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Photos of the distance. (Telephoto lenses)


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#51 Brian Luenser

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Posted 08 October 2008 - 08:18 PM

Grabbed my gear (And spousal unit) and ran west of Fort Worth to try my shot at Dallas and Fort Worth. I was afraid it was to hazy, and it was. (5mph winds) I thought I could at least determine if that was my location for a later shoot. But... I could not find Dallas! (Did you all EVER think you would hear me say that!)

It was worth the drive however as I did not even know those neighborhoods existed. And sure enough, as I drove further West than our (Checkpoint Charlie) It got really beautiful. The hills, the flowers, the million dollar homes. (OK, in the sticks maybe 400K) Was very nice.

I am concerned that it is too far North however, to get Dallas and Fort Worth in the same telephoto shot. I think Dallas will be a hunk to the left of Dallas. (Like maybe a 200mm lens to get both distance.) I want to use 400 or 800mm to get both up close. I am going back to that spot either way as it is a great location. But, I may still be on the hunt for a spot in-line with Dallas and Fort Worth. As I did a lot of driving and carried a lot of gear, you knew you weren't going to get by without 2 pics just the same. A 60mm shot and a 400mm. Hazy, the both.




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#52 John T Roberts

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Posted 09 October 2008 - 10:21 PM

Those are nice shots Monee, and yes, you can get Dallas and Fort Worth within one shot. I can't remember the actual focal length that my zoom lens was set for that photograph. It does have to be incredibly clear in order to take the photograph. I have generally found that it must be during the winter months.

I also think that it is very interesting that you can see the "ground" at some points within downtown. If you stand in front of Hunter Plaza, you should be able to see the water tower on the horizon.

#53 360texas

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Posted 10 October 2008 - 02:00 PM

Think we might go visit that location.

We have a 70 - 300mm IS EF lens.

On a 20d it would be 1.6 x 300 or 480mm
On the 5d its a 300mm

With the mirror UP and remote shutter release we will try to get a sharp one.

Dave still at

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Visit 360texas.com


#54 Brian Luenser

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Posted 15 October 2008 - 01:23 PM

From last Thursday. Kind of a hazy day, but represents a look I like a lot. The sun hitting the Dallas buildings in such a fashion that they look they are on fire to the un-aided eye. (This pic is with an aided eye.) Will do a better one like this one another day, but in the middle of Winter when the air is clear, the sun is so far South that I do not get reflections of Dallas from my angle.





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#55 Brian Luenser

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Posted 17 October 2008 - 09:31 PM

Was taking pics of the moon-rise over Dallas this evening. While reviewing my photos, I discovered something I did not even bother looking for... THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS! Cripes! We are looking at a couple of Fair images including the Texas Star Ferris Wheel (That's right, the ferris Wheel was introduced at the 1892 Worlds Fair in Chicago as a response to the Eiffel tower four years previous in Paris.)

BTW I was noticing in some of my pics I could see the Fair and some I couldn't. I am a bit slow, but figured out in most pics, the big wheel was turning and did not care for my 4 second exposures!

Now granted, the quality isn't great, but, we are talking State Fair pics from my Fort Worth Condo, and not with my telescope. (Note to self, drag out big 10" tomorrow night.)

Let's take a look, shall we?


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#56 Brian Luenser

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Posted 19 October 2008 - 10:29 AM

I realized that I have the State Fair grounds in other long distant shots and did not realize it.
Here is a shot I took on Sept. 17th, 2008. It is just 30 seconds after another shot I posted on Sept. 18th. You can more clearly see the Fair grounds.
This is with my 400mm lens only. (I regret not having 2x on just for Fair shot.) Oh well, there will always be next Sept. 17th. We hope.
I will say, this shot with the sun behind has to be as good as it gets, I would think. Even if our Sun is a weeny Star (yellow dwarf) it's pretty stink'n bright.

Shot 1 of State Fair Grounds.


Fair grounds cropped in...

