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Glamour, glitz, and a little bit of horsepower because every queen needs a chariot as there are NO speed limits when it comes to style.
Returning home after a week spent on the road, working on an exciting project with the promise of sharing it soon upon release, I was eager to unwind and reconnect with my wife. The idea of spending some quality time together, basking in the sun by the pool, was all I had in mind. However, as I pulled into the driveway, a stunning gold 2024 Bentley Flying Spur caught my eye. It was a delightful surprise from my wife, who had planned a weekend filled with joy and luxury as we cruised around the city in this exquisite vehicle. The experience of driving the Bentley was exhilarating, creating unforgettable memories with my wife by my side. Yet, amidst the excitement, a creative spark ignited within me. I couldn't resist the urge to capture the beauty of both the car and my wife through my lens. So, on the final day with the Bentley, I proposed a photo and video shoot, transforming our plans into an impromptu artistic endeavor. Despite the scorching 100-degree weather, we embarked on the photo shoot, turning the moment into a collaborative effort with the help of friends Tony @mc_tonyt_noshade for hair and Reaux @reauxbydesign for styling. Setting up my lights, we dived into the creative process, blending elegance with the allure of the luxury car. The result was a captivating fusion of beauty and sophistication, encapsulating the essence of the weekend. While the weekend may not have unfolded as initially planned, the unexpected turn of events brought forth a unique and fulfilling experience. Having my beautiful wife once again as my muse of my photography, alongside the magnificent Bentley, evoked a sense of joy and satisfaction that surpassed any relaxation I had anticipated. It was a weekend filled with love, creativity, and the perfect blend of luxury and companionship, leaving me grateful for the unforgettable memories created. Big thanks to @avondaledealerships @bentleydallas @bentleymotors for the incredible weekend we had! Hope you enjoy the promo video i put together as well as the images we all created! I also included for fun a behind the scenes video Reaux put together. Notice I am wearing my bathing suit as we all cooled off in the pool afterwards! Music: One of my top favorite groups, DIE ANTWOORD - BABY'S ON FIRE
Warriors & Quiet Waters: Empowering Post-9/11 Combat Veterans to Thrive
At last, I have managed to find a moment of respite from work. I am able to relax, breathe deeply, reflect with a huge smile on my face the individuals I have recently encountered, the tales I have experienced, and the family I have acquired during my work escapades! This is a project I worked on where I am truly with my people, experiencing real connections, watching lives change and walking away with a greater connection to my own self and purpose. Thank you to Warriors & Quiet Waters for your trust and to be a continued part of your community and mentor. The work that you do is invaluable, and I am grateful to be a part of your journey towards making a positive impact in the lives of those you serve. Hope you enjoy my story and will take the time to check out the amazing work Warriors & Quiet Waters does. Warriors & Quiet Waters After years of paying service to our country, post-9/11 combat veterans have a new critical mission: finding their purpose in civilian life. Warriors & Quiet Waters empowers post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones to thrive and live purpose-driven lives through peak experiences in nature, meaningful relationships, and a sense of community. They bring Warriors to their ranch in southwestern Montana, providing a safe, secure environment – created by volunteers, guides, and other veterans – that feels like home. Here, Warriors find space to make meaning of their service and discover what a purposeful life means to them. Warriors and their loved ones learn fulfilling new skills like fly fishing, archery elk hunting, and backcountry skills so they can tap into the healing benefits of these activities for life. They gain the life skill of finding clarity and solitude in nature, learning to relax, and building resiliency to sustain them through challenging times. They foster the kind of community that becomes a family! A Warrior’s journey is never over. Their progressive programs encourage Warriors and their loved ones to grow beyond the trauma of war, realize their potential, and chart a path toward a thriving, resilient life. Through outdoor experiences, veterans find space to ponder the big questions about their life after service: What do I want to do with my life? What do I value? What brings me joy? Through this reflection, veterans can find their new mission in life after service. Grant Grigsby is a fly-fishing guide in SW Montana as well as for Warriors & Quiet Waters. Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters warrior, US Navy Veteran Calin Brierley. Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters warrior, US Army Veteran Dylan Croisant. Bozeman, Montana. Warrior, US Army Veteran Dan Hendrix prepares to load up and leave the Warriors & Quiet Waters ranch for a day of fly fishing with the group in Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters Fishing Guide Rodney Thurman demonstrates fly fishing technics and the motions while using a fly rod during an introductory class on the ranch in Bozeman, Montana. Fishing guide Rodney Thurman works with Warriors & Quiet Waters warrior, US Army Veteran Christopher Perdue, teaching him the correct way to cast out his line and use his fly rod at a private pond in Paradise Valley, Montana. Larry Weidinger, Warrior & Quiet Waters Staff Facilitator for the Built For More program discusses the program with new warriors at the ranch in Bozeman, Montana. The crew from Warriors & Quiet Waters makes their way to Sitz Lake with their drift boats in tow for a day of fishing near Bozeman, Montana. US Army Veteran and Warriors & Quiet Waters Fishing Guid Sean Gifford pulls up his drift boat to be launched into Sitz Lake for a day of fishing near Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters staff and warriors arrive at a tributary to the Jefferson River, pulling out and putting on their gear for a day of working the river in search of the fish to be caught and released near Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters warrior, US Army Veteran Dylan Croisant casts his fly rod into Sitz Lake near Bozeman, Montana. Warrior, US Navy Veteran Chris Keene cast his line out into a tributary to the Jefferson River, letting his fly ride the current a bit in hopes of a bite near Bozeman, Montana. Warrior, US Army Veteran Dan Hendrix has a little fun mimicking the scene from the titanic with Companion Joel Proyen and Fishing Guide Grant Grigsby after catching a few fish in Sitz Lake near Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters Fishing guide Jackson Chaput nets warrior, US Army Veteran Michael Brian’s Rainbow Trout he just caught on Sitz Lake near Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters Program Operations Manager Onno Wieringa releases a Brook Trout he just caught in Sitz Lake near Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters Program Operations Manager Onno Wieringa and warrior, US Army Veteran Dylan Croisant try to help straighten a drift boat caught up in the mud after being taken out of the Sitz Lake for the day near Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters Senior Program Operations Manager Jesse LeNeve, and his dog Pancho check out the lay of the land and where best to set off and start fishing with his small group in a tributary to the Jefferson River near Bozeman, Montana. Warrior, US Army Veteran Dan Hendrix gets in a few more practice casts before heading down to a private pond after working with his Fishing Guide Grant Grigsby in Paradise Valley, Montana. Warrior, US Army Veteran Jason Sapp fishes from the bank of Sitz Lake near Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters Fishing Guide Tony Fallen, warrior, USMC Veteran Frank Carter and US Navy Veteran/Companion Ryan Lynch joke around and have a laugh while fly fishing a tributary to the Jefferson River near Bozeman, Montana. Warrior, US Army Veteran Dan Hendrix casts his line into a private pond in hopes of hooking into a big one in Paradise Valley, Montana. Warrior, US Navy Veteran Chris Keene cast his line out into a tributary of the Jefferson River as Fishing guide Rodney Thurman watches on near Bozeman, Montana. After a long day fly fishing on a tributary of the Jefferson River, warrior, US Army Veteran Dan Hendrix takes a moment to write down his thoughts for the day in his journal before packing up and leaving near Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quiet Waters Health and Wellness Coach Karen Mitchell talks with the warriors at the ranch in Bozeman, Montana, about overall health, wellness, and nutrition. After the Fishing Experience warriors are offered the opportunity to meet one on one with her virtually. Warriors & Quite Waters warrior, US Army Veteran Christopher Perdue. Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quite Waters warrior, US Army Veteran Jason Sapp. Bozeman, Montana. Warriors & Quite Waters warrior, US Army Veteran Michael Brian. Bozeman, Montana.
