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As I was standing on the overpass bridge (see previous shot), I heard a train whistle and saw this coming down the tracks. It was only an engine, but I hustled to the bottom of the steps to get as close to the tracks as possible. I snapped several frames, but I liked this one best.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Chain Link Sky

In Hapeville, the train tracks run right through the middle of town. Lots of trains run through there, especially when Ford was shipping thousands of cars. To facilitate foot traffic, the city built a pedestrian bridge up and over the tracks. To keep people from jumping onto trains or other crazy stuff, they closed it up with a fence--sides and top. This is the top, looking south, the depot off to the right.
© 2007 Mexipickle

All Packed Up and No Place To Go

A luggage cart with period luggage on it at the Hapeville Train Depot and Museum, on the southside of Atlanta.

Hapeville is the home of the original Chick-fil-A restaurant, Delta Air Lines' corporate headquarters, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (the busiest airport in the world), and, until recently, a Ford factory that built the Taurus and other models. It was founded in 1891...read all about it here.

Trackin'

I had to go take pictures today. After a long week at work and a full weekend of activities, I snuck away for about 30 minutes to take some photos. It had been WAAAAY too long since I'd taken anything.
Soooo....I shot the train tracks in and around Hapeville, on the South Side of Atlanta (yes, it's capitalized!). I've got several shots to post, most of which are a different style for me.
This shot I added film grain to, which I think fits the shot. I'd love to hear your comments on if I overdid it with PS or what. Please let me hear! Thanks.
© 2007 Mexipickle

"I'm Open"

My son plays Upward basketball at a church near our house. It's fun to watch a bunch of 1st and 2nd graders play...they even looked like they were running plays, though the coach said they weren't. J's team is doing pretty well; I think they've only lost one game, but there's no official score. It's all about having fun.
© 2007 Mexipickle

I'm Sooooo Bored!

This sea lion was watching some of it's roommates...and ended up fighting/playing with one right after this. I thought he looked kind of pensive....or bored!

© 2007 Mexipickle

Winter

When the sky goes gray and the leaves are on the ground, things can get depressing. It gets harder to get out and take photos...the wind, the cold, the dreary drabness. That's when it pays to look at the details...look for the wonder and majesty in the little things and details all around us.

Just my 2 cents.

© 2007 Mexipickle

Barn Red

Continuing the shots from Pennsylvania, this is a farm around the corner from my in-laws' place, near Volant, PA.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Shouldn't I Be Hibernating?

More from the Pittsburgh Zoo...this guy looked like he was late for his long winter's sleep!
© 2007 Mexipickle

Smithfield Lights

More from Pittsburgh's Smithfield Bridge, near Station Square. I like how the lights in the river are so elongated. Not sure what caused that. Anyone have a guess?
© 2007 Mexipickle

Big Whill

This is part of a Bessemer furnace, I believe. It's mounted near Station Square in Pittsburgh, along the Monongahela River. This photo really doesn't do justice to the size of this thing....the wheel has to be at least 10' in diameter, maybe more. The power this thing must have produced!
I wish I had had more time to read the information plaque in front, but my boy had to find a potty!
© 2007 Mexipickle

Are You Here for Dinner?

 

We didn't get to the zoo in Pittsburgh until late afternoon, so the lighting was tough and I didn't carry my tripod. Everything was contrasty, but I was able to process most of that out.
© 2007 Mexipickle

Cattail Fence II

If you look closely, you can see a covered bridge in the background. I think I prefer the b/w version of this shot, but often others prefer my color shots to b/w. What do you think? Shot in rural NW PA. I also processed a B/W version of this, but the vote in the house was for the color version. You can see the B/W version here Cattail Fence I .
© 2007 Mexipickle

Swan Stone

This guy was hanging out with the giraffes and ostriches at the Pittsburgh Zoo when we were there. Normally you see swans being all graceful and stuff in the water. I liked this "insight" into a more mundane moment for a swan. ;-)
© 2007 Mexipickle

Horse Face

More from my walk in rural PA. These guys were pretty frisky!
© 2006 Mexipickle

Farm Road

More from rural NW PA, near Volant. I got to enjoy this scenery on a morning walk while on Christmas vacation.

This is for Bob and his interest in farms. I also have it in color if you want to see that.
 © 2006 Mexipickle

Golden Arches

Taken from the shore of the Monongahela River in Pittsburgh, near Station Square. I'm not sure which bridge this is; maybe some of the Pix-burghers out there can help. I'd love to go back and spend more time finding the best vantage points to shoot bridges and the city skyline. This was just a quick photo stroll after dinner at Station Square.
The yellow stripe across the bridge was a bus going over the bridge.

From a friend: That's the Smithfield Street Bridge. One of the first of it's kind when it was built, I believe. I think it was built in 1898 and was quite a significant bridge...
Smithfield Bridge

Raspberry Rhino

[sing it like the Prince song....]
During our visit to the Pittsburgh Zoo, this rhino expressed his opinion of my taking his picture! Not sure I'd want to make him mad, but then, everyone knows how to keep a rhino from charging, right? ;)
© 2006 Mexipickle

Buggy Barn

We spent the week after Christmas at my in-laws' in rural NW Pennsylvania, near New Castle. There are quite a few Amish folks there. I took a long walk one morning, and came across this farm. This wasn't an Amish farm (there was a Corvette parked in the driveway), but the Amish do use buggies and wagons similar to this.
© 2006 Mexipickle 

Lunar Branch

I haven't posted anything in a while as we've been traveling for the holidays. No internet access for my laptop at the in-laws' place, though I did check in on my Flickr friends.

This shot was taken, handheld, at the Pittsburgh zoo the other day as we were heading out of the zoo. This is right out of the camera...and is just as I saw it. I'll be posting more shots in the next few days of Pittsburgh and some of the rural areas in NW PA.

I wish everyone a wonderful 2007, filled with all good things.
© 2006 Mexipickle