many of the four legged donkeys. :-)

Title: "Donkey"


Camera/Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#652. Cypress Creek Three and Four

The last of the HDR sets I took of Cypress Creek in Wimberley, Texas last week. These two shots represent the widest and narrowest compositions of the four shots I posted. I basically took all four shots from within a 15 foot radius but hopefully the different compositions keep the shots from seeming redundant.

Title: "Cypress Creek Three"


Title: "Cypress Creek Four"



Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#651. Cypress Creek Too

Here's another shot of Cypress Creek in Wimberley, Texas taken last week.

Title: "Cypress Creek Too"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three exposures (-2, 0, +2) into on HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#650. Cypress Creek

Merry Christmas everyone! I've been pretty busy over the holidays and haven't posted much. :-( I'll try and do better!

Taken last week in Wimberley, Texas.

Title: "Cypress Creek"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three exposures (-2, 0, +2) into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#649. Saturn Rocket

I took this photo at the Rocket Park in Johnson Space Center last weekend.

Title: "Saturn Rocket"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 7 images into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Red Paw Media Beautifier plugin

#648. T38 Talon

Taken last Sunday at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.

Title: "T38 Talon"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 7 esposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range)image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#647. Western Heritage Pavilion

Taken Sunday at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. The Western Heritage Pavilion is located on the JSC grounds across form the Rocket Park (home of the Saturn rocket).

Title: "Western Heritage Pavilion"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 7 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#646. So Big

Taken just after Thanksgiving at a rest stop near Luling, Texas. In Texas we are seeing more and more of those giant power generation windmills dotting the landscape particularly in West Texas. This is one blade from one of the giants. It seems I see them in route to their home every time I head west on I-10 from Houston.



Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine the handheld exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > Red Paw Media Beautifier plugin > Nik Viveza plugin

#645. Luling City Market

Taken this past weekend in Luling, Texas. Luling City Market is home to arguably the best BBQ in Houston which means it may be the best BBQ in the world! :-) Don't expect niceties, like plates, here: the BBQ is served up on butcher paper. If you ask the lady at the drink counter what types of drinks they sell she will say "Sweet Tea and Big Red and other stuff too".

Title: "Luling City Market"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye
Shot data: 1/25s f/2.8 at 15.0mm iso400
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to create a psuedo-HDR (High Dynamic Range) image from one exposure > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#644. Robo Bull

Taken this past weekend in Johnson City, Texas.

Title: "Robo Bull"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust Plugin

#643. Blanco River

Taken this morning in Blanco, Texas.

Title: "Blanco River"


Title: "Blanco River Too"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 15mm f/2.8 fisheye
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine seven exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#642. Thornton House

Taken last weekend in Point Enterprise, Texas.

Title: "Thornton House"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three handheld exposueres (-2, 0, +2) into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo > Photoshop CS4 > Toopaz Adjust plugin > Virtual Photographer plugin

#641. Niños No Tocar Machetes

My wife spotted this sign at Cole's flea market in Pearland this past Sunday and it struck me as being funny. I don't know, it's just the idea that someone had to make a sign because they were having a problem with kids playing with the machetes! At least they weren't playing with guns right? :-)

Title: "Niños No Tocar Machetes"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 50mm f/1.4
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three handheld exposures (-2, 0, +2) into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#640. Under the Red Umbrella

Taken today at Cole's Flea Market in Pearland, Texas.

Title: "Under the Red Umbrella"


Shot data: 1/2500s f/6.3 at 40.0mm iso200
Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105 L zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > Nik Viveza plugin

#639. Theatrical Christmas

A couple of times a month I take photos for Clear Creek Community Theater in Webster, Texas. Last night I took head shots and some publicity stills for "Miracle on 34th Street". These shots always come early in the process, before everyone has their costumes and before the set is complete, but I still enjoy doing them. As a general rule actors are fun to work with: they know how to be expressive and they're always "on". :-)

Title: "Theatrical Christmas"


Shot data: 1/50s f/10.0 at 32.0mm iso200
Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm f/2.8
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin
Light: Alien Bee 1600 placed high center with 2X4 Softbox remote fired by Pocket Wizard

#638. Renaissance Man

I ran into this character at the Texas Renaissance Festival in Magnolia, Texas on Saturday while on a field trip with the Bay Area Photo Club.

Title: "Renaissance Man"


Shot Data: 1/125s f/5.6 at 275.0mm iso320
Camera / lens: Canon 40d / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Tapaz Adjust plugin > Red Paw Media Bleach Bypass

#637. Boardwalk Stairway

Another shot from my trip to the Kemah Boardwalk this past Saturday night.

Title: "Boardwalk Stairway"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#636. Dylan

Taken Saturday night. I don't know who Dylan is but I can't seem to pass up an opportunity to try and photograph both the subject and the work of art every time I pass the caricature stand on the Keman Boardwalk.

