GPS Photo Safari – The Finish

On January 17, 2012March 12, 2012 By AngeliaIn Angelia's Photography, Beautiful Life12 Comments

The last set of coordinates on the Meetup GPS Photo Safari took me to Founder’s Plaza.

An incredible spot to view planes landing. There is also an air traffic control speaker, and many historical markers about the DFW airport.

I dreamed of being a flight attendant since I was ten years old. I became a travel agent instead, but I have been on MANY trips (and probably saw more places). I have traveled almost to my heart’s content, or at least more than I have ever dreamed possible (and it’s not over yet!).

I love the airport. I love flying. I love everything about travel (except for the lines and pushy people). If I could, I would travel the world and take pictures.

Anyone out there want to pay me to do that??

So, I loved this park full of flight, and fun.

It was also home to happy flying statues of children.

I was taken by them. They were magical.

Frozen in the wind. Sailing with the planes. They delight in every landing as they soar in sequence at the airport’s gate.

So carefree! I loved them, and wanted to take them home with me.

Instead, I watched planes with them.

Mesmerized by the miracle of flight.

The airport end to my day was perfect.

The light changed and I noticed something special about my new statue friends.

They make amazing silhouettes.

Our safari ended in a blaze of glory.

© Angelia's Photography — Sunset at DFW airport.

But what fantastic memories of memorable, and historic places.

I can’t wait until the next safari. In fact, I may have to do a few on my own just to keep my exploring alive.

What do you think?

The Next Two Stops of the Meetup GPS Photo Safari

On January 16, 2012March 12, 2012 By AngeliaIn Angelia's Photography17 Comments

After spending more than an hour exploring the history of Farmers Branch, Texas. The GPS coordinates led me to the first town jail in Grapevine, Texas built in 1909.

That cell in the summer? Over 100 degrees every day? Would not be my happy place (or anyone’s!).

The next stop was only a few blocks away. Of course, it took longer to figure that out than it was to walk it.

We passed this gorgeous building and I fell in love with it. LOVE!

There is something about round windows and round rooms. I will fall for them every time. I am sure there is some deep meaning involved somewhere – like my number threes.

Another interesting storefront on the walk to destination number two.

The next stop turns out to be a Railroad Crossing or Grapevine’s Vintage Railroad.

I have not been on this train. It runs from Grapevine to the Fort Worth Stockyards. I heard there are hold-ups, and robbers on horseback….fun!

The train is not in service this month as they are working on the track. Which? Is just dandy for me…since I can take photos without being smooshed.

There is a glass blowing shop/school next to the train depot. I think the art from the glass is incredible (and a lot of it is ROUND). I adore the detail and design. They had student projects hanging in the window and two large spheres outside.

There is one more set of coordinates to go, and it lead me to one of my favorite places to go to and from. It has to do with my career field. I wonder if those (not on Facebook) know what it is. You only have to look to the sky….

I will publish my LAST place of the hunt tomorrow.

First Location of the Meetup GPS Photo Safari

On January 15, 2012March 12, 2012 By AngeliaIn Angelia's Photography17 Comments

Today was the big Meetup GPS Photo Safari. If you haven’t joined a local meetup group? Why not? It’s a great place to find fun events that fit what you like to do. I love finding out where they go, because then I know (as a photographer) where I should go too; to get great photographs, or have a nice place to visit.

The event today was a little different. You didn’t know where you were going. The instructions were to show up and it would be explained at that point.

I wasn’t worried. I knew it would be someplace cool, and hopefully, a place I hadn’t been (all of them were).

At the first one, they give you a sheet of partial longitude/latitude coordinates to use to find the destinations selected for the event, but not all the numbers. The second number has to be figured out by a number gotten at the first destination (and so on as you moved to each one). So, we had to go, and get this number to have the coordinates of where to go next after you get to the first place. Brilliant!

The first place was found by subtracting the address of the starting location from the longitude/latitude listed on the sheet. Voila! The place to go next was revealed in code. Then, I had to input the longitude/latitude code onto a map to find out how to get there.

Thank goodness there was a handy iPad2 with an app for that.

Yes, there’s an app for that.

This is the first destination. It’s called the Farmer’s Branch Historical Park. It features many acres of historical homes, and replicas. Such a great place to see history come alive.

Twenty-seven acres is a lot of ground to cover, we spent waaaaay too long taking photographs and peering into windows and doors of a different time and era.

Take a look for yourself.