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Photography - Daily Photos 2009 : This gallery is part of the Daily Photo Community that attempts to post a photo every day.
In the short time that I have participated, I have enjoyed reading comments (and rereading comments from days past) and viewing other's galleries for ideas and inspiration.

All images ©Copyright Duane A. Bender 2009.

Photography - Daily Photos 2009

This gallery is part of the Daily Photo Community that attempts to pos ...

Updated: Nov 06, 2009 4:18am PST

Southlake - Neighborhood Folage, Flowers and Wildlife :

Southlake - Neighborhood Folage, Flowers and Wildlife

Updated: Apr 01, 2008 7:22pm PST

Most Popular Photos

August 30, 2009 - "1941 Ford Super Deluxe"

This was shot at the Palm Springs Air Museum. The SOOC had so many distracting reflections that I could not work around. So, I thought I would push this beautiful stock '41 Ford to this extreme. I do not see to many candy apple red cars around anymore :)

I just competed a gallery with the SOOC and several other cars from the museum.

http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/Cars/Palm-Springs-Air-Museum-Cars/9405377_H6KiD/1/630121733_CxF5M

Airplanes from the museum are at another gallery

http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/Military/Palm-Springs-Air-Museum-2009/8329002_YUVa2/1/578640610_Q5Nsr

May 8, 2009 - "A Distant Scene" - My wife captured these wonderfully textured arches funneling to a mini scene in the distance. For more of her photos from our Austin trip last week go to this gallery

http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/gallery/8113712_sBWkb/1/528954472_gwiNX

Arches photographed at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center - http://www.wildflower.org/

October 5, 2009 - "Grand Teton Sunrise"

Our first day in Jackson, Wyoming we left the hotel at 630 am to get some sunrise shots. It was cold and dark waiting for the sun to appear first on the mountains and then on this barn. There was some light smoke in the air from area controlled burns.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mormon Row Historic District
Mormon Row is a line of homestead complexes along the Jackson-Moran Road near the southeast corner of Grand Teton National Park. The rural historic landscape's period of significance includes the construction of the Andy Chambers, T.A. Moulton and John Moulton farms from 1908 to the 1950's. Six building clusters and a separate ruin illustrate Mormon settlement in the area and comprise such features as drainage systems, barns, fields and corrals.
The district occupies a spectacular site in Jackson Hole with the Teton Range rising in the background.

October 17, 2009 - "Color In The Fog"

This was shot at the top of the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces. As we descended to the bottom of the terraces, the cold, foggy and damp morning turned to heavy sleet. I was left alone as most people left to escape the sleet that was coming down almost horizontally. My levi's were soaked when I got down but I ended up getting many beautiful photos to choose from!

It will probably take me 4 or 5 posts to attempt to convey the scope and beauty of the Mammoth Hots Springs Area.

from

http://www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/mamterr.htm
Mammoth Terraces - At Mammoth Hot Springs, a rarer kind of spring is born when the hot water ascends through the ancient limestone deposits of the area instead of the silica-rich lava flows of the hot springs common elsewhere in the park. The results are strikingly different and unique. They invoke a landscape that resembles a cave turned inside out, with its delicate features exposed for all to see. The flowing waters spill across the surface to sculpt magnificent travertine limestone terraces. As one early visitor described them, "No human architect ever designed such intricate fountains as these. The water trickles over the edges from one to another, blending them together with the effect of a frozen waterfall."

April 14, 2009 - "Avery Island Wildflower" - (The photo was taken on Avery Island.)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia-
Avery Island (historically French: Ile Petite Anse) is a salt dome located in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States, about three miles (5 km) inland from Vermilion Bay, which in turn opens onto the Gulf of Mexico.

Long before its namesake Avery family settled there in the 1830s, American Indians discovered that Avery Island’s verdant flora covered a precious natural resource—a massive salt dome. There the Indians boiled the Island’s briny spring water to extract salt, which they traded to other tribes as far away as central Texas, Arkansas, and Ohio.

April 18, 2009 - "Grandpa's Workbench" - The lighting was calling me to take this photo.

October 11, 2009 - "Yellowstone Gold"

Thanks for all the nice comments on yesterday's foggy landscape shot. This photo was taken about 1 hour later in bright sunshine.

