Thrasher Family Portraits

A great portrait session with a big family at Veterans Park in Arlington!

 

Star-Telegram Shots 1/17

A new year, a new chapter in my career. I have started to shoot more than just sports for the Star-Telegram and am excited to continue my general assignment work in Fort Worth. I shot my usual basketball games then had the opportunity to meet a marathon runner preparing for this month's Olympic Trials in Houston. TCU had an important meeting for season ticket holders to inform them about the seating and seat selection process at their new stadium. I also covered the Girl Scouts' kickoff to their annual cookie sale where thousands of families could pick up their cookies then enjoy a day at the zoo. It's a good start and I am always looking forward to each new assignment. Enjoy.

Timber Creek guard Devonte McDonald dives for a loose ball as Timber Creek took on Aledo on Dec. 20, 2011, at Timber Creek High School. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Timber Creek guard Sterling Castlemain leaps towards the basket as Timber Creek took on Aledo on Dec. 20, 2011, at Timber Creek High School. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Timber Creek head coach Brad Mouser directs the Falcons as Timber Creek took on Aledo on Dec. 20, 2011, at Timber Creek High School. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Lady Wolves #32 Jaylan Hines attempts a layup as Duncanville takes on Timberview on Jan. 13, 2012, in Mansfield. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Lady Wolves #23 Terriell Bradley drives to the basket as Duncanville takes on Timberview on Jan. 13, 2012, in Mansfield. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Marathon runner Megan Skeels poses for a portrait Jan. 7, 2012, at River Crest Country Club in Fort Worth. Skeels has been running since she was 10 and qualified for the Olympic Trials after dedicating the last 18 months to training. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Marathon runner Megan Skeels runs Jan. 7, 2012, at River Crest Country Club in Fort Worth. Skeels has been running about 12 miles per day, six days a week in preperation for the Olympic Trials on Jan. 14 in Houston. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

 Hundreds of TCU fans are updated by Chris Del Conte, TCU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, on the new seating and ticket prices for the 2012 football season Jan. 10, 2012, at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in Fort Worth. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Fort Worth resident Bill Roland asks Chris Del Conte, TCU Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, if he will be able to buy tickets in the same area in the new stadium as his previous season tickets during a question and answer session about the 2012 football season seating plans Jan. 10, 2012, at Daniel-Meyer Coliseum in Fort Worth. Roland and his son have had TCU football season tickets for over 13 years. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

 Jarmond Moore, left, helps stack boxes of cookies on Arlington resident James Strauser's cart during the Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains' Cookies Now! event Jan. 7, 2012, at the Fort Worth Zoo. Cookies Now! is the official kickoff of the Girl Scouts' annual cookie sale. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

 Cases of Girl Scout cookies wait to be picked up during the Girls Scouts' Cookies Now! event Jan. 7, 2012, at the Fort Worth Zoo. This year's event was expected to draw over 3,000 Girl Scouts picking up around 36,000 cases, or 432,000 boxes, of cookies. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Volunteers help load a family's cart with cases of various cookies during the Girls Scouts' Cookies Now! event Jan. 7, 2012, at the Fort Worth Zoo. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley) 

Lucy Pryor, 7, left, and her sister Hannah, 9, try not to spill their cookies on the way back to their mom's car during the Girls Scouts' Cookies Now! event Jan. 7, 2012, at the Fort Worth Zoo. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley) 

Empty dollies are stacked as families wait to load cases of cookies into their cars during the Girls Scouts' Cookies Now! event Jan. 7, 2012, at the Fort Worth Zoo. (Special to the Star-Telegram/Andrew Buckley)

Christmas in the Big Apple

For Christmas I finally had the chance to get out of Texas and experience New York City for the holidays. It was a much needed departure from the scenery and pace of Texas during the Winter. The differences in almost everything were so overwhelming at first that I barely shot anything the first day I was there. It is still amazing to me how a simple change in scenery makes you think in a completely different way such as walking 20 or 30 blocks really isn't that bad. Me and Victoria only scratched the surface of what the city has to offer in our short time there and I definitely want to go back for more once the World Trade Center memorial is completed. Below is the almost 13 minute video of what we experienced over the week and a few of my favorite shots. There is so much to see that it just couldn't fit on one page so check out the rest of my images from the trip on my Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2242323&id=25316359

Manhattan from the sky during our helicopter tour of New York City. It was my first time in a helicopter and was surprised at how smooth it was compared to a small plane.

A drummer plays for tips in Central Park. There is so much to see just in the park that it would take weeks just to explore it all. Even then, performers and wildlife always offer a new experience.

Steam rising from a manhole cover in Manhattan. For some reason this image is an inherently New York scene to me. Maybe its because of movies and TV.

Times Square on our last night in New York. Our hotel was in Times Square so it and all of the taxis flying by were a daily experience for us.

This shot was taken at 11:30 p.m. on the last night of our trip. It was amazing to me how many people would be in Times Square all day and night regardless of the 26 degree temperature.

Victoria searches for a Starbucks on her phone as we walk through Wall Street.

The Statue of Liberty with New Jersey, left, and Manhattan in the background. It was interesting that security was more strict than at any airport I've ever been to. There were two "full body" checkpoints between Manhattan and the inside of the statue.