Tawang Monastery
A couple of years ago while exploring India with my good old trusted Marine buddy Russell Klika we came across this hidden gem of a place, witnessing a beautiful culture and its people. In the past I have posted one or two shots, but never the story. These are the kind of stories I am truly passionate about telling! Immersing myself into a situation, life, culture or humanitarian experience I really know nothing about, growing my own life experiences to share with the world. This is the kind of work I am searching to do more of! Open to the public, we spent about two and a half days wandering, listening, interacting, photographing and learning about the monks that live at the Tawang Monastery . One of my fondest memories of our time there was when we wondered into a classroom that didn't have a teacher, watching Russell walk up to the chalk board writing his name on it, saying out loud, "R-U-S-S-E-L-L" in his best Marine English accent. The kids all laughed! Russell broke the ice and we spent a good portion of the afternoon interacting and laughing with the young monks in the class. I love that no matter where you are in the world, kids will be kids and at the monastery, the young monks were no different, Sneaking sweets, rough housing, and playing. Hope you enjoy the story and maybe someday find yourself on your own adventure to Tawang! The famous Tawang Monastery of Arunachal Pradesh is the largest of its kind in India and the second largest in the world. The monks and students who live at Tawang preserve its authenticity as a place to learn about oneself and one’s place in the spiritual world. Tawang exists as an entire world, unto itself, surviving one harsh winter after another and balancing on the edge of its very own mountain. The monks’ social circle is each other. Their neighbors are descendants of friends and relatives that stretch back nearly four hundred years. Their routine is to wake up, learn, pray, eat, stay warm, and sleep. Tawang remains, for the men and boys who, every day, fulfill what they believe to be their duty, their devotion and their greatest calling as Buddhist monks. Simply put: Tawang is home, a community for those all seeking enlightenment. Workers working on a mountainous road in the Sela Pass huddle next to a fire for warmth as the first snow falls in the region near the town of Tawang. Tawang with an elevation of 10000 feet is home to the Tawang Monastery in the northwestern part of Arunachal Pradesh, near the Tibetan and Bhutanese border. A monk walks out of the Dukhang (assembly hall) after offering prayers at the Tawang Monastery. The Monastery is situated in the valley of the Tawang Chu, near the Chinese and Bhutanese border. It is known in Tibetan as Gaden Namgyal Lhatse, which translates to "the divine paradise of complete victory". A group of young monks leave their school for lunch at the Tawang Monastery. The Tawang Monastery is the largest monastery in India and second largest in the world. It is a Tibetan Buddhist Monastery of the Gelugpa sect - constructed in 1681. It was the birthplace of the celebrated 6th Dalai Lama and is home to more than 500 lamas. In the residential quarters a young monk walks on a small metal pipe heading to the Dukhang (The Assembly Hall). The entire eastern half of the monastery is covered with around 60 residential quarters. Each of these dormitories has been constructed by a group of villagers on a voluntary basis and carry out the repairs and maintenance. Prayer flags hang all over and around the city of Tawang located in Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all-pervading space. A monk gestures to a group of younger monks in the residential area of the Tawang Monastery. Within the precincts of the monastery there are residential buildings to accommodate about 700 monks. Young monks emerge with their lunch from the kitchen area of the Tawang Monastery where they line up to receive their meals. The staple food of Tawang is Zan, a flat bread served with meat or vegetables. Young monks drink tea in the Dukhang (assembly hall) at the Tawang Monastery. The Dukhang is the most significant building in the compound and is where monks sit and offer prayers to Lord Buddha. Monks walk through the courtyard to the Dukhang (assembly hall) at the Tawang Monastery. The monastery is the centre of the Gelug school (Yellow Hat) of Mahayana Buddhism. A young monk asks his buddies to retrieve some sweets from his backpack on their way to the classroom at the Tawang Monastery in Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. When young boys join the monastery to train, it is on the condition that it is a lifetime commitment. Monks take their classes outside the front of the schoolhouse in the courtyard capitalizing on the beautiful day at the Tawang Monastery. The monastery’s massive library is a treasure trove of Buddhist scriptures, rare manuscripts, and ancient texts. It holds invaluable knowledge and is a center for Buddhist studies and research. A monk reads his book in a classroom at the Tawang Monastery. At the Center for Buddhist Cultural Studies (their school) the young monks are taught Arithmetic, English, Hindi, and traditional monastic education. The Tawang Monastery is situated near the top of a mountain at an elevation of 10,000 feet overlooking the valley of the Tawang Chu which is near the Chinese and Bhutanese border. It was founded by Merak Lama Lodre Gyatso in 1680–1681 in accordance with the wishes of the 5th Dalai Lama, Ngawang Lobsang Gyatso. The monastery is three stories high. It is enclosed by a 925 feet long compound wall. A couple of young monks play with each other in the residential area of the Tawang Monastery. Most of the monks are boys who belong to the Monpa community. According to a past custom, in a family of three sons, the middle son was conscripted to the monastery and in a family of two sons the youngest son was inducted into the monastery. Young Monks clear ice and snow from rooftops of the residential quarters of the Tawang Monastery. A monks leaves the kitchen area of the Tawang Monastery after lunch has been served and clean-up is done. Locals from the town of Tawang come to the Monastery to light candles and incense while praying in the prayer room at the Tawang Monastery. A group of children play out in front of a store on the main street of Tawang. Monpa is a major ethnic group of Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. The Monpa are believed to have migrated to Tawang through the Western Himalayas. Of the 60,000 Monpas who live in Arunachal Pradesh, about 20,000 of them live in Tawang district, where they constitute about 97% of the district's population. Prayer flags hang everywhere in the Tawang city center located in Arunachal Pradesh in northeastern India. A sizable population of 20,000 live in Tawang town. The dominant ethnic group are the Monpa, who inhabit all the 163 villages. Most of the tribes depend on agriculture for a living. Farmers breed yak and sheep, although in lower altitudes crops are also planted. Coming from business in town, a monk rides a motorcycle back to the Tawang Monastery.
