Photo shoot with model

Tonight I had my first real photo shoot with a real, live model. At least, a model I wasn't immediately related to. Laura, a classmate in 2D Design agreed to help me out with a few of my "New Braunfels After Dark" shots, since I've found they work better with people in them than without. This was for my black & white film photography class, but midway through our pell-mell dash from one site to another, I pulled out my digital camera to take some test shots to find the best angle and framing for a picture on San Antonio Street in downtown New Braunfels. I wasn't expecting any of these to turn out well, but I was pleasantly surprise with this:



Yes, it's a little soft, but it's not at all bad considering I shot using only available light. Laura's easy-going and the camera likes her, so I hope we're able to get together and do something else in the future.

Now Playing:

Photo excursion

The semester is more than half over with now, believe it or not, and in my two photography classes we're hard at work on our final projects. Well, I am, at least. For photojournalism, we had to come up with a photo story we could work over an extended period of time, ultimately turning in a package of 6-8 shots. I chose to do the forensic research center at Texas State, since I'd worked with the director, Jerry Melbye, in the course of my regular work at the university and he agreed to let me shoot. The only restrictions he had for me was 1) that I not photograph any decomposing human bodies at the facility and B) they get copies of everything I shoot. Fine by me.

So I took almost 200 shots at the forensic research compound's ribbon-cutting back in October. I got some decent shots, but nothing spectacular--a decomposed pig carcass and a TV reporter doing intros from a shallow grave were about as exciting as it got. I needed more, so I asked if there were any upcoming photo opportunities for me.

Little did I know.

Friday I got up at dark-thirty and drove up to DPS headquarters in Austin. The forensics program was taking a dozen grad students to a cold case site in Falls County, and the Texas Rangers gave the okay for me to tag along. I tell you folks, I did not expect anything like this when I first made my proposal. It was an enlightening experience that included Texas Rangers armed with chainsaws, the DPS Dive Recovery Team, the Falls County Sheriff's Office, a bulldozer and a bunch of attractive, ambitious and focused coed grad students. I am in awe of the dedication and knowledge these students possess. This isn't the glamorized CSI or Bones version of forensic science, it's the real deal. And yes, they recovered human remains, hopefully contributing valuable evidence which may someday solve this crime.

And yes, Texas Rangers (the law enforcement kind--not the crappy baseball team) are every bit as awesome as legend has it. Doubly so when wielding chainsaws.

And I got pictures of it all. Some of them are even good. I'll post some eventually, but probably not until my final project is completed.

Amazing.

Now Playing:

Fast Ships, Black Sails -- The Video!

You know you've been waiting for this.



Available now wherever fine books are sold. Or keelhauled. Whichever comes first.

Now Playing:

Friday Night Videos

Tonight we have Cameo's video for "Word Up." Say what you like, but I find it a fun, funky song. As a bonus treat for the geeks in the audience, check out a pre-Star Trek Levar Burton in the role of the police inspector.



Previously on Friday Night Videos... John Fogerty.

Now Playing:

Stay Classy Texas: Election Edition

Just as you thought it was safe to come out on election day without having to carry an umbrella to avoid streams of bilious spew coming from some wingnut or other, up steps Texas State Board of Education member Cynthia Dunbar to fill the void with her insightful and well-reasoned thoughts on Barak Obama:

AUSTIN — State Board of Education member Cynthia Dunbar isn't backing down from her claim that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is plotting with terrorists to attack the U.S.

The Texas Freedom Network, a watchdog group that monitors the board, released a public statement on Monday asking Dunbar to retract the statement.

"I don't have anything in there that would be retractable," said Dunbar, R-Richmond. "Those are my personal opinions and I don't think the language is questionable."

For those of you slow on the uptake, my previous reference to "insightful and well-reasoned thoughts" was sarcasm seasoned with a heavy dose of cynicism. Dunbar, you might know, is a member of Governor Rick Perry's posse. As a member of the powerful State Board of Education, she wants to teach Texas school children that the dinosaurs all drowned when they couldn't fit on Noah's Ark. With folks like her filling this state's high offices, how can Texas not blaze a glorious trail into the 19th century?

I suppose it's too much to hope that Dunbar and Michele Bachmann eventually end up as unemployed drinking buddies, huh?

Now Playing: Ray Charles Ultimate Hits Collection

Two more

I found a cache of images on my memory card that didn't download the other night. Most are junk, but there were a couple that jumped out as decent.





That helmet in the last image has seen some hard action...

Now Playing: Shakira Laundry Service

Sports photog

I went to the Texas State vs. Northwestern State football game today and took pictures. Like, for real. On the sideline. I had a photo pass and everything.

Although my background is in journalism and I've covered hundreds of football games from high school through college and NFL, this was the first time I've ever tried to shoot one, photographically speaking. It was just for myself, for practice. Remember that newfound photography obsession of mine? There you have it. I knew it'd be tough, but geeze Louise! I took several hundred shots and promptly threw away half. Of the remainder, these five are the only ones that come close to being decent enough to share.

1.


2.


3.


4.


5.


No. 5 is my favorite, although I screwed up and framed it about two feet too far to the right. Obviously.

My screw-ups are many, but it was a learning experience. I was shooting with my old EF 75-300mm. No image stabilization on 18-year-old lenses. It's old and slow. I also bungled my camera settings, cleverly shooting shutter priority all day set at 500 to stop the action. Well, that worked fine, except that much of the time the camera set the aperture between 8 and 11, so I got almost no background blur. Next time I'll have to go manual I suppose. Still, it wasn't a complete waste for my first time out. If I'd been working for a paper, I'd be able to turn these in without shame (we were forced to run far worse some Friday nights with deadline looming. Ah, I remember it well).

Now Playing: