Tuesday April 1, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

NASA Tribute

Opening Day ceremonies for the Houston Astros featured a tribute to NASA and the crew of Space Shuttle Columbia. The giant American flag was carried on the field by 107 NASA employees.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Friday October 11, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

World Space Congress Convention in Houston

A NASA worker prepares a mockup of Space Lab "Destiny" currently deployed on the space station that will be on exhibit during the World Space Congress 2002 which is being held in the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The 10-day meeting of international delegates of space research, astronautics and space law was last held ten years ago.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Thursday February 13, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

Wife of space shuttle Columbia crew member

Lani McCool, wearing a set of wedding rings like those taken into space by Columbia pilot "Willy" McCool, sharing some favorite photographs she made with her late husband. Training with Rick Husband, a portrait and visiting school kids.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Sunday March 16, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

Conceptual Artist Darian Robleto

Conceptual Artist Darian Robleto, 30, a San Antonio native, is the first artist not based in New York to be selected for a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria in Manhattan. Robleto posed with his sculpture "Men Are the New Women" investigating the notion that the Adam and Eve legend may have led us down the garden path. Mr. Robleto bought a human female rib bone from a local medical supplier, pulverized it and recast it as a male rib bone. In the finished work, the bone, with lighting that resembles a natural-history display, appears to float in a clear plastic box atop a white wooden pedestal.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

1990, Corpus Christi, Texas, USA

Sunset over refineries

Sunset over refineries.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Sunday October 27, 2002, Scotlandville, Louisiana, USA

Hometown of Sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad Williams

Sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad Williams no doubt grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in the abject poverty of Scotlandville, along Highway 61, north of Baton Rouge.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Saturday November 2, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

Basketball player Yao Ming's debut

Yao Ming towers over his teammates during the USA National Anthem at Compaq Center. The 7'6" tall center is the focus of an international marketing campaign by the United States professional basketball league.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Tuesday April 1, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

NASA Tribute

Former President George Bush attended Opening Day for the Houston Astros baseball team which featured a tribute to NASA and the crew of Space Shuttle Columbia.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Sunday March 16, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

Conceptual Artist Darian Robleto

Conceptual Artist Darian Robleto, 30, a San Antonio native, is the first artist not based in New York to be selected for a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art at Altria in Manhattan. Robleto posed with his sculpture "Men Are the New Women" investigating the notion that the Adam and Eve legend may have led us down the garden path. Mr. Robleto bought a human female rib bone from a local medical supplier, pulverized it and recast it as a male rib bone. In the finished work, the bone, with lighting that resembles a natural-history display, appears to float in a clear plastic box atop a white wooden pedestal.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

1990, Pasadena, Texas, USA

Smoke stacks

Smoke stacks in Texas refineries.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Tuesday July 30, 2002, Gulf of Mexico, USA

British Petroleum offshore drilling platform

British Petroleum offshore drilling platform Horn Mountain in the Gulf of Mexico.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Tuesday July 30, 2002, Gulf of Mexico, USA

British Petroleum offshore drilling platform

British Petroleum offshore drilling platform Horn Mountain in the Gulf of Mexico.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Tuesday April 1, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

NASA Tribute

David Ramon, son of Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon of Israel meets Houston Astros Richard Hidalgo after he threw a ceremonial first pitch at Minute Maid Park, as opening day ceremonies featured a tribute to NASA and the crew of Space Shuttle Columbia.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Thursday February 13, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

Wife of space shuttle Columbia crew member

William McCool, age 15, in Guam, and last year at NASA. His wife, Lani, took these photographs of the Columbia astronaut.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

1990, Port Arthur, Texas, USA

Port Arthur refineries

Sun peeks through refineries.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Saturday November 2, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

Basketball player Yao Ming's debut

Yao wins a jump ball. NBA #1 draft choice of the Houston Rockets, Yao Ming, made his official debut in front of the home crowd at Compaq Center, versus the Toronto Raptors. The 7'5" tall center is the focus of an international marketing campaign by the United States professional basketball league.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Tuesday July 30, 2002, Gulf of Mexico, USA

British Petroleum drilling platform

British Petroleum offshore drilling platform Horn Mountain in the Gulf of Mexico.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Friday October 11, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

Mockup of Space Lab "Destiny" on exhibit

A visiting delegate to the World Space Congress leaves a mockup of Space Lab "Destiny" on exhibit in the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The laboratory module currently deployed by NASA on the space station is one item being discussed during the meeting of international delegates of space research, astronautics and space law.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Sunday October 20, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

Yao Ming press conference

Reporters find the advertisements in English and Chinese for Yao Ming, the 7 foot 5 inch basketball player from China, to be a true sign of changes coming as Ming signed a contract with the NBA's Houston Rockets to become the first Chinese-born athlete to play in American sports.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Saturday November 2, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

Basketball player Yao Ming's debut

Yao smiles during a post-game interview with a Chinese broadcaster. NBA #1 draft choice of the Houston Rockets, Yao Ming, made his official debut in front of the home crowd at Compaq Center, versus the Toronto Raptors. The 7'5" tall center is the focus of an international marketing campaign by the United States professional basketball league.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Tuesday July 30, 2002, Gulf of Mexico, USA

British Petroleum drilling platform

British Petroleum offshore drilling platform Horn Mountain in the Gulf of Mexico.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Friday October 11, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

World Space Congress Convention in Houston

An attendee to the World Space Congress test drives a rocket using a cockpit avionics computer. The 2002 gathering of international delegates of space research, astronautics and space law which meets every ten years.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Thursday February 13, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

Wife of space shuttle Columbia crew member

Lani McCool, wearing a set of wedding rings like those taken into space by Columbia pilot "Willy" McCool, showing a selection of her photographs of her late husband.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Friday October 11, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

World Space Congress Convention in Houston

A robotic vehicle is controlled by a NASA technician holding his laptop computer during the World Space Congress 2002 meeting in the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. It is a gathering of international delegates of space research, astronautics and space law which occurs once every ten years.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Saturday March 1, 2003, Houston, Texas, USA

Rally for America in Houston

A young girl sports an American flag painted on her face for a "Rally for America," sponsored by local conservative talk radio station KPRC. Thousands of people jammed into downtown Jones Plaza to hear politicians, soldiers and entertainers praise God, America and President Bush's firm stand against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Saturday November 2, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

Basketball player Yao Ming's debut

NBA #1 draft choice of the Houston Rockets, Yao Ming, made his official debut in front of the home crowd at Compaq Center, Saturday night November 2, 2002 versus the Toronto Raptors. The 7'5" tall center is the focus of an international marketing campaign by the United States professional basketball league.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Friday October 11, 2002, Houston, Texas, USA

World Space Congress Convention in Houston

A NASA worker readies a mockup of Space Lab "Destiny" currently deployed on the space station that will be on exhibit during the World Space Congress 2002 which is being held in the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston. The 10-day meeting of international delegates of space research, astronautics and space law was last held ten years ago.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Tuesday July 30, 2002, Gulf of Mexico, USA

British Petroleum offshore drilling

British Petroleum offshore drilling platform Marlin in the Gulf of Mexico.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

Tuesday July 30, 2002, Gulf of Mexico, USA

British Petroleum offshore drilling

British Petroleum offshore drilling platform Horn Mountain in the Gulf of Mexico.

Credit: F. Carter Smith / Polaris

F. Carter Smith

F. Carter Smith is a Houston-based photojournalist. His work has been published worldwide and in the New York Times since 1986. Texans Anna Nicole Smith and the former Enron executives are among his most notorious subjects. His corporate client list includes Continental Airlines, Unocal Corporation, AIM Investments and the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.