July 22, 2004
Sylvester the Cat
This deserves a few minutes. This cat has more personality than most dogs or much less people I have meet. Very friendly, playful, yet territorial, and claws and fangs that make you want to duck for cover. I have no idea what type of cat this is, but if my dad likes this cat, then you probably will too. Came from nowhere and decided to take up residence at my Dad's place in San Antonio. A trip home won't be the same if I didn't see the cat guarding the drive way.
The Amazing Crawling Hercules Beetle
Don't have much time to explain, as I am packing for a trip to Los Angeles tommorrow. (Going to Malibu Saturday, expect some pictures once I get back, I heard its really nice there). Anyhow this particular photo is of a Hercules Beetle (Dynastes tityus ) its also known as the Eastern Hercules Beetle, or Elephant Beetle. People commonly called it an elephant beetle where I am from in Texas, but whatever you want to call it, call it big and extremely strong. I found this particular one, outside on my porch right after a rain the previous day. For more information on this huge bug check out the hercules beetle page from Texas A&M field guide. If you afraid of bugs, then caution these are close up shots!
July 05, 2004
A Real Firework Display - Zilker Park Austin, Texas 2004
This is shot takes the cake, its at the least what I wanted to picture to get the feeling of being there.
Firework Display - 4th of July 2004
This shot came out quite nice, I love the colors and the way the as the firework exploded it got mixed with a little selected movement with a longer shutter speed. Would make a nice background.
4th of July Fireworks Zilker Park
Fourth of July wouldn't be a celebration of our great country without the fireworks to go with it. I have always loved watching fireworks, and have many memories over the years of going to buy, light, and watch all the cheap and colorful fireworks you can buy here. As well as a few burns and sore fingers from many upstart blackcats and fireworks that just couldn't wait to explode. There is something and unexpected about a firework in general, the expectation and curiousity of what that particular firework will look like is part of fun. These particular fireworks this year brought together an estimated 100,000 people to Zilker Park in Austin, Texas for the display that lasted maybe 15-30 minutes. They are without a doubt crowd drawing instruments for which as Americans we assert our freedom and patriotic feelings.
About the firework photography, I have never really taken any good pictures of fireworks even though I have had good oppourtunity over the years. There never seemed to be a camera around when the fireworks were going off, or I was never close enough to get a good shot. So this 4th I decided to take the camera along and hope for the best. Night time photography is not my strongest area. So to my good surprise I got some great shots, using just my camera and standing really still to make sure the shots came out without to much distortion. The interesting aspect of the shots is how the fireworks look through the camera, you get much more detail and a succession of the explosion as it happens. Hope everyone enjoys!
July 01, 2004
Standing Tall
This is my favorite collection of the series of shots on this particular plant. I had these all framed and hung up, and they make a very interesting and beautiful detailed look of this plant.
Milk Thistle in Full Bloom
This is part of a series of shots I took of milk thistle recently. The results were amazing. We have received a large amount of rain here in Texas this past few weeks, and most plants that wouldn't last several weeks are in full bloom as if it were still spring. Milk Thistle in general is very common all over Texas, on road sides to ranches to right out your front door. However I don't often see the plant with such bright and colorful flowers as I did this one. Folks, its get 100 degrees easy here in the summer, enough to test any plant.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is a quite benefical plant not only for its beautiful and delicate flowers, but also as a medicinal herb that can be used to threat liver damage, detoxification of the liver, cleansing properties, and advised for anyone that regularly is exposed to a large amount of toxic chemicals. Milk thistle benefits can be used for damage caused by alcohol in particular, smoking, and a wide variety of environmental stimulants. Something I learned recently about this plant is that the black seeds or fruits are the part of the plant that is used medicinally in most supplements.
Red Poppy Flower
Really like this particular shot, the poppy dances out of the picture as if you where holding it in one hand and observing it with the other as if you were just about to pick it.
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