Feeling the love
Jeremy Lock sees the beauty in everything. I am super excited and proud to share this month’s March 2024 Professional Photographer (PPA) magazine! I was just recently interviewed on my continued work and passions after being retired from the military now for 10 years. I was first interviewed by PPA for a short write up upon my retirement from the military, so playing catch up after 10 years was fun. I hope you will take the time to read the article written by Eric Minton who is a brilliant writer and editor in Washington, D.C. Eric took the time to get to know me! He really listened, transcribing my passions, purpose, and thoughts perfectly from multiple conversations. I am officially "over" the interviews where the writer/publication sends questions to you, and you are asked to send back your answers. I haven’t done them in years, and nor will I do them again. Why should I do their work for them for their benefit to fill space? Eric cared, truly capturing the essence of who I am, and I am very appreciative of our common interest in our fellow human beings. This is by far my favorite interview I have ever done! Also, a big thank you goes to Jane Gaboury, Director, Publications for Professional Photographer magazine. Jane , thanks for checking back in with me all these years later and thanks for your handwritten notes with the hard copy magazines you sent. I know you just retired, and I am wishing you nothing but the best, and lots of fun with family and friends in your retirement! Lastly, below is the hard copy magazine layout with a couple of fun sidebars. You may also view the digital story with a photo gallery (extra images) on their website here:
Yellowstone, “The Winter Wonderland”
Yellowstone in the winter is just breath taking and that’s not from the freezing temperatures you endure, but rather from the beautiful snow-covered landscapes of trees, plains, rivers, mountains, canyons, thermal springs, and wildlife. To truly experience its magical beauty, without crowds , you need to visit during the winter! I recently returned from my trip to Montana where I was fortunate enough to work again with the amazing team at Warriors & Quiet Waters (WQW) . Thanks so much for having me back! The purpose of this trip was to teach photography to three WQW alumni, immersing them into the world of photography during the “Photography Experience” workshop. Over the week the students, (who never held a camera), were given the opportunity to learn portraiture (studio), landscape & wildlife (Yellowstone), and photojournalism (girls hockey) by former combat photographers Russell Klika , Mike MacLeod , and myself along with commercial/adventure photographer, veteran Ben Altenes . Our team leads were Kelly King and Harry Miller who provided critical support over the week giving us tips and examples from their own work with wildlife photography and landscape photography. The week was full of laughs and learning, mistakes, and more learning, but to see the incredible photography that was being created, yes, "I said created, not just captured", was awesome! Part of the week we had two days in Yellowstone, and it was fun to hear and watch the students on the first day walking around confident, shooting thinking they are nailing it only to get back and look at their imagery and see they didn’t. The second day proved to be an inspirational day as the students eagerly engaged more with the mentors soaking in their previous night’s critique and creating some magnificent work. When you see that lightbulb click on, "I am like a kid in a candy store, let's get out and get more"! I am extremely proud and honored to have worked with you Nick Kozeniesky , Blaine Cole, and Cal Brierley ! Keep creating, can’t wait to see the world through your eyes! Here is a look at my take on Yellowstone, “The Winter Wonderland”. I have included a map of the park where you can see our routes and where we saw some animals. Not know for my landscape and wildlife, I am pretty proud of my first waterfall photo I created. I hope you enjoy! Big thanks to our guide Alice Owsley for putting up with us and keeping us on schedule for our visit to Yellowstone National Park. A little fun fact about, Alice is that she is also one of the best fishing guides in the area and regularly guides for the all-female and caregiver Fishing Experiences at WQW. WQW: WQW currently offers many unique program models to support post-9/11 combat veterans and their loved ones. They bring Warriors to their ranch in southwestern Montana, providing a safe, secure environment – created by volunteers, guides, and other veterans – that feels like home. Here, Warriors find space to make meaning of their service and discover what a purposeful life means to them. They foster the kind of community that becomes a family. Warriors and their loved ones learn fulfilling new skills like fly fishing, archery elk hunting, and backcountry skills so they can tap into the healing benefits of these activities for life. A Warrior’s journey is never over, and these programs encourage Warriors and their loved ones to grow beyond the trauma of war, realize their potential, and chart a path toward a thriving, resilient life. What are you waiting for… If you’re a veteran, you need to apply here ! What our week was like! Thanks Ben Athens for your mad skills and memories with this video !
1794 Limited Edition Toyota Tundra_ A Homegrown Legacy
It was an amazing and humbling experience to step out from behind the camera where I feel most comfortable, to being in front of the camera. These professionals @toyotausa , @saddlebackbags , and @ encampment.medi didn’t disappoint and the storytelling visuals are amazing!!! Super proud to be a small part in such a quality driven team! The truck is AMAZING down to every little detail! I had a blast, wonder whats next....
On A Mission
Big thank you to Military.com and Blake Stilwell for the interview and article about a passion project of mine over the years! Thanks to the amazing Airpower Foundation for believing and trusting in my vision! Here is the article at Military.com Here is the full gallery
It's Where You Choose To Stand And Nurture The Grass That Counts!
Last week, 3 August was my 10-year mark from retiring from the Air Force after 21 years of service. I posted some retirement photos reliving that day in my mind and the amazing years spent up to it of the adventures, humanitarian missions, wars, and camaraderie I lived and witnessed. I said that, “I miss it”. It started to play on my mind big time, even keeping me up wondering at night, what have I done with my life and work since then? Am I making a difference like I did in the military? Looking back over this last decade, a memory of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with fellow veterans flashed in my mind. I smiled. Then another memory flashed, then another and another. My mind was racing, and my smile was as big as a kid in a candy store! Yes, while I do miss the military, I am grateful for the lessons it taught me, and that I carry with me and use to this day. You see, I was looking at this all wrong. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side. Its where you choose to stand and nurture the grass that counts! I am extremely proud of who I have become and my work that continues! I am proud of the adventures, new camaraderie , and those who I get to story tell for. Here are the memories that popped into my mind of my last 10 years: Freelancer for Reuters, Kolkata, India Cab Project, Hurricane Laura, Headhunters of Nagaland, India, Dallas Protests, Warren Center “Beautifully Broken” Project, Real Housewives of Dallas Husband, “To Be An Apatani Woman”, India Project, Food In Fashion Project, Hurricane Florence, Earth X. Cinderella, One Of The Family Project, Burners Essence, Burning Man, Isis Last Stronghold, Cancer Blows, FOCUS Hospital Scoliosis Project, Ghana Africa, Studio Work, Prison Fellowship, Namibia Aerial Project: Old Scars & Shape Shifters, Texas State Parks, Comedian John Crist, Last Letters Podcast, The Red People, Namibia, Alaska, Published National Geographic, Costa Rica, Texas Water Campaign, BTS “Dallas” TV Show, Tawang Monastery, India,Cincinnati Reds Home Openers, Mercury One Artifacts, Fashion, Salvation Army, Trump Rallies, BLM Rallies, Nascent Project, South Africa, Soweto, South Africa Shark Dive, Okahandja Dump Kids, Namibia, Dallas Burlesque, Bike The Bricks, George Flyod Memorial , Veterans Projects: Medal of Honor Portrait Project, VA Mental Health Campaigns, Mount Kilimanjaro “Climb For A Cause” Project, Medal of Honor Dignified Transfer, Salute To The Troops, Snowball Express, Texas Cattle Round UP, Warriors & Quiet Waters, Airpower Foundation, Peru Ayahuasca Veterans Trip, Heroic Hearts Project, Operation Get Out, Taking A WWII Vet To Ireland, Light Up To Live.
Medal of Honor Recipients
This has been “THE” greatest honor after retiring (21 years) from the U.S. Air Force as a Combat Photographer! Photographing my heroes in an ongoing project that started back in 2016. Full gallery with names and citations here! All my information below and the recipients’ citations in the gallery come from the wonderful Congressional Medal of Honor Society. Go check them out to learn so much more! The Medal of Honor is the United States' highest award for military valor in action. And while over 150 years have passed since its inception, the meaning behind the Medal has never tarnished. Etched within are the very values that each Recipient displayed in the moments that mattered—bravery, courage, sacrifice, integrity. A deep love of country and a desire to always do what is right. A distinguished award presented only to the deserving; the Medal tells a story of its own. The living Recipients do not view the Medal of Honor as something that was won, like one might win a race. They view the Medal as something that was bestowed upon them to carry as a symbol of the sacrifices of all who have served. In the past, “Winner” might have been used, but out of respect for those who currently wear the Medal, please use the term “Recipient.” Number of Medal of Honor awarded: 3535 Number of Medal of Honor recipients: 3516 Number of living Medal of Honor recipients: 65 Recipients according to their service: Army: 2,452
Navy: 749
Marine Corps: 300
Air Force: 19
Coast Guard: 1 For the military service members for whom we have ranks, 77% of Medals of Honor have gone to enlisted personnel; 23% to officers. Only one woman, Mary Edwards Walker has ever received the Medal of Honor for her service during the U.S. Civil War 1861-1864. Click here to learn more Medal First. Thank you and God Bless America and those that have served, continue to serve and those that paid the ultimate price!
Navy: 749
Marine Corps: 300
Air Force: 19
Coast Guard: 1 For the military service members for whom we have ranks, 77% of Medals of Honor have gone to enlisted personnel; 23% to officers. Only one woman, Mary Edwards Walker has ever received the Medal of Honor for her service during the U.S. Civil War 1861-1864. Click here to learn more Medal First. Thank you and God Bless America and those that have served, continue to serve and those that paid the ultimate price!
