The 2009 Texas Snow Storms

Snow 2 2009 010, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Holland Lake Park is where I like to take clients for photo shoots in the Weatherford area. It is a great park with a lot of different props such as the lake, benches, tables, playground, bridge, old cabins and much more.  I was recently out and about with my wife and son during a small snow storm and stopped by the park so I could get a quick shot of the lake.  Living in Texas, I don't get many chances for snow shots.  Two to Three times a year if I am lucky.  This week was very unusual because it snowed twice within a few days, so I tried to get as much as I could.

The picture of the entrance to the park was my favorite and I have to say my wife's idea.  She thought it would be neat to get a picture of the snow on the cactus and I have to agree, this turned out great.  The great thing about living in Texas is that we can get snow like this and two days later we can be playing golf in the same town on a dry course.  



The image below was taken during the first snow storm a few days earlier.  The first storm produced more snow and ice than the second and I managed to get out long enough to get sick while taking a few pictures.  It was worth it to get shots of the snow in Texas.



A picture of the Lawyer house in Weatherford, Texas!

Waterfall - Fort Worth Zoo

Zoo 143, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Time delayed pictures of Waterfalls are at the top of my list of favorites. This was taken at the Fort Wort Zoo on December 23, 2009.  It is best to use a tripod, but I did not have one on this day.   Luckily I didn't have too much shake.

You can view all of the EXIF data here

My Little Prop!

My Little Prop!, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

My son has become one of my best props in helping improve my photography.  I just wish I could catch all of his initial actions.  Before I took the picture above, he was sitting on the bed watching and helping me wrap and prepare Christmas presents.  At one point he grabbed the frame insert above, put his head in the center of the frame and slightly tilted his head.  The moment was priceless and I wish I would have had my camera handy when he did this, but I did not. 

So, at this point I grabbed my camera and I followed him to the living room.  It took a few times, but I said "Ben, go stand by the tree and smile" and this is the shot I got.  He was a little tired, so the smile wasn't as big as it was when he first put his head through the frame.

Masking with Gimp

I have had  a number of people ask how I do the black and white with a touch of color, so I figured I would share my techniques.   Before I begin, I think it is important to point out that it does take a lot of patients to do this, but it really is not too difficult. 


I use GIMP, an open source alternative to Photoshop.  Gimp is free an so far does the job for my needs, so I don't feel like it is worth spending the money on Photoshop at this point.

1. Open the original image in Gimp.
2. Open the Layer Window.
3. Copy the Layer and Rename to Mask (or whatever you want to name it).
4. Make sure the Mask layer is selected, then click on Colors and then Desaturate.
5. Choose the Luminosity Option and click OK.
6. Right Click on the Mask Layer and select "Add Layer Mask".
7. Select White (full opacity) and Click Add.
8. Select the "Paintbrush Tool" (You will need to play with the different options here)
9. Zoom In on the area you want to make color and start coloring by using the paintbrush tool.   

That is pretty much all there is to masking.  When I have time, I will add a short video on how to do this, but if you follow the directions above you should do fine.  

Elizabeth Special, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Another Image I recently masked using Gimp!  

Another Sad Ending

Photo Credit: http://theblackquarterback.files.wordpress.com

I was listening to ESPN this morning when I heard the story about the Cincinnati Bengals Wide Receiver, Chris Henry. I just don’t understand why people continue to make decisions that put their lives in danger. Mr. Henry had a troubled past and recently appeared to be going down the right track for once. He was a young man with three children and now his is gone. Why? Because he made a mistake of jumping in the back of a truck that his fiancé was driving.

He was not shot or beaten. He died because of his own mistake. I hate it for him and his family and I hope the woman driving is charged and sent to prison for a long time. Henry should have never jumped in the back of the truck and his fiancé should have stopped when he did.

Bad relationships are not worth dying over. Seriously, if your relationship is to the point where there is a possibility of death, then it is time to move on. If he would have let her go and not jumped in the truck, he would be here today. There might still be problems, but at least he would be alive to deal with them.

Remember this story the next time you get angry at your spouse, friend or anyone else and think about the consequences before you do anything you are going to regret. It might just save your life!

Rest In Peace!

Ben's Different Faces

It is amazing watching our little boy grow up. It seems like everyday is a new adventure for him. What I have noticed lately are the different faces he makes. It is impossible to catch all of them, but I do my best to have the camera ready.

DSC_8498, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

He was just acting silly in the these two pictures!



I love the next picture even though Ben is crying. He was getting in trouble for continuing to mess with the display case after being told NO a number of times!



