The Human Tree

  As a photojournalist you meet a lot of people from all walks of life. Some good, some not so good and a lot somewhere in the middle. It can make a person kind of cynical about the human race and how little regard we have for the plight of those less fortunate than ourselves. 

  Then you get the chance to meet someone like Gary Randle, who founded and is the Executive Director of H.O.P.E. Farm, Inc. in Fort Worth. An organization that tries to fill the void in inner city  youths who are missing a male roll model in their lives. 

  He has dedicated his life to making what most people would refer to as a low income community better with devotion of his time and energy to give boys their father figures back. He and his staff inspire, encourage and even discipline their "sons" to become better men in their community. He has become the six foot eight inch oak in the south side neighborhood that brings stability into families lives. 

  Makes me want to strive a little harder to do some good for the people in my community. Guess I can start just by saying thanks to everyone that cares at least a little. May "This" tree of a man inspire us all to do some good around us and make the world a little brighter and a lot more meaningful. 

Future Star

  I got an early call on Friday. The reporter that I was to meet for a photo shoot with an NFL draft prospect was stuck in Shreveport after his plane was rerouted on the flight to Dallas/Fort Worth. Seems the thunderstorms were too much for the plane as well as the roads around here. 

  This meant that I was on my own to try and get the images for USA Today.  A little minor shuffling of schedules and a lot of non-rain dances and I arrive at Carter High School in Dallas to meet with Allen Wilson, the schools football coach. Spent an hour talking football strategies with a couple of the most genuine coaches you could meet as we waited for our subject to show up. 

   We knew he was

there when all the kids in the hall started swooning. Amazing, and to think 2 years earlier he was one of the young faces in the hall. 

  Michael Crabtree enters the room, quiet and unassuming. With media and sports stars you never know what you are going to get, but he was really charming and still has the utmost praise for his former coaches, both high school and peewee. 

  Always delights you when players exceed their hype. Just makes me excited for what he can accomplish and wish him the best. 

Catching My Breath

  Thought I would keep it simple today with just a single image.

   I have a few patches of these wild onions sprouting up randomly in the yard that make these wonderful little blooms. They are coming out of what looks like an alien egg pod or something just as unusual. The flowers themselves are really interesting, with really delicate little petals, but before they open they look like a tiny tulip at the top of a thin stalk. 

  Astounding at the nuances I find in the simplest places if I just look close enough. One more example of the inter-connectivity you find in mother nature. 

Blooms Galore

   I think this blooming project may be getting out of hand, today I noticed that virtually every plant in my yard has some sort of colorful flower on it. There are yellow ones on the clovers, delicate white ones on the wild onions, dandelions even get a complex little yellow bloom before turning into the notorious seed heads that every gardener fears.

   Im trying not to be discriminatory in my selection, as I analyze plants the miniscule details start to show themselves. Tiny cellulose structures, the shape of the leaves, the veins on all the surfaces, every part of it is fascinating. 

  

My Backyard

  As I looked around my yard yesterday, I was impressed with the variety of colors and shapes of blooms that abounded there. For years I thought that it seemed like such a waste that they come and go so quickly and very few people really see the details and shapes of the gorgeous formations. 

  So in a flight of creative energy, I set about shooting images of all the flowers I could find in my yard. Needless to say I had no idea what I was getting into. Every time I walk out the door to go pick the next specimen I find some other plant that has sprung for spring.

  Im not limiting it to just the plants that I had anything to do with, some are the weeds, some native wildflowers that are just popping up and of course the dandelions too. Attached are a few of the examples, shall see how this all goes. Always thought about doing this but now I have actually started the project of photographing "The blooms in My Backyard". 

Spring Has Sprung

  A blustery wind is blowing outside, but the sun is shining. All around are new colors and everything seems to be growing like there is no tomorrow. The closer I look the more things I see that are alive and moving. Even those little things you probably don't want to see a lot of, like the bugs eating all those pretty blooms. 

   Of course that just means that you have to take the good with the bad no matter what it  is. Wind with the warm sun, bugs with the blooms, allergies with all the pretty flowers and on and on it goes. When you really think about it though, none of it is that bad so you really get nothing but good stuff. You just have to take into consideration your perspective. Here is to a really colorful scene around everyone.