Red Bird

Here is yet another very interesting bird. It is only found in North America, excluding Alaska and northern Canada. Like yesterdays picture, this red bird has a nut in its mouth. They must be really hungry. They also are very sensitive to humans, this was the closest I got to any red bird before it flew away.

Bird Breakfast

Early in the morning, the sun was shining from behind the trees. It made the blackbird even more black. Not only is the blackbird standing with his head sideways, but it has a nut in its mouth. If the blackbird didn't have the nut in its mouth, then it would have been just a regular photo.

Blue Bird

While pigeons are common in most places in North America, bluebirds are only found in the western states. Their bright blue wings and body make them stand out among other birds. Even against a bright blue sky, they stand out. This Bluebird was eating a nut which his why he is looking down. Two things that could make this better is if I could have zoomed in more and the bird was looking up.

Birds In Flight

I was hoping to get a close up of a bird in flight, but no bird would come close to me. I saw several flocks of birds flying overhead but they weren't directly over me. I wish I could zoom in on birds and cut out the top of the sky. Then the size of the picture would have a lower resolution and become a terrible picture.

Taking Off

While I was taking pictures of this bird, it took off on me. Like most of my good pictures, I thought I missed my chance. Luckily when I looked at the pictures I saw this. I was extremely happy. We can see the bird's individual wings which are surprisingly small. This might be my favorite picture of all time.

Pigeon

While pigeons may just be birds that annoy us and poop on our cars, they are also cool to photograph.  They have a white stripe on their side which contrasts there brown body.  I also like how the sky is not overly bright and doesn't ruin the picture.

Funeral

A normal funeral procession goes like this, a military band plays followed by a horse-drawn carriage with the body followed by the family and their supporters. This happens most of the time, 28 times per day. Today, there are more than 400,000 people buried there. Some people are worried because they are running out of space to put all of the bodies. They fear they will have to bury the military members at a different place. This is the last picture of the Washington D.C. trip. Next, we will be back in Dallas with pictures of nature in the fall.

Arlington National Cemetery

This is the sight of Robert E. Lee's original house. As the Civil War started, he was part of the Confederation but could see the Union's Headquarters, Washington D.C., from his bedroom. He ended up moving south soon after the war started. After the war ended, more than 17,000 people were buried there. Since Robert didn't want to live with the dead, his son sold the property to Congress.

Pentagon

On the second stop of our night tour, we went to the Pentagon Memorial. This memorial represents the people who died during 9/11 at the Pentagon. The benches show the where the person died. If you read the name faces away from the Pentagon, they were on the plane if the name reads to the Pentagon, they died in the Pentagon.

Civil War to World War

In the back of this picture is the Lincoln Memorial. Abraham Lincoln was the president during the Civil War. In front of that is the World War II Memorial. The president during that war was Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Both of these presidents did great things to America. Lincoln abolished slavery and Roosevelt got us out of the Great Depression.

Lincoln Memorial Reflection

I walked to the backside of the World War II Memorial to find this. The clear night with no wind provided me with this amazing picture. The water was clear, still and mirrored the Memorial almost perfectly. There is a slight fuzz but you can definitely tell what this is without seeing the top half.

World War II Fountain

While on our night tour, we visited the World War II Memorial and the Pentagon Memorial. I liked seeing this during the night because if it was during the day, the sun might have made a glare or the sun would have made the picture too bright.

Highview of the HQ

From this angle of the Capitol Building, we can see everything. The Statue of Freedom, the half-raised flag and the fountain in front of the building. I tried to get more pictures of the cars leading up to the building, but this was the farthest that the deck extended.

Berlin Wall

In the Newseum, a museum about news is this piece of the Berlin Wall. What I like about this part of the wall is the writing on it. I focused on the 'Act Up' part but the other pieces of writing are not too out of focus. I focused on the 'Act Up' part because that represents the wall the most. When the wall was up people had to 'Act Up' to do what was right.

Statue of Freedom

On top of the Capitol Building is this 15,000 pound 19 and a half foot tall statue representing America. Completed during the Civil War, it gave hope to the Union as they fought the Confederates. Today, it can also be viewed inside where there is an exact replica with the only change being the stone they used to build it out of.

Falling Water

Once you finish the museum, there is this place where you can go and watch the water fall and reflect on what you just learned. It is a very smart thing that the museum does, you stop and remember all the things that the African Americans had to go through before they became equals.

Freedom

In the African American museum, there is this wall. When you walk in it looks like a normal museum. A gift shop, security, and a ticket booth. Once you take the cargo elevator down to the 1400s (the lowest floor) you are transported into lives of African Americans. As you walk slightly uphill, you travel back to the present.

