Christina McCall » the roadtrip

Flashback Saturday | East Texas Based Travel Photographer

christina — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 15:50:33 +0000

In an attempt to cull through the terabytes of personal images I have to determine what I have and haven’t processed yet, I’m starting a new ‘feature’ (or rather, a post theme) that will be popping up on most Saturdays …

First, a couple of images from Glacier National Park in June 2009 that I discovered I’d skipped over while picking out images while on the road that month …

Processed both of these images using some of my newest action favorites from Red Leaf Boutique … their workshop is on my wish list for early 2012

And with the whole ‘flashback’ theme … a summary of behind the scenes at CMP over the last month …

Three new products have been added to the product line this month (Image Folios + two new items I’ll share in March), the mini site went live last weekend, income taxes are done, and spring sessions are underway.

On a personal note, I’m dubbing this “the year of lousy health issues” … January was food poisoning, February was major dental emergency that won’t be fully resolved/completed for a few months. I’m afraid to know what’ll happen in March … needless to say, I’m saying lots of prayers and knocking on lots of wood surfaces in hopes its not major OR expensive

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Friday Miscallany | Athens Texas Photographer

christina — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:02:35 +0000

Monday was the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing… so this week’s Friday Miscallany post is pre-empted as a belated memorial post. I’m re-sharing images captured at the OKC National Memorial taken last June (click here for the original post).

In our nation’s recent history, this week in particular is a sorrowful one — OKC on April 19, 1995 and the Columbine shootings on April 20, 1999. May they all rest in peace.

The rest of the text is from last July’s blog post …

On our last day of traveling, we took time out to visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial in downtown OKC. If you follow me on twitter (or see the twitter updates that post to my Facebook profile) — or run your cursor over the recently link on the menu at the top of the page, you’ll notice the following tweet or status update I posted late yesterday evening: “I never fail to get teary-eyed/emotional when I edit/view images I’ve captured from (now) three visits to the OKC memorial – like right now.” I have no shame in admitting that by the time I wrapped up the sneak peek file prepping, I had tears streaming down my face once again and a runny nose.

April 19, 1995 is one of the three events/reasons that lead to my choosing my graduate majors (of criminal justice and political science) and what used to be my dream job of becoming an FBI Special Agent. Ask me where I was when I found out what a fellow American did to the people of OKC and our country and I can tell you as clearly as I can tell you were I was when I witnessed the Challenger explosion, when Princess Di died, the attacks on NYC, the Pentagon, and Pennsylvania, and the Columbia tragedy. So to me, the least I can do when I pass through Oklahoma City is to take a few minutes and stop to remember those who lost their lives over fourteen years ago. I’ll be headed back to Oklahoma in a few weeks and I assure you, I plan to make another visit either coming or going (once I finalize what route I’ll be taking).

When we passed through there was a biker rally of some sort going on in Bricktown and near the memorial, so we had to detour to get to our ‘regular’ parking near the bus depot. Rather than describe each image as I normally do, I’ll let the images do the talking with the exception of one.

And Jesus Weeps …

On my first visit in 1999, all I had with me was a disposible film camera, yet of the three different times I’ve photographed the And Jesus Weeps statue at this particular angle, that first one is my favorite. You can view it and my other OKC Memorial images here(in my flickr photostream) — that image has never been retouched, only was scanned directly from the print.

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Hotel Terra | East Texas Based Travel Photography

christina — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 00:37:10 +0000

Last summer — by a stroke of very good fortune — we stayed at Hotel Terra in Jackson Hole. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t shared the detail shots from the lobby and the room itself yet.

This week I’m sharing some of the details from the entrance and lobby. Truly a gorgeous — and eco friendly! – hotel resort worth every penny. Course, next time I’ll have to pay full price!

As I told them in the note I enclosed with the Christmas card I sent last month — the kindness of the night manager after the rude treatment from the evening desk clerk at the hotel next door we were originally scheduled to stay at guaranteed that any and all future trips to Jackson Hole will result in reservations made at Hotel Terra. Service and attention to detail does go a long way — especially after 14 hours on the road, having someone offer to help you get your bags to your room, a smile in the lobby every time you pass through, not to mention having the door held open for you as well, and the stunning views available from the room as well as throughout Teton Village.

I have a few more to share at a later point this spring …

To book a portraiture session with Christina, contact us via email at christina@christinamccall.com or call 903.477.9069 today.

Snowy Days | East Texas Based Travel Photography

christina — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 00:17:32 +0000

Ah yes, its freezing cold outdoors — it was a *balmy* 9 degrees this am when I darted out backdoor before daylight to head to work. Thank goodness I didn’t have to scrape the windshield …

What is this weather and what’s it doing here in East Texas, you ask? Blame the Almanac — it said we were in for a colder than normal winter! I know we hate the cold, especially in this neck of the woods that always misses out on the good snowfalls the western half of the state actually gets, but at least we don’t have to endure it for months, like my best friend in Great Falls, Montana does!

That said, here’s some good winter weather imagery — only, I didn’t take these photos during the winter. They were taken on June 15, 2009. Yes, you read that correctly … these were all taken either from the gondala ride to the top of Mt. Rendezvous (at Jackson Hole, Wyoming) or from its summit — just so you know why there’s a bit a motion blur in a few!

Brief intermission for an insightful and heartwarming poem shared with me earlier today:

” WINTER “

by Abigail Elizabeth McIntyre

Crap It’s Cold

The End

Oh, and silly me left my gloves back at the hotel that afternoon – so after 30 minutes atop the mountain, my poor exposed fingers were grateful for the return to 60 degree temps!