Title: "Dylan"


Shot data: 1/30s f/3.2 at 31.0mm iso640
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#635. RED

Taken Saturday night at the Kemah Boardwalk. Thought I might switch colors after last weeks posts. :-)

Title: "RED"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 3 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image, Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#634. Ornamental

This is the other shot I presented at our photo club's Honor's Night for the assignment "The Color Blue". It's blue Christmas ornaments in a silver stainless steel bowl shot outside in natural light.

Title: "Ornamental"


Shot data: 1/166s f/1.6 at 50.0mm iso100
Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#633. Baby Blue Balloons

Here's a shot I took this past Sunday for our photo club's monthly assignment. The assignment was "The Color Blue".

Title: "Baby Blue Balloons"


Shot data: 1/99s f/14.1 at 50.0mm iso100
Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 50mm f/1.4
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to create a Psuedo HDR from one raw file > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#632. For the Birds

Taken this afternoon. I didn't have to travel too far for this shot...just to the back yard. :-)

Title: "For the Birds"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 3 different exposures into one HDR image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#631. Hillside Cross

Taken on Saturday while on a Bay Area Photo Club field trip to Glenwood Cemetery in Houston, Texas.

Title: "Hillside Cross"


Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine seven exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#630. Circus Tripp

Happy Halloween!!

I took this photo of a mural on the side of a building in the Heights area of Houston yesterday. I stuck around for about 30 minutes for the artist to finish his work and remove the scaffolding but by then the parking lot had a few cars in it that covered up part of the mural.

Title: "Circus Tripp"


Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine seven exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#629. Seven

Taken two weekends ago at a local church that sells pumpkins every year to raise funds. The orange and black color pair of these small pumpkins on a shelf caught my eye and I found a crop in post-processing that I liked a lot.

Title: "Seven"


Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine seven exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > Nik Viveza plugin

#628. Flying Flag

Another shot from the Wings Over Houston airshow on Saturday. This is how they brought in the flag for the opening ceremonies.

Title: "Flying Flag"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canoin 100-400 L zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > texture from flypapertexture.blogspot.com

#627. The Flying Guppy

Here's another shot I took Saturday at the Wings Over Houston Airshow. This is the Flying Guppy. As I understand it this plane was specially modified for NASA to use to transport very large sections of the space shuttles during construction.

Title: "The Flying Guppy"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine seven exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#626. Tail Gun

Taken Saturday morning at the Wings Over Houston airshow. I wouldn't have liked being an enemy pilot charged with attacking this plane in WWII and finding myself looking at this!

Title: "Tail Gun"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine seven exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#625. October Kemah Sunrise

Taken this past Saturday morning at Kemah Boardwalk, Kemah, Texas.

Title: "October Kemah Sunrise"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 3 exposures (-2, 0, +2) into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > textures from flypapertextures.blogspot.com

#624. Pumpkin Patch

Taken this past Friday at a local church in Clear Lake City. This church sells pumpkins every year as a fundraiser and there are always abundant photo ops. I didn't spend long there this year but I did grab a couple of sets of brackets (and a couple of pumpkins). :-)

Title: "Pumpkin Patch"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#623. Humble Fisherman

Taken this past Saturday at Kemah Boardwalk in Kemah, Texas. I really enjoyed watching this man fishing. This was no frills fishing to be sure. It looks to my eye like the boat is homemade. No fancy rod and reel; just fishing line with a hook on the end tossed away from the boat and retrieved hand over hand, usually with a fish on the hook! In this area where at any given time you can sit and watch a million dollars worth of boats pass every minute it was fun to see a down-to-earth reminder that there are always simpler options.

Title: "Humble Fisherman"


Shot data: 1/25s f/16.0 at 42.0mm iso200
Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to create an HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo from one exposure > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > texture from flypapertextures.blogspot.com

#622. Majestic Flight

Taken at sunset a couple of weekends ago at Galveston Island State Park. Even though it's only a tiny portion of the finished image, to me this shot is still all about the bird.

Title: "Majestic Flight"


Shot data: 1/200s f/5.6 at 400.0mm iso125
Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > texture from flypapertextures.blogspot.com

#621. Wildflower

Another shot from my trip down to Galveston Island State Park last weekend.