Mr. Voting Rights

Throughout Martin Luther King Jr.'s life, he wanted equality for all. He was called names, beaten, and almost killed several times all for trying to give African Americans voting rights. In Washington D.C. is this statue of him in a nonspeaking and restful pose. It was raining that day, causing me to figure out a way to take pictures but keep my camera dry. I ended up putting a plastic bag and handtowels over my camera and hoped no water would seek throguh that, which none did.

Waterfall

At the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, are several statues sharing his life as a president. One is on the Great Depresion, his wife and dog, World War two, and his difficulties with his disease. As you walk through the different sections, you also move through time. Then at the end is a big waterfall, including this waterfall, that covers an entire wall.

Sky Fighters

This is another picture of the Air Force Memorial. This time we can see it through the fall trees and it is also during the day. While at the Jefferson Memorial, I took out my zoom lens and shot. I didn't want to get too close because I would miss the trees but I didn't want to be too far away because then the focus isn't on the memorial. Another place that is in this picture is the Pentagon. In the bottom left corner with all the windows.

Fall Colors

Today we are going to take a break from the monuments and memorials and transfer to nature. While we were there, the cold had already come and turned the trees different colors. I focused on the marble pillars holding up the roof of the Jefferson Memorial and let the colorful trees take over the background.

Thomas Jefferson

This is the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. It was built on his birthday, which was April 13th. It was also built on an old landfill that stopped and was just trash stilling around until the memorial was built on it. Around the memorial are quotes that he said, these including words that he wrote in the Declaration of Independence.

Air Force, In the Air

This is the second part of the Air Force Memorial. This is supposed to represent three fighter jets as they break out of formation. Four jets go straight up at once then they part three ways with two planes side-by-side. It is very cool to see in person, which I have been lucky to see. Now you know why I thought this would be a really nice picture.

Air Force, On the Ground

This is another one of two-part pictures. One of the reasons why I do that is to capture the whole memorial. In the Air Force memorial, there are two parts. This statue with the names on the wall behind it and three tall curved lines going up. It sounds weird and pointless, but tomorrow let me explain it and then let's see how weird it sounds.

White House

This is the executive branch. It is in disguise, it is also called the White House. There are 132 rooms, 32 bathrooms, 7 staircases, and 3 elevators. Imagine how many people you could have over at one time! Not only that, but you could entertain them with your own tennis court, bowling lanes, and jogging track.

Lincoln Memorial

It is called a temple, but Lincoln's memorial is more like an open building. To the left and right side of his statue is his inaugural speech. It took over four years just to build the statue. The statue is 99 feet tall and if Lincoln were to stand up, he would be 27 feet tall. I like this picture because I was able to get the words behind him and Lincoln himself.

Vietnam

This is the second part of the picture, the wall featuring all 56,000 peoples names who died in the war. I chose this part of the wall because the names fill up the whole shot and there is a reflection of a dark tree. I didn't mean for this to be black and white, but I think it would look weird if it was in popping colors. 

Vietnam

This is a two-part picture. Today's picture is of these three soldiers who fought during the war and tomorrow's picture is about the wall of names featuring all of the people who died. Around 56,000 people died this war. One of the chemicals used, named Agent Orange, recently killed another person. It is a toxic chemical that was sprayed to stop the advancing troops and kill them. The only problem is that is killed on both sides of the war.

Washington Monument

This is close to where Martin Luther King Jr. spoke his famous, I have a Dream speech. Think of all of those people standing on the sides of this pool and around the monument. I recaptured that with the reflecting pool reflecting the trees and monument but I didn't recapture all the people. He must have had nerves of steel to speak in front of all those people.

Headquarters

This is where the laws and acts and made. It has been burned and rebuilt. The object on the top is the Statue of Freedom. It is over 19 feet tall and weighs around 15,000 pounds. Imagine having to carry that up without a helicopter or crane. They must have used a lot of people, horses and pullies.

Reflection

On the backside of the soldiers and wall, is a fountain that wasn't going. It provided a perfect still shot of the fall trees. Using the water like a mirror, I focused on the tree and took the picture. The tree that I focused on wasn't the most colorful but it has some yellow and some green. Tomorrow we will see a cool picture of Capital Hill from up high.

War

During this theme, I am going to take you to Washington D.C. without even moving. This is the Korean War Memorial. Behind the camera is a wall of names of the countries that fought during the war. Also on that wall are the numbers of people in the war, wounded, and killed from both America and all of the other countries. This war never really had an ending, its ending was dividing the Korean Peninsula in almost half.

The End

As this game and theme come to a close, I open up a new theme. This week I was in Washington D.C. Since I came home yesterday, this coming theme will be pictures of Washington D.C. I went to monuments/memorials, speeches, and museums. I covered most of Washington D.C in those four days that I was there, and I found time to visit Capitol Hill.

