Rookie Debut

   Always loved the sound of screaming race engines, the smell of high octane fuel blowing from hot exhaust pipes, but the site of a guy loaded with testosterone yanking a 200 pound, 200 mph beast around underneath him while he drags body parts all over an asphalt track makes dreams float thru my head. Dreams of flying myself, until the creak in the bones and joints keeps me from tying my shoes as I get up and I realize fast motorcycles are a young mans game.

  So the youngest of them all, Marc Marquez wins his first top tier race on a brand new track. Ripping apart the gorgeous Circuit Of The Americas in Austin, Texas at the tender age of 20 to be the youngest rider to accomplish the feat. Ousting the "fast" Freddie Spencer from the youngest spot by a couple of months. A toast to the kid for one heck of an accomplishment, or at least I'll drink to him since he can't have one himself just quite yet. 

Turn one comes at the top of the biggest rise of any track

The former king Valentino Rossi struggled on this day

The new bull has arrived

Rookie Marc Marquez 

Dani Pedrosa and Marc Marquez celebrate

The view from the top of Red Bull Tower

MotoGP in Texas

   In the rolling hills east of Austin, Texas they were riding some very different horses. This weekend at the Circuit Of The Americas the rides are made of aluminum and carbon fibre, sport more horse power than any real cowboy would ever need and top end at over 200 mph. The Moto GP circus comes to town and showed the state what riders can do on two wheels. Fast, colorful and oh so european all at a cream of the crop facility in the heart of Texas.

Red Bull Tower view

Marc Marquez scuffs his leathers and still gets the pole

Valentino Rossi the "Doctor" running hot

Angels defeat the Rangers

  The grass is freshly cut to that height that just tickles the toes on a day without shoes. It is warm enough that you get the comforting glow from the suns penetrating rays. After a long winter under sweaters and coats it feels glorious on the skin. Soothing, relaxing, mellow. This needs a cool brew to keep the heat from building.
   In the distance there is a crack like a metronome on slow motion. You can just make out a netting between the hurler with his fluid whip on the mound and a quick snap of the batter on the ball that flies in your direction. Even in batting practice the swing makes you take notice. Quick, solid and unwavering. Later in the day as the actual game wears on that snap from the shoulders makes everyone shudder. That is why manager Ron Washington will decide to throw around him at two of his at bats. The two sets of pitches he does face, he knocked over the fence with deadly accuracy ruining the day for loads of Ranger fans.
  His name is Albert Pujols and he still makes pitchers shudder. Grins like a kid when he makes contact.   As you watch the ball arch it seems to defy gravity. Even the die hard fans of the opposing team marvel at the strength and consistency.
   It is spring and with that comes baseball and big kids like Albert playing a game just for fun. Just too bad for Ranger's fans on this day Albert gets to grin the most.

Albert Pujols celebrates his second home run for the day.

Albert Pujols hits a a two run blast in the first inning. 

Pierzynski tags out Howard Kendrick. 

Angels Peter Bourjas can not grab David Murphy hit.

Eternal Fascination of Waves

I long to feel the caress of the water, the flow of the molecules around my skin. The energy of a far off power as the waves break on the shore where I am. The dream is of a huge, nebulous wall but the reality is that the tiniest ripple brings me back to a giddy child hood.

As I have gotten older I have found the patience to sit for hours watching the subtle changes roll by. The difference of the curl from one to another. The effects of the size on the breaking shape. Some breaking in a defiant collapse as the base can no longer hold the weight of the peak as it surges. Others creating a bubble filled pile as it pushes ever shoreward.

 Amazingly, all the endless variations can be delineated by a mathematical formula far beyond the grasp of my simple mind. The force vectors and bottom shape all combining into a final blow. Dissipating all the energy that has traveled so far in thunderous crash or a unimpressive gurgle.

Never diminishing the beauty of the lines and curves because it can all be defined in a sequence of numbers. The art is the simplicity that it creates. The colors reflected by the surface and ripples. Constantly changing but forever the same. A push from afar that perpetually transfers energy directly to me that I feel the need to harness.


