Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape Photography Locations => Topic started by: GordonMcGregor on January 16, 2005, 11:20:47 am

Title: A modest proposal
Post by: GordonMcGregor on January 16, 2005, 11:20:47 am
Big bend...?   Choke Canyon
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: sieracki on January 22, 2005, 10:28:55 am
Fine suggestions. In April the wildflower displays near Austin are legendary.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on January 29, 2005, 03:58:01 pm
I'm looking at possibly the Guadalupe Mountains next year when the kids are old enough to enjoy it.  Also Another trip down to Padre Island.   Goliad is on the agenda as well.   Presido la Bahia, great photo ops.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: davaglo on February 11, 2005, 09:30:27 pm
Try San Angelo, Tx. San Angelo has free for public viewing the worlds largest collection of rare and endangered lillies. Just spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on new viewing pools. Beautiful in the spring and summer.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on April 14, 2005, 07:27:27 pm
I carry my SIG .357 everywhere I go, but I'm a cop.  

BTW I am getting my D70 this weekend!
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on January 16, 2005, 12:11:14 am
San Antonio.  The Alamo, the Riverwalk, the Missions.  Then the Hill country with Luckenbach, Fredricksburg, Kerrville, Sisterdale, the Guadalupe river, Highway 16, etc.  Especially in the spring when the bluebonnets are in season.  

Corpus Christi, Padre Island.

Galveston, Port Aransas, etc.

Deep East Texas around Nacogdoches, Lufkin, and San Augustine.

Dallas.

Disclaimer, I live in the San Antonio area, and love the photographic opportunities.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on January 16, 2005, 11:43:32 am
Quote
Big bend...?   Choke Canyon
Haven't been there yet.  Am wanting to go to Palo Duro and Adobe Walls area first.  West Texas is very nice as well.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: mikebinok on January 28, 2005, 12:09:36 am
There are definitely some opportunities in Texas.  As mentioned, the Hill Country Wild Flowers are awesome.  They have a couple of  near-tropical Wildlife Refuges in the extreme South.  And Big Bend is supposed to be awesome, though I've not been there.

I think Palo Duro Canyon is quite impressive, though I know others who weren't as impressed.  I don't think it is up with the Grand Canyon, but it is not too far below it in My book!

But heck, even Oklahoma has some decent photo ops.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Sandfalcon on January 31, 2005, 04:29:55 pm
A few additional suggestions from this Texan-

Caprock Canyons SP- not quite as sublime as Palo Duro, but still has some amazing vistas, and nowhere near the same number of people.  If you're looking for more solitude, go here.

Hwy 70 in the TX Panhandle- especially going north from Pampa.  All I can say is WOW.  I'd nominate this as one of the most breathtaking drives in the state.

Lost Maples St. Natural Area- great in the Fall because of the maples, but there's never a bad time to visit this place.

Willow City Loop- NE of Fredricksburg in the Hill Country, this is a 13 or 16 mile loop (I forget which) you can drive, awesome in the Spring when the flowers are going.

Guadalupe Mountains NP- incredible IMHO.  Pine Springs (on the east side) is probably the place to start, but don't forget McKittrick Canyon, and you can always visit Dog Canyon on the north side of the park.  The best vistas are going to come from up high, which means some long hikes.  Because you have to carry all the water you're going to need with you, even a dayhike can put a lot of weight on your back quickly.  So you get to enter that never-ending debate of what is must-have equipment, and what can you get by without.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on March 15, 2005, 10:11:05 pm
The Medina River in flower season, as well as the FRio River area, from Hondo/Uvalde north.  Very nice scenic areas.  Its bluebonnet time.  Just watch for snakes.  I usually carry my SIG .357 for snakes.  Rattlesnakes 4' long and bigger are not unusual.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: nobody on April 14, 2005, 04:17:14 am
Quote
The Medina River in flower season, as well as the FRio River area, from Hondo/Uvalde north.  Very nice scenic areas.  Its bluebonnet time.  Just watch for snakes.  I usually carry my SIG .357 for snakes.  Rattlesnakes 4' long and bigger are not unusual.
Isn't that a bit large for snakes?

