Hi Everyone,
Hope ya’ll are having a great day. I took this photo at breakaway during the fall BUT a few Tuesdays ago the staff from Breakaway showed a video they created. Its pretty awesome, check out what the Lord is doing here at our school.
Johnny Stimson ’11 – Aggie Musician
Earlier last year I photographed my good friend Johnny and did some portraits for him. We walked around for an afternoon, from the MSC to downtown Bryan and even to the Luther House. Anyways it was a blast doing this and I really liked how some of the stuff turned out. The reason I am writing this post is to show you some of the photos but also to brag about how awesome Johnny is and his in talent.
I distinctly remember the first time I listen to his music. I was sitting down at my house and I visited his music web page and played “Hot Air Balloon”. I was blown away. It wasn’t like the all too familiar acoustic guitar and vocal but it had more to it. Much more. His music pops and its just flat out fun to listen to. I couldn’t figure out a way to post his music on the site but I did find a video that “Vans” used for a commercial which features music from our very Johnny Stimson, the song “Hello Yellow”.
See what I mean, isnt his music fun? He also had some of his music featured in “One Nation Under God” From what I know, he hasn’t put together a CD yet but I sure it is soon to come. This man has his heart in the right place and he is going to go places. Here is a cover he recently did of “Hallelujah”.
If you want to hear some more full length songs go to his site, there is a link to it on the bottom of the page.
I have had the absolute pleasure of not only knowing Johnny but being good friends with him, he truly walks with the Lord and because of that produce beautiful music. Visit his website to hear more of his music and learn more about him and if you want to follow him on twitter, I put a link to that as well.
Go to His Website
Follow Him on Twitter
Follow me on Twitter!!!
Hi Everyone,
Okay I have fallen into the world of twitter and it is awesome. I will be posting photos and status updates on it. For example; when I am on different shoots and trips. So if you want to follow me click the link below and add me. Hope you are all having a great Sunday!
My Twitter Page
Colt McCoy – More than a Quarterback
First off, I am an Aggie and I am proudest member of my class. With that being said I thoroughly enjoy watching a certain school in Austin lose. But as my mom has said recently, “One person who has made it easier to come closer to tolerating the Longhorns has been Colt McCoy.” I’ve heard stories about this guy and I know he came from a small town and that he lead his team to the national championship. His accomplishments are endless and well deserved. But this is not why I am writing about him. I am writing because a few weeks ago I saw a man get hurt during the biggest game of his current career and stand on the sidelines as his team lost the national championship.
A reporter went up to him after the game and asked him about his situation only to receive a silence. Colt didn’t know what to say. After waiting for a few seconds he congratulated Alabama and then proceeded to claim his faith in God, saying that He was in control and that He has a plan for him. I immediately put myself into his shoes and pretended to be in that situation. I love the Lord with all my heart, I truly yearn to be closer to Him but what Colt did on national TV was not easy to say. In the face of uncertainty he put his faith in Christ, something I pray to God I can do as well. Colt, thank you for being a role model, thank you for your boldness in your faith.
Also, Colt earlier this year was asked to be on “I am Second”. Colt is a role model; start this video to hear him speak his heart.
The photo from at the top I took after the A&M game against t.u. in Kyle Field this year. I ran to the middle of the field and snagged a shot of Jerrod and Colt together and then decided to keep following Colt. He stopped in front his fans and sang their fight song with the band. I really like how the shot turned out but decided that it was of no use in Aggieland until Colt got interviewed after the national championship.
Colt McCoy on “I am Second”
The Forest among the Skyline – Dallas World Aquarium
This last Friday I had the absolute joy of revisiting the Dallas World Aquarium. Its located in an old warehouse in downtown Dallas near the arts district and if YOU havent been there it is well worth the money. One of the reasons I went to the DWA was to hangout with a few members in Brotherhood of Christian Aggies.
The moment we stepped into the building warm air hit my skin and I started to hear noises unfamiliar to the Texas. Chirps, rattles and water rushing. We made our way upstairs and walked through a hallway which opened up to a rain forest. The first thing I saw was three story waterfall. We walked in amazed and trying to capture everything with our eyes. Some of the animals were behind glass and some were literally flying around or hanging around. We walked and saw many animals some underwater some on land.
Amy, my sister, read that they were going to start feeding the sharks in the Mundo Mayan exhibit. So needles to say we all started rushing to the underwater glass shark tunnel. We made our way into the tunnel only to find that we had a lot of company.
I thoroughly enjoy this photograph because it looks like the shark is just floating behind this class of kids from Central Elementary.
After we watched many sharks including the saw shark seen above devour sardines(little fish) we made our way up over the water and towards the jaguar temple. This place is consistently my favorite section of the whole Aquarium, because of the jaguar.
The Jaguar walks around the glass cage and plays with kids and college students who walk up to it and every once in a while it will stop at one of the corners and just relax. I sat next to it for a while and then it started to stare off in the distance and I snagged one of my favorite shots of it.
After reluctantly walking away from the big cat we made our way around to different places. One of the stops we made was by a creek thing filled with flamingos and other birds.
And finally went back and took a BCA photo to commemorate our awesome trip there.