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#57 Brian Luenser

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Posted 28 October 2008 - 09:09 AM

I have been looking at this huge construction crane on my horizon for a month or more. Cannot figure out where it is. This is maybe not my best pic of it, but the only one I have at work today. (This mornings pics chip)

You can tell about where this is knowing I am in The Tower downtown. You see the Handley power plant in the foreground so you know the approx. direction. It is also where the sun rose today, exactly. (if I was a better mathematician or had several hours on my hands for trial and error, I could tell you the exact bearings in degrees from Downtown.)

Anybody have a clue? Too far for new football stadium. I am thinking it is in Grand Prairie, or Duncanville. (It is a long way off I'll tell you.) Could be in Kaufman for all I know.

But... this is a BIG crane. This is not for building a Jr. High.

Is there somebody out in TV land that drives East on 20 or lives in Grand Praire or South Dallas that can solve this mystery? (Please, my wife is tired of hearing ubout this thing)


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#58 cbellomy

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Posted 03 November 2008 - 12:14 PM

monee, I believe I have your answer. On my way back yesterday from a weekend trip to Caddo Lake, I came across construction of what appears to be a mid-rise office building just south of the intersection of I-20 and US 67 in the Duncanville/Desoto area. Sorry I didn't have a camera with me to take a closer photo of it than you can get from your home, but I'm 98% certain that this is the crane you are seeing.


#59 Phil Phillips

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Posted 12 November 2008 - 08:23 PM

Monee, keep these photos coming. I had a cheap telescope as a kid and spent a lot of time looking at the WBAP and KFJZ towers from our house in east FW. I envy your view from the Towers.

#60 John T Roberts

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Posted 12 November 2008 - 10:02 PM

Monee, all of these photos are just fantastic. I would love to see you do a very detailed collection of zoomed photos of your entire view of the distance that is blank, and then follow it up with some sort of identifier of each building and object that you can see out in the distance, including all of the buildings in Dallas. I realize that is a very big request, but I think it would be very interesting.

By the way, some of your older photographs are not showing up. I hope you haven't taken them down, because they are too good to be removed from this forum.

#61 Brian Luenser

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Posted 13 November 2008 - 10:46 PM

QUOTE (John T Roberts @ Nov 12 2008, 10:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Monee, all of these photos are just fantastic. I would love to see you do a very detailed collection of zoomed photos of your entire view of the distance that is blank, and then follow it up with some sort of identifier of each building and object that you can see out in the distance, including all of the buildings in Dallas. I realize that is a very big request, but I think it would be very interesting.

By the way, some of your older photographs are not showing up. I hope you haven't taken them down, because they are too good to be removed from this forum.


Thank you John. Many of my shots are in kind of their own strange category all right. My picture of the Texas Star ferris wheel at Fair park for example. You could go to Dallas and take a far better picture, but that would be, well, cheating... I am getting a lot of joy in getting back into photography and optics in general. When I lived in the boonies I picked on constellations and planets. Living downtown I had to switch gears but has become equally satisfying. I do miss the stars. (I am going to try and make a friend in the country that has a 120 volt outlet in a dark backyard and see if I can set up now and then.) At the Tower, I am getting some things figured out (Starting with hanging a 12 foot plumb line from my ceiling to check for a sway free tower) and hope to get some really great shots in the next few months as the clean air out of the North washes our sky.

I am trying to figure out why some of my pictures are disappearing. I used to use Picoodle until a month or two ago. The site started making me nervous like they were flailing. (Went from Best Buy ads to "girls in your area are looking for dates" ads.) I switched from Picoodle to FLICKR (Copied Atomic Glee a year or two ago) As it got bought out by Yahoo, I figure it will be around a while. And I have a paid subscription to it so I feel a little less nervous that it is going away. Picoodle does say (I read for the first time tonight) that any pics not looked at in 14 months could be deleted. None of my missing pics are that old, and surely have been looked at in the last 14 months, so I don't get it. I sure hate to lose the pics.

