Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

June 6, 2013

Tim Stanley Architecture, Church, Houston Leave a comment

The Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart may not be the newest church (but it’s only five years old) but it is one of the more unique churches in Houston. I remember the news reports when it opened, since it was such a large and beautiful structure. It certainly stands out when you drive past it as you enter downtown Houston.

Large buildings like these are hard to shoot though, since street lights, telephone lines and other obstructions make it difficult to get a clear shot. In this case, trees across the street and a long parking lot wall also added to the challenge. A nice wide-angle lens is a necessity for these types of photos. For a closer look of the dome in the top left, see this photo.
 

The Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart may not be the newest church (but it's only five years old) but it is one of the more unique churches in Houston. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

Movie Time

June 3, 2013

Tim Stanley Architecture, Houston, iPhone Leave a comment

Like many people, my family loves going to the movies. We save the trip to the theater for what I call “big screen movies”. You know, the really big action flicks that just don’t translate well to the small screen. Action heros, space ships, and fast cars are just some of the types that qualify for our movie budget. 

Trying out a new theater close to us, I thought I would play with the panoramic feature on the iPhone before the start of the movie. We were there on a weekday for an afternoon show, so the crowd was lite. As it stitched the images together, the movie screen kept changing scenes. I tried several times, but I couldn’t get a single image on that frame. It did catch Christy, my oldest, as she was encouraging me to shoot the pano. The rest of the family had not entered the theater yet.

Panos are best done on a tripod to keep images even and straight, but the built-in iPhone feature makes it fun to experiment.

Trying out a new theater close to us, I played with the panoramic feature on the iPhone before the start of the movie. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

 

Bar-B-Q Neon

May 31, 2013

Tim Stanley Architecture, Houston 1 Comment

Very few things in life can catch your attention as fast as neon lights at night. There you are driving down the street when you see it. You can hardly keep from looking away from all those bright, glowing lights. For those of us that don’t live close to Las Vegas, you appreciate a nice display (any display) of the neon rainbow. 

This Pappa’s Bar-B-Q is in downtown Houston and is best experienced at night. Of course, the food is best experienced any time they’re open.
 

The neon lights of this Pappa's Bar-B-Q in downtown Houston is best experienced at night. Of course, the food is best experienced any time they're open. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

Simple, Yet Exquisite

May 30, 2013

Tim Stanley Houston, Museum Leave a comment

Part of the draw of visiting a great museum is the attention to detail and the little things that make the exhibits stand out or look so special. It might be the dramatic lighting or maybe a realistic diorama. But it could be the absence of things, using simplicity as “standard” for the display. 

The simplicity of the Faberge display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science allows you to focus your full attention on the exquisite collection and the detail of each exhibit. In this case, the large Diamond Trellis Egg is on the left, while the Nobel Egg or ”Snowflake Egg” is on the right.
 

The simplicity of the Faberge display at the Houston Museum of Natural Science allows you to focus your full attention on the exquisite collection and the detail of each exhibit. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

Dome of the Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart

May 28, 2013

Tim Stanley Church, Houston Leave a comment

The Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is located in the shadow of downtown Houston. It replaced the older building when it opened in 2008. This is the top of the dome, sitting high atop the cathedral and only seen when standing at a distance. I have yet to see the church inside, but the photos I have seen says it would be a great place to shoot sometime.
 

The Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart is located close to downtown Houston. This is the top of the dome, sitting high atop the cathedral and only seen when standing at a distance. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

Trinity Episcopal Church

May 24, 2013

Tim Stanley Church, Houston Leave a comment

Driving around town at night with a few friends can be a lot of fun, especially with cameras and tripods. After a recent zoo shoot, we ventured towards downtown Houston on Main Street and came across the Trinity Episcopal Church. This old church has a more European look than most churches in our area. 

I normally like to remove power wires from the sky, but the lines in front of this church are from the Houston Metrorail that runs down Main Street.
 