The next picture was taken one morning before going to day care. Ben was walking around and I said, "Take out your pappy (that is what he calls it) and smile" and this is the shot I got.

The Scared BCS

TCU Football, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

I am a huge fan of college football and one who thinks the BCS is a joke. On the way to work this morning I had the displeasure of listening to Colin Cowherd on ESPN. I know, I can change the channel if I want, but something he said just rubbed me the wrong way and I had to listen. He was on a rant about how TCU, Boise State and Cincinnati should stop complaining about the BCS bowl selection because none of these teams should even be playing in a BCS bowl. Really? This guy has a sports talk show on ESPN! Unbelievable!!!!

He actually said "Who is TCU" and talked about how TCU can't sell out their home games. This is coming from a guy who went to school at Easter Washington University! Seriously! Okay, TCU has a hard time selling out their home games, but this is a great football team. Coach Patterson has done an outstanding job developing this program and they are where they need to be. Let's not forget that TCU has beaten Texas Tech and Oklahoma in the recent past. No, they aren't playing Pac 10 or SEC teams, but they did have a chance to be matched up against one of these teams, but the BCS selection chose not too. Why? Because the BCS doesn't want to see a Mid Major team beat a team like Florida, Alabama or Ohio State. If the BCS had any credibility, they would not have so many limitations for the teams that are automatic bids. Does Ohio State and Oregon really have to play each other. Why not mix it up a little. I would even consider dropping the playoff talk if the BCS would improve the selection of teams.

I think the following match-ups would have given the BCS more credibility.

National Championship Game

Alabama Vs. Texas

Sugar Bowl

Florida Vs. TCU

Fiesta Bowl

Boise State Vs. Ohio State

Rose Bowl

Cincinnati Vs. Oregon

Orange Bowl

George Tech Vs. Iowa (They actually got this one right)

And even if the Mid Major teams didn't win all the games, at least they would have a shot at knocking off one of the BCS teams. Maybe the BCS will learn from this season and consider changing their selection process. If not, then a playoff system is desperately needed in the future.

German Delight

DSC_7846, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

One of my weaknesses in life happens to be food. I am a huge fan of German food, but unfortunately I don't often get the chance to have a good German dinner.

Recently, my wife and I were staying in New Braunfels and had the opportunity to eat at the famous German Restaurant, Oma's Haus! This was my first visit and I was so impressed with the food that I can't wait for our next trip south.

In my opinion, the best way to go is the combination dinners.  If you go this way the meal is more reasonable, plus you get a chance to taste a few different items on the menu. We started out with the Bratwurst and Knockwurst.  If you love sausage products this is a must have appetizer.  Normally bratwurst is a little strong for me, but Oma's bratwurst is very smooth.   The knockwurst was great as well and had a wonderful taste. The Potato Pancakes were also very good.  Our friends ordered the pancakes and offered us a few bites and I had to try it because I love potatoes.

The main entree was outstanding.  I had the Weiner Schnitzel and my wife had the Niersteiner Schnitzel, both were remarkable.  We also had mashed potatoes and sauerkraut for our side dishes.  This was the best German meal I have had in a long while. There was not one bad dish and I would recommend this restaurant to everyone.

The atmosphere was enjoyable, the wait staff was friendly and the food was outstanding.  Oma's Haus is a great restaurant for the entire family and I personally can't wait to get back to New Braunfels. 

Clear Springs Restaurant

DSC_7838, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Restaurants are often a hit or miss. Some are average, some are good and then there are the great ones! I am not a huge fan of the "Chain Restaurants" and would rather dine in a hole in the wall any day of the week. That is just me! To each their own!  Reputation is another very important factor in the restaurant business and can make or break the success of an establishment.

Clear Springs Restaurant is located in New Braunfels, Texas on Highway 46 a few miles East of I-35.  While Clear Springs has a few different locations, I do not consider it a "Chain Restaurant" because there are only five total locations.



We were down south to watch the Texas State Volleyball tournament and my wife recommended we go to Clear Springs.  She had visited the restaurant earlier in the year while she was at coaching school in Austin.  I knew it had to be great, because most people will not make a 45 mile drive just to eat.  We lucked out this trip, because our hotel was less than three miles away from the restaurant.

We started out with the Texas Size World Famous Onion Rings.  These were by far the best onion rings I have ever eaten and there was enough for a party of 8 1/2 and we did not eat them all.  Mostly everyone at the table had the catfish, including myself and again, this was the best catfish I have ever eaten.  It was not too fishy, I used some lemon, but not near as much as I usually do.  One person at the table had the Chicken Fried Chicken and spoke highly of the taste.

