Murphys Monday..... six months later

Al Barr of Dropkick Murphys sings while playing at House of Blues as part of their annual St. Patrick's Day Tour on Saturday, March 2, 2013 in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The Murphys are currently supporting their new album "Signed and Sealed in Blood." (David Manning/DavidManningPhotography.com)

If you've followed this blog for years, you know that I'm a fan of Dropkick Murphys and I've photographed them several times. Through a stroke of luck, I got a last minute photo pass complete with the sarcastic labeling "Out of my way, I have a fancy camera" .... Which aptly describes most concert photographers that I've met in my days.

I meant to share all these months ago but through circumstance, I withheld them until now.  More photos after the jump

Daytona International Speedway for the New York Times

Crewmembers for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.,'s crew push his race car toward the inspection area at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, July 4, 2013 in Daytona Beach, Fla. International Speedway Corporation, parent company of the racetrack, recently announced a $400 Million renovation plan for the grandstand of the 54-year-old track.  Changes would include improved aisle ways in the grandstand as well as 53 hospitality suites and the eventual removal of the backstretch grandstand.  The renovations are expected to be completed by January 2016. (David Manning for The New York Times)

Hey Folks.  Its been awhile....  Call it a seven month hiatus.

Anyways, for July 4th, I went our to the Daytona International Speedway to photograph for the New York Times for a business story on DIS' redevelopment plans.  More after the jump.

Two from Nassau

Nassau/Paradise Island on Sunday, October 21, 2012 in Nassau, The Bahamas. (David Manning/David@DavidManningPhoto.com)

As I'm going through things I've meant to blog about, I stumbled over these two shots from my last trip to the Bahamas.

Above, what i refer to as "THAT Palm Tree" on Paradise Island at the Atlantis Resort.  Its very distinctive and if you've walked the beach there, you know exactly where this shot is.  Suffice to say, that is the quietest place I found on Paradise Island.

Other photo after the jump....

Foggy Fireworks

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm an insane fireworks junkie.  Living in Orlando allows me to see high quality shows on a regular basis.... to the point where I can tell when things change.

Alas sometimes, mother nature plays havoc.  Usually December yields great weather for fireworks - low humidity and strong breezes to blow the smoke away.... sadly in the photo above, not quite the case.  A horribly thick bank of fog rolled into the area just as I pulled up.  Knowing the show i was about to photograph, I decided to make the best of a bad situation and try and use the fog to my advantage.

This is the finale of their Holiday Wishes show. Slightly overexposed. But i love how the fireworks just open above the clouds....

Tilt/Shift Fireworks

Well this is just weird.  I decided to dig out my lensbaby and try and photograph fireworks.  (Such is the beauty of living near a theme park empire, there's a constant supply of fireworks and photographic subjects.) 

Not sure if this works.... more after the jump  

Kentucky vs Florida Football

Kentucky Wildcats wide receiver DeMarcus Sweat (83) sits on the bench at the start of the fourth quarter as the #14 Florida Gators beat the Kentucky Wildcats 38-0 in an NCAA Football Game on Saturday, September 20, 2012 at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla. (David Manning for The Lexington Herald-Leader)

Its been almost a year since I covered a college football game and I'm trying to figure out if I'm rusty or if it was just Kentucky?

The tale after the jump.....

Horiffic Crash, Minor Injuries

Emergency workers carry 21-year-old Sabrina Williamson up an embankment after she crashed on the outer loop of the Athens Perimeter near Commerce Road on Thursday, January 6, 2011 in Athens, Ga. Sabrina Williamson, 21, was traveling west on the Perimeter, between North Avenue and Commerce Road, just before 12:30 p.m. when her car drove off the north shoulder and down an embankment, Athens-Clarke police said.

I had just started editing an assignment after getting into work when a call came over the radio about an accident with the car down an embankment and possibly into a retention pond. Another case of sprinting out of the office at full speed.

From Last Year: Barn Fire

Doyle Johnson embraces his wife Chelsea as Athens-Clarke firefighters work to extinguish a barn in the 4000 block of Barnett Shoals Road on December 15, 2010 in Athens, Ga. No people or animals were hurt in the fire but antique furniture stored in the barn was lost.

I was listening to the scanner when I heard a call about a barn being on fire. I looked out the window and saw from 5 miles away that it was fully involved.

From Last Year: Naughty or Nice?