After a recent zoo shoot, we ventured towards downtown Houston on Main Street and came across the Trinity Episcopal Church. This old church has a more European look than most churches in our area. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

A Texas Size Rat

May 23, 2013

Tim Stanley Animals, Houston, Nature Leave a comment

They say everything is bigger in Texas. And after seeing this rodent, I’m likely to believe it. Although this “Nutria” or “Coypu” is a probably closer to a beaver or otter in habits, it sure looks like a big rat. 

Nutria are large, web-footed rodents that are more agile in the water than on land. They live in burrows, or nests, never far from the water. Nutria may inhabit a riverbank or lakeshore, or dwell in the midst of wetlands. They are strong swimmers and can remain submerged for as long as five minutes.

Nutria (also called coypu) are varied eaters, most fond of aquatic plants and roots. They also feast on small creatures such as snails or mussels.

Nutria can be rather social animals and sometimes live in large colonies, reproducing prolifically.  

This nutria was one of many in McGovern Lake  in Hermann Park in Houston. They would swim along the ducks, who weren’t bothered by them at all. Even the large coy fish in the lake didn’t make a fuss when swam by overhead.
 

This nutria was one of many in McGovern Lake in Hermann Park in Houston. They would swim along the ducks, who weren't bothered by them at all. Even the large coy fish in the lake didn't make a fuss when swam by overhead. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

Life Flight

May 22, 2013

Tim Stanley Aviation, Houston Leave a comment

Strictly from a photography standpoint, today’s photo isn’t any prize winner. However, sometimes you just want to post a photo of things you are thankful for. I’m thankful that Houston has one of the world’s best emergency first responders, including the Life Flight air medical transport.  It’s one of those services you are happy to support, but pray you never have to use it. 

This is a  common scene from Hermann Park, looking south back towards the Houston Medical Center.
 

Memorial Hermann Life Flight is a critical care, air medical transport service based in Houston, Texas. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

You can find the info below and more at http://trauma.memorialhermann.org/life-flight/

Memorial Hermann Life Flight is a CAMTS accredited, critical care, air medical transport service based in Houston, Texas. We serve the community within a 150-mile radius of the Texas Medical Center with helicopters and worldwide using fixed-wing transport.

We are the only hospital-based air ambulance serving Houston and surrounding communities. Founded in 1976 by James “Red” Duke, M.D., who still is medical director, the service operates around the clock – weather permitting – 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. Since its inaugural flight, Memorial Hermann Life Flight has flown more than 120,000 missions. Learn about the program’s history.

 

Bath Time

May 15, 2013

Tim Stanley Animals, Houston Leave a comment

Looking your best is important, especially if you have company visiting you all day. Take these two leopards at the Houston Zoo for instance. People come and go all day long and they want to put on a good show. 

For most of my zoo trips this year, these guys have been hiding somewhere and I was starting to believe they didn’t exist. But last week they were out, front and center; at least for a little while. It was fun watching one groom the other until he went back up on the rocks, out of sight.


These leopards usually hide and I was starting to believe they didn't exist. But last week they were out, front and center; at least for a little while. Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

I Wondered What Happened Next?

May 13, 2013

Tim Stanley Animals, Houston Leave a comment

Sometimes you see a photo and you wonder what happens next. This scene recently played out in front of us at the Houston Zoo.

Here you have a common tree squirrel. He has found his nut and is reveling in the moment, when he looks up and spots a cheetah, the world’s fastest land animal. Both stood there for a few moments, not sure what to do next, but to those of us that were watching, it seemed like hours. Then one of them jumps…

One scenario is that the little guy makes it to the tree and snickers at the big cat. The other scenario is that the survival of the fittest- circle of life thing takes place. You get the idea. Either way, I’m not saying. I’ll let you finish the end of this little story.
 

A tree squirrel has found a nut when he looks up and spots a cheetah, the world's fastest land animal. Both stood there for a few moments, not sure what to do next. Then one of them jumps... Photo by Tim Stanley Photography.

 

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