Endeavor

En • deav • or :  to attempt by exertion of effort
     (to finish the race)

- my old Webster's Collegiate Dictionary

Felt a bit patriotic this morning as I watched the Space Shuttle Endeavor do one final lap above our planet - albeit ratchet strapped to the back of a 747.
It's final destiny will be a museum near downtown Los Angeles.

It seems like it was just the other day when I watched the launching of the first Space Shuttle.
We are definitely at the end of a special era and I was glad to photograph it - for posterity.

The Space Shuttle Endeavor as it passed over my neighborhood just a few hours ago...

www.ericschmidtphotography.com

A Pretty Good Run

"I've got a '69 Chevy with a 396, Fuelie heads and a Hurst

on the floor. She's waiting tonight down in the parking lot..."

- Bruce Springsteen

"Racing in the Street"

Just rolled back into town the other evening from a shoot that planted me in Wendover, Utah.

The Bonneville Salt Flats to be precise.

It was the annual gathering of men strapping themselves into their machines and hauling ass down a never ending straightaway in their quest to set a land speed record.

I've come to the conclusion that the ink in the record book never dries - as new speeds were being conquered left and right. A couple of vehicles traveled down that lonely track at 400+ mph. Hell, 200 mph is pretty fast in my book... now double it and add a few more.

The moments did not unfold too fast for this kid to capture and I think it would be fair to say that we gave it a pretty good run.

www.ericschmidtphotography.com