Brandon Barnes, dressed as Santa, checks on Demarco Flemming after he was put in time-out during a holiday party at the Boys and Girls Club on Thursday, December 16, 2010 in Athens, Ga.

I found this feature at a Boys and Girls Club Christmas Party. Several kids were placed in "time out" and the man dressed as Santa came over to check on one of them.

From Last Year: Eclipse!

One of the last things i shot for the paper last year was the only lunar eclipse that would happen on the Winter Solstice in my lifetime. Naturally the clouds would prove troublesome.

Photos of the Year

Barrow County Sheriff's Deputy Chris Hulett, right, kisses his bride Keni Carter during their wedding reception at Athens Regional Medical Center on Fri., Jan 29, 2010 in Athens, Ga. Hulett was diagnosed with end-stage melanoma. Carter decided Friday morning that they should be married later that day.

Its time for my Photos of the Year. These 22 are some of the best and my favorites of the year, out of the fifty-some I narrowed it down to. I want to add some commentary and context to the shots as I go.

The shot about, Chris Hulett's wedding. We found out about a 1/2 hour before the wedding and we sped over like no other. I started shooting before the hospital PR people had people sign their releases but to no matter. I had the privilege to see a couple get married and have one of the happiest days of their life in the midst of some of their worst times.

The Governors first speech

Georgia Governor-elect Nathan Deal gives the closing address at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government's Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators at the University of Georgia on Tuesday, December 14, 2010 in Athens, Ga.

The Governor-elect came to UGA to make his first post-election speech.

Chickens!

Nicola Gleaton feeds his chicken in his back yard on Saturday, December 11, 2010 in Winder, Ga. Gleaton and another neighbor are in a dispute with the City of Winder over their backyard chickens.

I had a chance to photograph some backyard chickens the other week. It was all about making photos fast as I had about a half-hour before i had to drive back to Athens for a prep basketball game.

Clarke vs Cedar

Cedar Shoals' A.J. Davenport gets a rebound in front of Clarke Central guard Jevron Thomas in the fourth quarter as time expires as Cedar Shoals beats Clarke Central 64-63 in an GHSA Region 8-AAAA boys basketball game on Saturday, December 12, 2010 in Athens, Ga.

Prep Game 3 - Clarke Central vs Cedar Shoals. Its the crosstown rivalry that lives up to the hype.

Sometimes the flash doesnt fire

Athens Academy's Davis Finney, center, puts up a shot between Athens Christian's Garth Brown, left, and Zach Lillie, right, in the fourth quarter as Athens Academy beats Athens Christian in an GHSA Region 8-A boys basketball game on Friday, December 10, 2010 in Watkinsville, Ga.

Prep Basketball: Game 2, Athens Christian vs Athens Academy. Adventures of misbehaving equipment after the jump.

Strongest Dawg Competition

Georgia junior Jordan Thomas competes in the bench press during the Strongest Dawg Powerlifting Competition at the University of Georgia's Ramsey Center on Wednesday, December 8, 2010 in Athens, Ga. Thomas lifted 255 kilograms in the dead lift competition, the largest weight in the competition.

The other week Georgia's Ramsey Center held a weightlifting competition. It made for interesting pictures.

Softball Player of the Year

Prince Avenue pitcher Alex Bettis on Tuesday, December 7, 2010 in Bogart, Ga. Bettis was named Softball Player of the Year.

On the absolute coldest sunny day I've ever photographed in, i took a very patient and cooperative softball player under the bleachers to make a nice photo as she was named player of the year. With the wind, it was in the low 20s.

We froze, i worked fast. Then i took it back and overprocessed the hell out of it, giving it a very gritty look.

North Oconee Girls Basketball vs Gainesville

North Oconee's Jessica Watson is fouled by Gainesville's Hunter Pugh in the first half as the North Oconee Lady Titans face the Gainesville Lady Red Elephants on Friday, December 3, 2010 in Bogart, Ga.

Prep basketball has started again. My Fridays will now be spent indoors, with 1/4 power flashes lighting 1/3rd of the court. This started off defensibly with a low-scoring affair between North Oconee and Gainesville.

Skate Inn!

The Athens Skate Inn was recent reopened after a near-15 year hiatus. Naturally i got to push the limits of what a Nikon can do in the dark.

Frost

It has been unseasonably cold here. Its just a detail of some frost moments before it was scraped from my car.