Lake LBJ sunset

I just want to thank everyone that visited my blog last week and especially those that took the time to leave comments on my pictures.  I really appreciate that.  I haven’t had a chance to return the favor yet because I was traveling overseas last week.

I spent the week in London and Dublin – two towns that I really enjoy visiting - and both were fantastic.  Although I got rained on a bit in both places, I still came away with what I believe will be some beautiful shots, and of course I had some wonderful experiences, saw some fabulous sites, and even had the good fortune to meet up with some great photographers in London.  It was a great week!

In the meantime, please enjoy this sunset from Lake LBJ in the Texas Hill Country.  Thanks for stopping by!

Best friends

I am a city person.  I live in a city, mostly travel to cities, and spend most of my time in them.  But when I am driving in the Texas hill country and see a scene like this, I get a little wistful thinking about playing in my grandfather’s barn as a kid.  I loved that barn, and still do.  The only problem is that it’s in North Carolina, so it’s not easy for me to go play in these days!

A warm sunset in Bull Creek

More goodness from my favorite park in Austin - Bull Creek! 

I had a great sunset shoot here a few weeks ago.  The light was just incredible and I was clicking away pretty furiously for a little while.  At one point, I turned around and saw this scene.  The clouds were excellent and the warm light cast a nice glow on the whole scene.

I visit this park several times a week - usually to do a trail run or hike.  Normally I have my iPhone with me, so that means I have a million iPhone shots from all around this area.  I was really glad on this evening that I opted to stop here and shoot with my Nikon - I ended up with some pretty nice shots that night!

Bluebonnets in a field

Springtime in the Texas hill country can be just incredible.  Bluebonnets (the state flower) start popping up everywhere, and we actually get a little rain at times, which is nice too!  One thing that’s very popular is to go and check out all the wonderful wildflowers which seem to arrive (and sadly, depart) almost overnight.

Driving through Austin, you frequently see patches of bluebonnets on the side of the road, and inevitably, you see someone who has pulled over to take some pictures of them.  They’re just special to us, and probably that is partly due to their brevity.  It’s a sure sign that Spring has arrived.

I took this photo up in the Texas hill country back in 2010.  We had a serious “bumper crop” of bluebonnets that year - it hasn’t been nearly as nice since.  I am seeing some around Austin right now, but nothing that has made me get the camera out and pull over to the side of the road - yet!

The guardians of Tent Rocks

Tent Rocks is an awesome place to visit if you find yourself near Santa Fe, NM (or Albuquerque...it’s sorta in-between them both).  It starts as an easy, flat hike but before too long you pass through a slot canyon and start climbing.  It’s not like you are scaling Everest, but it’s a good hike.  Wear comfortable shoes, and bring a camera.

It’s a great place for photography.  These cone-shaped rocks are the star attraction, and they are well worth a visit.  There are quite a few of them.  I shot from below them, in front of them, and above them.  In other words, I still have a lot of photos to process from that trip!