Sorry for the delay.......

OK, I know it's been a long time since my last post, but i've had something I had to do. I've been bizzy, bizzy, bizzy, bizzy, bizzy.......OH KAY?

I did not intend for it to go this long between post, it just happened that way.

Get over it. I'm still here and I ain't goin' nowhere.

Here is just a little visual taste of this past weekend.


We started the weekend off at a fine local dining establishment in Jacksonville named 'JEFFERSONS' for the wings and maybe a few LandSharks with Michael, Paula, and Auburn. One of the first things you notice when you walk in JEFFERSONS is all of the signed, painted, and redesigned U.S. currency that is tacked on every square inch of every wall and most of the ceiling.


Wings.....uummmmmmm


Auburn learned quickly.......


This was actually on Sunday when we went to see the other babies. There might me just a touch of sibling rivilery going on.


Now I am doubleteamed. They think I should wear their daddy's Army hat he wore when he was deployed in Afgahnistan. I don't think I'm worthy of that honor.


Which brings me to Saturday's activities. Me and a friend went to the WERA motorcycle race at the Talladega Grand Prix track a few miles from here. He had never shot bikes before and I went to give him a few pointers and to keep my skills up. This here is one of the bikes sponsered by the owners of the track.


just a shot I liked.....nothin' special.


i'm not sure he's following the rest of the crowd........


just an artsy type image I was trying to get.......not bad!

ditto......


everyone loves a winner


just another random bike image


After the motorcycle races during the middle of the day, me and momma had weekend and VIP passes for the annual Birmingham street festival or CITY STAGES. I noticed this sunset while waiting for adult beverages in the VIP area. Too bad we didn't get there earlier, they quit serving food at 6 pm. MAJOR BUMMER!!!!!


The only good thang to come out of missing the free food was this image I shot while making friends and waiting in line at one of the consession trailors.


I like it...for some reason, it just appeals to me.


Because we were late and had to find greasy nourishment, this is as close to the stage as we could get. That's Motown star Al Green on stage on the bottom right. You do see him, right? You don't? We didn't either. Thats why we left. We couldn't even see the video screens.


just another shot of borred people that can't see the stage


street venders selling all kinds of shit


Birmingham officials had to be proud because of the very large attendance of this years CITY STAGES. We were frustrated because there were too many drunks, people running into and over you as you stood watching the bands, and people joined at the lips (get a room)!


After we left the area where Al Green was performing, we went to another stage where blues artist Buddy Guy was playing. WOW!!!!!! This old man can wear a guitar out!!!!And it's pretty cool when he would talk about how Jimmie Hendrix would 'borrow' his songs. We stuck around at this stage the longest, and we did get to see him on stage, but we had a better view of him on the video screen.

Oh well, that was my weekend. Do you think you could keep up? I can still handle most of it, but i'm getting too old to fight the crowds at places like CITY STAGES.

I promise you I will not go that long again between post.

Holy Criterium, Batman.........

Another successful weekend shooting, this time for fun and for myself.

What a great event the city of Anniston puts on each year. This years criterium offered lots of great pro and amature bicycle racing and lot of opportunities for just about any type of image you wanted to shoot. I saw lots of local photographers there feeding their habits, along with a couple of guys shooting for some national magazines.

Me? I was just playing and seeing what I could come up with. Let me know what you think.


Team Revolution hard at work.


Advil / Chapstick rider late in the Women's Pro event that Tina Pic won riding for the Colavita / Sutter Home p/b Cookin Team.













This image just seemed to jump out at me when I first looked at it. Nothing in it seems to be in focus except for the riders hot pink fingernails (see below).



This image is out of focus (oof) but for some reason, in my warped little mind, I am attached to it. Don't know why, I just am........


And the winner of the Men's Pro division, Clarke Hilton from Toyota United as he crosses the finish line. Thanks to all the crew members who stepped out in my way as I was trying to be good and stay behind the barricades to shoot the finish.

Thanks, guys........

A Titan of a player

I had a photo shoot earlier this afternoon at Gadsden City High School with Alabama signee Jerrell Harris for the cover of the May edition of the Sports Report that is put out by HighSchoolGameDay.com.

