My Top Ten Images From 2012!

Every year I look back at the images I have taken and choose ten of my favorites. I don't base this on how well they sold or how much they were liked on social media. They are just images I like. Images where I feel that I successfully captured with my camera the essence of the scene that was offered to me. They are in the order that I took them with a little story about each one. I hope you enjoy viewing them as much as I enjoyed taking them.

"The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge Cable Design"

Early March found me attending the celebration of the opening of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge in Dallas. It would be the last chance for the public to walk around on the bridge before it opens to vehicle traffic. The graphic nature of the arch and the cables make the bridge a real treat for a photographer. I shot a lot of images that I was happy with but this black and white is probably my favorite of the graphic ones.

"The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge Fireworks  #1"

At 9 p.m. a fireworks display was planned. I was told about where they would shoot them but it was still a little bit of a guess as to the best location to photograph them from. Fortunately I set up and composed in just the right spot. I was pleased with many of the Firework images but the red, white, and blue theme of this one made it stand out.

"Flooded River Reflections"

Several weeks after the bridge celebration, the Trinity River flooded. I definitely wanted some good shots of the lighted bridge reflected in the river. I spent two evenings shooting the river at dusk. One of the last compositions on the second evening turned out to be the favorite.

"Field of Dreams"

The wildflowers in Texas were great this spring but they did peak out several weeks earlier than I ever remember. I saw a photograph of a field another photographer had taken just south of Dallas near Ennis. It was already being called the "Field of Dreams". Several days later I made the short drive to Ennis and got this image at sunset.

"Annular Eclipse Sunset"

On May 20th there was going to be an Annular Eclipse. The "Ring of Fire" would not be visible from my home but I determined that I should be able to see the eastern edge of the eclipse in Roscoe, Texas. After driving around the Roscoe Wind Farm I finally stopped at this location for my photography. Fortunately the clouds moved out of the way enough so I could capture the sun just as it hit the horizon. A few minutes later it was all gone. This is one of the most interesting photos I have seen from the eclipse.

"Energy"

During the last week of July I was driving to Ruidoso, New Mexico for an art show. As my brother and I drove towards Brownfield, Texas, we noticed some lightning up ahead. It was also close to sunset and we were looking for something to photograph. We had been driving awhile and needed a break anyway. After locating a pump jack for some fore ground interest, we spent the next hour shooting the lightning. It put on quite a show.

"Oklahoma Sky"

This image is another one which was created while traveling to or from an art show. In early September I was driving home from the Arts Festival Oklahoma. With no moonlight on a clear night, I took a quick detour into a scenic overlook north of Ardmore, Oklahoma just to check out the stars. It was very hard to see but when I noticed the windmill on the hilltop, I decided I better get out the camera and take some pictures.

"Pink Skies Over Bryce Canyon"

A few weeks ago my wife and I traveled out west to several of our favorite places. I was blessed with great sunrises for two mornings at Bryce Canyon National Park. It was hard to choose the best one of the bunch.

"Wagon and Old House in Morning Light"

While driving back to the hotel after shooting the sunrise, I noticed that the great clouds and sky were still with me. A last quick stop at this old wagon and house was definitely worth it.

"Evening Light Over Cathedral Gorge"

During our trip out west we drove up to Cathedral Gorge State Park. It is a small park near Panaca, Nevada. The area had received a little snow the day before. Hiking around in the wet mud was not much  fun but the snow which hadn't melted yet sure made for some nice images. The following morning was cloudy and drizzly so I am grateful for my afternoon of good light at the Gorge.

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you have a great 2013!

Texas Wildflowers in 2012

"Field of Dreams-Ennis, Texas"

Last year Texas was in the middle of one of its worst droughts in history. Rains during the fall and winter changed that and the countryside has become green again. This spring has been a banner year for wildflowers. The top photo is from an area about 25 miles south of Dallas. Ennis has an annual Bluebonnet Festival and this field is located along one of the roads that is part of its Bluebonnet Trail. I noticed today that they are encouraging people on their web site to "Hurry, Hurry! There are still blooms that are up for great viewing." The bluebonnets peaked about a week or 10 days ago. The Festival is not until April 21&22. That is normally when the flowers peak but the warm winter has caused the bloom to run 2 to 3 weeks early this year. I have driven through the area twice and it is as good as I have ever seen it.

"Trail at Enchanted Rock"

I also spent several days photographing in the Texas Hill Country. My favorite area is around Llano. I especially like to do some hiking on the trails at Inks Lake State Park and Enchanted Rock State Park. Over the years I have learned the trails which have the best flowers. Photographing this way is much more rewarding than stopping along the roadsides and taking pictures. 

"Enchanted Rock and Bluebonnets"

Bluebonnets at Lake Buchanan"

Inks Lake has never let me down when it has been a good year for wildflowers. So many fields in other areas seem to be good one year and not so good the next. The areas of the best flowers at Inks Lake State Park have been very consistent from year to year. The mixture of granite rock, cactus, and wildflowers can't be beat. I also have a favorite area which contains mostly Indian Paintbrush. The two photos below were taken there.

"Group of Paintbrush at Inks Lake State Park"

"Paintbrush and Rocks-Inks Lake State Park"

This last image was taken right near the sign to Inks Lake State Park. It is almost like a menu of what is ahead of you during your trip through the park.

"Wildflower Mix-Inks lake State Park"

Texas Wildflowers!

I recently spent a couple of days exploring the Texas Hill Country and photographing the wildflowers. A rainy winter and spring has created one of the most colorful displays that we have had in years. Several of my favorite locations were as good as I have seen them.

The area around Burnet, Llano, and Marble Falls had an abundance of bluebonnet and paintbrush. I particularly liked hiking and photographing the trails in Inks Lake State Park. There is always a good mix of roads, trails, cactus, and rocks to compliment the flowers in my photographs. It is also a much more enjoyable experience than pulling off the side of the highway and photographing the flowers. I can't wait until next year.