1 Adventure

Texas Mockingbird On Fence

Wildlife photography can be very rewarding when you get the shot you were after. I have spent a lot of time before perched in a tree, hiding in a car, or behind a bush waiting to get the perfect shot of whatever subject (animal, etc) I was after. Animal can do unexpected things and the pictures don't always work out. In this instance I took quite a few pictures to arrive at the final shot I like. A Texas Mockingbird perched on a rusted fence amid shoots of cactus all around it. It reminds me of how wild some of Texas still is and the creatures that inhabit it. A quick glance at some of the my photography will prove that.

The Mockingbird is actually the State Bird of Texas. Adopt in 1927, this famous mocker is very well known throughout Texas and surrounding states. Its also one of the most interesting to watch and hear, as it can be known to torment other birds and creatures and famously "mock" the calls of other birds. It's call is very pretty and well part of the noise on any Texas landscape. They are quite clever things too.

Wild Car Fire in Texas

Came across this burnt out car this weekend on the road. The conditions in Texas have been so dry that wild fires have been rampant around the state. Not sure what happened here, but the scene was very interesting, scorched, and dead. I liked how the paint of the car melted back to reveal a blue and the shadows reflected off of it showing some of its former glory. Not that a Ford Tempo is a glorious ride or anything. Did a little selective color on it to highlight the colors. The proportions are good and I think it came out appealing.

On The Steps Of St. Patricks Cathedral New York City

Went back to New York this year for another conference. Had a wonderful time and got a chance to test out a new digital camera I got. The Kodak V570 Dual Lens Digital Camera is what I choose and boy have I been ever so pleased with this camera. Probably the best little camera I have ever used. More on that later. I went to church at St. Patricks Cathedral while I was there and realized it was the same spot I took the picture below and conducted a little selective color experiment on it. The below image was shot 2 years ago and done with a 2MP camera on a Sony PDA. Not the best quality, but it worked out fine. I decided it would be a great opportunity to try out the new camera and compare the two pictures. I choose to post the one with more of the people in it then that one I did exactly like the below shot. It had more life to it I thought. The results are interesting, higher quality and a unique study in how the place has changed in just almost exactly 2 years. You can see a new building being installed in the top picture far off, and additional changes to the buildings. However there is a lot that has remained the same, as even the tree branches appear to be in the same order. Hope you enjoy. When ever someone asks me how New York was like I usually refer them to a picture like this.