9th Street

9th street is on point for the Halloween Jam on the 1st. I shot a couple of (terrible) panos out there this afternoon. The street section is looking wild...

It should be a fun afternoon with a few hundred bmxers/hobos (if last year was any indication) having a good time.

Click on 'em for larger views.

You can check out some more info @ http://www.ninthstreetbmx.com/

Whoops

Been a while since I updated...A lot has been going on. Restaurants, people, football, football and more football. Drove to Houston and saw the Texans play. And photographed them as well. I will update again at some point. I'm off to ride bikes now! Check out my newest photos from the NFL @ www.sportsshooter.com/meredith

Ahman Green (#30) celebrates his first quarter touchdown during the Houston Texans vs. Detroit Lions football game on Sunday afternoon October 19, 2008 at Reliant Stadium in Houston. The Texans defeated the Lions 28-21.
Photo by Austin photographer Patrick Meredith www.meredith-photo.com

Last day of the Pump Track

The construction crews kept creeping closer and closer to the dry riverbed running beside the trails over the course of a few months. Finally, on Monday, the crews moved in and started digging up the pump track to lay a pipe six feet in the ground directly through the middle of everything.
I wouldn't hesitate to say hundreds of people came out on the last two days to hang out and enjoy a cool October day in the woods and pump around a couple more times....
I snapped a couple quick photos, but I was more interested in trying to wreck my bike in some dirt mounds in the woods....

Josh kept standing on the landing of the newest jump when people were jumping. So funny. I don't think he meant to...He almost got plowed here...

Some old stuff

I've had the opportunity to shoot a number of football games, practices and portraits over the last few months, but I haven't really uploaded much of anything here. Until now. Here is a small glimpse of what I've been doing every Thursday/Friday night.

If you've been following high school football in Texas, then you know who this Lake Travis quarterback is. He is already signed up to play at the University of Texas. Photos by Austin Photographer Patrick Meredith www.meredith-photo.com

I posted the frame before this one a while ago but upon closer inspection, I found this frame, which captures the peak action of the toss. I'm a fan of this picture. I really like the hands shooting up from the bottom of the frame.

House Park in Austin has some terrible light. When I say terrible, I mean ok. I have been to worse (think Liberty Hill or Granger) but it could be better. They just put in new turf but left the same lights that have been up since the 60's....

Since it is in downtown Austin, there are some pretty cool views to be had at House Park. The Frost Tower making an appearance.

Before the start of the Georgetown vs. Stony Point game. It was kind of cool seeing the GT guys play again. I hadn't seen any of the coaches or parents since leaving my position at the GT newspaper. I'm surprised at how many people said hello and recognized me.

The lights at Dragon Stadium aren't shabby.

Stony Point kids take it one notch above all the others. Always lots of paint, signs and noise makers.

One of the few games that actually started with some day light left. A.C. Bible Stadium in Leander has some great light in between the 25 yard lines, but the end zones are black holes.

Georgetown almost knocked off Stony Point, but had a hard time against their defense.

I've had 4 name busts since 2003. I can tell you every picture and what was happening in each one. I can even remember editing them. No more.

I also got some extension tubes for some macro work. It is pretty cool what just one will do to my 60mm macro lens. These ants were TINY! I think two of them could have fit on a grain of rice.

Friday Night Lights

I had a blast shooting high school football last night. The D300 continues to impress me (even after nearly a year of service) with the high ISO capabilities. I can only imagine what the D3 looks like. I'm just happy to take photos in situations where I couldn't before. A couple from the Hutto vs. Lake Travis game in Hutto last night.

D2H, 17-35mm exposed for the sky

More to come...

This is happening now...

James Nechtway
www.xdrtb.org

Thursday Night Football

I had a blast shooting some high school football last night over in House Park in Austin. Although it took me 10 minutes (literally) to convince the guy at the door I wasn't a terrorist bent on destroying the stadium (literally), I got inside. I guess I need to shave...

Anyhow, I've been running into Jim Redman from MaxPreps a lot these days. Seems we almost have the same schedule on Friday nights. Jim is a super nice guy and always lets me complain to him about how bad the light is. At least he nods his head. 8)

I was running late last night as the game started at 7, 30 minutes earlier than it usually does. I usually try to get there at least an hour/45 minutes early to get my rosters, set up and take some photos in the nice afternoon light. I got there with 30 minutes to kickoff last night and had to spend 10 minutes at the door...I felt so rushed. I've got a photo in my head I want to get and I didn't have the time to nab it this time. There was a Chevy Prep Ticket photog that showed up at 7:30, mumbling he forgot Thursday games started early.

You can check out complete coverage from the game (with 14 more photos) over at www.statesman.com in the High School Football section.
Photo by Austin Photographer Patrick Meredith www.meredith-photo.com

I've got a game in Hutto tonight as well. I've got my fingers crossed! Now to the pump track for some bicycle action....

dogs dogs dogs

I met up with Jamie and his roommate at Auditorium Shores in downtown Austin this morning for some dog park action. I went in with three tennis balls for the dogs to play with and came out covered in mud with one tennis ball. Strange how that always seem to happen. This is what my dogs do....

(Photos by Austin Photographer Patrick Meredith www.meredith-photo.com)

shake shake shake

Brazos is such a dork

Blink!

Brazos and Hank fighting for the ball. Brazos was actually swimming!

Brazos is a jerk

Dirty dog

Dancing with the s..dogs?

Brazos fetched in the water!

Mike Tyson?

! (x2)

(click for a larger view - Photo by Austin Photographer Patrick Meredith www.meredith-photo.com)

I went to Redbud Isle Park this afternoon. This is what it looks like while standing in the middle of the dog run at the entrance to the park. 22 photos stitched together for a near 360 degree view. I'm finding out is it pretty hard to make a decent pano shot. I'm working on it though....The original, unedited pano file is so big CS3 crashed while I was working on it...ouch
Brazos is on the far left and Hank is hiding under a tree somewhere. Rode the pump track this morning with Jamie and some of the locals this morning...So much fun. Working tomorrow afternoon then more bikes / dogs. :) Life is good in Austin, TX.