#540. Salvation Army Lady

Another shot taken Saturday at the Second Annual Rosenberg Railroad Festival & Hobo Days in Rosenberg, Texas. Unfortunately I didn't have time to discuss the character this lady was portraying but in my mind she is a depression era Salvation Army worker.

Title: "Salvation Army Lady"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom

#539. Hobo

Taken Saturday at the Second Annual Rosenberg Railroad Festival & Hobo Days in Rosenberg, Texas.

Title: "Hobo"


Camera / Lens: Canon 5D Mark II / Canon 24-105mm L zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw / Photoshop CS4 > Topaz Adjust plugin

Balloon Glow Prep

Here is another shot from the Ballunar Liftoff Festival at NASA Johnson Space Center this past Saturday. This shot was taken as the balloons were being readied for the "balloon glow" a little later in the evening.

Title: "Balloon Glow Prep"


Shot data: 1/50s f/2.8 at 42.0mm iso1250
Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS3 > Topaz Adjust plugin

Balloon Glow

After we got home from Renaissance Festival on Saturday I had just enough energy left to go to the Ballunar Liftoff Festival at NASA Johnson Space Center for a little while. One of the most popular events at the Ballunar Liftoff Festival is the "Balloon Glow" where all the ballooners fire their heaters at the same time (theoretically) so you can see all the balloons glowing from the flames at once.

Title: "Balloon Glow"


Shot data: 1/40s f/5.6 at 17.0mm iso640
Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Adobe Camera Raw > Photoshop CS3 > Topaz Adjust

San Jacinto Day Eagle

I took this shot at the San Jacinto Day Festival two weekends ago. This was as close as I ever remember being to a bald eagle and I was duly impressed! It is easy to see how these birds earned such a regal reputation.

Title: "San Jacinto Day Eagle"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
1/200s f/8.0 at 400.0mm iso100

Serious Soldier

Another Texican soldier from this past weekends San Jacinto Day Festival. I don't know the historical rankings marked on the uniforms but to me this gentleman carried himself like the general. He struck me as very "real" in the portrayal of his character.

Title: "Serious Soldier"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom

Smoke Break

A Texican soldier takes a moment to enjoy a cigar at the San Jacinto Day Festival this past weekend.

Title: "Smoke Break"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photoshop CS3 > Topaz Adjust plugin for sharpening and contrast adjustments > Nik Viveza plugin for local brightness adjustments

Gunslinger

While the vast majority of people attending this past weekend's San Jacinto Day Festival were there to have a good time, I had the uncanny feeling that some folks were looking for trouble! :-)

Title: "Gunslinger"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photoshop CS3 > Duplicate Background Layer > Topaz Adjust plugin "Detailed" preset at 69% opacity > Levels Adjustmet Layer to set black and grey points > Merge Visible to new Layer > Red Paw Media "Bleach Bypass" to add a little grunge to the image with a layer mask to tone down the effect around the gun in order to keep contrast high between the gun and background > Merge Visible to New Layer in Screen blending mode at 20% to increase overall brightness

Chuckwagon Cowboy

This is another shot from Saturday's San Jacinto Day festival. "KR Wood aka Camp Cookie" offers "Authentic Chuckwagon Catering & Cowboy Entertainment" according to his business card. "Camp Cookie" also, I think, never met a camera he didn't like! :-)

Title: "Chuckwagon Cowboy"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom
Post-processing: Photoshop CS3 > Duplicate Background layer > Topaz Adjust "Neutralizer" preset to improve overall exposure > Curves Adjustment Layer to improve overall contrast > Merge Visible to New Layer > Distort Lens Correction Vignette

Medicine Man

My brother Larry and I attended the San Jacinto Day festivities at San Jacinto State Park today. There were some small reenactments of skirmishes that took place at the Battle of San Jacinto when Texas won her independence from Mexico (the main reenactment was cancelled due to terrific rains last night that left everything soaked). Fortunately many of the reenactors showed up anyway and there were lots of photo ops (and lots of photographers)! This gentlemen was very eager to model for us in front of his medicine show wagon!

Title: "Medicine Man"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 100-400mm L zoom

Post-processing: Photoshop CS3 > Topaz Adjust plugin "Detailed" preset to add detail and sharpening > Exposure Adjustment Layer to brighten up the image with a mask to keep from brightening the background > Merge Visible to New Layer > Vitural Photographer "Brownie" preset at 29% Opacity > Curves Adjustment Layer to increase overall contrast at 25% Opacity > Merge Visible to New Layer > Cloning to remove high contrast distractors > Merge Visible to New Layer > Distort Lens Correction Vignette > Black and White Adjustment Layer at 71% Opacity to achieve final tonality