The Lamar Ranger Station, located at the Buffalo Ranch in the Yellowstone Park Lamar Valley, provides emergency visitor services only. The ranger station is also used as housing for the Lamar ranger and is a historic structure (one of four at the Buffalo Ranch) on the National Register of Historic Places. It was constructed around the turn of the century.

Maybe we will be lucky and see a buffalo herd in tomorrow's post.

April 6, 2009 - "Rain Front Moves In" - The storm clouds build as we float from the lake to the bayou.

October 25, 2009 - "Awaiting Golden Light"

This was shot about 9 minutes before the magical sunrise golden light moment hit the barn. A "Grand Teton Sunrise" shot with the golden light was posted earlier at

http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/Photography/Daily-Photos-2009/5146058_rXqrj/1/669945554_mDfWY

I does not look cold, but it was cold! For the rest of the week in Yellowstone, I remembered to bring my gloves.

October 23, 2009 - "Abandoned House"

Another shot from the Mormon Row Historic District near Jackson, Wyoming. This place must attract thousands of photographers each year. Note how the windows have black inserts to prevent reflections (or breakage?). On the other hand, the sunrise reflected in the windows might have added some more interest to this photo.

(revised version posted at 1235 cdst)

March 27, 2009 - "Dreaming" - I could not pass up an opportunity to photograph one of my all time favorite dream cars, the MG TD! (this might be a replica build by British Coach Works, Ltd.)

(and take a short break from my desert series photos)

April 4, 2009 - "Doors and Stairs"

March 28, 2009 - "Gone To The Birds" - This photo was shot by my wife and then scrubbed to B&W.

October 22, 2009 - "Sunrise View And Time For A Break"

A short respite from my Yellowstone photos. This was shot at the Mormon Row Historic District near Jackson, Wyoming.

October 6, 2009 - "Majestic"

A Teton Mountain is captured here from the shore of the Snake River in Wyoming.

Six nights in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks provided the opportunity for many many beautiful shots. I am trying to choose only one or two shots from each of our stops for posting. This photo was from the first day journey from Jackson to Mammoth Hot Springs, Wyoming.

April 20, 2009 - "Sign Of The Times" - This might be one way to use the remaining tangible assets of a failed bank.

April 10, 2009 - "Is It Lunch Time" - There was another alligator about 200 feet from the red canoe in the photo that I posted yesterday.

April 28, 2009 - "Simplier Times?" - It is interesting to see what you find to shoot at a historic village (Vermillion Ville).

May 2, 2009 - "Flamingo Road" - This photo was a target of opportunity this week. I shot it from the car while we were at a stop light in Austin, Texas. Luckily, I was not driving and it was a long red light.

September 13, 2009 - "The Old Rugged Cross"

Photographed in Leadville, Colorado.

Here's a link to an alternate version that I had a hard time choosing between. I liked the cloud effect a touch better on this one.

http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/Photography/Daily-Photo-Proof-Alternates/8374515_pozc7/1/647361170_ohUNT

August 3, 2009 - "An Alpine Wonderland"

I found the details of the blue flowers in the enlarged version quite interesting.

Echinops - Thanks for flower ID to fotoeffects

This photo was taken at Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, Colorado. The gardens have outstanding landscape work done to present the plants in a native looking environment.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia-
The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens are the world's highest botanical garden, located at 183 Gore Creek Drive, Vail, Colorado, USA, at an 8,200 feet altitude in the Rocky Mountains.
The Gardens were founded by Vail and Denver horticulturists in 1985, with subsequent planting of the Alpine Display Garden (1987), Mountain Perennial Garden (1989), Mountain Meditation Garden (1991), and the Alpine Rock Garden (1999) with its stunning 120-foot waterfall. Other gardens include the Children's Garden and Schoolhouse Garden. Together these gardens contain about 2,000 varieties of plants, including over 500 different varieties of wildflowers and alpine plants.

May 25, 2009 - "Memorial Day Remembrance" - This collage was created entirely from photos taken last week at the Palm Springs Air Museum.