And Phil, thank you for checking out this crazy stuff. I would encourage you to give it a try but I know you would put me out of business in a hurry. (Like with your comparison shots.) STAY OUT OF THIS AREA... I WARN YOU! mad.gif

And for all two of you still with me, I can't figure out why this week and cannot get on the Forum at work. AT ALL. Ever. Just fine at home. (Nobody is blocking my surfing or anything at work, unless it is a Russian spy or something.) I have cleared my cache and history etc, etc... to no avail. I have adjusted my security settings to the, "I just hope I do catch a virus" settings to try that, but nope. Can't figure. It has been a real drag this week. I have gotten way too much work done. wacko.gif
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#62 hooked

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Posted 16 November 2008 - 06:11 PM

QUOTE (monee9696 @ Nov 13 2008, 10:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
And for all two of you still with me, I can't figure out why this week and cannot get on the Forum at work. AT ALL. Ever. Just fine at home. (Nobody is blocking my surfing or anything at work, unless it is a Russian spy or something.) I have cleared my cache and history etc, etc... to no avail. I have adjusted my security settings to the, "I just hope I do catch a virus" settings to try that, but nope. Can't figure. It has been a real drag this week. I have gotten way too much work done. wacko.gif

Same thing happened to a friend of mine, and he had to get his third-party internet/phone provider to do some kind of magic. I'll try to find out what they did and let you know. Whatever it was, nobody in his whole office could get on the forum, but everything else seemed to work fine.

#63 Brian Luenser

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Posted 16 November 2008 - 09:16 PM

Yesterday Morning (Saturday) just before sunrise with 400mm(x2).

I used to do the trails at the Dallas Nature Center. On my way there, I would see these big domes. Not a clue what their function is. Don't know of any others that are shaped like this. They are located in far South Duncanville.

Google sat. pic of the tanks I am annotating on my picture.

http://www.google.co...T...&iwloc=addr


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#64 Phil Phillips

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Posted 16 November 2008 - 09:25 PM

Monee, if you find that you have a problem saving your photos, I have several web sites with a lot of excess space that you can use. Just let me know.

#65 John T Roberts

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Posted 17 November 2008 - 11:42 AM

Monee, those "dome" are above ground water storage tanks for a city's municipal water supply. They are not all that uncommon. The ones that you have pictured actually are not in Duncanville, but they are in Cedar Hill.

#66 gdvanc

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Posted 17 November 2008 - 11:17 PM

QUOTE (monee9696 @ Nov 13 2008, 10:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
And for all two of you still with me, I can't figure out why this week and cannot get on the Forum at work. AT ALL. Ever. Just fine at home. (Nobody is blocking my surfing or anything at work, unless it is a Russian spy or something.) I have cleared my cache and history etc, etc... to no avail. I have adjusted my security settings to the, "I just hope I do catch a virus" settings to try that, but nope. Can't figure. It has been a real drag this week. I have gotten way too much work done. wacko.gif


In the interest of supporting the struggle against productivity...

If you can't browse to a web site you know is working and you can browse pretty much everywhere else on the Internet, it may be a DNS problem. That is, the entry on a domain name server that resolves "www.fortwortharchitecture.com" to an IP address (203.22.204.107) may be incorrect so your browser isn't getting to the right server.

One way to check is to do a name server lookup for the host name:

C:\> nslookup www.fortwortharchitecture.com
Server: <your name server's name>
Address: <your name server's IP address>

Non-authoritative answer:
Name: fortwortharchitecture.com
Address: 203.22.204.107
Aliases: www.fortwortharchitecture.com


Another way is to ping the host name; the first line of the response will typically include the IP that your DNS thinks is correct for the host name:

C:\>ping www.fortwortharchitecture.com

Pinging fortwortharchitecture.com [203.22.204.107] with 32 bytes of data:


(Or it might simply say something like "203.22.204.107 is alive".)

If the IP address returned is something other than 203.22.204.107, then that could be the problem.

If the bad record is on your company's name server, then your network administrator should be able to fix it. If external addresses are resolved by your company's ISP's name server, then your company's ISP will have to fix it. I think they fix it by deleting the record so it is retrieved again from somewhere upstream in the Internet name server hierarchy.

In some cases you can swap the IP address for the host name in your URL (that is, http://203.22.204.107/forum) but, alas, that does not seem to work for this site.



Apologies for drifting so far off topic. Distracted by my 2 year-old yelling at the Wii. Brat. To get back on topic: all these pictures are wicked cool.