I'd second the Lost Maples suggestion.  Really incredible, both the views from the hilltops and from the bottoms of the valleys.  The hillsides are steep enough to make you think twice about carrying a lot of heavy gear.  If they were climbing mountains there'd be switchbacks, but since these are "just" hills they go straight up.

Enchanted Rock can be really great, but you need to catch it on a wet/foggy day.  That cuts down on the number of people (it gets very very crowded).  it also makes the granite very slick - wear good shoes and be careful.

Big Slough Wilderness Area in Davy Crockett National Forest seemed to have some rather nice swampy areas.  I'm hoping to go back now that the weather has warmed up and (hopefully) the water birds have returned.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on August 17, 2009, 10:58:00 pm
South Texas is horrible this year, dry, dry, dry.  And the Alamo Village at Bracketville has closed, which is such a shame.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Tim Gray on August 18, 2009, 06:45:25 pm
Going to Big Bend for a week in November.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: JeffKohn on August 18, 2009, 06:59:12 pm
Quote from: Tim Gray
Going to Big Bend for a week in November.
That's a nice time of year to visit the area, although if you go too close to Thanksgiving it will be crowded. I was there in late Oct last year. The South Rim loop is a great hike, although doing it as a dayhike limits the photo potential, next time I want to overnight on the South Rim so I can be there to shoot sunrise/sunset.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Geoff Wittig on August 18, 2009, 09:13:59 pm
Quote from: Murph
The Medina River in flower season, as well as the FRio River area, from Hondo/Uvalde north.  Very nice scenic areas.  Its bluebonnet time.  Just watch for snakes.  I usually carry my SIG .357 for snakes.  Rattlesnakes 4' long and bigger are not unusual.

For God's sake, why do you want to shoot snakes? With a firearm, I mean.

First, don't bother them and they won't bother you. They eat rodents, not people. Human bites are generally due to a mistake...by the person bitten.
Second, they make great photographic subjects! I have some very nice shots of a prairie rattlesnake taken in Badlands National Park, South Dakota. Not so photogenic if you blow its head off.
Third, many if not most rattlesnake populations in North America are seriously threatened by habitat loss, roadkill carnage, and malicious killings by bored adolescent males of all ages. They don't need any more threats to their survival.
Finally, it's illegal to kill rattlesnakes in many locations. You may receive an unpleasant visit from your local game warden if you do this.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: JohnBrew on August 19, 2009, 07:34:55 am
My first foray into photography was in 1960 with a trip to Ft. Davis and Big Bend. I still have my photos of Santa Elena Canyon, Casa Grande, etc.

As a sixth generation Texan with a family owned cattle ranch having two large dens of rattlesnakes on the property I will tell you that Geoff's take is right on. If one happens to come on the front porch or even inside the house (yes, it has happened!) they are disposed of.  The only gun I have ever used against a rattlesnake is a .410.
The biggest travesty are those so-called "Rattlesnake roundups" such as the one in Sweetwater.

Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on August 19, 2009, 08:41:08 pm
I only shoot them if they attack me.  Otherwise I will use the camera to "shoot them".  Exception is for Water Moccasions, just too dangerous.
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on September 25, 2009, 08:00:30 am
Loved Zedler's Mill in Luling, and great BBQ afterwards at City Market.  Lockhart has a beautiful painted courthouse.  Pedernales Falls in the fall of the year is really nice as well.  

Pedernales River
(http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/7807/river1108081.jpg)

Mission Espada:
(http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/5964/espada528071.jpg)
Title: A modest proposal
Post by: Murph on March 21, 2010, 10:49:35 pm
Since we actually had rain in Texas, it looks like this might be a very good year for the Bluebonnets.