East Texas, Caddo Lake
Get out and explore! I always say, “There is more to this beautiful world than what’s outside your front door.” Most of which is only a few miles away, if not around the next corner. Another fun trip in the books to Caddo Lake in Karnack, Texas @caddolakesp with my military Marine brother Russel @rklika . Since the pandemic we have been on a mission, when time allows, to hit up all the State Parks in Texas, to kind of decompress from life, get outdoors, smell the fresh air, and take in the world around us. Sometimes even walking away with a photo we love. Nothing beats sitting around a fire making dinner and telling stories of what we saw that day or what we hope to find tomorrow. Camaraderie is what I think this world needs more of. I swear if Russel didn’t have his Air Force buddy there cooking up steaks and porkchops he would be just fine eating his spaghetti and hamburgers. He says, “That’s all you need!” “How hard is it to make spaghetti, you just need boiling water!” Our trip was three days in 100°+ heat. On one of the days, we set out to explore Caddo Lake bayou with an 8-mile round trip canoe excursion. W e launched our canoe from Saw Mill Pond canoeing down the Big Cypress Bayou River to Hells Half Acre. In all, the mazes of bayous and sloughs cover roughly 26,810 acres of cypress swamp. Note to self-moment here: Never ask a Marine named Russel do you want front or back in the canoe. He chose the back with no experience (he left that part out) and paddled here or there while taking photos along the way. The round trip was grueling on me as the Air Force guy in the front pushed through and steered to the point of exhaustion. (If you know, you know) Thank God there was a restaurant on the river near the end of our trip called Big Pines Lodge where I was able to hydrate and cool off. Dinner that night we laughed and joked about the day. However, Russel was from that point on is banned for ever stepping foot in the back of a canoe. Caddo Lake is now marked off our list and didn’t disappoint, especially from the time spent together exploring and the stories we continue to tell. I would only recommend this place for a two-night excursion and would definitely find another access point to launch the canoe closer to Hells Half Acre which is a must-see place to get lost in. Hope you enjoy the photos created from Caddo Lake. Our other adventures so far: Big Bend Ranch State Park Caprock Canyons State Park Seminole Canyon State Park CADO LAKE: Caddo Lake is a 25,400-acre lake and bayou (wetland) on the border between Texas and Louisiana, in northern Harrison County and southern Marion County in Texas and western Caddo Parish in Louisiana. This lake was the only natural lake in Texas until it was artificially dammed in the early 1900s when oil was found and for flood control in 1914. A new dam replaced the old one in 1971. The lake and bayou comprise an internationally protected wetlands and includes one of the largest flooded cypress forests in the United States. Although many conifers are evergreen, bald cypress trees are deciduous conifers that shed their needlelike leaves in the fall. In fact, they get the name “bald” cypress because they drop their leaves so early in the season. Some of the cypress trees in the swamp are more than 400 years old. Spanish moss is commonly found on the southern live oak and bald cypress in the lowlands, swamps, and marshes. It is neither a lichen nor a moss, and it is not native t0 Spain. Spanish moss is not parasitic: it is an epiphyte that absorbs nutrients and water through its own leaves from the air and rain falling upon it. While its presence rarely kills the trees on which it grows, it occasionally becomes so thick that, by shading the leaves of the tree, it slows the growth rate of the tree. The average depth of the lake is 8 to 10 feet, with the deep water in the bayou averaging about 20 feet. The lake contains 71 species of fish, and it is especially good for crappie and largemouth and white bass. Wildlife inhabiting Caddo Lake includes owls, snakes, frogs, waterfowl, bobcats, river otters, beavers, eagles, and alligators. Canoes, Saw Mill Pond. Bald Cypress Trees, Saw Mill Pond. Dark Fishing Spider, Hells Half Acre. Mimosa Tree, Big Cypress Bayou River. Spanish Moss, Saw Mill Pond. Parrot feather, Hells Half Acre. Indian Swamp Weed, Hells Half Acre. Engelmann Daisy, Caddo Forest Trail. Great Egret, Saw Mill Pond. Loblolly Pine, Mill Pond Camping Area #48. Bald Cypress & Spanish Moss, Big Cypress Bayou River. Water Hyacinth, Hells Half Acre. Water Hyacinth, Hells Half Acre. Spanish Moss, Hells Half Acre. Consume, Pine Ridge Loop. Spatterdock, Saw Mill Pond. Reflecting Bald Cypress, Saw Mill Pond. The Moon, Mill Pond Camping Area #48.
Texas Cattle Round Up
Knight Land & Cattle teams up with Legacy Farmstead to bring military veterans and country musicians together for fellowship, continued camaraderie, and a chance to come together in the great outdoors on a working ranch for a mission in Midway, Texas. A Cattle Round Up! Over the few days, participants were familiarized with horse riding before they went out on their mission to the great pastures and round up cattle, working as a team, driving them in and helping with medically inspecting, deworming, and tagging the calves. To learn more about Knight Land & Cattle To learn more about Legacy Farmstead I am becoming more Texan each day! Hope you enjoy the story! A couple of horses start fooling around with each other in the pasture as military veterans and ranch hands arrive for the morning to start saddling up to familiarize with riding a horse before the cattle round up at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Knight Land & Cattle owner Tucker Knight watches as his ranch hands Leon Lewis and Miles Griffin grab saddles. Ranch hand Miles Griffin puts a saddle on his horse at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Ranch hand Miles Griffin helps Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Travis Green up on a horse for his first ride of the weekend to familiarize riding a horse before going out on a cattle round up at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Knight Land & Cattle ranch hands work with the military veterans in a coral, helping them get familiar with their horses before going out on a cattle round up. Musician Isaac Jacob, Garrett George & Legacy Farmstead John Henderson and musician Clay Hollis listen to a brief by ranch hand Miles Griffin before heading out on a cattle round up at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Travis Green follows ranch hand Juan Torrez as they make their way out to the pastures to start rounding up the cattle at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Ranch Manager and Horse Trainer Leon Lewis keeps a watch over the group as they prepare to round up some cattle at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Ranch hand Miles Griffin gallops with his horse on Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Knight Land & Cattle ranch hands and the group of military veterans drive in the cattle to be medically inspected, dewormed and the little calves tagged. Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Travis Green, Retired U.S. Army Specialist Johnny Nguyen, and musician Austin English drive in the cattle to be medically inspected, dewormed and the little calves tagged at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Ranch hands Larry King, Jr. and Leon Lewis drive and separate the cattle that was brought in from the pastures before medically inspecting, deworming, and tagging the calves at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Ranch hand Miles Griffin grabs a calf to be separated from the older cows in the pen during a cattle round up to medically inspect, deworm, and tag the calves at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Ranch Manager and Horse Trainer Leon Lewis steps down from his horse in a cattle pen during a cattle round up to medically inspect, deworm, and tag the calves at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Ranch hands and some military veterans grab a calf and tag it during a cattle round up to medically inspect, deworm, and tag the calves at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Knight Land & Cattle owner Tucker Knight deworms a cow as it is being medically inspected during a cattle round up at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Garrett George, Retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Travis Green, and Ranch hand Miles Griffin have a cold one as they head to dinner after the day’s work of a cattle round up to medically inspect, deworm, and tag the calves at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Ranch Manager and Horse Trainer Leon Lewis prepares to put his horse up and go to dinner after the day’s work of a cattle round up with military veterans to medically inspect, deworm, and tag the calves at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. Dinner is served by Buck Reams “Chuck Wagon Cook” after a long day of rounding up cattle to medically inspect, deworm, and tag the calves at Knight Land & Cattle ranch, Midway, Texas. After dinner an impromptu country music jam session breaks out with Buck Reams, Austin English, Clay Hollis, and Isaac Jacob. They play and sing for guest and military veterans after a long day working Knight Land & Cattle ranch in Midway, Texas. Buck Reams “Chuck Wagon Cook” sings as musician Austin English watches on after a long day working Knight Land & Cattle ranch in Midway, Texas.