Aggieland 2009 named Columbia Crown Finalist
WHOOOOOOPPPPPP!!!! Alyssa you are super awesome and you are so much of the reason why we are receiving this award. To the staff who worked on this, “Ya’ll are awesome thank yall for all your super hard work putting this together”
Okay here is what I know, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association is one of the gives out one of the highest awards given out to yearbooks. I literally copied the rest of the info from their website.
“Crown Awards are the highest recognition given by the CSPA to a student print or online medium for overall excellence. Both Gold Crown and Silver Crown Awards are given each year.
A panel of Crown Judges assembles each year at Columbia University to view all entrants, whether they are newspaper, magazines, yearbooks or online media. Judges are experienced former advisers to student media, professional journalists who understand student media or professionals such as photographers or online specialists with particular expertise needed for the judging exercise.”
Here is a list of the finalist.
College Yearbook Crown Finalists
Aggieland, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX;
Agromeck, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC;
Arbutus, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN;
Cactus, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX;
Ibis, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL;
Royal Purple, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS;
Selah, Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA;
Sooner, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK;
Talisman, Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, KY.
Columbia’s Crown Website
I did a Barrel Roll in a Jet
Some of you might recall the photograph of me in sheer terror on the front page of the batt a while ago, well i liked to explain. I had the opportunity the fly in a jet. What happened was one of my friends J.D. called me and asked if I wanted to cover a story this story with him. I heard the words “fly in jet” and told him yes before he could end his sentence. So J.D. and I went out to the the airport out by 2818 to cover the story. What was going to happen was the Texas A&M volleyball team was going to be flown by the Marine Corp but they lost a close game the night before, therefore they couldnt come. But regardless we got to fly. We flew in the plane for a good hour and it was a blast!
click on the pic below to see it bigger or click on the link to see the story on the batt
During the flight, we all got to go up to the cockpit and fly the jet. He told me to put on the headphones and from there I put my hands onto the wheel and then he took his hands off his. I was in complete control of the jet. It was quite an incredible feeling. From there he motioned for me to turn and I did and then he motioned for me to pull or to push and I did. I was blown away by the awesomness of the situation. When I was up there he asked if we wanted to do a barrel roll only to receive “Heck Yeahs”. So I sat up there and all the sudden the horizon started to turn until I saw nothing but ground underneath of me, my world was literally flipped upside down.
From my understanding when talking to the pilot, The Marine Corps Flight Orientation Program comes to Aggieland one week every semester. When they come anyone can go and fly in the jet, specifically people who are interested in joining the Marines. Once again, everyone thanks for keeping up with my photographic adventures. Yall are awesome.
Okay, I made this video that shows a lot of cool stuff that went down, CHECK IT OUT. ITS SUPER COOL.
Crazy Moon Circle
Okay John David Swiger, a fellow photographer friend, told me to walk outside and look at the moon, so I did. I looked at it and there was this crazy circle thing around it. I mean this was really weird. I was wondering if any of you all know about it or saw it. Anyways finals are starting to come up and that means I need to study like crazy. So I hope you all have a great beginning of your December and once again if anyone can offer any explanation, please comment.
NOTE: I didnt photoshop anything and its not some crazy lens flare. I put it into black and white too here it is.
Once again thank you to everyone who has been keeping up with my blog and photography, yall are great and I really do value all the encouragement. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
—–JAMES UNTHANK FOUND THE ANSWER——
Okay its called a 22 degree halo and here is the wikipedia article about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/22%C2%B0_halo
Thanks James
The Aggie Bonfire – Remembered
I walk into my house at 4:00 a.m. and put my camera equipment up, I think about going to bed. But I can’t. The moment I just experienced in my life was just to monumental for me to just sleep. What I experienced was an intense love for Texas A&M, family, and the values this university holds.
For those who didnt know, Aggies gathered this morning at 2:42 at the Bonfire Memorial on campus to remember the fallen from the collapse and to pay respect to them and their families. I started the experience when I drove through campus towards the memorial and I watched hundreds of Aggies all walking quietly and coming together. I got out my car and walked up to the candle lighting line and talked with a few people and watched people for a while all light their candles from a few candles on a picnic table set up. I walked up over the hill and what I saw took me a while to comprehend. I not only saw the entire inner ring filled with Aggies but a good portion outside the ring. We all stood in silence and I walked to the back to get a few photos. As I stood in the back a hymn broke out from the crowd and we all put our voices together and sang. From there we all said the Lord’s Prayer then the crowd lifted their candles and voiced the Aggie War Hymn.
After that had finished a man’s voice lifted over the crowd and he spoke for a few moments, encouraging Aggies, especially current students, to keep the spirit alive by showing up to silver taps, saying howdy, and living out the traditions at Texas A&M. These very things are what makes Texas A&M the greatest university in the world, and we need to keep them going. He finished his remembrance speech with this quote, “the Aggie Spirit built bonfire, the bonfire did not build the Aggie Spirit”.
I stood their in the cold wind and when I heard that, I didn’t shiver because of the temperature but because of the words. Aggies, this university has something very special and you don’t need me to tell you that. We have a heart and a family like no other. Live out daily the core values (Excellence, Integrity, Leadership, Loyalty, Respect, and Selfless Service) and be what makes this university so incredibly great. Tonight I felt like I was a part of something that was extremely loving and respectful, something that is strongly united. Be proud Aggies of what we have!
Okay everyone, I also made a video, something that’s a little new for me. I hope you enjoy it.
{Photography. Witness. Passion} 