My family and I have recently moved to the Austin, TX area from Colorado. I've posted quite a bit on the Rocky Mountain forum, but haven't on here yet, despite being in Texas now. I think I'm still struggling with the fact that I'm not in Colorado anymore. Anyways, here are some from this morning. Thanks for looking...I'm looking forward to posting more on this forum.
Thanks for the welcome. We lived in Colorado Springs for about 5 years.
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on January 17, 2010 at 9:28 AM
Welcome to CSNP Justin. Your first image is an interesting offering and the second looks like Texas ... or Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska .... Looking forward to seeing more from you.
Posted by Brian Schrayer on January 17, 2010 at 10:02 AM
I know what you mean when you say you are struggling with the fact that you are not in Colorado anymore. I have lived in the Texas panhandle all of my life but when I travel to Colorado I have a hard time coming back. In 2008, I traveled to the San Juans for the first time and it was especially hard to come back home.
What I have come to learn is that there is beauty here you just have to look a little harder for it. Does it compare to the San Juans? Not by any means, but it is there. It won't be too long and it will be wildflower season in the Texas hill country. Maybe that will give you something to get out and shoot. Something else that you may find helpful is to go to a local bookstore and look through coffee table books of Texas landscape photography. Seeing the beauty that other photographers have found can inspire you to get out and shoot and give you ideas for locations.
As far as the shots you have posted, the first shot is interesting, I might be tempted to crop it a little from the top to crop out the tree limbs in the extreme upper left hand corner. It might just be due to JPEG compression, but it does look a little soft. You might be able to boost the contrast and sharpen the image a little to bring out some of the detail in the rocks. I like the motion in the stream.
I think the comp on the second image would work more effectively in different light. If you returned to this location in sunset / sunrise light you might find that it can change what is an otherwise static composition into something with more interest. Texas is known to have some beautiful sunsets so keep your eye to the sky. Unfortunately, I find that the best sunsets seem to happen when I don't have my camera.
Posted by Joe Rogers on January 17, 2010 at 3:07 PM
Justin, check out this website for a little Texas photography. There are many on this forum that share your love of the Colorado landscape and post some excellent images here when they return, but I think you'll be astonished at some of the magnifcent opportunties you have in the Central region. Arkansas is a bonanza most of the year round with some of the greatest waterfalls and rivers anywhere. Fall is magic both in Colorado and Arkansas. The best thing about it is just when fall winds down in Colorado, it begins in Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Here is the link
http://richardreynoldsphotographer.com/index2.php
Joe Rogers
Posted by Brad Mangas on January 18, 2010 at 9:50 AM
Welcome Justin. I look forward to seeing more posts.
Thanks, guys, for the welcome. I'm looking forward to posting more here to and to exploring what Texas has to offer...I know there is a lot! Thanks again.
Posted by John Moore on January 18, 2010 at 5:02 PM
Welcome to CSNP Justin. Nice photos, especially #2. I look forward to seeing more of your shots.
Posted by Darren Huski on January 18, 2010 at 7:53 PM
Welcome to Tejas! Austin is a pretty cool town so it might help on the "culture shock" of the Lone Star State
Austin is close to the wonderful Texas Hill Country. There are many neat state parks with in a two hour drive of you. Some I highly recommend are:
Enchanted Rock -neat photography and great rock climbing
Pedernales-Great river flowing around huge boulders
Bastrop-Lost pines in central Texas
Lost Maples-Great fall color
Garner-Ice cold river is at the south end of hill country-great tubing
Guadalupe River-more great tubing
And that is really just a start. Lots of neat towns to explore like Luckenbach, Gruene, etc.
And only about 7-8 hours to Big Bend!
You can see a few of these areas on my website and blogs linked below.
Not too many of us Texans here on NPN but there is a decent camera club in Austin from what I have heard.
Glad you are here!
Posted by Larry Fischer on January 19, 2010 at 8:09 AM
On the plains the chant is: "endure and prevail".
Hey, you can travel to Colorado on vacation.
the fisch
Posted by Bill Dark on January 19, 2010 at 8:54 AM
Welcome Justin! Nice to have another photographer from the Lone Star State. Nice post - I look forward to seeing more.
Discussion
12 repliesThanks for the welcome. We lived in Colorado Springs for about 5 years.
What I have come to learn is that there is beauty here you just have to look a little harder for it. Does it compare to the San Juans? Not by any means, but it is there. It won't be too long and it will be wildflower season in the Texas hill country. Maybe that will give you something to get out and shoot. Something else that you may find helpful is to go to a local bookstore and look through coffee table books of Texas landscape photography. Seeing the beauty that other photographers have found can inspire you to get out and shoot and give you ideas for locations.
As far as the shots you have posted, the first shot is interesting, I might be tempted to crop it a little from the top to crop out the tree limbs in the extreme upper left hand corner. It might just be due to JPEG compression, but it does look a little soft. You might be able to boost the contrast and sharpen the image a little to bring out some of the detail in the rocks. I like the motion in the stream.
I think the comp on the second image would work more effectively in different light. If you returned to this location in sunset / sunrise light you might find that it can change what is an otherwise static composition into something with more interest. Texas is known to have some beautiful sunsets so keep your eye to the sky. Unfortunately, I find that the best sunsets seem to happen when I don't have my camera.
http://richardreynoldsphotographer.com/index2.php
Joe Rogers
Austin is close to the wonderful Texas Hill Country. There are many neat state parks with in a two hour drive of you. Some I highly recommend are:
Enchanted Rock -neat photography and great rock climbing
Pedernales-Great river flowing around huge boulders
Bastrop-Lost pines in central Texas
Lost Maples-Great fall color
Garner-Ice cold river is at the south end of hill country-great tubing
Guadalupe River-more great tubing
And that is really just a start. Lots of neat towns to explore like Luckenbach, Gruene, etc.
And only about 7-8 hours to Big Bend!
You can see a few of these areas on my website and blogs linked below.
Not too many of us Texans here on NPN but there is a decent camera club in Austin from what I have heard.
Glad you are here!
Hey, you can travel to Colorado on vacation.
the fisch