The service was decent, but could improve.  No major problems, but the young staff got a little confused when we all needed to split the tickets.  The character, food quality and environment did enough to make up for the the less than perfect service.



















If you are within 50 miles of Clear Springs Restaurant, I would recommend taking the drive and having an outstanding meal.

My Rating!

Food -5 Stars
Environment - 5 Stars
Service - 4 Stars

TCU Crushes Utah

DSC_7543, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Date: November 14

Fort Worth – Texas Christian University is on a roll with 10 wins this year and no losses and hopes to shake up the BCS rankings. Currently the Horned Frogs are ranked 4th in the nation behind Florida (1), Alabama (2), and Texas (3). There is a slim chance that TCU will get a bid to the National Championship, but if Texas can manage to lose a game and the Frogs win out, they might have a chance.

TCU faced 15th ranked Utah last night in front of a record crowd of 50,307. The game sold out early last week and TCU started selling standing room only tickets. It was a perfect night for football and the Frogs dominated Utah from the beginning and never looked back.



Utah tried everything, including the Wildcat and playing dirty, but had no luck catching the Frogs. By the end of the first half, TCU was up 38-14. It could have easily been a 45-14 game at the half if TCU would have not missed an opportunity on an early Utah turnover. TCU was unable to score on the drive and missed a short field goal to turn the ball back over.



Utah was penalized a number of times for their dirty play and un-sportsman like conduct. The team was glowing with frustration and there was nothing they could do to stop the Horned Frogs toped ranked defense.



TCU dominated the second half, only allowing 14 points and putting 17 more points on the board to make the final 55-28. TCU needs to take care of Wyoming and New Mexico and let the computers and voters do the rest. They do control their own destiny to some point and if everything goes their way, the chances get better for that National Championship bid.

Lady Hounds are State Bound!

20091114-0121-PVBRegChamp, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Date: November 14

Abilene – The Region 1 2A Championship between Peaster and Denver City turned out to be a David vs. Goliath type match. Denver City was larger and from the start of the match seemed to be the favorite. Peaster had three major errors to start the game and appeared to be the weak team. They were nervous and it showed. The Denver City Fillies took advantage of the Lady Hounds while they were down and crushed the Lady Hounds in game one 25-12.

Once again, Peaster had to regain their composure and get back on track as they have had to do in each of the previous playoff games. Game two started with Peaster taking a demanding lead and the Fillies taking a time out to get their girls calmed down. The game turned and Peaster took advantage of Denver City’s weaknesses in game two. Peaster pounded Denver City in game two 25-13 by playing smarter, blocking and digging every ball that came to them.



The next couple of games went back and forth. Both teams were delivering impressive kills and digs and there were a number of long rallies that kept the audience on their toes. The Fillies took game three 25-19, while the Lady Hounds took game four 25-18.

The start of game five was up for grabs for the team that wanted it more. During timeouts, the Lady Hounds would chant “WE WANT IT MORE!” and they made their case to the Fillies. The score went back a forth at the beginning and then the Lady Hounds stepped up again and took a five point lead, winning the match 15-10.



With the win, Peaster is heading to the State tournament for the first time since 1993.

Peaster Vs. Alpine Regional Semifinals

DSC_7135, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Date: November 13th

Abilene - After a heart stopping regional quarterfinals against Henrietta, the Peaster Lady Hounds faced Alpine in the regional semifinals Friday night. The matchup looked pretty even between the two teams, but the Alpine Lady Bucks took the first game 25-18. The Lady Hounds appeared to be off their game and intimidated by the Lady Bucks.

During game two, the Lady Hounds looked like a different team. They were more relaxed and started playing the type of ball that got them this far in the playoffs. They had a number of key kills and won game two 25-17.



With the match tied at one game apiece, Peaster seemed to have the momentum, but Alpine was not ready to give up. They regained their intimidating style and started killing and digging ever ball that came their way. The Lady Bucks were determined it was their time and played an outstanding game, winning 25-17.



Going into game four it looked as if Alpine would be going to the regional finals, but the Lady Hounds stepped up their game like they have done all season. Peaster started off with a seven point rally and the Lady Bucks never got back on track. At the end of game four, the momentum shifted again in favor of Peaster as they won the game 25-11.



Peaster continued their domination in game five, winning by three points, 15-12.

