First picture of Orioles Opening Day

Dives Back into First, originally uploaded by Hoosiers United.

I plan to post a lot more pictures from today's Opening Day at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, which was won by Baltimore 4-2 over the Minnesota Twins. For now, this is the only one I have edited - perhaps my favorite on first look.

Sydney Trip - The Animals

Pygmy Hippo, originally uploaded by Hoosiers United.

During our trip to Sydney in September 2010, we spent time in two different wildlife exhibitions. We spent an entire afternoon in the Taronga Zoo, which provides stunning views of the entire city.

In addition, we spent time at the Sydney Wildlife World, which is located in Darling Harbour. During our visit, my wife actually had the opportunity to pet a kangaroo.



I've combined my photos into an Animals group on Flickr, and included some more examples below the break.

LONG delay is almost over...

It has been much too long since I've posted any updates here. After a trip to Sydney I figured I would have a lot of great things to post. However, the weekend after I returned I tore a tendon in my hand playing football. I'm still recovering and still don't have full use of the finger yet, but it's to the point where I can use it again to do some editing. So I am planning on getting some pictures done over the next few weeks and getting some updates up here and to my Flickr page! Finally....

Footie season!

Tug on the shirt, originally uploaded by Hoosiers United.

I grew up playing soccer. Luckily as I began to follow the sport on a professional level, foreign leagues began to be broadcast in the US. The English Premier League and the European Champions League began to be weekly viewing. I also was lucky to attend two great soccer schools - Rutgers for undergrad and Indiana for grad school. During my time at IU the Hoosiers won two national titles, including the 2003 College Cup in Columbus, which I was lucky to broadcast for WIUS.

The European leagues are just getting going, while the game in America, MLS, is getting to crunch time. I didn't start following MLS until moving to DC in 2005. Luckily I came to the city with a quality team and the best fan base in the league. Unfortunately 2010 has been a year to forget for the Screaming Eagles and Barra Brava. Despite a disappointing MLS season there are some signs of a strong future with the development of young players like Bill Hamid and Andy Najar.

DC United is still alive in the US Open Cup, the American counterpart to England's FA Cup. They host the semifinal against Columbus Crew on September 1st.

These pictures are from United's match against the Richmond Kickers in the US Open Cup, held at George Mason University in Fairfax. It was a very interesting game to shoot. First, when I entered the stadium a security guy at the gate tried to keep me from bringing in my 70-200 f 2.8 Tamron lens. However, a DC United employee told him to just let me in. Then, the other issue was the stadium itself. The stands face due wert, making it much more difficult to shoot. I think i got some good ones. The one at the top is my favorite of the group. More after the break.

DC United v Richmond Kickers set on Flickr

Oh, the Mets

K Rod wind-up, originally uploaded by Hoosiers United.

The Mets have always been the second franchise in New York, often toiling in the shadows of the Yankees. However, this gives the Mets, and their fans, a certain authenticity and character. Personally, I grew up watching Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter, Ron Darling, and the rest of those mid-1980s teams that contended year after year, winning it all in 1986. Since, the Mets have largely teetered between decent and awful.

Despite all the years of mediocrity, the past 3 years have been especially rough, with 2 late-season swoons and a ridiculously overpriced, underperforming team in 2010. The failures of this season have been punctuated by the fiasco surrounding K-Rod (shown here in happier times in Cleveland closing out a win on an extremely successful roadtrip). Losing a former All-Star closer for the season to an injury sustained during a fight with your fiance's father in a lounge at Citi Field has again focused attention on what happens off the field, and not on it. Of course, for most of this season the Mets haven't given their fans anything to focus on on the field, either.

I hope that there is a chance they can bring back the glory days, and given some of the good, young talent they have it's not impossible for the Mets to contend in the coming years. Hopefully they'll deliver a title sometime soon so I'm not stuck watching the 1986 championship video to see them win it all.

Love at the Smithsonian

Couple at Air and Space, originally uploaded by Hoosiers United.

One of the things I love about photography is capturing moments. I would much rather get a shot of people enjoying their lives than something staged and posed.

Recently, I had the opportunity to go wander around the Mall and the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. I was more interested in the people enjoying the museum than in the artifacts themselves. The picture above, in my opinion, is the best of the bunch. Two people stealing a private moment in a very public space.

I also really enjoyed this one:



Rest of the set is here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hoosiersunited/sets/72157624646153350

Are you ready for some football?

Beatty v Tuck Edited, originally uploaded by Hoosiers United.

It might be August but it's football time again. The preseason starts for real for me on Monday night when my beloved New York Giants take on the cross-town Jets in the first game at new Giants Stadium. The Giants are coming off a disappointing season while the Jets have become media darlings, mainly because they never stop running their mouths.




While I cannot make it to the game i did see the last Giants victory of 2009 when they smacked the Redskins at FedEx Field. My wife bought us tickets (we met watching the Giants at a sports bar in Northern VA) and we had a blast being so close to the field.

These shots were taken before I got my new f2.8 lens so i did what I could with the equipment I had. That said, some shots like this one i am really proud of.

Rest of the set is at http://tinyurl.com/gmenskins.