Explosion

I tried five times to try and get the cannon exploding but the first four times I missed. Since the game was coming to a close, I was starting to get discouraged but I took the last chance. I increased the ISO which also increased the shutter speed to take this picture. I took it and knew that I had something good.

Game Winner

When a game ends, especially when it ends in double overtime, the winning team runs out and celebrates. Luckily for me, Texas won. They stormed the field then shook hands with Kansas State. In the back, you can see the smoke from the cannon. Tomorrow will feature an explosive picture the demonstrates the pure power the cannon has.

Keep on Moving

One of the challenges in being a six-foot wide-receiver is coming down with the ball. Going up is the easy part but coming down especially when someone is grabbing at your ankles. The wide receiver Collin was able to get a few more steps before being tackled by the Kansas State player running at him from behind.

Game Winner

To win the game Nick just has to make the field goal, he is 52 yards away. He missed the field goal but Texas scored a touchdown the next drive to win the game. I like this picture because you can see the hands and you can also see the other fans standing up waiting to cheer when Nick makes the field goal. He didn't but Texas ended up scoring later sending the fans cheering again.

Kickoff

The person who is kicking is the same person that is 6/12 on extra points. In kickoffs, he is much better. Most of the time Rowland (the kicker) kicks it all the way to the end zone resulting in a touchback. He is good in somethings but not in others. Why can't he be better at field goals and not kickoffs?

Hurdle

If there is one thing that Texas is consistent at doing during a game it is hurdling people. During almost every game some Texas player has hurdled the other team. It started in the first game against Maryland then has continued all the way to last weeks game against Baylor.

Extra Point 

After a touch down special teams comes out and kick the extra point. They also come out for field goals, which is the same thing but three points and not from the 17-yard line. Some field goals are 20 yards and others are 55 yards long. Luckily our kicker, 49, made it. Today he is 6/12 on field goals but perfect on extra points.

Hand Off

On offense you can do two things, you can either hand off the ball to your running back or throw it to a wide receiver or tight end. This play actually featured both. This was a fake handoff that ended up being thrown to a wide receiver. It ended up setting another touchdown for Texas.

Stopped

As the 6-6 receiver for Texas Collin Johnson jumped even higher to the ball he came down and was hit hard. He caught the ball but number 20 for Kansas State was not going to let him go any farther. Collin was thrown back about a yard before the play was ruled dead.

Boo

This will start your Halloween off with a scare. Imagine this, you are in a football game. It's fourth down and inches. You run the ball on the outside left. There is a hole and you cut through. Then pow!  Number 19 comes right at your knees and knocks you down, then number 46 comes and tackles you from the top. It was a huge hit luckily he wasn't hurt and played the next play.

Halftime

At halftime, the band come out and plays a tune or two then announcements are made. After the announcements, the kickers and sometimes the quarterback come out to warm up before everyone else. A few minutes later the visitors come out and then the Longhorns come out. They then join the kickers and quarterback warming up then halftime is over. The game resumes and the action starts again.

Spitting Fire

Click on the picture. You probably can't see the fireballs from this small picture but click it and see. The first time I saw this on my small camera screen I was upset that I didn't get the fire, but once looking at it on my computer I was proud. It almost looks like tiny fireballs are shooting out of the cannon.

Celebration

Once a team scores, they break into celebration. After Texas scored it's second touch down, they ended up scoring 41 points, they celebrated. Some people celebrate differently than others, some dance, some act and some make random movements signalling they're happy. I think that number 77 is happy, he is jumping on the guy who scored. The only person who doesn't look happy is number 51, he just looks angry.  

Audible

An audible is when the quarterback changes the play right before the snap. In this picture, Sam looks like he is signalling the wide receivers to change but in the picture four seconds after this, I saw Toneil Carter running with the ball. Maybe it was a fake to try and outsmart the defence. Sam also might be talking to the linesmen and telling them who to block.  

Stiff Arm

Texas' quarterback Sam Ehlinger is not afraid to run with the ball. He is also not afraid to take hits from defends and also give hits to defenders. In this picture, Sam (11) is on the move and stiff-armed a defender to gain extra yards. He ended up getting the first down but they were not able to get the touchdown. Instead, Kansas State was given the ball on the 1-yard line and also got a safety.

White Versus Orange

Every year the white team, Kansas State plays the orange team Texas. This year was the first year that I took my camera down to the stadium. This is a cool picture because on the left side of the picture is Kansas State and on the right side is Texas. The picture is almost split right down the middle. I was going for a 50/50 split but I think 60/40 is close enough.

Kickoff

It's time for more Texas football. In the beginning of games the cannon shoots then the Longhorns come running out of the tunnel and onto the field. Once on the field, they run through the band, shaped in a T. Once all of that is done they start warming up and then the real kickoff happens. After the kickoff come great plays and even better pictures.