The opening reception and Award Ceremony is Saturday, September 15th at 5pm.
This one is "Foggy Morning Oaks", taken on our property last month.
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Showing posts with label photography. Show all posts
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Naturescapes 2012
I was lucky to have four of my photos chosen by the juror for the 8th annual Naturescapes 2012 Exhibition. The Exhibition will run from September 15th through November 9th at the San Marcos Activity Center's Walker's Gallery. There are a total of 60 photographs in the exhibition.
The opening reception and Award Ceremony is Saturday, September 15th at 5pm.
This one is "Foggy Morning Oaks", taken on our property last month.
Here's "Misty Morning Bluebonnets" taken along FM150 in April.
I like this one, "Wet Web", taken along Old Stagecoach Road, also in April.
And finally, "White Burst", taken on our property, also in April.
The opening reception and Award Ceremony is Saturday, September 15th at 5pm.
This one is "Foggy Morning Oaks", taken on our property last month.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Tiny White Flowers
I took this photo at the end of April and I've been trying to identify the plant ever since. The flowers are tiny, maybe 1/8 inch in size and the plant is very short - just 3 or 4 inches tall. What attracted me to it was the way the flowers are grouped into little squares. These square-shaped arrangements were rare. Most of the plants just had clumps of white flowers.
I think it might be Queen Anne's Lace (Daucus carota), but I'm not positive. It's also known as a wild carrot. Another possibility is Yarrow (Achillea millefolium).
I like the nearly symmetrical arrangement and thought it would make a nice black and white photograph. With the conversion, I emphasized the white flowers and de-emphasized everything else. This makes the flowers pop and along with a slight glow, give them a dreamy quality.
Please leave a comment if you can help me identify the plant!
I like the nearly symmetrical arrangement and thought it would make a nice black and white photograph. With the conversion, I emphasized the white flowers and de-emphasized everything else. This makes the flowers pop and along with a slight glow, give them a dreamy quality.
Sunday, August 14, 2011
7th Annual Naturescapes Awards Reception
We're holding the 7th Annual Naturescapes Awards Reception on Saturday, September 10th, at the San Marcos Activity Center, from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm.
The reception opens the exhibition which runs from September 10th through November 4th in the Walkers' Gallery at the Activity Center. This is the first chance you'll have to view the beautiful photographs showcasing the natural beauty in Hays County. There will be snacks, music, and social time before the awards ceremony.
In addition to the Best in Show prize and the Awards of Excellence we've had before, this year we will award a prize to the best photograph entered by a youth photographer and a prize to the best photograph which shows a natural habitat. The Best Youth Photograph prize is sponsored by the Hill Country Photography Club and the Best Natural Habitat Photograph is sponsored by the Hays County Master Naturalists.
We had a record number of photographers and images enter and the contest was very competitive, which is great because it leads to a high quality exhibition. I'm especially excited by the number of young photographers who entered and were chosen for the exhibition. I'll have details at the reception.
It's a great chance to support our goals of promoting public awareness of the importance of protecting our natural areas and recognizing photographers for their beautiful and inspiring images.
Tell your friends and family! I hope to see you there!
The reception opens the exhibition which runs from September 10th through November 4th in the Walkers' Gallery at the Activity Center. This is the first chance you'll have to view the beautiful photographs showcasing the natural beauty in Hays County. There will be snacks, music, and social time before the awards ceremony.
In addition to the Best in Show prize and the Awards of Excellence we've had before, this year we will award a prize to the best photograph entered by a youth photographer and a prize to the best photograph which shows a natural habitat. The Best Youth Photograph prize is sponsored by the Hill Country Photography Club and the Best Natural Habitat Photograph is sponsored by the Hays County Master Naturalists.
We had a record number of photographers and images enter and the contest was very competitive, which is great because it leads to a high quality exhibition. I'm especially excited by the number of young photographers who entered and were chosen for the exhibition. I'll have details at the reception.
It's a great chance to support our goals of promoting public awareness of the importance of protecting our natural areas and recognizing photographers for their beautiful and inspiring images.