NYC Campaign Shoot
Had a great time working and creating during two different campaign shoots for an amazing client up in NYC dealing with mental health. The first photo shoot, with a full crew, was a set production style shoot. This was conducted at several different locations during the week throughout the city with multiple people interacting. The second was me solo with one light (Godox V1 flash on a small light stand) meeting my talent for a two-hour block at various locations throughout the city. We would then start walking the streets not knowing what’s around the next corner creating portraits. I would usually photograph 3-4 people a day over a two-week period. I had a blast on both shoots and really got to meet some fabulous people while exploring and really getting to know the beautiful Big Apple!
COMEDIAN JOHN CRIST: Would Like To Release A Statement
Last year I had the honor of working and laughing along with John and his crew when they came to Dallas to record his show. Here are a few images from that fun day. John Crist: Would Like To Release A Statement , filmed live at the Majestic Theater in Dallas, TX. In his third full length 1-hour special, Crist touches on everything: white people trying to solve racism, therapy sessions gone awry, politically correct sports’ mascots...all through the unique lens of his faith, family and childhood. Watch his hilarious comedy special here: John Crist
Smiling
WWII Marine CPL Don Graves & The Marine Rapper collaboration Last Letters and I are so excited to be a part of this! Bringing two amazing people, who have the love of music, together to have some fun! Absolutely love that he used actual footage of Last Letters bringing Don to Ireland in the video. A little background, during Don's Last Letter podcast episode, Don said, "I have always wanted to go to Ireland, sit in an Irish pub, order a beer, and I want to sing Danny Boy." Don, an avid singer, who has performed the national anthem at multiple events, also feared he would never have the opportunity at 97. Don said, "I don't want to go alone. When you get older, you don't want to travel alone." Over 7 million people have been inspired by Don's service and life and the most common comment is, "Thank you for your service, we can never repay you!" Through sponsors and a Gofundme campaign, World War II Iwo Jima Flamethrower Operator Cpl. Graves wish came true this last May. We recorded the song and documented the experience at Don's house about two weeks before his trip. Hope you will go out and download! I was curious and asked The Marine Rapper what his thoughts were when creating the music? So here is some background behind the song Smiling by The Marine Rapper, Don Graves & Killavic Beats featuring Emma Louise. We chose jazz and hip hop instrumentation to reflect Don's time-period. The meaning behind the song is Smiling through the military generations from Iwo Jima to Afghanistan. I merged When Irish Eyes Are Smiling , an Irish song, with Whole World in His Hands , a black gospel song, to represent the bridging of both of our cultures. U.S. Army Soldier and vocalist Emma Louise, lent additional vocals to the song to represent the maternal nature that comforts us before, during and after war. The song is produced by #1 Billboard charting producer and U.S. Marine Veteran Killavic Beats and co-produced by #1 Billboard charting recording artist and combat veteran The Marine Rapper. In addition, this song makes Don Graves, 97, the oldest person to release a digital single and digital album, surpassing Tony Bennett who was 95 when he broke a Guinness World Record. Since releasing, Smiling it has hit: #5 on Jazz Album charts #17 on Jazz Single Charts #35 on Worldwide Single Charts Special note: watch video to very end and you will see Don listening to the song in Ireland. I hear an actual record album is coming soon! Click here to watch the music video: Smiling Big Thank you: American Airlines Loews Hotels Yummi Sushi #merrilllynch GoFundMe #usmc #WWIIveteran #wish #birthday #marines #marinelife #military #ireland #share Original Marines U.S. Marine Corps #share #kinsale #wish #dreamcometrue Sky Ball OM History Consultant Kelly Russell Castonguay
Xoomi Sushi
Always fun working with amazing clients like Xoomi Sushi on their launch! And their fish is amazing!!! Thanks for trusting in my vision! Xoomi Sushi is proud to be a CLEAN PROGRAM. All their ingredients are free from unwanted chemicals and they have made no compromises on taste!
Try some today!
Available on: DoorDash, UberEats & GrubHub!
Grand Opening was 5/25!
Dallas area only, but coming in the future to a city near you!
Visit and Sign Up on their Website for Exclusive Deals!
Try some today!
Available on: DoorDash, UberEats & GrubHub!
Grand Opening was 5/25!
Dallas area only, but coming in the future to a city near you!
Visit and Sign Up on their Website for Exclusive Deals!
Allen Texas Premium Outlets Mall Shooting
I love when I get called up to go out on a news assignment, but unfortunately when I do, something not good has happened. In this case it was the day after a gunman shot multiple people at the Dallas-area Allen Premium Outlets mall in Allen, Texas, U.S. May 7, 2023. Here is a look at some of my tear sheets from that day.
Forgotten Gems
When it’s a rainy day outside and you're trying to look through all your hard drives for a certain project and you run across these forgotten gems. This was on one of my many favorite trips with the @usairforce This was also the first time I set up portraits (natural light) while documenting on an assignment to further the story. Thank God I was shooting RAW back then and was able to re-edit them the way they should look. As I look back at my work, I can't help but think where these individuals are in their life and how they are doing? Baucau, Timor-Leste – Civil engineers deployed on behalf of 13th Air Force asses and clear out a classroom 16 Sept. 2011 in preparation for PACIFIC ANGEL 11-02: Which is a joint humanitarian and civic-military operation at the children’s Tri-Loca Primary school. U.S. Air Force Pavement Specialist and Construction Equipment Engineer, SrA Paul Head, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan is deployed on behalf of 13th Air Force working on assessing and repairing a classroom on Sept. 20, 2011 in Timor-Leste at Tri-Loca Primary School. U.S. Air Force Pavement Specialist and Construction Equipment Engineer, SrA Clifford Weston, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan is deployed on behalf of 13th Air Force working on assessing and repairing a classroom on Sept. 20, 2011 in Timor-Leste at Tri-Loca Primary School. U.S. Air Force SMSgt Mark Ada, 254th Red Horse Squadron, Guam Air National Guard, Anderson AFB, Guam is deployed on behalf of 13th Air Force working on assessing and repairing a classroom on Sept. 20, 2011 in Timor-Leste at Tri-Loca Primary School. U.S. Air Force MSgt Joseph B. Flores, 254th Red Horse Squadron, Guam Air National Guard, Anderson AFB, Guam is deployed on behalf of 13th Air Force working on assessing and repairing a classroom on Sept. 20, 2011 in Timor-Leste at Tri-Loca Primary School. U.S. Air Force Water and Fuels System Maintenance Engineer, SrA Jeffrey Lightfoot, 35th Civil Engineer Squadron, Misawa Air Base, Japan is deployed on behalf of 13th Air Force working on assessing and repairing a classroom on Sept. 20, 2011 in Timor-Leste at Tri-Loca Primary School. U.S. Air Force Airman from the 254th Red Horse Squadron, Guam Air National Guard, Anderson AFB, Guam is deployed on behalf of 13th Air Force working on assessing and repairing a classroom on Sept. 20, 2011 in Timor-Leste at Tri-Loca Primary School.
