Three for Helio

I know... this is no prize-winning photo.

I shot this photo of Helio Castroneves from my seat during the closing laps of this year's Indianapolis 500. He is probably cruising along close to 220 mph. I was near the top of the South Vista and had a great view of the track including all of turns 1 and 2 and the short chute connecting them.

This was my 30th Indy 500. For 23 years I was "on the other side of the fence" as a photographer, usually shooting at the exit of turn 1 right next to the emergency vehicle entrance road. After being so close to the teams, drivers and cars for all those years it is rather difficult for me to sit in the stands but there is something about that place that keeps drawing me back. It is much more than very fast cars going in circles.

If you have never been to the race you probably can't understand that.

If you have been there, then you get it.

Grain Bins near Snyder

For some reason the textures, shapes and simplicity of color of these grain bins caught my eye. This is along Illinois Route 1 north of West Union near a little place known as Snyder.

After the Storm

A massive hail and wind storm hit the small town I live in shortly after 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, 2009. The ground was white with hail after the storm. The tops of several trees were snapped off and all trees were stripped of most of their leaves. About 40 minutes after the storm while I was taking pictures of damage I caught this image as the sun broke from behind the clouds and fog caused by the hail on the ground arose from the fields.