2010 Denton Air Fair

The air show in Denton, Texas on Saturday, June 19, 2010 was a great show. The history you get to see is just amazing! One excellent piece of history was on static display, the DC-3, known as the Flagship Detroit. The DC-3 planes are celebrating their 75th anniversary this year. Wow! That means I actually stepped foot on a 75 year old piece of technology. American Airlines took delivery of the “Detroit” on March 2, 1937. The pilot who flew the Flagship Detroit to Denton Municipal Airport said that his favorite part of flying the DC-3 was the nostalgia and history that comes with the then top of the line plane. During World War 2 the several civilian Dc-3s, such as the Detroit, were enlisted to help with the war effort. The DC-3 and it’s military cousins were used to transport troops, cargo, and wounded soldiers around the world.
Another part of the Denton air show that I thoroughly enjoyed was provided by Long Horn Helicopters.  For about $35 I got to go on a ride over Denton. The flight was amazing! The pilot pointed out to me that from the air over Denton Municipal Airport you can see Alliance Airport, the Dallas skyline, and you can even see the new Cowboys football stadium. I didn’t talk much during the flight, I was too busy looking down and looking at the skyline.
One the best parts of going to an air show is getting to see the planes in action. The pilots perform amazing acrobatic shows that demonstrate the maneuverability of their aircraft. The high flying-death defying flights always draw oohs and aahs from the audiences. Hammer heads, Shark Tooths, Loops, 4 and 8 point rolls, and half cubans are just a few of the maneuvers used to showcase the abilities of the the planes.

The A-10 Thunderbolt, flown by the United States Air Force, was the headlining act at this years Denton Air Fair . A-10 or the Warhog is extremely quiet to be a jet fighter. It’s color schemes are chosen to minimize visibility either from above or below depending on the situation. The gray scheme used on the one flown at the air show was designed to minimize visibility from below. The A-10 has seen combat in the Gulf War (1991), Bosnia (1994), Kosovo (1999), Afghanistan (2001), and Iraq (2003). Flight International has said the Air Force may extend it’s use of the A-10 past 2028.
Despite the heat, the 2010 Denton Air Fair had plenty of entertainment. I managed to not get sunburnt and I had plenty of water and lemonade to stay hydrated. The temps got above 100, though I really enjoyed the weather and entertainment. There is nothing better to do on a beautiful warm sunny day than to enjoy being outside. The Denton Air Fair gets bigger every year, and is not showing signs of stopping anytime soon. The air show is normally held the Saturday before Father’s Day. I hope to see you there next year.

Senior Photos

Senior Photos are always fun to take, both for the graduating senior and myself as the photographer. The senior’s personality absolutely must show through in their photos, as each senior wants photos that are unique to them.

Recently I had the honor of taking my cousin, Katie’s senior portraits. This young lady has done an amazing job with her academic and athletic endeavors throughout her high school career. Her photos were very fun, she fearlessly climbed to the top of a hay elevator and sat while I moved around on the ground taking photos.

She also perched herself on the top of a wooden fence post, which could not have been comfortable, though you could never tell by the expression on her face. I also had the chance to take Katie’s sister, Gretchen’s Senior photos a couple of years ago as well. Gretchen is a beautiful young woman, who is moving forward in her life as well. She also succeeded in  her academic and athletic pursuits in high school.

Senior photos are about capturing the end of a chapter in a young persons life and marking the beginning of a new one.

Stop to Smell the Flowers

We have all heard this saying at some point in our lives. It seems that more and more in today’s bustling lifestyle that is a valuable piece of advice that should be heeded more often.

The Dallas Arboretum is a perfect place to do exactly that. There are several different kinds of flowers that are just waiting for someone to see them. I have frequented the Dallas Arboretum for a couple of years now, and it is a perfect place to relax. You can bring a picnic basket for an outing with your family, or that special person in your life. If you don’t want to take a picnic basket they sell lunch and snack items at the cafe, I recommend the Tomato soup, it is delicious!
Of course if you go to the Arboretum you should take a walk through and see the different plants that they have to offer. From season to season, of course, the flowers they have to offer to change, so it is always worth a trip to see what is new.
I have taken some photos there, many of the different flowers, I have also taken engagement photos, and Easter themed photos here as well. 
Here is a photo of G., he was an absolute delight to take photos of. I hope his mom and other family enjoy the photos, as much as I enjoyed taking them.

Engagement photos are always fun, to see the affection they have for each other, and capturing that in a photo is always such an amazing feeling.
The Campbells were a fun couple, they knew what they wanted and I wish them the best in life.
 