#67 Brian Luenser

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Posted 30 November 2008 - 12:18 PM

gdvance, thank you so much for your information on web site addresses. Somehow I missed your post initially. Now I can't wait to get back to work on Monday and try that stuff! (OK, so I lied about "Can't wait to get back to work" but I am anxious to try those things.)

Nice clear day today. But WAY windy. Building is rock and rolling but does not slow me down much in bright light with fast shutter speeds. (Like 1/100th of a second on my big lens)

Here are three shots I just took.

First shot. What the heck is this huge dome? Looking due South or a bit Southeast.



I believe this is the Everman water tower... With a radio tower in the way.



This is looking North. You can see the Target in Watauga. Also a big pumpkin on somebody's roof, just North of 820.



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#68 John T Roberts

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Posted 30 November 2008 - 02:25 PM

Monee, the water tower is in Kennedale. However, I can't identify the domed structure. Could you give an approximate location? Also, I really love seeing these zoomed in views.

#69 Nitixope

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Posted 30 November 2008 - 08:54 PM

QUOTE (cbellomy @ Nov 3 2008, 12:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
monee, I believe I have your answer. On my way back yesterday from a weekend trip to Caddo Lake, I came across construction of what appears to be a mid-rise office building just south of the intersection of I-20 and US 67 in the Duncanville/Desoto area. Sorry I didn't have a camera with me to take a closer photo of it than you can get from your home, but I'm 98% certain that this is the crane you are seeing.


I think this is the Methodist Charlton Medical Center off of Wheatland Rd.

See Their Progress Here



#70 Brian Luenser

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Posted 30 November 2008 - 09:18 PM

QUOTE (Nitixope @ Nov 30 2008, 08:54 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (cbellomy @ Nov 3 2008, 12:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
monee, I believe I have your answer. On my way back yesterday from a weekend trip to Caddo Lake, I came across construction of what appears to be a mid-rise office building just south of the intersection of I-20 and US 67 in the Duncanville/Desoto area. Sorry I didn't have a camera with me to take a closer photo of it than you can get from your home, but I'm 98% certain that this is the crane you are seeing.


I think this is the Methodist Charlton Medical Center off of Wheatland Rd.







Wow. Great job! I believe you got it all right. And I am familiar with the area from decades ago. (My Mother had her gallbladder taken out at that hospital in 1985.) With that nice project diagram I will be able to look for specific buildings. I took a new picture of that construction area this morning. Crane still in action. When I was a teen growing up in Desoto, I used to walk past there to Dallas (10 miles up) to go to the malls. Was all farm fields at the time. I think that buillt the first part of that hospital in 1978 or so. Thanks for your help! (And you too cbellomy.)
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#71 Brian Luenser

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Posted 30 November 2008 - 09:24 PM

QUOTE (John T Roberts @ Nov 30 2008, 02:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Monee, the water tower is in Kennedale. However, I can't identify the domed structure. Could you give an approximate location? Also, I really love seeing these zoomed in views.



Domed structure is pretty much due South. I am thinking that highway might be Hemphill? It must be huge.
I had to laugh at getting the water tower wrong. I am not much of a speller but surely even I should know that Everman does not start with a K. I was thinking it was some symbol or something. Seemed too far West for me to think of Kennedale. Kennedale does go pretty far West as it turns out.
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#72 John T Roberts

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Posted 30 November 2008 - 10:44 PM

Monee, the water tower is just east of Everman. It is located near the intersection of Everman-Kennedale-Burleson Road and Dick Price Road.

As for the domed structure and the road leading toward it, I can't identify the street as Hemphill because the structures on it don't look familiar. Would you mind posting some zoomed out views, so I can get some landmarks to even begin to find the dome? Also, some other identifying buildings to the left or right would help.

#73 cbellomy

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Posted 30 November 2008 - 11:47 PM

monee, I don't think the street in dome photo is Hemphill... there are no grain elevators to the left. Maybe Riverside? The NNW<->SSE tilt of the street grid downtown may be skewing your sense of direction somewhat?

That said, I went to Google Maps, tried extending the path of Riverside beyond where it bends to the left... and still came up with nothing.