The museum has many historic artifacts including a theater mockup of an USO stage. You might recognize one of the entertainers photo that I captured in the upper right hand of the collage. For those of you too young to remember Bob, ask your Grandparents!!! And thanks for the memories………. :)

The Palm Springs Air Museum houses one of the nations largest "mostly still flying" World War II aircraft[+]. Many of these aircraft have been used by motion picture companies in movies set during the second world war.
Grumman F4F Wildcat+
Grumman F6F Hellcat+
Grumman F7F Tigercat+
Grumman F8F Bearcat+
Grumman TBF/TBM Avenger+
Chance Vought F4U Corsair+
Grumman C-1A COD Transport+
Grumman F-14 Tomcat*
Grumman OA-13/G-21 Goose
Piper L-4A/J3 Cub Grasshopper+
Boeing Stearman PT-17 Kaydet+
Douglas C-47 Dakota+
McDonnell Douglas F4 Phantom*
McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet*
Consolidated PBY Catalina+
Boeing B17 Flying Fortress+
Bell P63 Kingcobra+
North American B25 Mitchell+
Douglas SBD Dive Bomber
Republic P47 Thunderbolt+
North American P51 Mustang+
Douglas A26/JD1 (B26) Invader+
Curtiss P40 Hawk+
Supermarine Spitfire+
Ryan Sport+
North American AT-6/SNJ Texan+
General Dynamics F-16 Falcon*
Grumman A6 Intruder*
Douglas A4 Skyhawk*
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star*

May 17, 2009 - "Piano Man"

"....
Sing us a song, youre the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, were all in the mood for a melody
And youve got us feelin alright
...."

April 19, 2009 - "Grandma's Sewing Room" - I also liked the lighting in this room and ended up with a companion to the workbench photo posted yesterday.

August 12, 2009 - "Rafting The Arkansas"

On our summer treks to Colorado, we have a favotie spot to stop and take photos of the whitewater rafters. This was shot about two weeks ago along the Arkansas River in Colorado.

October 28, 2009 - "Trinity River Tributary"

This is the third post of my current river series.

Just kidding - As it turns out, the title is purely phony information. This water feature was shot Sunday at the Bicentennial Park - Liberty Garden in Southlake, Texas. It is the first shot posted that I have taken with my new Nikon D90. I am "in training" learning the new camera before I go on a photo shoot in Galveston next month.

August 24. 2009 - "Any Buyers"

This sidewalk shoe sale had a jumbled pile of shoes on display, but this yellow one was placed alone at the front of the table. It was so brilliant in the light that I just needed to take the shot!

June 23, 2009 - "King William Park Bandstand and Tower Life Building"

If i had realized the bandstand was 37 years older than the skyscraper when I shot this, I would have included more of the bandstand in the photo. (but I did manage to get and save the E on the weather vane)

From traveldk.com
King William Park and Bandstand
This lovely bandstand was built in 1892 on the grounds of the United States Arsenal. It was moved in 1953 to King William Park, which was acquired by the city in 1901 for payment of back taxes.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Tower Life Building is a landmark and historic building in San Antonio, Texas.
Construction of the tower began in 1927 and the building rises 403 feet (123 meters) and has 30 floors. The building, which opened in 1929 was originally named the Smith-Young Tower and is the central component of a paritally completed development called the Bowen Island Skyscrapers. The eight sided, neo-gothic brick and terra-cotta tower (complete with gargoyles) was designed by noted local architectural firm Ayers & Ayers (Atlee & Robert B. Ayers). The building also housed San Antonio's first Sears, Roebuck and Company store in its basement and first levels.

June 20, 2009 - "A Touch Of Rust"

July 23, 2009 - "A Bird"

Here's a bird that was just there wanting to be photographed by kind of a still life/landscape/architecture photographer who is always looking for the unique shot.

August 17, 2009 - "Abundance Of Yellow"

The bright Colorado mountain sun produces some wonderful blossoms and also some interesting contrasts in the photos..

February 19, 2009 - "Postcard From Brugge" - This photo was shot in Brugge, Belgium in 1998. I was fortunate to work and live in Europe in the late nineties. Recently, I have been working with pictures taken during that time. This photo was scanned from a color print negative, post processed and cropped, I think the square crop worked out pretty well. My wife had a square matting that needed a new photo. I would not have gotten to the square crop without being forced to "in the box" thinking:) The original photo can be viewed at
http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/gallery/5294321_ncmcq/1/372399720_YCNCR

Brugge is a photographers delight and also has several wonderful art museums.
From Wikipedia "Bruges got its city charter on July 27, 1128 and built itself new walls and canals. Since about 1050, gradual silting had caused the city to lose its direct access to the sea. A storm in 1134, however, re-established this access, through the creation of a natural channel at the Zwin. The new sea arm stretched all the way to Damme, a city that became the commercial outpost for Bruges."