The Garcia’s engagement photos were formal and fun.  I had a lot of fun taking their photos. These two will be happy for a long time. Their fun and outgoing personalities will help them go far in their new life together.

If you ever get a chance to go to the Arboretum, I recommend taking the chance to slow down and spend some time either with friends, family, or yourself. It really is a great place to take photos, but more than that; it’s a place to wind down and get away from the phones and busy lives that most of us seem to have these days.

Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center

I don’t know how many people know that the City of Denton has a park where you can hike, fish, interact with nature, and explore. I had a chance to meet up with a group of fellow Denton Area Photographers at the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center.
Our hike went off without a hitch until we met a flooded portion of the Wetlands Trail, which forced us to double back to find a dryer trail. We hiked for over three hours, but I have a feeling we could have stayed longer. I am positive that there are trails that we did not explore, and that there are photo opportunities still waiting out there in the wilderness.
The weather on Saturday was perfect for spending the day outdoors. It was not so cool that we had to wear layers of clothing nor was the heat sweltering. While the weather was favorable, we encountered a few of the inhabitants of the area. None were dangerous; one in particular sparked an interest. We discovered the Spittle Bug, which is a funny little creature. Here are a few of our group inspecting the creature

Discovering this little creature was fun. It sparked our imagination a bit. It really was protected by the "spittle" I would have never thought that a grown bug was in there.
Of course there were butterflies, and trees abound. My favorite trees were not on dry land so to speak. They were in the water, and were old and in a state of decay of some cases.

This tree had certain spookiness to it, especially with the reflection in the water. I could imagine a witch story or some other spooky tale being told about this old tree.
As for wildlife, we managed to not see any dangerous animals. This is a little surprising, considering the environment we were in. One spot particularly could have surprised us with some snakes!

I just loved the green on the water, but couldn't you just imagine a snake slithering out of that green film and just making us run. I don't know about you all, but I prefer to let the snakes have their space!!
We did, however; see some gentle, graceful, unassuming wildlife, in the form of butterflies. There were naturally all over the place, but they really aren't still for long, you have to be alert and watchful to catch one while it is standing still.

During our hike we came upon a place that looked like it could have at one time been a roadway. There was a clearing in the trees that was long and narrow so that cars could have passed. Almost like those back country roads that are so much fun to drive down when you need a break from the highways and traffic.

It almost looks peaceful now that nature has taken over, assuming that it was once a roadway.
But of course there were wildflowers abound. At the start of the hike, there were a few at the trail head

But at the end of the expedition, we came upon the field that is behind the education center at Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center, which was just filled with wildflowers

If you ever have a nice afternoon or day and are looking for something fun to do, I recommend the Clear Creek Natural Heritage Center. It was a great way to spend the afternoon.

Old Alton Bridge

I finally got to go see Old Alton Bridge earlier this week.


This bridge has quite a history, the most well known part of it is the Legend of the Goatman. But something I didn't know about Old Alton Bridge is that it once connected a town called Alton to Lewisville. This town, Alton, was named the County Seat of Denton County in 1848, but it wasn't long before residents of Denton County wanted a county seat that was much more centrally located. (Old) Alton Bridge was constructed in 1884 and crosses Hickory Creek.

 This single lane bridge was in constant public use until right around 2001 when a new concrete-and-steel bridge was used to to straighten out an awkward turn in (Old) Alton Road.
 
This bridge was under constant public use for right around 117 years; during the Great Depression, both World Wars, and the Gulf War.  The old through truss architecture is amazing and the red color of the bridge is striking.

Old bridges such as this one are truly remarkable. I am hoping to get a chance to visit some of the other bridges in Denton County that bear resemblance to this bridge.

The Butterflies

I went to the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens last Friday to see the Butterfly Exhibit. I saw some very unique butterflies from all over the world. A friend went with me and we both took photos.
Butterflies are amazing creatures, they are graceful in their movements
 and have some of the most vibrant colors!
There were very few with this coloring. This one almost blended in with the leaf on which it rested. Its bright green color reminded me of an emerald, one of my favorite gemstones.

The kids there were enamored with holding them. I saw one group of girls who found a patient one that let them  all hold it. While the kids were trying to catch them, most of the adults were just as excited to see them; myself included.

The butterflies knew they were the stars of the show. One group inparticular caught my interest; they were bright blue. I couldn't get a shot of one with it's wings open, this one stared me down for a few minutes allowing me to photograph him and notice that it had bumps on the underside of its wings. A very interesting find.

Last weekend marked the end of the Butterfly Exhibit at the Fort Worth Botanical Gardens. I am looking forward to going next year and seeing more of these beautiful creatures!