On January 7, 2012 our friends Lauren Duffin and Ange Amani had their wedding.  I had the privilege of taking pictures for them several times throughout their engagement and also at the ceremony.  These are a couple of my favorite shots!

There are more images from the wedding and engagement here:

Duffin – Amani Wedding Galleries

Congrats Lauren and Ange!  You guys are awesome!  Here’s to a lifetime of happiness!

On August 15, 2011 a wildfire erupted in Leander, Texas.  Within the first few minutes six mobile homes were destroyed.  Over the next 12 hours an additional 9 homes would be destroyed and several more damaged.  The fire only burned about 30 acres, but it was surrounded by residential areas with literally hundreds of homes at risk.  Leander evacuated 189 families during the evening as a precautionary measure.  A large mutual aid response was called in from agencies all over the Central Texas region.  The fire was 100% contained at 3am, according to Leander Fire Chief Bill Gardner.  Luckily there was no loss of life and only a handful of minor injuries.

TOP:  The top image is of Travis County STAR Flight 2 (N373TC) making an approach to the fire with their fire suppression bucket full of water.  Both STAR Flight 2 and STAR Flight 3 made the scene to assist with fire suppression for approximately 4 hours before being released by the Incident Commander.

BOTTOM:  The bottom image is of Leander Fire Rescue Captain Rob Curr, as he provides direction to the personnel on Squad 2.  They primarily worked the western side of the fire while I was on the scene.

The interoperability and cooperation demonstrated during this response was remarkable.

See more images here:
Leander Wildfire Photo Gallery

Wildfire Response • Leander, Texas
Leander Fire Rescue
August 15, 2011

The Austin Disaster Relief Network is providing assistance to the families who suffered loss in this horrible fire. If you would like to donate, please visit their website:

Shot from a bridge in San Antonio that overlooks one of the intersections on the River Walk.  This image was edited with Topaz Filters…  I’m just playing with the settings, trying to learn more about how to use these filters in Photoshop.  My eventual goal is to start playing with HDR images…  Maybe sometime after the 1st of the year…

The River Walk • San Antonio, Texas

The Zilker Botanical Gardens were created in the mid 1950′s by a group of non-profit gardening organizations.  The Austin City Council approved the use of City land to build a garden center to promote education and love of gardening.  The location is also a favorite for local photographers, although there are fees required for commercial photography on the grounds.

Zilker Botanical Gardens • Austin, Texas
www.zilkergarden.org

Another shot from the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C..  This one was taken at a low level over the pool in the Memorial Plaza, looking toward the Atlantic Pavilion.

The memorial was authorized by President Clinton in 1993 to honor the 16 million US Armed Forces veterans who served, the 400,000 who died, and all those who supported the war effort from home.  Construction began in 2001 with the memorial opening in 2003.

More information can be found here:  National WWII Memorial

National World War II Memorial • Washington, D.C.

On this Thanksgiving Day I’ve got so much to be thankful for.  I’m especially thankful for all of the veterans who have served and those who are serving now to protect us and our way of life.  This is a shot of the World War II Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C.  Both of my grandfathers served during WWII.

The inscription reads:

THE HEROISM OF OUR OWN TROOPS…WAS MATCHED BY THAT
OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE NATIONS THAT FOUGHT BY OUR
SIDE…THEY ABSORBED THE BLOWS…AND THEY SHARED TO THE
FULL IN THE ULTIMATE  DESTRUCTION OF THE ENEMY.

-President Harry S Truman-

There are so many troops overseas right now that aren’t able to be home with their families.  Thank you all for your service.  Happy Thanksgiving!

World War II Memorial • Washington, D.C.

Braids • Plantersville, Texas
Texas Renaissance Festival 2009
Photo by Aimee

A cross made out of bottle tops at the Cathedral of Junk in Austin, Texas.  The Cathedral is the artwork of homeowner Vince Hanneman in his South Austin backyard.  It’s continued existance was in question after neighbors complained to the City’s code enforcement division about the structure.  After a public outcry the City Council granted a reprieve, saving it for the time being.

The Cathedral of Junk is located at:
4422 Lareina Drive
Austin, Texas

Cathedral of Junk  • Austin, Texas

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A craftsman at the Texas Renaissance Festival making a chair leg on a wood lathe.

Renaissance Craftsman • Texas Renaissance Festival
Plantersville, Texas

The French Knight from the Jousting Competition at the Texas Renaissance Festival in Plantersville, Texas.

Renaissance Knight • Texas Renaissance Festival
Plantersville, Texas