November 6, 2009 - "Adrift"

– Afloat and unattached in anyway to the shore or seabed, but not under way.

October 14, 2009 - "Guarding The Harem"

Suggest viewing this photo X3, if possible.

We had not slept much two nights before, as another young bull was about 6 feet from our porch and bugled to his harem most of the night.

from

http://www.yellowstonenationalpark.com/elk.htm
These are high-elevation animals that are seldom seen during hot summer days. Elk are most active early In the morning and late In the afternoon. Because grass is high on their menu, they commonly feed in large meadows, often called parks in the west. You'll also see them in areas burned by forest fires and in places recently logged, since those areas often support lush vegetation. Elk are famous for their mating calls, referred to as bugling, but don't expect to hear them vocalizing unless you're visiting the region in September or early October. That's their breeding season, and vocalizations seldom occur before and after. Male elk, called bulls, grow very large antlers and are among the most handsome animals in the west. Each mature bull gathers as many females (cows) as possible prior to the breeding season, and guards his harem from other bulls. Competition for females is fierce, and bulls have been known to kill each other. Elk are large in size; the bulls weigh from 600 to 800 pounds or more. Typically you'll see elk in herds year-round, since they're very social animals.

September 6, 2009 - "Farm To Market"

This photo was taken on a beautiful sunny and warm August Sunday at the Vail Farmer's Market.

More shots from this market in Colorado are in the following gallery

http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/Travel/Colorado-2009/Vail-Farmers-Market/9530748_FAz8S/1/640511897_KFm4n

September 20, 2009 - "Cloud City"

The Leadville, Colorado Presbyterian Church was dedicated in 1889.

This concludes my Leadville photo series. The "Cloud City" certainly provided me with many clouds to try different filter ideas over the last few days.

"Leadville, Colorado, often called "The Two Mile High City" and "Cloud City," was the highest incorporated city in the world at 10,430 feet. However, that title has now been replaced first by Alma, Colorado and then by Winter Park, Colorado. Located at the foot of two of Colorado's highest peaks - Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive, Leadville is one of America's last remaining authentic mining towns."

http://www.legendsofamerica.com/CP-Leadville.html

This also completes my gallery "Colorado 2009 - Traveling From Texas To Colorado"

http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/Travel/Colorado-2009/Texas-To-Colorado/9604190_3DZnQ/1/647001313_sHGr3

May 20, 2009 - "Kind Of A Self Portrait"

Re: questions on yesterday's ostrich photo. It was taken at the The Living Desert, a world-class wildlife and botanical park, located in the town of Palm Desert, California.

May 21, 2009 - "Dakota" - C-47s in British and Commonwealth service took the name Dakota, from the acronym "DACoTA" for Douglas Aircraft Company Transport Aircraft.

From Wikipedia-
"The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota is a military transport aircraft that was developed from the Douglas DC-3 airliner. It was used extensively by the Allies during World War II and remained in front line operations through the 1950s with a few remaining in operation to this day.

During World War II, the armed forces of many countries used the C-47 and modified DC-3s for the transport of troops, cargo and wounded. Over 10,000 aircraft were produced in Long Beach and Santa Monica, California and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The Oklahoma City plant produced 5,354 C-47s from March 1943 until August 1945."

October 26, 2009 - "Yellowstone River"

Thanks for all the kind comments on yesterdays shot. I usually try to avoid posting two similar shots, but thought the 9 minute light and wide shot differences made the overall photo quite different.

This shot was hand held at 1/30 second and then processed.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 692 miles (1,114 km) long, in the western United States. Considered the principal tributary of the upper Missouri, the river and its tributaries drain a wide area stretching from the Rocky Mountains in the vicinity of the Yellowstone National Park across the mountains and high plains of southern Montana and northern Wyoming. It is the longest undammed river in the lower 48 states.

September 27, 2009 - "Ponte Vecchio"

Probably one of the more photographed places in Italy, but I still enjoy looking at this photo again and again. (and now with my latest post processing updates)

From Wikipedia-
The Ponte Vecchio (pronounced [ˈpɔnte ˈvɛkkio]) (Italian for Old Bridge) is a Medieval bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy, noted for still having shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewelers, art dealers and souvenir sellers. It has been described as Europe's oldest wholly-stone, closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge, but there are far older segmental arch bridges such as Alconétar Bridge. The Ponte Vecchio's two neighbouring bridges are the Ponte Santa Trinità and the Ponte alle Grazie.

