San Pedro Springs Park 2

A couple of months ago I couldn't even imagine spring water gushing out of the ground like this.
But after September and October delivered almost an entire year's worth of rain, I'm confident that the drought of 2007-9 can be considered over.
Sadly, our farmers and river outfitters took a big financial hit, as did the fireworks vendors.

What's been weird is seeing the vegetation act like it's Springtime this late in the year.
Flowers and peppers and vines are exploding all over the place.
Usually I'm done with the lawnmower by now, but cutting grass was something I've really missed so weekly sessions are most welcome.
Good exercise!

Tomorrow is Halloween!
I had to work last year (and needed a break anyway) so I'm rested and fired-up to put on a good show for '09.
As I was gathering up my stuff for inventory/inspection, the accidental placement of 2 items sparked an idea for a new centerpiece element.
Three days of sawing and drilling and electrical work later, it's ready to go.
Benefitting from aquisitions/modifications made for the band, I've combined several pieces into a single scene that's pretty cool, with the bonus of eliminating all cables from the porch and through an open window.
Remotes rule!

A bunch of new people are coming over thinking "party", but it's all work.
The goal (as always) is to hear someone confess that they pissed their pants.

San Pedro Springs Park

Some of us in my photography club had a meet and shoot yesterday at the title location.
Those of us with flashes and umbrellas/softboxes were passing along our knowledge and techniques to the others, while shooting the breeze and meeting new folks and just plain having fun taking pictures.
Chrissy had to work, and Sylvia wasn't interested in modeling, so I spent the last hour of daylight shooting infrared with my F828 (The Toronto Special).

Should have shot this one 5 minutes sooner--the shadows were creeping upwards fast.

This photo is growing on me. At first I didn't like the shadows but now I think they enhance a mood.
Professional photographer and all-around fun guy Chris Pichado said of these:"Keith - your infrared shots never fail to amaze me. You've got such a wicked eye for great compositions already, throwing a curveball to what the nekkid eye can see just adds so dang much to it. :-) LOVE em!"
Chris's energy and talent helped push our little party into high gear, once he finally got there. I was a guest at a wedding he was shooting and got jealous of his skills at directing models as well as his excellent results.

For example, this photo of me is a Pichado:
Within seconds of seeing what my hand was doing he got Sylvia to shoot me from the left and Juan (the organizer of the event and owner of the gallery where I have shows) to do the same from the right.
Boom, done, next! And he managed to make it fun for me, which is amazing.

Speaking of Juan, he suggested we meet at La Tuna afterwards and within 30 minutes we had stopped allowing the staff to pick up our empties so he could take this pic for fun, using my flash.

We had a great time all day!

And I nailed down some wall space for my next gallery show.
The First Friday of December, 7-10+pm, 121 Blue Star #5.
Preview Thursday Night and Post-View Saturday not yet confirmed.
My theme will be "Christmas In San Antonio" so you've already seen some of the prints I'll be hanging.
This is my first showing since May '08, and I'm excited to be doing it again.

More from the shoot coming soon

Chalk It Up As Finished

Around The Web

I find it interesting that the owner of Daily Gun Pictures blog asks for contributions but doesn't give credit or provide a link to his source's website.
Just "These were emailed to me...."
(FYI the text above those photos is mine, too).

I have access to many more interesting and rare guns for his site plus the skills to create nice photos and descriptions, but will have to gently remind him of Netiquette when I send the next ones.

Nobody should get blog content handed to them without a little consideration these days.
Am I right?

Mas Chalk

Event staff put the red stickers on everyone they can catch. It's an easy way to get an approximate headcount at a free event where people (and dogs) wander in from every direction.

More Chalk

More sleep would have been nice but I never miss Chalk It Up!







People + dog-watching at it's finest, with bonus art.

Chalk It Up! 2009

This is the 4th year in a row that we've gone to Chalk It Up!, the downtown art fair put on by Art Pace.














Check my archives (October 2006/7/8) for more photos.

Death Visits Views Of Texas

It's probably going to slow down again around here for some time.
Blog Death is here, and he's demanding my attention.

First, there's Los Spurs.
Pre-Season has already started and I've made a personal commitment to become an even bigger (and more annoying) fan than ever before.
After many years of depending on just cable TV and the SA Express-News for my data and opinion, towards the end of last year I stumbled upon a wild internet forum that's been good for keeping the black and silver components of my blood circulating during the long hot summer.
From there I recently found 48 Minutes Of Hell, which isn't bad for a blog written by some college kid.
The regular season starts before Halloween, which brings us to part 2.