He is a super nice young man (even if he is going to Alabama). I told him to look for me on the sidelines. Maybe I'll see him this fall if I can get to Tuscaloosa. I know I'll see him in Athens. He should get lots of playing time, if not starting for the Crimson Tide. I wish him luck.


I was pleased with just about every shot and pose we asked Jerrell to do. He never complained, which made my job easier. Maybe some day I'll get the hang of this photography stuff.


Watch out for this Titan. He will be playing for years to come.

TALLADEGA is an old Indian word for 'The big one happens here!'

Yep.....that's what they get for building this huge complex on an old Indian burial ground. Maybe that's why strange things always happen here. You know the big one's gonna happen, but you can't ever really relax, 'cause it can happen more than once during a race.

Maybe, just maybe, TALLADEGA is the Indian word for 'Murphy's Law'. Despite the equipment problems I had all weekend, I had lots of success shooting out of the tower at the exit of turn two. That seemed to be the hotspot all weekend.

'Bout time!!!!!


When I first started shooting NASCAR, retired Atlanta Motor Speedway track photographer Ted McMahan told me he didn't want to see any images unless the car was upside down or on fire. After a short Google search, this image of Kevin Harvick on fire after the last lap wreck has made its way on the wire services to Italy and France. FIRE, GOOD!!!


The same for this image......FIRE, GOOD. Image, worldwide.


It pays to be patient. Some folks had left to shoot at other locations before the action started.


This is the first 'Big un' during Sunday's race.


And this is the 'Big un' during Saturdays Nationwide race.


A.J. Allmindinger is helped from his injured race car after the last lap wreck. His car stopped below the tower where I was shooting from.


A crowd gathers at the fence to watch A.J. as he literally beats the shit out of his race car because of a mechanical problem with the drivetrain. His car didn't look like it had too much damage, but he was sitting below the tower, revving the engine and trying to shift it into gear, but the car wouldn't move. My guess is he tore the transmission out of it during the wreck.


Like I said earlier, some folks left just before the action began. Ernie said if he would leave, the 'Big un' would happen in front of us in two laps.....it took three laps before it happened. Ernie, I hope at the next race I shoot, I see you and David riding off into the sunset again. Thanks.


TROUBLE IN TURN TWO!!!!!!


I didn't see anyone staring at him.


Some people just know how to have fun!!!!


And some people are too easily entertained!!!!


I think Kurt Busch left some debris......


Something about this is just creepie to me.


But security kept a close eye on things all weekend long and things seemed to have run smoothly, which is unusual, security wise. There were a few glitches along the way, but it wouldn't be Talladega without some suprises, now would it?

You gotta love Barber Motorsports Park

Wow......even though it's a local track, I don't come here but a couple of times a year, I find something else to love about this place. Not only is it a world class operation and very pleasing to the eye, just everything behind the scenes seems to work to perfection. No muss, no fuss. Just read what Dean Adams from Superbike Planet wrote about it this past week. http://www.superbikeplanet.com/2008/Apr/08041610thingswelove.htm

Maybe some other tracks could learn something from the good folks at Barber.

Now. for some visual stimulation........



Track owner George Barber has these very large and interesting sculptures set up all around the track, from ants attacking motorcycle riders, to Indian chiefs standing on the hill side overlooking the event, to giant spiders. Bizaar.......


Si senore...... I thought these were Corona Lights......


Don't shoot....I'm only a rider!!!!!


Damp spots? He should have shaken it off better.....


This explains why he is a camera pointer an not a still photographer!!!!!


See my post and rant about security at the Atlanta NASCAR race. This County Deputy likes to have fun without taking himself too seriously. These guys treat everyone with respect and try to keep it light hearted, while doing their job.


I wasn't on deadline and I thought I had it easy.......


The last remnant of a victory celebration at the podium.


It's hard to make a bad image at Barber. Really hard.


See......Every where you look, the opportunities to make artful images are there.


Zemke.


Duhamel.


Spies.


And the winner or both Superbike events this weekend, Matt Mladin.

I had a good and enjoyable weekend shooting the Honda Superbike Classic at Barber Motorsports Park this weekend, but it is still a lot of work. I shot tons of images and the editors of the publication I shot for were more than pleased. I hope I can keep up the good work this weekend as the NASCAR circus comes to town.