Virtual-Doug

Back to School

Yeah - school is back.  After a long and boring summer,  I have work to do again shooting high school sports for the local newspaper.

This is Texas, and that means football.  If football is much like a religion in Texas, then religion could learn a lot about becoming more of a part of the fabric of life in America.    Football seems to inspire more loyalty on Friday nights than churches do on Sunday.  Lots of people will tell you who their favorite team is, whereas most Christians are a little nervous about saying anything about Jesus.  (I’m just sayin’)

(Click on each photo - you'll see a larger version of the picture if you do.)

I had two games to shoot this week - one on Friday, then another on Saturday night in the same stadium.  (Two high schools in the same school district.)  Its named “Tom Landry Stadium" because Tom Landry not only played his high school ball in Mission, Texas, but led the Eagles to a 13-0 season in 1941, ending with the regional championship.  (There was no state championship in those days.)

I was a lot like the athletes - during the first half of the game, I could tell it was my first game of the season - kinda rusty.

But - the ladies are back in action too.  Volleyball actually starts earlier than football.  The girls have one week of practice before they start playing for keeps.  In my opinion, volleyball is one of the most difficult sports to take photos of.  Not only does the net cause the camera to focus in front of the players (there are work arounds) but the athletes are so very quick.

And - this is the beginning of a new year for my selling photos too.  I don’t make a lot of money from RGVSportsPix.com, but its enough to buy some new toys with and have some fun.

Trang Phan, MA

She did it!  Trang took her walk across the stage yesterday as she was awarded her Master’s degree from the University of Texas-Pan American.  The memories of late nights, studying on weekends, endless trips to the library and constant revisions to her thesis were forgotten in the sheer exuberant joy of the day. 

And we feel so privileged to have been a small part of it all.  From my own perspective, it was button-busting pride in seeing this brilliant young woman whom I first met in Việt Nam over five years ago when she was one of my students earn an advanced degree.

Its too bad her parents could not have been at the graduation ceremony, but it was fun watching her the night before as she had a video chat with them back home in Huế.  I know they too have a deep pride in their daughter.  They should also take pride in themselves for raising such a wonderful person.

Congratulations, Trang.  You have accomplished what you set out to do.  Now it will be fun to watch you pursue other challenges.  You are quite a woman - thank you for being in our lives.

Honor Thy Mother

If the subject weren’t so near to my heart, it would have been a lot of fun. 

My mother died almost a year ago - August 22 to be exact.  It just seemed like the thing to do - to put together a book honoring the lady who bore me and nourished me and encouraged me and sometimes endured me. 

During the last three years of her life, Mom’s life was ravaged by Alzheimer’s Disease.  I had taken a lot of photos of her during those years and written family updates and blog postings.  I decided to publish the photos in black & white, simply because it lends a documentary tone to the project.  I also used a large book format and printed it on heavy paper.

I have used Blurb.com before and have been happy with their services.  If you would like to see it, go to Honor Thy Mother - the entire book is available for preview.