#74 John T Roberts

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Posted 01 December 2008 - 07:41 AM

Cbellomy, I was also thinking it was Riverside, but I did the same thing you did with Google Maps and came up with nothing, also. I do think that Monee should take some more photos in that area of his view to help us pinpoint the street, then maybe we can determine where the domed structure is located.

#75 gdvanc

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Posted 02 December 2008 - 05:17 PM

QUOTE (monee9696 @ Nov 30 2008, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
gdvance, thank you so much for your information on web site addresses.


No problem. If it's not the answer, I hope it helps lead to the answer.

QUOTE (monee9696 @ Nov 30 2008, 12:18 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
First shot. What the heck is this huge dome? Looking due South or a bit Southeast.


Found it, and all I can say is your telephoto stuff is un-freaking-believable.

I won't spoil it just yet for those still on the hunt. I will say that if you have an idea where the water tower in the second pic is, you can use the shaded bands of vegetation to guess how far away the roadway is in the first pic. You can also guess that it must run somewhere between south and, say, southeast according to monee's description. So find a four lane road with a turn lane - no median - that fits within those constraints. Some signage and structures in the picture are visible from Google Street View once you identify the road. Then you know you're at least pointing in the right direction.

CAUTION: Objects may be farther than they appear.

#76 John T Roberts

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Posted 03 December 2008 - 11:52 AM

I found it, also. I knew I had seen this somewhere before, and I just couldn't think of where it was located.

#77 gdvanc

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Posted 08 December 2008 - 11:51 PM

Okay, time's up.

After thinking about it, I realized it was kind of dorky to not just say where it was the last time. In my defense, though, I'm kind of dorky.

Hello, Midlothian.


In monee's picture, the large tower on the left is at the FWT facility at 820/20/287. The roadway is Business 287 south of 820. I'm pretty sure the water tower behind the large radio tower is around Business 287 and Debbie Lane in Mansfield. And standing in the back row you have a few structures from Texas Industries' plant in Midlothian: the dome, a tower with a pipe connecting it to the dome, and the smokestacks (on the right side of the Mansfield water tower).

Good 25 miles, that shot.

#78 John T Roberts

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Posted 09 December 2008 - 07:49 PM

Well, I was going to give some dorky clues like, "To find this place, you must first go out of this world (Venus) and then head east. If you go to the middle of everything (Midlothian), you have gone too far. The dome sits between the two."

#79 Brian Luenser

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Posted 10 December 2008 - 09:46 AM

QUOTE (gdvanc @ Dec 8 2008, 11:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Okay, time's up.

After thinking about it, I realized it was kind of dorky to not just say where it was the last time. In my defense, though, I'm kind of dorky.

Hello, Midlothian.


In monee's picture, the large tower on the left is at the FWT facility at 820/20/287. The roadway is Business 287 south of 820. I'm pretty sure the water tower behind the large radio tower is around Business 287 and Debbie Lane in Mansfield. And standing in the back row you have a few structures from Texas Industries' plant in Midlothian: the dome, a tower with a pipe connecting it to the dome, and the smokestacks (on the right side of the Mansfield water tower).

Good 25 miles, that shot.


Of course I never knew the answer to the riddle. Still don't think I do. Seems a bit to far West for Midlothian to me. This shot (and I have been wanting to take it again at John's request but the conditions have not been good enough since.) was taken to my right of The Omni. The huge pollution factories in Midlothian are left of the Omni for me. Could be Midlothian is bigger than I am thinking but seems West of Midlothian to me. It is a long way off. It was a clear day(Week ago Sunday) and the huge dome is pretty cloudy. It does look like the pic from Midlothian. Could be it, but case still open in my mind. Stand by for additional shots. (Looking at the weather forcast, my future looks clear...)
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#80 JBB

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Posted 10 December 2008 - 10:07 AM

The TXI plant in your picture is to the west of Midlothian. There's also another large one to the northeast of Midlothian, going back toward Cedar Hill on 67.

#81 gdvanc

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Posted 10 December 2008 - 12:09 PM

I happened to find this map on the Internet. The plant is indeed a bit west of Midlothian. (The map labels the town as Ward, and they're probably tired of being referred to as Midlothian.)