Unlike 2008, it looks like I'm not working on Halloween Night.
After a much-needed year off I'm eager to terrorize the street again, then give them all good candy.
As always, my goal is to get at least one person to admit in front of their group that they momentarily lost control of their bladder.
It's happened a few times before and never fails to make me proud of my work.
Especially when it happens to a parent.
Much work is needed because until very recently my calendar had something pencilled-in for the 31st, and suddenly it's too late.

What I'm saying is that I need to get my head in the game(s) and can't predict if this means more pics of what I'm doing or less photos overall because I'm super-busy.
And how will I compensate for the loss of Witch #1, who got free tickets to the Notre Dame game at the AlamoDome that night?



Above pic is of my new skull.
It's good to finally have a spare after they discontinued parts for the one I have.
Much more anatomically correct than my old skull, this one's a little smaller than lifesize but close enough.
The single new aquisition in '09 and I only bought it for photos, with no idea how it can be used in the show.
Much work to be done...

Three For Free

The last week has been a blessing.
Free tickets rained down on us, and we got to attend some seriously great events.

I had to work, but Sylvia got 11th row seats at the UT game in Austin last Saturday.
It was hot and sweaty, but fun. She had a great time.

On Monday, we both got to attend the Metallica concert at the ATT Center.
In a corporate box.
With a parking pass that had guys shouting out orders and moving cones and I swear, bowing a little as we got to play bigshot and only had to walk about 30 feet to the entrance.

As expected, James, Lars, Kirk and Robert put on a great show.
The production was big and very professional.
Their sound engineer is almost as good as me--loud as hell but no ringing ears afterwards. I could explain how we do this but it would take a long time and you might fall asleep halfway through.
Best concert I've seen since Pink Floyd at the AlamoDome, although TransSiberian Orchestra is right up there, too.
Thanks, Julie!!!

Today we saw our third free show, and it made me get a little teary-eyed.
The SPURS played a full game against themselves at the ATT Center!
Silver against black, refs in shorts, no uniforms, Coach Pop in the stands, the Coyote and Silver Dancers, 1 dollar hotdogs and sodas, free admission, free parking.
Timmy Duncan won the 3-point contest after the game with 5/12 shooting!
All the new guys looked great, as did Manu and Tony, etc.
Bonner was hitting his 3s--"Everybody Clap Your Hands"!
New wingman Richard Jefferson was funny and charming when he MC'd the 3-point duel. You can tell this guy is already family.

After a summer spent making smart trades, smart draft picks (steals, more like!) and picking up some great free agents, the Spurs are looking healthy and hungry and deep.
This roster is the best I've ever seen, with every position filled with two talented guys and another trying to make the cut.
We're younger yet more experienced at the same time.
Crafty vets and talented youngsters--sweet!
Everyone is healthy and prepared to start slow and easy for the long season ahead.
The coaching staff has dropped a huge number of set plays from the book to help speed-up the learning curve for all the new guys, and their plan is to just let Tony Parker run the show and call it on the fly.
After what Tony showed us last season, this is a very smart move.

Timmy dropped 15 lbs, which is great news for his knees.
George Hill looked confident and smart on the court today.
He'll be a star point guard someday, with TP's help.

#21 Tim Duncan has only a few more years in his contract and his body, and the story goes that everyone in the Spurs organization, from majority owner Peter Holt on down to the towel boys, think he would look just dandy with a fifth championship ring for his thumb.
This summer was all about getting him that ring, and everything I've seen today tells me that we have the right people and mentality to make it happen.

I'll miss Bowen and Oberto and Kurt Thomas's crazy eyes, but the time to clean house was now.
Let's all agree to show our support and go to more games this year?
We need to do our part and help pay the luxury tax penalty incurred with all this rebuilding.
Even $10 nosebleed seats get you a really good time.
Drop $15 more for Parking Lot #9 and you can get out super quick and be home by 11pm--my dirty little secret that's worth every penny.
(Come up Houston Street from Walters and use the Freeman Coliseum entrance--tell the dudes you want Lot 9 and you can thank me later).

Pre-season games start on Tuesday against the Houston Rockets.
I'm almost crazy with anticipation!
This is the year I get a Spurs logo tattoo.

I Miss My Buddy

The prints were taken while babysitting the best (and biggest) dog I ever knew.
The box holds Caesar's ashes behind a mispelled name plate.

I'm just glad I got to hang with him as much as I did.
He was a good dog