Bozeman, Montana and Yellowstone National Park
A little over a week ago I found myself in freezing temperatures in Bozeman, Montana for the first time surrounded by a bunch of fellow veterans warming my spirit and my heart! I was with the awesome team and volunteers from Warriors & Quiet Waters (WQW). We were teaching photography to veterans that have been through the program in some sort of manner and have a strong interest in learning a new skill with photography. The students will then come back a couple times over the year with their new skill and a mentor and help document the WQW program. A win, win in my book! It was a great time, and what they don’t know is this fuels my heart just as much as theirs! It was great to see and work again with my fellow combat photographers Ken Scar , Russell Klika and Mike MacLeod as well as meeting new friends teaching and providing logistical support, Montana photographers and longtime supporters of WQW, veterans Kelly King and Harry Miller It was a beautiful week introducing the basics of photography to our students. Each student was given two canon bodies, a 24/70 and a 100/500 lens to play in a studio setting, working on portraiture, a day in Yellowstone for wildlife and landscape and then (my favorite) action and photojournalism with a young all girls hockey team. The best part is that the students were sent home with a camera where they are continuing to shoot sending us their images while getting better, finding their passion. It was also my first time in Yellowstone, and I can’t wait to go back! When we arrived it was -10 degrees Fahrenheit. Here are a few of my images from that day as well as some behind the scenes shot by the faculty mentioned above. Warriors & Quiet Waters WQW are guiding Post-9/11 Combat Veterans after years of paying service to our country to a new critical mission: finding their purpose in civilian life. WQW guides veterans and their loved ones to thrive and find peace, meaning, and purpose through fly fishing and other inspirational activities in nature. I highly recommend WQW, so check them out and apply! On March 1, 1872, Yellowstone became the first national park for all to enjoy the unique hydrothermal and geologic features and is home to the largest concentration of mammals in the lower 48 states. Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison (Bison bison) have lived continuously since prehistoric times. The record high temperature was 99 °F (37 °C) in 2002, while the coldest temperature recorded is −66 °F (−54 °C) in 1933. Elk are the most abundant large mammal found in Yellowstone. The North American pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) is the surviving member of a group of animals that evolved in North America during the past 20 million years. It is not a true antelope, which is found in Africa and southeast Asia. Not many people visit Yellowstone during the winter. The park is nothing more than miles and miles of solitude. Snow is possible in any month of the year, but most common between November and April, with averages of 150 inches (3,800 mm) annually around Yellowstone Lake, to twice that amount at higher elevations A bison has elongated vertebrae to which strong neck muscles are attached, enabling the animal to sweep its massive head from side to side to clear off up to three feet of snow. Deer, elk, and bison sometimes follow each other through deep snow to save energy. Between 10 and 13 interbreeding bands of bighorn sheep occupy steep terrain in the upper Yellowstone River drainage, including habitat that extends more than 20 miles north of the park. The reduction in snowpack is most pronounced in spring and summer, with an overall continued decline in snowfallprojected for Yellowstone over the coming decades. A male (bull) weighs up to 2,000 pounds, female (cow) weighs up to 1,000 pounds and can live 12-15 years, a few live as long as 20 years. Yellowstone National Park receives between 50 and 200 inches of snow each year Yellowstone is a huge park, covering 2.2 million acres and spanning across northwestern Wyoming into Montana and Idaho. Group photo @studiomacleodphotos
2022 Chicago, Illinois
This past August I was on assignment for a client shooting portraits around Chicago. Each day consisted of meeting up with 3-4 veterans around the city and creating multiple portraits with them. During my down time in between each shoot, I was noticing the magnificent architecture of these Chicago buildings and the way the light was hitting them and the patterns within. So I had some fun photographing the city the way I saw it.
2022 Alaska Fishing Trip
This past June I was able to take some time off and go on an Alaskan fishing trip with the boys to Elfin Cove, Alaska. We had a blast joking, smoking, drinking and plenty of catching! Alaska is absolutely breath taking (pictures don’t do it justice) and this was my second trip of many more to come! You just feel this place and everything it has to offer throughout your whole body. We fished with the crew of Tanaku Fishing Lodge , and they did not disappoint! I highly recommend them! Our boat was the Ocean Seeker, our Captain was Hayden Meier and our deck hand was Evan Harder. The Super Otter transports visitors and supplies from Juneau to Elfin Cove. The Turbine Super Otter from Ward Air, based out of Juneau, Alaska can carry up to 10 passengers and the load capacity is 2400 lbs. Sea gulls fly around Yakobi Rock as sea lions take a rest from the ocean near Elfin Cove, Alaska. The boys head out on the Ocean Seeker from Tanaku Fishing Lodge, Elfin Cove on their first day of fishing. An Orca (Killer Whale) breaches while hunting a sea lion near Elfin Cove, Alaska. Mike reeling in his first catch in Deer Harbor, Alaska. Coastline of Juneau flying out to Elfin Cove, Alaska. Shawn cheers as Thein holds up his first Halibut catch off Cape Spenser, Alaska. A Humpback whale dives outside of Elfin Cove, Alaska. Jasime eats our first freshly caught King Salmon from Deer Harbor, Alaska. A Sea Lion eats fish scraps after the daily cleaning of our catch in Elfin Cove, Alaska. The crew of the Whaler pull in a Ling Cod while trolling Deer Harbor, Alaska. Orcas (Killer Whales) swim past Yakobi Rock on our way out to Deer Harbor, Alaska. A boat moves across the North Pacific Ocean. Jasime pulls in an octopus from Cape Spenser, Alaska. He was fishing at a depth of 240 feet. Sea Lions at Yakobi Rock near Elfin Cove, Alaska. Deck Hand Evan Harder unloads the days catch on Tanaku Fishing Lodge dock in Elfin Cove, Alaska. A Bald Eagle sits in a tree at Elfin Cove, Alaska. Ocean Seeker Boat Captain Hayden Meier unloads a Halibut as part of the days catch in Elfin Cove, Alaska. Little patches of snow remain in Alaska’s landscape. On the porch of Tanaku Fishing Lodge, the boys are enjoying bourbon, cigars and telling stories of the day fishing off Elfin Cove, Alaska. A group of Bald Eagles fly in to feast on fish scraps after the daily cleaning of our catch in Elfin Cove, Alaska. Deck Hand Evan Harder prepares to drop the Ocean Seekers anchor in Cape Spenser, Alaska. The coastline of Elfin Cove, Alaska. A Yelloweye Rockfish is caught and hoisted on board the Ocean Seeker near Elfin Cove, Alaska. A Sea Lion rests with his tongue hanging out at Yakobi Rock near Elfin Cove, Alaska. Jasime and Shawn share a moment at sea while fishing on board the Ocean Seeker from Tanaku Fishing Lodge, Elfin Cove, Alaska. A Bald Eagle swoops in to feast on fish scraps after the daily cleaning of our catch in Elfin Cove, Alaska. A sailboat heads out for the day from Elfin Cove, Alaska. King Salmon rest on the top of todays catch unloaded on the dock of Tanaku Fishing Lodge, Elfin Cove, Alaska. The sun sets on another day in Elfin Cove, Alaska. King Salmon, Black Cod, Shortraker, Black Bass, Yelloweye, Halibut, Ling Cod, King Salmon.
The Dallas Morning News
Dallas photographer's Guantánamo Bay photos released after 20 years Super proud to have been featured in The Dallas Morning News and very thankful for writer Colbi Edmonds story diving into my past and continued passion of storytelling. You can view the full story here Hope you enjoy!
The New York Times: The Secret Pentagon Photos Of GUANTÁNAMO BAY Prisoners
So 20+ years later one of my many missions in the military is finally being seen! I am proud of my military and proud of my brothers and sisters with whom I worked with and those I was blessed to share their stories. To see the full article and learn more click here: The Secret Pentagon Photos Of GUANTÁNAMO BAY Prisoners Soon after dropping off the first prisoners to GUANTÁNAMO BAY on January 11, 2002 I found myself deployed to Afghanistan for Operation Enduring Freedom, working out of Kandahar and Bagram. While there, I was a part of Psychological Operations, Reconnaissance Squadron patrols, and the hunt for Osama Bin Laden in Tora Bora to name a few.