Central Park at sunset. This is one of the best parks I have ever been to because of its diverse landscape with grassy fields and rocky hills. Check out the rest of my images like the one above on my Facebook.

This display at the American Museum of Natural History was amazing. It seemed like it had every species of crustacean, reptile, plant, etc. known to man. Just looking at this image makes me want to go out and have a huge lobster dinner.

The view from our hotel window in Times Square. Taxis really define the landscape in Midtown Manhattan and they somehow coexist with hundreds of thousands of pedestrians walking in the street at their own risk.

Shorthorn Shots of the Week 11/27

This week was cut short because of Thanksgiving and sports dominated this week. Besides the portrait of "Mr. Arlington" himself, Allan Saxe, I got a lot of much needed sports action. Last weekend I covered the Southland Conference volleyball tournament in Huntsville. I continued my tournament multimedia packages with stills and video recaps of each game. Basketball season is also in full swing and it has definitely been interesting seeing how the new players are starting off the season. I was skeptical about how well we would do this season with such a young team but so far it's looking pretty good.

Political science professor Allan Saxe is lighting up Arlington with more than just his smile this holiday season with financial help to the North Arlington community of Interlochen for off-duty police officers to direct traffic for their neighborhood lights tradition. Saxe said that when he lived near Interlochen more than 20 years ago, he would decorate his home in conjunction with their Christmas light display where over 200 residents decorate their homes to show off to the public. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

Junior forward LaMarcus Reed shoots over defenders during the second half of the Mavericks’ 88-71 victory over Hardin-Simmons on Monday at Texas Hall. The Mavericks’ next game will be against St. Edward’s at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday at Texas Hall. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

Freshman guard Bryant Smith flies towards the basket for a layup during the Mavericks’ 88-71 win over Hardin-Simmons on Monday at Texas Hall. Smith has quickly become the Mavericks’ sixth man by being able to come off the bench and score by attacking the rim. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

Senior outside hitter Bianca Sauls spikes the ball between Sugar Bear blockers during the Mavericks’ 3-0 loss to Central Arkansas in the second round of the Southland Conference Tournament at Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville. Sauls contributed eight kills and six digs in the final game of her senior season. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

Junior outside hitter Tara Frantz blocks a spike by Central Arkansas on Saturday. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

Lamar defensive specialist Angel Colyar, #9, dives for the ball as setter Kaylee Piatt attempts to dig off of a serve during the Cardinals 3-0 loss to UT San Antonio on Saturday in the second round of the Southland Conference volleyball tournament at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum in Huntsville. The Roadrunners of UTSA moved on to the play Central Arkansas in the championship on Sunday. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

Southland Conference Tournament : Round 1

Southland Conference Tournament : Round 2

Morganne's Senior Portraits

On Wednesday I had the opportunity to shoot Morganne's senior portraits as she is graduating in December. We started off at the Alpha Chi Omega house at UTA then headed to a park in Mansfield for some natural scenes. The park offered some variety with open fields and a small pond to work around. It was a fun shoot and I am looking forward to seeing what my fellow photojournalist will accomplish in the future.

Shorthorn Shots of the Week 11/14

I feel like I have been working non-stop for weeks now. Thus, this Shots of the Week is a combo showing some of my favorite stuff from the past couple of weeks. I'll let the images and video speak for themselves since it is a lot to recall and I don't want this post to take up the whole blog. As always, all the assignments that I've been shooting become learning experiences as I aim to shoot differently than I have in the past. Different angles, techniques, etc. In the end, quality over quantity is my overarching goal these days. Enjoy.

Disaster Training

Flight nurse Ian Curnow shows senior nursing students a drug bag that is carried in medical helicopters on Friday at the Campus Recreation Fields Complex. Curnow and his flight crew landed a helicopter on the field at the beginning of training and gave tours of the components that they use on a daily basis. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

Nursing students could examine two medical mannequins with various simulated injuries on Friday. Each mannequin uses interchangeable parts that can be switched out to fit the needs of training. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

A LARPing Good Time

Shorthorn reporter Will Johnson, left, is taught a valuable lesson by veteran LARPer Will Curtis before a battle game on Saturday at Veterans Park in Arlington.

Burkburnett resident Justin Watson defends himself from an attacker during a ditch battle at Veterans Park on Saturday. Watson created his unique shield by using his sister’s baby blanket and said that he “has never heard a bad comment” about it. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

Fight Night 2010

Scott Nye prepares for the next round of his match against David Trejo on Thursday during Sigma Chi's 23rd annual Fight Night at Cowboys Dance Hall in Arlington.

Great expectations follow head coach Scott Cross into this season after last year’s early dismissal from the Southland Conference Tournament. Over the offseason, Cross poured over player profile, stats and more to prepare for the upcoming season with new, young squad. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)

After playing together for nine years, senior guard Tamara Simmons, left, and senior forward Shalyn Martin have cultivated a bond that reaches beyond the court as best friends and roommates. Simmons and Martin have become dominant forces at UTA as they aim to take the conference championship this season. (The Shorthorn: Andrew Buckley)