Now, if we had some of that white stuff here in East Texas right now, the temperatures would be a bit more bearable — and maybe we’d all have gotten a day or two off work in the process!

Sidenote: Yes, that’s a new watermark — you’ll see it on all of my travel, fine art, and landscape images from here on out …

To book a portraiture session with Christina, contact us via email at christina@christinamccall.com or call 903.477.9069 today.

Merry Christmas | Athens, Canton, Kaufman, and Tyler, Texas Portraiture Photography

christina — Fri, 25 Dec 2009 14:05:46 +0000

PSA first … CMP is officially closed December 23-26, 2009 for the Christmas holiday. As of 3 pm on the 23rd through 9 am on the 27th, all posts are pre-blogged and winners for the last two days of giveaways will be announced on the 27th. Emails and phone inquiries will also be returned starting the 27th. Thanks for understanding and Merry Christmas!

From Christina & the Elves (Robby, Danna, Frank, and Amanda), we wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a very Happy 2010.

Images pictured above are from The Roadtrip 2009 — front: Mountain Lupine at Grand Teton National Park, the Red Buses at Glacier National Park, and The Prince of Wales Hotel at Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada. Back: Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming.

Sunday Randomness | Athens Texas Photographer

christina — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:34:20 +0000

I’d prepped this one a couple months back to blog … but I can’t find a post with it, so its today’s random image. Its one of the images captured on The Roadtrip 2009, but because I ran out of CF cards and we’d stopped to do some laundry before returning to the lodge, I swiped the camera Robby was using (since he shot in jpeg while I shot in RAW, thus he hadn’t filled the card) and shot these while Robby ate and the laundry was in process …

Daisies — West Glacier, Montana, just outside the entrance to Glacier National Park. Taken with the Canon 30D and 28-135 mm lens.

CFC: St. Jude Donation

christina — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 22:05:45 +0000

As promised, here is the photo-documentation of the last CMP Comments for Charity donation to St. Jude’s Childrens Research Hospital …

Again, to everyone who — back in June and July — left comments here and on the RSS postings at Facebook, responded to or retweeted the tweets, or commented on images from the posts I posted at Flickr from The Roadtrip, thank you! Six charities benefited as a result. While I won’t be taking as long of a trip next summer, I hope to make this an annual event tied to my summer travels … so look for the CMP Comments for Charity Event to return next summer … and, yes, travel plans are already underway!

The National Parks | East Texas Based Travel Photographer

christina — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:12:50 +0000

For those unaware, in June of this year, I spent 17 days traveling through part of the Western United States and two Canadian provinces. During that trip, I either sat foot in, viewed from a distance, or drove through ten U.S. National Parks, Monuments, or Historic Sites. I can’t begin to tell you all how humbling and awe inspiring our parks, monuments, and historic sites are. It would be a safe bet that I had a constant slack jawed in awe expression on my face for most of that trip. As I twittered and said aloud multiple times during those seventeen days, “God is an awesome artist.” And He is — visit the Tetons, drive through Yellowstone, take a bus tour at Glacier, give yourself a crick in the neck gazing up at Devils Tower, stare at Pikes Peak from Garden of the Gods, get up close and personal with the bison at Theodore Roosevelt (from the safety of your vehicle, that is!), gaze at the artistry of what dynamite can do at Mount Rushmore, enjoy the peaceful beauty of Wind Cave’s lands, and quietly reflect on the lives of those who lost their lives in the spring of 1995 at Oklahoma City. That’s just some of the sites we visited in one trip — there are a total of 58 national parks in the continental US, Alaska, Hawaii, and US territories, and an even greater number of National Monuments, Historic Sites, Military Parks/Battlegrounds, and Recreation Areas to visit.

So — as a belated celebration of National Public Lands Day (it was yesterday, Saturday, September 26th) and to lead up to the airing of Ken Burns’ The National Parks miniseries, I thought I’d share a few of my absolute favorite images from the parks we visited.

The Tetons …

Jenny Lake — Grand Teton National Park

Jackson Lake — Grand Teton National Park

Old Faithful — Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park

Lake McDonald — Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park

Devils Tower

Mount Rushmore

Oklahoma City National Memorial

CFC: HSUS Donation

christina — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:52:13 +0000

As promised, here is the photo-documentation of the fifth CMP Comments for Charity donation to the Humane Society of the United States…

Check back in two weeks for the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital’s photo-documentation …

CFC: Wounded Warrior Project Donation

christina — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:14:56 +0000

As promised, here is the photo-documentation of the fourth CMP Comments for Charity donation to the Wounded Warrior Project …

Check back in two weeks for the Humane Society of the United States’ photo-documentation …

CFC: Paralyzed Veterans of America Donation

christina — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:33:26 +0000

As promised, here is the photo-documentation of the third (of six) CMP Comments for Charity donation to the Paralyzed Veterans of America…

The photo documentation for CFC #4 to the Wounded Warrior Project will be posted in two weeks …

CFC: VFW Donation

christina — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 22:17:36 +0000

As promised, here is the photo-documentation of the second CMP Comments for Charity donation to the Veterans of Foreign Wars … you’ll notice I blurred out the critical info so identity thieves can’t have fun with it

Check back in two weeks for the Paralyzed Veterans of America’s photo-documentation …

Sidenote: CMP is closed from August 6-10 — all correspondence will be returned next week!