April 9, 2009 - "Now, where was that alligator"

August 13, 2009 - "Red Cliff Bridge"

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Red Cliff Bridge (also known as the Eagle River Bridge) is an arch bridge near Vail, Colorado that carries U.S. Highway 24 over the Eagle River. It is one of only two steel arch bridges within the entire state and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (reference number 85000204).

The bridge was designed by King Burghardt and built in 1940. Construction was difficult, with workers starting with a cantilevered design, sometimes in sub-zero (below -32°C) temperatures hanging over a 200 foot (61 m) drop. Burghardt wrote in his journal, "In the morning, each gang was lifted to its scaffold on a platform hung from the high line. They took their lunches with them and spent the entire day in the air with the winter wind continually blowing up the canyon."

April 11, 2009 - "Outside, Looking Out" - Yes, this really is a reflection and shadow of a nearby tree"

March 17, 2009 - "Stumbling Upon" - I shot this photo while laying on the ground. The gourds were not staged but just sitting there. My lesson learned - try different and maybe awkward shooting angles and you might "Stumble Upon" some unexpected results.

April 22, 2009 - "An Out At First Base" - I managed to get 4 sequenced shots of my grandson playing first base at Sunday's game. I was also trying out my new Nikkor 18-105mm VR lens.

August 10, 2009 - "Looks Like Rain"

This weather moved in just as the 'VETTES ON THE ROCKIES' show finished for the day. Luckily the clouds amounted to nothing serious with more than 600 Corvettes parked on the main street of Frisco, Co.

I posted one of the Vettes earlier

http://dakotacowboy.smugmug.com/gallery/5146058_rXqrj/1/602435726_bKVLk

August 16, 2009 - "Cabin By Beaver Dam"

This non-creatively entitled scene is actually in the Betty Ford Alpine Gardens in Vail, Colorado. This is the cabin where the garden volunteers meet to start their work assignments.

(wouldn't a pond like this be great in the backyard)

June 27, 2009 - "Johnson Street Foot Bridge"

Following information from "King William Area - A Walking Tour" brochure by
-The San Antonio Conservation Society
-The King William Association

A bridge spanning the San Antonio River on Commerce St. from 1880-1914 was called the O. Henry Bridge after the author who used it in some of his stories. In 1914 the iron span was moved to the Johnson Street site. It was removed for extensive river redevelopment in the 1960s. The pedestrian bridge and spires seen today were placed across the river at Johnson Street in1983 and approximate the original.

I can still remember reading "The Gift Of The Magi" by O. Henry

May 26, 2009 - "LGB Model Train Display" - A one acre outdoor display of superbly done model trains are a major surprise at the wonderful Living Desert zoo! It can be difficult to get the kids to move beyond this wonderment to the animals in their natural settings.

"Model trains became a part of The Living Desert in 1998 during the annual WildLights holiday program from the day after Thanksgiving until the New Year. Initially, it was decided that although the trains would operate only in the evenings as part of WildLights, basic layout of track would remain in place; only the trains and buildings would be stored. However, because of the popularity of the display, the trains started running full time during the regular park hours beginning January 1, 2001. The trains are referred to as "G" scale, which is approximately ½ inch to the foot or 1:22.5 inches, about twice the size of Lionel trains. Although not the largest model scale train, it is the most popular "large scale" train. The locomotives, rolling stock, track, switches and most of the equipment are made by LGB. In fact, the letters "LGB" stand for Lehmann Gross Bahn or Lehmann's Big Train."

"Currently there are more than 3,000 feet of track laid. With six different loops of track, each varying from 150 feet to over 900 feet long, the railroad has grown to an acre. The mainline train travels on 980 feet of track and runs through Old Indio, past the Grand Canyon and along side the mining and logging areas. The trains are driven into a workshop each night, measuring approximately 12 x 42 feet. They are checked for any necessary repairs, cleaned, and made ready for the next day."

The above quotes extracted from

http://www.livingdesert.org/exhibits/model_train.asp

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Your Bio

Duane Bender is an amateur photographer who has always been interested in photography but the advent of the digital camera has re-enabled and awakened a passion for photography.

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A Tuscan October

A Tuscan October

By Duane Bender

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