It also appears that the line of site from the tower would be left of the Omni, so maybe it is the wrong dome. Or maybe I'm not accounting for building sway and the curvature of the earth.

#82 Brian Luenser

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Posted 10 December 2008 - 01:16 PM

QUOTE (gdvanc @ Dec 10 2008, 12:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
I happened to find this map on the Internet. The plant is indeed a bit west of Midlothian. (The map labels the town as Ward, and they're probably tired of being referred to as Midlothian.)

It also appears that the line of site from the tower would be left of the Omni, so maybe it is the wrong dome. Or maybe I'm not accounting for building sway and the curvature of the earth.


Sure enough. If I had taken the pic last night building sway would have been a big factor. (I know you were kidding.) My hillbilly seismograph was about to beat my wall to death. Because my wife does not want to see it (this building does not sway) I have it hidden in a corner of my closet in kind of a confined area.

It does drive me nuts that the clearest days are frequently the most windy. That's OK for daylight shots but for 6 second exposures etc... it's a total deal breaker.
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#83 JBB

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Posted 10 December 2008 - 01:57 PM

A couple of things to consider. I've circled in blue and red a set of stacks and the ramp and tower visible in your original. Both of those structures are visible on the map that gdvanc provided and are circled in blue and red on the subsequent screen caps.







#84 John T Roberts

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Posted 10 December 2008 - 02:20 PM

That is the correct TXI facility. Purely by coincidence, the FWBA was out there in the area on bicycle this last weekend. Between Lillian and Venus, I got a good look at the facililty and I agreed that this was the object in your photo. The TXI plant sits between Venus and Midlothian, just south of US 67. Google Maps does note it as a community named Ward, but I think it has been annexed by Midlothian.

#85 Brian Luenser

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Posted 10 December 2008 - 03:00 PM

QUOTE (John T Roberts @ Dec 10 2008, 02:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
That is the correct TXI facility. Purely by coincidence, the FWBA was out there in the area on bicycle this last weekend. Between Lillian and Venus, I got a good look at the facility and I agreed that this was the object in your photo. The TXI plant sits between Venus and Midlothian, just south of US 67. Google Maps does note it as a community named Ward, but I think it has been annexed by Midlothian.


Amazing. You nailed the positive ID, FOR SURE. Like a fingerprint when associated with that other equipment.

gdvanc and JBB had it right! Really good work among the three of you. I really didn't think it could be THAT far away and that far West. Like I said, I realized it was farther than it looked by the difference in quality between that and what I knew to be far South Fort Worth.

I am still going to take more shots in that direction this weekend. (and then the next time I have an excess of coffee and Christmas cookies I am going to go drive out there and stand on top of that dome and take a picture of my condo... just to the left of the Omni! newlaugh.gif )
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#86 360texas

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Posted 10 December 2008 - 04:56 PM

You just gotta love this technology !

Great treasure hunting via google maps, internet and high tech photography.

10 years ago ya'all could have never achieved this level of fun !!!

Price of car gas has dropped significantly. I might be encouraged to go out and shoot some 360° imaging on a nice spring day.

Thanks for the show and tell.

Its nice to be retired. Need I say more?

Dave still at

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#87 John T Roberts

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Posted 11 December 2008 - 12:31 PM

As all of you know, I ride bicycles frequently in the areas that make up the horizon from the tower. Many times while riding, I look toward Fort Worth and sometimes Dallas and I can see the tops of the buildings. That also probably explains how I can identify these structures fairly easily from the photographs because I'm out there on the bicycle. Last Saturday, we rode from southwest Arlington, to Lillian, Venus, Rhetta, Rendon, and then back to southwest Arlington. I got a real good look at the TXI plant before we arrived in Venus. Sometimes on this ride, we go to Mountain Peak, which sits on the horizon line above the plant. Mountain Peak has been annexed by Midlothian.