The simple beauty of a wave never ceases to amaze me and can keep my attention for days on end. Endless upon any shore, the only constant is that they are never the same.

Moon Rising

As a big moon rises, it tells us all we need to get home. It might be the impending dark and the boogie monster that is cloaked by the lack of light, hiding in the shadows. So we all run for cover, even the cormorants that spend their nights roosting in trees along the banks of the Trinity River. 

When the moon is full it keeps the dark from being scary, but the spooky light makes up for the change.

Just look out for what comes thru the trees.

Chameleon

Lizard in brown

same lizard in green

Forgot your lucky green shirt for Saint Patty's Day. Maybe you feel a little under dressed at that business social that mentions casual on the invitation and every one shows up in a suit or formal dresses. Enough to make you want to crawl in a corner, but have no fear. With your new lizard skin  you could swap clothes as fast as the green anole  lizard, you just have to think about it and you're in a new coat. As the surrounding changes colors, so does the color of the skin. Shades ranging from dark brown to a vivid green all as you watch, and of course he watches you hoping that you're not just gonna pluck him up and eat him for a late afternoon snack.

Thrill Pilot

Doc Lambert and his Corvette "Ann"

              Flying low over the trees along the Mekong Delta in an O-2 Cessna certainly trained the young lieutenant's rear end to feel every rise and fall of the machine around him. Flying observation missions and spotting for bombing aircraft, the small twin engined craft taught him nuances and the technical aspects of flying. It also left him with a love for the sensation of speed.

  After surviving his tour in Vietnam, "Doc" Lambert did what every respectable military pilot did. He bought himself a Corvette. His favorite had been the 1962 model, but he found the cockpit was a little small for his size. He owned a succession of newer model cars till he saw the Classic Reflection Coachworks design of a 1962 Corvette. He eventually found himself a 2003 Anniversary C-5 model with a tan interior and had his own vintage 'Vette built instead. The company uses the supplied car and replaces the body work, creating an old look on a newer chassis.
   There are some noticeable differences to the enthusiast from an original car. Monstrous tires, big disc brakes and a racked windscreen are the most obvious, but the overall feel is the same and the rumble from the tailpipes brings back boyhood memories racing down country lanes with wind in the hair and bugs in the teeth.
   Those sensations are what Doc is looking for more than the authentic serial numbers and original carpet liners of a classic car. Now he keeps the sensors in his rear sharp by sliding around SOLO courses and gymkhanas and driving his pride and joy.

 

Classic Car

The road winds with lazy esses into the slough. Across a rickety old bridge and up the other bank is the big, wide world. Before the introduction of the Model A, that brain child of industrial pioneer Henry Ford it was a long way off. You had to strap on a sturdy pair of shoes for a long walk or get some callouses on the hands from all the hay and manure shoveling to keep the four legged propulsion moving. The novelty of the car for everyman was the shrinking of the world around us. It gave access to what was on the other side, across a continent with a modicum of effort. Turn the key and explore the world. With the implementation of Ford's ideas for mass production assembly lines his startup was able to manufacture more than 4.3 million of the vehicles in a short 4 years. Spreading mobility among the masses of a newly curious country. The example that Meg Hildenberger drives transports her back to those years before the great depression when the eyes of an entire country were opened to the possibilities up the other side.