Last Letters Podcast Hits Global Rank Of Top 1.5%
I am so excited to see a dream of mine working and coming true a little over a year and a half and 60 interviews released. Here I am supposed to be this great retired military photographer that pushes a button on my camera to capture great storytelling moments. But, I can honestly tell you that this podcast, this audio has been my greatest storytelling to date and raises the hair on my arms with excitement as I get the honor of sitting down with a new guest to interview them and then capture their portraits after. We found out today that Last Letters podcast is now Ranked Globally in the Top 1.5% most popular shows out of 2,869,466 podcast ranked by Listen Score (the estimated popularity score). I do recognize this hasn't come easy and its numerous hours of work and dedication to bring this podcast to life with no funding and as a two man team between my friend and producer Scott Rettberg and I. (Much more work to do!) More importantly I do recognize that this isn't my podcast, it is the amazing individuals that I get to interviews podcast. It is their story to share and share without judgement and bias from me. It is their story that I will listen to and hopefully pick up some advice on how to better navigate through my own life. It's their Last Letter to us all, it's a part of their legacy. Thank you to all our listeners who show love and believe in our guests and what we are doing! And if you are new to Last Letters, welcome, here is what we are all about: (available wherever you can listen to podcasts) If tomorrow was your final day on earth, what would you say and who would you say it too? Last Letters began in a small office in Dallas, Texas, where a small circle of friends—including retired 7x time military photographer of the year: Jeremy Lock, and television producer: Scott Rettberg — would spend evenings swapping stories of world travels & unexpected adventurous tales. There was a common regard for the stories of individuals who when experiencing the same adventure, walk away with differing experiences and knowledge. We are finally beginning a new podcast adventure sharing these amazing tales with a wide array of experiences culminating in a “Last Letter” to the world— and maybe a final piece of advice. Last Letters are true stories which: Celebrate personal storytelling. Illuminate both the diversity and commonality of human experiences. Includes people globally from all walks of life: military, astronauts, students, homeless, yo-yo champions, mechanics, exonerated prisoners, headhunters, cab drivers, veterans, Nobel laureates and everyone in between. Social Media: FB TikTok Instagram
BUZZING ALONG THE HIVE TRACK OF KOLKATA
Passion Project Still In Progress I am looking forward this year (now that the pandemic is pretty much over) to getting back to work on my Kolkata Cab story this year. This project came about on a trip to India back in 2017 when my partner in crime Russ @rklika asked me if I would like to go with him to India to photograph the Apatani Women of Ziro Valley and the Konyak Tribe "Headhunters" of Nagaland . Both tribes that will loose a part of their culture when the last tattooed person dies. As I am on these adventures, I am always looking for other projects to sink my teeth in. On this trip we learned that Uber has come into Kolkata and started shutting down the essence of this city by eliminating these colorful cabs and replacing them with Ubers. Essentially losing a part of the cities culture. I was intrigued and started working on it, coming back the following year in 2018 to work more on it with the help of a few awesome Nat Geo editors. I hope you will take the time to see and learn about a project in progress and read an amazing story written by Taylor @tayleenam City. Home. Hive. Yellow taxi cabs buzz along Kolkata’s hot, honking, congested mess of traffic like bees in a swarm. These vehicles share the streets with rickshaws, tuk tuks, buses and pedestrians carrying suitcases, children and even baskets of good. Rickshaws are labor-intensive. Tuk tuks are small and uncomfortable. Buses are crowded. And one can only travel so far on foot. Yellow taxi cabs, then, are truly what it means to move in and around Kolkata. If anyone needs to get anywhere, a yellow taxi cab is poised, ready to weave a path through the crowd. It has been this way for as long as anyone can remember. Since August 2013 brought the advent of app-accessible big-corporation driving services like Uber, more and more yellow taxi cabs are left to idle on the very streets they used to dominate. Because the Ambassador cab manufacturer was forced to close in 2014, just months after Uber was introduced to Kolkata, the yellow taxi cabs and their drivers must now face a fast-approaching expiration date. But wait. This is not a lament about the tragedy of Western World technology infiltrating yet another culture. This is not a sermon about preserving the old way of life. This is a love letter; a dedication to the yellow taxi cabs and their drivers who have, for generations, defined Kolkata like a bee colony defines its hive. Link to full story and images here A cab driver maneuvers the Kolkata streets at night heading to the Maidan Park area on October 28, 2017. The landmark yellow Ambassador cabs of Kolkata, India is what has defined this bustling city. However, with the closing of the Ambassador cab manufacturer in 2014, just months after Uber was introduced to Kolkata, the yellow taxi cabs and their community of drivers must now face a fast-approaching expiration date. Mukesh Shaw & Montu Das play cards on a street corner near the Naba Baghbazar area on July 12, 2018, in North Kolkata. A cabbie drives by the outside perimeter of the Shyambazar Sunday Kolkata Pet Market in North Kolkata on July 8, 2018. At the market you can find different rare species of bird, rabbit, guinea pig, dog, pigeon, different kind of colorful fishes for aquarium, plants and flowers. A cab driver maneuvers through the Kolkata streets looking for a fare on July 5, 2018. Though taxi services started in Kolkata as early as 1907, the iconic Ambassador became a standard taxi model only in 1962. Despite its British origins, the Ambassador is considered as a definitive Indian car and is fondly called the "king of Indian roads". The automobile was manufactured by Hindustan Motors at its Uttarpara plant near Kolkata, West Bengal until the plants closure in May 2014. Cab driver Arun Kumar Bharati, who has been driving an Ambassador yellow cab for 21 years. July 11, 2018. Parked on the side of a busy street, A cab driver takes a late morning nap in the back seat of his cab on October 28, 2017. In Kolkata, most cabs are painted yellow with a blue strip in the middle. A couple of plant vendors load up a cab in the Shyambazar Sunday Kolkata Pet Market in North Kolkata on July 8, 2018. One of the Ambassador’s best features are its roomy back seat and enormous trunk. A mechanic works on a Ambassador steering column in a small shop down the narrow back allies of the Mullick Bazar on October 28, 2017 in Kolkata. Radiator repairman Maserul Hauk says that the Ambassador cabs are his main customers, fixing 8-10 radiators a day. He also sells them for 4-5000 rupee’s with is about $56-$70.00. An Ambassador cab drives through the Howrah flower market on July 4, 2018 in Central Kolkata. Yellow cabs may physically disappear from the streets of Kolkata in the coming years, but their legacy will continue–honking and humming and buzzing along the hive track of history.
Seminole Canyon State Park & Historic Site in 30+ Degree Temperatures
Kicking off 2022 with our continued quest to visit all the Parks in Texas! What turned into canceled international trips and lockdowns during the height of COVID birthed the yearning to get out and explore, and what better places to explore than right out your front door!
So my good friend, travel buddy and fellow combat photographer Russ @rklika and I launched 2022 with a recent four day camping trip to Seminole Canyon State Park in Val Verde County, west of Comstock, Texas. And we did it while the temps were in the 20’s and 30’s. We were multilayered up during the whole trip and enjoyed steaks while huddled around the campfire keeping warm at night and occasionally visiting with neighbors who were from up north looking for warmer temperatures down south during their winter months.
Seminole Canyon is a small State Park with about 12 miles of trails that look down into the beautiful canyon. You can pretty much hike everything in three days. They do offer a guided (about eight hours) canyon hike to visit more of the rock paintings. We will be back for that.
My goal for this trip was to find color in a desert environment in the middle of winter.