#88 Nitixope

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Posted 11 December 2008 - 01:13 PM

QUOTE (John T Roberts @ Dec 11 2008, 12:31 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
As all of you know, I ride bicycles frequently in the areas that make up the horizon from the tower. Many times while riding, I look toward Fort Worth and sometimes Dallas and I can see the tops of the buildings. That also probably explains how I can identify these structures fairly easily from the photographs because I'm out there on the bicycle. Last Saturday, we rode from southwest Arlington, to Lillian, Venus, Rhetta, Rendon, and then back to southwest Arlington. I got a real good look at the TXI plant before we arrived in Venus. Sometimes on this ride, we go to Mountain Peak, which sits on the horizon line above the plant. Mountain Peak has been annexed by Midlothian.

One of my favorite distant views of downtown Fort Worth is on Trinity Blvd (driving west) between House Anderson Rd and Greenbelt Rd. It looks like a city on a hill from that spot.

My favorite distant view of Dallas is if you exit from 360 and drive east on Carrier Pkwy. It looks as if you could drive in a straight line right downtown.

The other building I’m finding in the new places is the new Cowboys Stadium popping up on the horizon in unexpected locations around town. Even though it's not a skyscraper, it still scrapes the sky in its own gigantic way. One is if you are traveling east on Meadowbrook just west of 820 by the Taco Bell you can see it real well. Another favorite is traveling south on 157/Industrial south of Trinity Blvd down in the river bottoms you can see Six Flags rides and the stadium plain as day set on the hill.


#89 Brian Luenser

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Posted 01 January 2009 - 12:20 AM

OK. First picture posted from 2009. Fireworks at the AA Center in Dallas. Was dealing with smoke from some kind of fire in Fort Worth. (TBD) Did not bother putting my doubler on my 400. ISO 1600. Don't look for any quality here! But just the same, take a quick look. (And Happy New Year!)


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#90 John T Roberts

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Posted 01 January 2009 - 08:41 PM

These pictures still amaze me. Not only can you see the fireworks, you can also identify the buildings by the lighting. I can see the new Hunt Oil Building and the square of One Arts Plaza.

#91 Brian Luenser

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Posted 03 January 2009 - 09:11 PM

As today was too hazy for long distance shots, I picked on a photo I took in September and had not posed. Similar to others in that week but what the heck. I think tomorrow will be a good picture day... Actually my first posted pic taken in RAW format.


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#92 cajunmike

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Posted 10 January 2009 - 03:05 PM

Monee and Phil,

We need a picture fix !...........We miss the great past and present photos..........
Mike

#93 Brian Luenser

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Posted 11 January 2009 - 08:22 PM

QUOTE (cajunmike @ Jan 10 2009, 03:05 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Monee and Phil,

We need a picture fix !...........We miss the great past and present photos..........


Thanks for asking. Not to burn you with too many, but it was a nice clear day.
All with my 400 5.6 with a 2X attached.
Cropped to read the water tower...


Home of my dear friend. He lived there 100 years. (not a joke) I have talked about this gentleman previously. Was Tarrant Co. Treasurer for 40 years. Had the first air conditioner in Tarrant co. that he bought in Chicago and brought home on the train. Had it hung from his window in the Tarrant Co. Courthouse. Could go on and on. This is West Vickery Street.


Mostly Reflection Bay condos on Lake Arlington, but curious what the huge neon area is. (Arlington or Grand Prairie, likely)


Parks Mall


A marina on Lake Arlington wishing it was in water.


Belknap street East of Downtown Fort Worth. (Out to Carson St.) Mostly Haltom City shot.


Highway 121 East of Downtown with road signs washed out with Sunset light.


JC Penney and Hobby Lobby in a new Mall far north of Town. (And some other new large structure East of that.)

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#94 John T Roberts

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Posted 11 January 2009 - 11:03 PM

Your photos keep getting better and better. It's now real easy to read the signs on the buildings.

#95 Nitixope

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Posted 12 January 2009 - 07:54 AM

QUOTE (monee9696 @ Jan 11 2009, 08:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Mostly Reflection Bay condos on Lake Arlington, but curious what the huge neon area is. (Arlington or Grand Prairie, likely)


I think this is the Entertainmart at 3415 S. Cooper. On a map, if you extend the line of sight from the Tower to the Reflection Bay Condos, Entertainmart is roughly in line with those two points. Their facade faces NW and I recall their signs being bright red neon and they sometimes have a searchlight in the parking lot running at night. In your shot, if you look closely enough, I think I can see the star at the peak of their sign.