The Crash

The world blurs by in streaks of color. Breeze is refreshing and helps to cool me off. Thigh muscles pumping hard have the lungs pulling big gulps of air. A big swash of blue sky. Bold strokes of autumn everywhere. The car ahead forms a block of sparkling gold. The light overhead a splash of green to go with it. Instantly it turns dirty, dark and a shade of ugly red as an object slices into the frame. An ear piercing scream, shocking the volume that woman can muster. Then it goes quiet. That really scary quiet of the inside of the mind. No sound at all, no cars honking, no phones ringing, no crickets chirping, just silence. I know I am not deaf. There were noises before, but now it is just dead. Then I feel it, but not the pain that I would expect with a crash. I feel the whip. The crash test dummy kind of flailing. Arms and legs snapping with a crack. The body stops in mid-air but the mind doesn’t. I was flying along, wind in the face, wheels spinning fast. Now I am hanging in the air, in limbo somewhere above the ground. Wrapped around an dirty red metal frame with bright little glass crystals exploding everywhere. Unsure which way I am going. My body bent around the middle. Arms are stretched by the momentum. Reaching for nothing. I thought my hands were on the bars? My senses shift as I drift backwards incredibly slowly. A slow motion floating movement, void of any control. Where am I going? What happened to all the laws of physics; gravity, inertia, laws of attraction? Is this my spirit floating away? The impact hits me hard. Really hard. Air explodes from deep in my chest. The rest of my body follows to the ground. Arms slap, legs crash with a smack and ultimately I feel a thud as my helmet hits the ground. The strings are still attached, the parts are all still there but I have lost control of my marionette. Where is the handle? I have to get it together, get that handle back in my hand. The sound comes rushing back in a booming blast. Noises are everywhere and come from every direction; engines, people, sirens, screams. I hear a scream of anguish. I recognize that tenor, same pitch as before the silence. Still excruciatingly loud next to me but now it includes the tinge of fear. Then I hear the voice of concern. Soothing, caring, struggling to stay calm. “Are you okay? Can you move?” The voice is distant and slow, the words sticky. I can get this under control if I can just grab a handful of those strings. The world around me rushes back to normal speed. Nothing has changed but everything is different. I struggle to lift a leg, move an arm, fight to expand my chest. Just get it heaving, the stagnant air suffocates like a blanket. My marionette is out of control. Tangled strings in an unused pile on the asphalt around me. I need help, some serious help.

Sour demeanor

I have been a bit under the weather lately so I completely understand this look from Ron Washington during a loss in the summer of 2012.

TCU over Virginia

Texas Christian University Horned Frogs continued their winning ways at home in the remodeled Amon G. Carter stadium with a 27 to 7 win over the University of Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon. Great weather and a good crowd on a really warm fall afternoon.

Last Beach Visit

Kimo and Yoda visit the beach again.

Last day on the beach in Ventura, California. The dogs and I walked down to the beach to watch the sunrise. On this vacation the beaches around Ventura seem to be the favorites. Big sandy areas with a really fine texture and very little debris like rocks. Makes it really great for sprinting and digging and just doing crazy fast circles. It seems to be the most dog friendly area in Southern California as well.

Relaxing on Vacation

Kimo and Yoda relaxing in Ventura.

When you go on vacation the key is to relax. For most of us that can take a little time to master. For our dogs Kimo and Yoda it seems to come naturally. After a breakfast in downtown Ventura, California we walked across the street to Ventura High School. Picture shows what the dogs thought we should do for the rest of the day.

