A Dickens of a Christmas Pt. 3

Here are more pictures from Saturday night in period processes like daguerrotype, albumin, and platinum. The child in the top photo (I didn't catch her name...) asked me to take her picture while I was ordering a cheesesteak from at one of the food stalls around the square (my father's side of the family is from Philadelphia, so I inherited a taste for cheesesteak hoagies). She was an absolute darling, and so happy with her little marrionette, and the picture I think captures it perfectly...

More From A Dickens of a Christmas

More photos from the shoot this evening. It amazes me sometimes how many things I can find to photograph. I think one of the reasons I have this blog is to show people you don't have to travel far to find interesting photos....there are enough things in your own backyard to keep you busy for a lifetime.

Landon Winery (bottom) is a nice local winery that gets its grapes from California; LaMisha Bistro (middle) is a classy European-style restaurant with walls lined with the work of local artists and great food; and Cafe Malaga (near top) is a great and affordable Tapas Restaurant with wonderful atmosphere and an asparagus wrapped in prosciutto tapa that is to die for (or to kill for, because if you were to die you could hardly enjoy this present to your tastebuds!). The restaurant is also next to the location of James W. Throckmorton's (Governor of Texas during the early years of Reconstruction, and later Congressman from Texas) law office which is a Texas Historical Landmark.

A Dickens' Christmas in McKinney Town Square

November 28, 29, and 30th is A Dickens' Christmas in downtown McKinney. I went down there this evening to shoot some photos. In keeping with the occasion, I have used Albumin and Platinum effects for the shots...techniques around the time of Dickens (and Daguerrotype would have also been a possibility) . I would also like to thank Charm of Alternative Furnishings, and Jennifer and Sherri of Cookie Lee Jewelry for letting me take their pictures. Over the next few days I will be posting more photos from this shoot, in color, platinum, and albumin....

More of McKinney's Fall....

I usually use Paint Shop Pro Photo XI to crop, edit, and tweak photos....my philosophy towards this to change or enhance in the same manner as you would if you were in the darkroom developing prints yourself....the fact is, for anyone who thinks that this is "cheating", no amount of photoshoping can make bad photos good. The bottom photograph, by the way, is completely untouched, and unenhanced.......

Happy Thanksgiving from McKinney

A few Thanksgiving photos from this morning....

Industrial-Agricultural McKinney

Just to the east side of downtown McKinney (east of McDonald Street) is the older industrial/agricultural area of the city, much different than the expensive subdivisions of the west side. I went out just before dawn this cloudy morning to shoot some pictures. The middle picture is from the loading dock of a vacant building, and the bottom photo is from an old Flour Mill. All three were processed with infrared effect in Photoshop, which is a fairly expensive form of film if you were to try to shoot through a conventional SLR. Infrared gives a ghostliness to images. I think some subjects look best in B & W, or infrared. Some may not think the use of computerized effects are "authentic", but I think one should use whatever techniques helps them reach the desired goal of the photo...but I also use to have a film SLR and have both done my own film developing and enlarging of B & W prints......

More From Pecan Grove Cemetary

Here are more photographs from Pecan Grove, this time in Black and White.

Pecan Grove Cemetary

Established in 1870 the Pecan Grove Cemetary, still in use today, is one of the oldest cemetaries in North Texas. It is the final resting place of many Confederate veterans of The Civil War, and many prominent residents of early McKinney, including the Throckmorton family.

Praying Hands 1 & 2

Yesterday on the way to the gym about 4:30 PM I stopped at the Ridgeview Cemetary, just off US 75. I had noticed it before. As one of my many interests is cemetaries, both new and old, I envisioned some possible shots in the sinking sun. Yes, some may think it morbid, but there is a peacefulness and as you walk among the markers and I cannot help but wonder about all of the life histories that are contained, both of the dead and the still living. This statue of the praying hands is actually no larger than about 4 feet high...

I also use the visit to straighten vases and flags that have fallen over....

Yesterday's Photo Shoot-Blue Windows

I shot this photo yesterday evening about 5:45 PM. It is a ski sports shop just off the Town Square. I have always thought it a bit odd McKinney has a ski shop, since the nearest skiing is about 800 miles away!

McKinney's Old Courthouse

This is a late dawn shot of the old courthouse (now used as a performing arts venue) sitting in the center of McKinney's traditional town square and now historical district.  The statue in the right corner of the courthouse is of William Throckmorton, one of Collin County's early settlers.

Sunset at Towne Lake Softball/Baseball Complex

I live not far from Towne Lake and its Baseball/Softball Complex.  I took this about two weeks ago at sunset, in case you missed the title.....

Fall in McKinney

Yes, we do actually have seasons in McKinney, Texas.  Although the fall and winter are not as long as more northern climes, we do actually have leaves that change color. The top two pictures were taken near Valley Creek Elementary, where I had worked as an Election Clerk the day before.  

As for the swing picture, this was taken just after sunrise one morning in Towne Lake, and I happen to like it.

Flags

This is a shot from one of last week's shoots.  It is from the fire station near the town square, and has a wonderful retro style to the design.

Today's Photo's

These pictures were taken in the twilight to dark hours of Wednesday, November 5th.  I have realized I seem to have some themes developing of signs, towers, and of vertical objects.  I have no idea exactly why, or that I could easily explain in words,  except that I find them interesting...

Monday's Pictures

Sunday when I went out I noticed the First Baptist Church around the corner from my apartment, and thought it would make a nice subject with its white spire as the light from the sunrise hit it.  I had also noticed the main McKinney fire station near downtown and decided to go out Monday morning and shoot a few shots.  I saw the school zone sign near the church and thought it might be interesting to catch with the sunrising directly behind it.  You may have noticed by now I have a fascination with signs and vertical objects, trying to capture them in unusual ways. 

More Shots from Sunday Photo Shoot

Here are a few more pictures from Sunday's shoot.  The sunrise shot was taken over Lavon Lake The pictures of the McKinney Old Courthouse and town square were shot around 6-7am without flash or filter and exposed about 1-2 seconds at around f5.6-f8.  There was a light fog and a lot of dew that morning, which is why there are star and halo effects around the lights.