Title: "Wildflower"


Shot data: 1/1000s f/5.6 at 400.0mm iso125
Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#620. A Salute

Taken last night at a local church. I recently volunteered my humble photography skills at the church I attend in Houston. I have since been asked to take photos a couple of times. Last night the request was to pop out on the stage and take a few quick snaps of the congregation holding a sign congratulating their overseas sister church on their one year anniversary. It was a fairly simple assignment and I initially thought the thanks I received were unearned. After I thought about it a while though I gave myself a little more credit for the job I did. First of all, there is pressure. I volunteered so there was no money or contract involved but I still felt pressure to deliver a usable photograph. I've taken more than a few unusable photos in my day so my concern was certainly warranted. I had a brief conversation with the program director in which I persuaded him to give me full house lights for the shot. I was shooting at ISO 1600 as it was and I really didn't want to go any higher than that which would have been necessary at less than full house lights. Even at ISO 1600 I was underexposed but I knew the photos would end up being usable because I was shooting in Camera RAW which allows for exposure adjustments in post-processing. I arrived at the church early and determined the placement of the banner. I had to make a lens selection and a camera selection. I had to take my shots (about 10 I think) in about 6 seconds so the service could continue with as little interruption as possible. And I had to process the photos when I got home. I didn't end up with a work of fine art but the photo is, I think, usable for the church's intended purpose and, in retrospect, I feel that I can give myself a little credit for that! :-)

Title: "A Salute"


Shot data: 1/40s f/4.0 at 24.0mm iso1600
Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105 L zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#619. Pretty Flowers

Taken Saturday at Galveston Island State Park in Galveston, Texas.

Title: "Pretty Flowers"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Shot data: 1/800s f/5.6 at 115.0mm iso125
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS4 > Texture from flypapertexture.blogspot.com

#618. Lifesaver

Taken on the Seawall in Galveston, Texas on Saturday morning.

Title: "Lifesaver"


Camera / Lens: Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 5 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > Nik Viveza plugin

#617. Eternal Home

Taken three or four weekends ago at a cemetery in Houston, Texas. I really like the symmetry and textures inside this mausoleum. Also the rich earth tone palette. All in all not a bad place to spend eternity I think.

Title: "Eternal Home"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 7 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#616. Boot on the Beach

This photo looks like a desert scene to me but I actually took it on Galveston Beach a couple of weekends ago. I guess the boot (exactly where I found it by the way) makes me think "Western" which makes me think "desert".

Title: "Boot on the Beach"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24/105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Phtomatix Pro to combine 7 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > textures from Flypapertextures.blogspot.com

#615. Drivers Seat

This is the driver's seat in the WWII ambulance I posted in my last image. Taken Sunday before last at Clear Lake City Park in Seabrook, Texas.

Title: "Driver's Seat"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 9 exposures into one HDR(High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS5 > Topaz Adjust plugin > Virtual Photographer plugin

#614. The Hurt Locker?

This is the inside of a restored World War II ambulance taken at the Bayou City Cruisers car show at Clear Lake City Park in Seabrook, Texas last Sunday. "The Hurt Locker" was the title of a popular war movie from last year. I'm not sure if anyone knows exactly what the title phrase refers to (I have seen differing explanations offered up on the Internet) but as I viewed this image I thought the phrase "Hurt Locker" would be fitting.

Title: "The Hurt Locker"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II > Canon 24-105 L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 9 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#613. Fluid Drive

Another shot from the Bayou City Cruisers car show at Clear Lake City Park this past Sunday in Seabrook, Texas.

Title: "Fluid Drive"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 9 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#612.

Taken at sunrise this past Sunday morning at a small park in Seabrook, Texas.

Title: "Seabrook Sunrise"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine multiple images into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Topaz Adjust plugin > texture from flypapertextures.blogspot.com

#611. Mercury Eight

Taken yesterday at the Bayou City Cruisers car show at Clear Lake City Park in Seabrook, Texas.

Title: "Mercury Eight"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 9 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) photo > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > Nik Viviza plugin

#610. Clear Lake Shores B&W

Taken two weekends ago in Clear Lake Shores, TX. Same scene as in my post #604 but on this shot I originally captured a portrait rather than landscape image. In the end I cropped the portrait to a square and still felt like I had plenty of sky. Since I was zoomed in closer for this shot (compared to #604) I went with black and white to accentuate the details in the scene.

Title: "Clear Lake Shores B&W"

#609. Modern Ruins

Another shot from Sunday's location near San Luis Pass.

Title: "Modern Ruins"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three exposures into on HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

#608. Sunrise Ruins

Taken Sunday morning near San Luis Pass between Galveston and Freeport, Texas. I originally drove down for this shot on Saturday morning but as soon as I pulled onto the shoulder of the road I was stuck in soft sand and had to spend my time trying to get myself unstuck. Fortunately it wasn't long before a good Samaritan with a 4-wheel drive pick-up truck and a tow rope pulled me out. Of course by this time the light was gone and I had missed the shot. Luckily there is always another day, which in my case turned out to be the next day! I parked on solid ground this time (I'm no fool) and got the shot!

Title: "Sunrise Ruins"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine three exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > Texture from Flypapertextures.blogspot.com

#607. Dune Flora

Taken Saturday morning at Galveston Island State Park.

Title: "Dune Flora"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L Zoom
Post-processing: Photomatix Pro to combine 7 exposures into one HDR (High Dynamic Range) image > Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin > texture from Flypapertextures.blogspot.com