A Tribute to my Teacher

  For the fall fashion spread in 360 West magazine we were trying to come up with a  concept and location to shoot at. Hot weather, warm fall clothes, modern styles made for all kinds of bad combinations. During a meeting I mentioned a post modern house that I had passed numerous times on bike rides. It had a Frank Lloyd Wright feel, tucked in the woods away from a quiet street. Empty, it had recently been listed with a real estate firm so it was at least possible.
  After some more discussion it was decided that it would be perfect. Propped with some modern furniture in a sparse way it would give a gorgeous background to make the cloths stand out. It really had some potential to look different.
  Some last minute scheduling problems meant I had no idea about the model or her look. She shows up with a really short haircut, gorgeous alabaster skin and really dark accents. Really dramatic stuff that lent itself perfectly to the environment we had chosen.
  As we got busy, the pics were looking great. The classic Alfa Romeo under the carport looked perfect. All along we were amazed at how different the environment felt, especially in the middle of a city in Texas. It could have been the hills of northern California or suburbs of Illinois, woods of Vermont even but not here. Asking about the history of the house, a neighbor mentions that she took art classes from the former owner in her studio. A gorgeous added section with a wall of windows looking on the trees all around.
  When she mentioned her name a chill rose up my spin. Helen Sylvestri, the first art teacher my brother and I ever had. She was a fixture in the art community. With an eye for seeing artistic talent in the very young and the ability to draw it out and help it flourish. She became a mentor to us both.
  Though my brother passed long ago, and I stopped using a brush and pencil for a much more mechanical device. The vision and senseof compositoon that she taught still comes out in my work everyday. As I looked at the images during editing, the similarities between our model and a younger Helen was uncanny. It was just a reincarnation of her style and glamour.
   I had known that she had passed a few years ago, but seeing those images brought memories of her rushing back. The last time I saw her we had passed at a local store and spoke for a brief moment. I failed to tell her that I really appreciated all that she did for me. Mrs. Sylvestri, thank you for all you instilled in every one us even if we failed to tell you while you were here. You were one of those teachers that really made a difference.

Public Market

 Sometimes I feel like I must be a true stalwart trying to hold up progress of the whole world. Whenever I see an old building with a little style or a different character than the modern strip mall faux facades I wonder why progress is defined by the razing of all that history just to be replaced by some more sameness.

Public Market building

  Lucky for the city of Ft. Worth, Texas there is someone with a similar view of architectural history. Bob Simpson started by founding XTO, a gas company but as of late has taken to restoring old things. Everything from the Sanger building to as of late the Star-Telegram and even the Texas Rangers baseball team. HIs latest acquisition is the Public Market building on Henderson, kind of the predecessor to the strip mall from 1930 with a whole lot more  character. Good on you Mr. Simpson.

Nice reject

Rejected 360 West Cover option

Just an example that a whole lot of pictures that I shoot never get to be seen except by those folks behind the scenes. This image is a reject for the upcoming 360 West magazine cover. Some times you realize as long as someone likes it, that is all that matters.

Fort Worth Skyline

City of Ft. Worth, Texas skyline.

Needed a shot of the Ft. Worth skyline for a composite image, shot this from the Trinity River Levee north of town. Slightly different vantage point than most people see this town.

Big Bang Night

Cheap date night 

A sky of fireflies

A universe of light

What goes better with a Fourth of July than a beer and some fireworks? It is really hard to send the beer out over the internet so everyone will have to supply their own. Here are some fireworks to go along with that chilled beverage, provided by the City of Ft. Worth along the banks of the Trinity River.

Wind drift

Cowtown Wakepark

Trey Fambrough lays out.

Chase White grabs a railie.

Trey Fambrough makes a handle pass.

That is an oooops.

Clay Stewart in a switch back lip slide.

Brad Smeele, roll to blind.

The assignment yesterday was to stay cool,  not really but it ended up that way. Shooting the local wakeboard cable park which was cool in a way but with 105 degree temperatures did't feel so cool till I got in the water for some low level shots. It was like hanging by the pool with some of your best crazy friends. The ones that will jump off the high board, blindfolded and hands tied behind their backs kind of friends. The stuff those guys do can turn heads, knees, shoulders and just about any body part that is not supposed to turn.

Global Rally Cross

Marcus Gronholm throwing some grass.

The "man" Rhys Millen.

Ken Block looking for a new stunt location?

Brian Deegan with a growling grill.

Brian Deegan with another growling grill.

I have watched race cars and drivers go round and round on tracks for years, but yesterday I saw cars and drivers that can actually fly. Don't get me wrong, they still go round and round. But these guys  turn both ways and they start and stop, and they have a jump that they fly over as well. Watching Ken Block, Rhys Millen and Metal Mullisha star Brian Deegan romp around and slide four wheel drive econo-boxes brings back memories of stomping on the gas as a teenager and spinning tires in my very first car.