The Great Comeback

Regional Quarterfinals Peaster Vs. Henrietta, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Date: November 7, 2009

JACKSBORO - The Region 1 2A Quarterfinals started with Henrietta taking a demanding two game lead over Peaster. The Lady Bearcats looked sharp, were making good decisions and were on top of their game. The Lady Greyhounds started off shaky and didn't regain their composure until game three.

With their backs against the wall and one game away from going home for the year, the Lady Greyhounds stepped up their play and took games three 25-17 and game four 25-19. Peaster looked like a different team after the second game and their momentum continued until the last point. Senior, Courtney Haney finished with 21 kills and 23 assist. Skye Daugherty and Mary Hill both had double digit kills, while Randi Barnett contributed 26 assists.

Henrietta continued to play well and never gave up. With everything thing on the line in, game five played out to be a nail-biter for both teams.



Game five went back and worth with no demanding lead ever taken by either team. In the end, the Lady Hounds wanted it more and and won the final game 18-16.



With the win, Peaster is off to Abilene to meet Alpine at the Regional Semifinals on Friday 13.

Weatherford, Texas Courthouse

Weatherford, Texas Courthouse, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Tonight I had to go pick up a few things from the grocery store, so on my way back home I decided to stop and take a few shots of the old courthouse in Weatherford. I have been wanting to go out and take some night shots, but there never seems to be time. I ended up with a couple of good photographs, considering I am still experimenting with night photography.

This is a 4 second exposure and I was lucky enough to catch a few cars driving by that gives the neat continuous light effect. You can see all the meta data at http://www.flickr.com/photos/starbirdphoto/3888879610/meta/

This is another addition to my "Around Weatherford" project. I will probably shot the courthouse more in the future because I need some day shots as well as some close ups of the historical markers.

The image below was taken from the west side of the courthouse. It turned out pretty good at this angle and I did a little different post processing for this image. The exposure for this image was 6 seconds. You can view the meta data for this image at http://www.flickr.com/photos/starbirdphoto/3888881918/meta/

I made one more attempt and took a few shots on the North West side of the courthouse. It was not exactly what I was hoping for, but I posted the pictures because I found it interesting how the photographs turned out due to one bright light in front of the courthouse. There is not post processing on the next two photographs, these are exactly how the were exposed.

Meta data: http://www.flickr.com/photos/starbirdphoto/3888882596/meta/

Meta Data: http://www.flickr.com/photos/starbirdphoto/3888088309/meta/

Brewer Invitational Volleyball Tournament

DSC_2528, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

I love photography, especially sports photography that includes any of my family members. So today, me, Gerri and Ben went to Brewer High School in White Settlement to watch our niece play volleyball and to support Peaster Athletics (where my wife coaches). It was an amazing couple of hours of volleyball and I loved every minute.

Peaster takes their volleyball serious and they do not like to lose. Today they showed how good they are by beating two 5a schools to win the tournament. I find it amazing how a small 2a school can come into a tournament and beat schools that are so much larger. The larger schools have more athletes to choose from and in theory should be able to dominate any smaller school. I guess it just goes to show there is always a chance for the underdog and on this day the underdog prevailed.

If Brewer's plan was to invite teams they thought they could beat, then they did not do their homework on Peaster. Peaster has the talent, the drive and the disciple to beat any team. So let's get ready for some great high school sports in 2009-2010.

And if you plan to have a tournament, make sure you do your research on the teams your inviting; so you don't get embarrassed.

Clean Up Our Laws!

I am sick and tired of the Michael Vick coverage and protesters. What he did to the dogs was horrific and I don't blame people for disliking him, but give it a freaking rest already. We live in a great country that has a justice system and as far as I am concerned Vick has served his time and should be allowed to go back to his job of playing football. We might not like what he did, but is it not his right to be allowed to return to work?

Another NFL superstar, Donte Stallworth was recently sentenced to 30 days in jail for a DUI charge and a man died due to his drunk driving. Where are the protesters in this case? I just don't get it! I don't understand how you get more time for killing an animal than a human. What is wrong with this picture? I don't care if it were an accident or not. Donte Stallworth was drunk, he was driving and he hit and killed a human. When I hear stories like this, it just frustrates me to no end becuase this could have been prevented. I respect the court's decision on this case, but I personally feel that Stallworth should have got more time. After he has served his time and is free and clear, I will have no problem with him returnig to the NFL.

Since this has turned into a clean up the Judicial System posting, I should let you know how I feel about the Plaxico Burress case. This guy has worse luck than I do. He is being sent to prison for 2 years because he carried a gun into a night club and it accidently discharged, injuring himself. Okay, he is a complete idiot, but 2 years in prison? You have to be kidding me? There are sex offenders who get less time than this (I will do another blog on this topic).