I do have to say that the most impressive part of this State Park was its staff of amazing rangers and volunteers that were very friendly and very knowledgable. We were even giving some incredible ranger breakfast tacos one morning to warm our spirits! Definitely ask for their famous breakfast tacos!!!! LOL
Lastly, a must do for this park is to take their guided four hour tour to one of the rock shelters nearby witnessing the history and rock paintings. Our guide was awesome and so knowledgeable. I seriously learned so much and hands down our tour was the best I have had in a long time.
I hope you enjoy the images and they inspire you do go out and explore something! Also head on over to @rklika to see his beautiful take on our trip.
Click here to see more parks we visited: Caprock Canyons State Park & Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas
Seminole Canyon State Park
Sitting on more than 2,000 acres, displaying jagged canyons cut through the Chihuahuan Desert where the Pecos River flows into the Rio Grande. The area has been inhabited by humans for some 12,000 years, who lived in natural rock shelters carved into the canyon walls. Thousands of years later, another culture called the “Archaic people” lived in the dry rock shelters, leaving their mark on the environment through some 200 rock paintings throughout the area. The park contains some of the most outstanding examples not only in Texas but in the world. Extensive pictographs of the Lower Pecos River Style, attributed to the Middle Archaic period of 4,000 years ago, adorn rock shelters throughout its canyons.
Research into the meaning of Lower Pecos River Style murals suggests that the images may communicate important elements of the culture’s belief system, such as shamanic journeys to the land of the dead and symbolic relationships with animals and peyote a hallucinogenic cactus.
The U. S. Army was the first American presence in the Lower Pecos region. In 1851, Lieutenant Nathaniel Michler did a reconnaissance of the Rio Grande above and below its junction with the Pecos River for the United States and Mexico Boundary Commission. After the Civil War, Lieutenant John L. Bullis and his Black Seminole Scouts operated in the area. They blasted a wagon road into the Pecos Canyon near the Rio Grande to provide the military with a shorter route between Forts Clark and Davis. The canyon is named in honor of these scouts. Sources: the internet. #texasparks #texasstateparks #camping #exploring #igtexas #seminolecanyonstatepark #texascamping #southwestplants Seminole Canyon on the Fate Bell pictograph site/trail. Sotol cactus surrounded by Cenizo on the upper Canyon Rim Trail. Seminole Canyon from the upper Canyon Rim Trail. Sotol on the upper Canyon Rim Trail. Dried riverbed near Panther Cave Pictograph Site on the U.S./Mexico border from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Small stream near Panther Cave Pictograph Site on the U.S./Mexico border from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Thorns from the Cylindropuntia Leptocaulis (Christmas Cholla) on the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Trees surround a water spring on Windmill Nature Trail. Bird nest near Desert Vista Camping Area. Doe near Panther Cave Pictograph Site on the U.S./Mexico border from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. U.S./Mexico border near Panther Cave Pictograph Site from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Mexico border across the Rio Grande River near Panther Cave Pictograph Site from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Natural rock shelter carved into the canyon walls near Panther Cave Pictograph Site from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Rock paintings on the walls of a natural rock shelter carved into the canyon on the Fate Bell pictograph site/trail. Seminole Canyon floor on the Fate Bell pictograph site/trail. Rock paintings on the walls of a natural rock shelter carved into the canyon on the Fate Bell pictograph site/trail. Ocotillo on the upper Canyon Rim Trail. Reflection of trees surrounding a water spring on Windmill Nature Trail. Sunset from Desert Vista Camping Area. Sunset from Desert Vista Camping Area. The moon after sunrise from Desert Vista Camping Area.
So my good friend, travel buddy and fellow combat photographer Russ @rklika and I launched 2022 with a recent four day camping trip to Seminole Canyon State Park in Val Verde County, west of Comstock, Texas. And we did it while the temps were in the 20’s and 30’s. We were multilayered up during the whole trip and enjoyed steaks while huddled around the campfire keeping warm at night and occasionally visiting with neighbors who were from up north looking for warmer temperatures down south during their winter months.
Seminole Canyon is a small State Park with about 12 miles of trails that look down into the beautiful canyon. You can pretty much hike everything in three days. They do offer a guided (about eight hours) canyon hike to visit more of the rock paintings. We will be back for that.
My goal for this trip was to find color in a desert environment in the middle of winter.
I do have to say that the most impressive part of this State Park was its staff of amazing rangers and volunteers that were very friendly and very knowledgable. We were even giving some incredible ranger breakfast tacos one morning to warm our spirits! Definitely ask for their famous breakfast tacos!!!! LOL
Lastly, a must do for this park is to take their guided four hour tour to one of the rock shelters nearby witnessing the history and rock paintings. Our guide was awesome and so knowledgeable. I seriously learned so much and hands down our tour was the best I have had in a long time.
I hope you enjoy the images and they inspire you do go out and explore something! Also head on over to @rklika to see his beautiful take on our trip.
Click here to see more parks we visited: Caprock Canyons State Park & Big Bend Ranch State Park, Texas
Seminole Canyon State Park
Sitting on more than 2,000 acres, displaying jagged canyons cut through the Chihuahuan Desert where the Pecos River flows into the Rio Grande. The area has been inhabited by humans for some 12,000 years, who lived in natural rock shelters carved into the canyon walls. Thousands of years later, another culture called the “Archaic people” lived in the dry rock shelters, leaving their mark on the environment through some 200 rock paintings throughout the area. The park contains some of the most outstanding examples not only in Texas but in the world. Extensive pictographs of the Lower Pecos River Style, attributed to the Middle Archaic period of 4,000 years ago, adorn rock shelters throughout its canyons.
Research into the meaning of Lower Pecos River Style murals suggests that the images may communicate important elements of the culture’s belief system, such as shamanic journeys to the land of the dead and symbolic relationships with animals and peyote a hallucinogenic cactus.
The U. S. Army was the first American presence in the Lower Pecos region. In 1851, Lieutenant Nathaniel Michler did a reconnaissance of the Rio Grande above and below its junction with the Pecos River for the United States and Mexico Boundary Commission. After the Civil War, Lieutenant John L. Bullis and his Black Seminole Scouts operated in the area. They blasted a wagon road into the Pecos Canyon near the Rio Grande to provide the military with a shorter route between Forts Clark and Davis. The canyon is named in honor of these scouts. Sources: the internet. #texasparks #texasstateparks #camping #exploring #igtexas #seminolecanyonstatepark #texascamping #southwestplants Seminole Canyon on the Fate Bell pictograph site/trail. Sotol cactus surrounded by Cenizo on the upper Canyon Rim Trail. Seminole Canyon from the upper Canyon Rim Trail. Sotol on the upper Canyon Rim Trail. Dried riverbed near Panther Cave Pictograph Site on the U.S./Mexico border from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Small stream near Panther Cave Pictograph Site on the U.S./Mexico border from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Thorns from the Cylindropuntia Leptocaulis (Christmas Cholla) on the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Trees surround a water spring on Windmill Nature Trail. Bird nest near Desert Vista Camping Area. Doe near Panther Cave Pictograph Site on the U.S./Mexico border from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. U.S./Mexico border near Panther Cave Pictograph Site from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Mexico border across the Rio Grande River near Panther Cave Pictograph Site from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Natural rock shelter carved into the canyon walls near Panther Cave Pictograph Site from the lower Canyon Rim Trail. Rock paintings on the walls of a natural rock shelter carved into the canyon on the Fate Bell pictograph site/trail. Seminole Canyon floor on the Fate Bell pictograph site/trail. Rock paintings on the walls of a natural rock shelter carved into the canyon on the Fate Bell pictograph site/trail. Ocotillo on the upper Canyon Rim Trail. Reflection of trees surrounding a water spring on Windmill Nature Trail. Sunset from Desert Vista Camping Area. Sunset from Desert Vista Camping Area. The moon after sunrise from Desert Vista Camping Area.
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