#96 lens314

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Posted 12 January 2009 - 05:31 PM

QUOTE (monee9696 @ Jan 11 2009, 08:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
JC Penney and Hobby Lobby in a new Mall far north of Town. (And some other new large structure East of that.)


In case you didnt know, that is Alliance Town Center. Its the new place to go fer shopping from where I live. I do not know what the large white/red structure is, yet.

Oops, I was going to request you get a shot more to the west to get my neighborhood, but you allready did! Before the neighborhood completely built up, I had a view of DTFW from my 2nd floor. Now I have the opposing view! Now only if I couild pick my house out, darn cookie cutter starter homes.
-Doug

#97 Brian Luenser

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Posted 12 January 2009 - 10:06 PM

Great job Nitixope. I am sure you nailed the ID of all that Neon. That one was driving me nuts. Thought I was going to have to rent a Cessna (and a driver) to head in that direction for me.

And thank you lens314 for identifying that mall (Alliance Town Center). It did not exist a few years ago when I left north Fort Worth. One of these days I am going to just post pics of JC Penney's. I know I can see 5.

Here are some more shots I took yesterday off of my balcony downtown.

Here is a shot South down Hwy 287 (Willbarger & Miller) That is my favorite house on the left with the view of Downtown. (We can know that at this point)


On Lancaster Ave. (I forget the building) This is only a mile away or so so this is by far my close shot of the day.


Houses on Lake Arlington. Thought about Photoshopping them a little water. (Let it rain!)


Harvest Church in Wautaga. Etc... 450 GHZ dual resolution Doppler radar behind it. (You guessed it, I don't have a clue)


Arlington Fire Training center. In Front of Duncanville or Grand Prairie.



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#98 John T Roberts

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Posted 12 January 2009 - 10:52 PM

Monee, I'm going to try to take a guess as to which JCPenney buildings that you see. You've already posted Alliance Town Center, then there's North East Mall, followed by the Parks at Arlington. However, from your previous shot, it looks as if the JCPenney store is actually blocked from view by Dillard's. That's three (maybe). I don't think your view goes far enough south to see Burleson, so I'm guessing that the store in Cedar Hill Village is another. I also don't think that you can see Ridgmar Mall from your unit. Please correct me if I'm wrong. My fifth guess is the distribution center at Alliance, which is technically not a store. That would be my top five. The outlet store at Grapevine Mills faces south and east, so I don't know if you could see the sign from your perch or not. There's also a store in Flower Mound. Then that leaves the stores in North Dallas. I knew your lens was powerful, but I did not realize that you could identify the signs with it at that distance. How close am I?

The pictures in the thread above are really great. Please keep posting them.

#99 Nitixope

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Posted 13 January 2009 - 01:51 AM

QUOTE (monee9696 @ Jan 12 2009, 10:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Here is a shot South down Hwy 287 (Willbarger & Miller) That is my favorite house on the left with the view of Downtown. (We can know that at this point)

Isn't this the impenetrable house? There's a good posting buried somewhere on the forum discussing it...

#100 Brian Luenser

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Posted 13 January 2009 - 07:52 AM

QUOTE (Nitixope @ Jan 13 2009, 01:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (monee9696 @ Jan 12 2009, 10:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Here is a shot South down Hwy 287 (Willbarger & Miller) That is my favorite house on the left with the view of Downtown. (We can know that at this point)

Isn't this the impenetrable house? There's a good posting buried somewhere on the forum discussing it...



I have been curious about that house for many years. I have never read anything about it.

It is the house I would build for myself. (Secure with a view of Downtown.)
I also wonder who owns it, and for how long etc... Would love to talk with the person to see what makes him tick.

Funny thing is, it may be a completely different story then we guess. (ie,. He didn't require it to be secure, just had a lot of left over steel at his business. And did not want a view of Fort Worth but needed all the windows high to grow dope.) We speculate.

If anybody knows about this building I will give you a buck to let loose with it.
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