I am an American, I love this country, but there are some things that need to be cleaned up in our judicial system. Laws need to be changed and we need to get the idiots out of office who are ruining our country (Democrats and Republicans).

Here is what I have learned in the past month:

Kill a person while driving drunk, 30 days!
Own a Dog fighting operation and Kill dogs, 2 years!
Go to the Club and accidently shoot yourself, 2 years!

Any questions?

The Morning Drive To Work

DSC_2234e, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

I took this shot on the drive into work Tuesday morning. Having a love for photography, the morning drive is very important. It is my time to relax, think about absolutely nothing, listen to ESPN and take in the sunrise. On mornings like this I am lucky enough to catch a great shot, so I just pull over on the side of the highway, roll down the window and start shooting. I usually take 10 to 20 shots until I get a couple that I really like. I can't even imagine taking a bus or subway to work. Just the thought of it, runs chills down my body. Don't get me wrong, I think commuting is great and it is for some people, but not this Texan. I love my drive to work and will continue to do so as long as I have my truck, radio and camera.

Old Motel Entrance - Day 2 Part 2

Around Weatherford, Texas Old Motel Entrance, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Part 2 of my Saturday "Around Weatheford" project landed me at the entrance of the old Coronodo Motel on the East Side of town. I planned to get there at this time of day so I could catch a great sunset and sure enough, it turned out perfect. The old motel does not exists anymore but for some reason the signs and cactus were never taken down. The Cactus is very popular and is used a lot by local photographers. A number of times I have driven by and caught a glimpse of a bride to be in her wedding dress posing in front of this old cactus.

Taking pictures of these historical sites around town gets me thinking about how we have changed so much over the years. We use to have such simple lives with less technology and more family interaction. Now everything is driven by technology and don't get me wrong, I love technology, but at some point enough is enough. Just think about your checklist before you leave home. Everyday I must not leave home without the following items or my day will be shot.

1. Keys with remote control alarm and automatic locking system.
2. Cell Phone (Windows Mobile) - Has everything I need and since I have everything in the phone I no longer memorize numbers and appointments, so I am screwed if I lose this device.
3. Ear Piece for phone. It is just easier to have the hands-free device.
4. Camera - I never leave home without a camera. I love photography, it is my part time job so you never know when you are going to need it.
   
5. MP3 Player - Don't have an iPhone yet and not sure how the mp3 player works on the windows mobile phone.
   
6. GPS - Never know when you need to plug in a address and pick up something for your wife like sample shoes for the volleyball team.
7. A bag to carry all of my electronic devices.
   

And I wonder why I can't find my keys half the time!

In the old days when you went to a motel you probably had to pay more for the tv in the room. Now almost all rooms have a TV that has the built in video game system so your kids won't get bored talking with their family and for the adults there is an option to rent movies that are not appropriate for anyone. Don''t forget that all rooms have to have a WiFi connection or at the least a wired connection to the internet.

We have come a long ways with technology and for the most part I think it has helped us, but it would be nice to go to a place one day that offers just a Color T.V. like the Old Coronado Motel did years ago.

Studebaker's - Day 2 Part 1

Studebaker Farm - Weatherford, Texas, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Saturday was my second day of shooting around Weatherford. The first stop was the old Studebaker Farm. If you have ever traveled west bound on the Fort Worth Highway in Weatherford, Texas then you have probably seen this historical dealership. It really looks like another junk yard and if the Studebaker sign were gone, then it would probably be labeled as one. However, the sign makes the site unique. I plan to research this site more because there is bound to be a lot of history here. This would be a great restoration project for someone who has the time and money. Not sure if they are selling, but it would be worth checking.

Th old wrecker's are great. I would love to restore one of these myself one day.

Coach Lawyer's New Office

Gerri and Ben in her new office, originally uploaded by treylawyer.

Today was a very special day for a number of reasons. No celebrations, anniversaries or birthdays. Just a day with the family shooting hoops, taking pictures, and playing with Ben. What more can a dad ask for?

Gerri had to get her equipment ready for the school year, so me and Ben decided to tag along. It was great having the entire Gym to ourselves. Ben had a blast running up and down the court while Gerri was upstairs working.



As I walked into my wife's new office I felt so happy for her and everything she has accomplished. Everything just seemed right. She is doing what she loves to do, teaching and coaching. And, what better place than the school she attended from k-12.

I know Gerri will have another great year and me and Ben will do our best to make all the home games to give momma that extra support.