Tell your friends and family! I hope to see you there!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
7th Annual Naturescapes Photography Contest and Exhibition
The 7th Annual Naturescapes Photography Contest and Exhibition is underway.
The contest started accepting entries on May 1st and the entry deadline is July 11th.
The Awards reception will be held at the San Marcos Activity Center on September 10 and the Exhibition will run through November 4th.
This year the Hays County Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist is joining the Hill Country Photography Club as cosponsor of the contest. The contest and exhibition provide an excellent vehicle for the Hays County Master Naturalist organization to advance a key part of it's mission: to educate and increase public awareness of the importance of preserving and maintaining our natural areas.
We've added two new awards this year. The first one, sponsored by the HCPC, is for the Best photo entered in the Youth Category. Photographers 18 years or younger at the entry deadline are eligible. The second one, sponsored by the HCMN, is for the Best photo of a Natural Habitat.
This year's contest juror is Amanda Smith, owner and director of the A Smith Gallery in Johnson City. I'm thrilled she agreed to judge the contest and am looking forward to working with her.
The Awards reception will be held at the San Marcos Activity Center on September 10 and the Exhibition will run through November 4th.
This year the Hays County Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist is joining the Hill Country Photography Club as cosponsor of the contest. The contest and exhibition provide an excellent vehicle for the Hays County Master Naturalist organization to advance a key part of it's mission: to educate and increase public awareness of the importance of preserving and maintaining our natural areas.
We've added two new awards this year. The first one, sponsored by the HCPC, is for the Best photo entered in the Youth Category. Photographers 18 years or younger at the entry deadline are eligible. The second one, sponsored by the HCMN, is for the Best photo of a Natural Habitat.
This year's contest juror is Amanda Smith, owner and director of the A Smith Gallery in Johnson City. I'm thrilled she agreed to judge the contest and am looking forward to working with her.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Hail To The Chief
I was elected to serve as President of the Hill Country Photography Club at the last club meeting. Also elected were Tom Delaney and Carol Serur as co-Vice Presidents. Tom Bender will continue as Secretary and Winifred Simon will continue as Treasurer.
I'm looking forward to serving and helping the Club operate. I've been a member for 3 years and have learned a lot about photography from the members. I first heard about the Club when I saw an advertisement for its annual Naturescapes photography contest and exhibition. I had just purchased my DSLR camera, a Canon Digital Rebel XTi, and decided to enter the contest. As luck would have it, one of my entries, entitled "Freeman Ranch" won First Place in the Hays County Division.
I was hooked and joined the Club at the next meeting. I had first taken up photography in the early 1980s with a Canon AE-1 film camera, which I have to admit I bought because Cheryl Tiegs was promoting them. I took a class at a community college in San Antonio, learned the basics and even learned how to develop and print in a darkroom, but for some reason, my interest died out.
I was enrolled in the Hays County Master Naturalist Class in 2007 when I became interested in photography again. There were plenty of opportunities during the class field trips and when doing volunteer work in the field for nature photography and my camera became a constant companion. In fact, I took "Freeman Ranch" during a butterfly class at the Freeman Ranch, which is operated by Texas State University. The photo show two large agave (Agave americana) plants with massive, about 30 feet tall, flower stalks.
As President, I'll work with the Vice-Presidents and plan and coordinate our club meetings, field trips, and other events. We usually have a guest speaker at the meetings and they're always a great source of knowledge and inspiration. Sometimes we'll have a lesson or demonstration about photography software or equipment. We also have a critique session in which members submit photographs for critique by the other members. These are a great way to learn.
The Club meets monthly, usually on the third Thursday of the month, in the Horizon Bay dining room. Be sure to check out the Club's blog for the latest information about meetings or events.
I'm looking forward to serving and helping the Club operate. I've been a member for 3 years and have learned a lot about photography from the members. I first heard about the Club when I saw an advertisement for its annual Naturescapes photography contest and exhibition. I had just purchased my DSLR camera, a Canon Digital Rebel XTi, and decided to enter the contest. As luck would have it, one of my entries, entitled "Freeman Ranch" won First Place in the Hays County Division.
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| Freeman Ranch |
I was hooked and joined the Club at the next meeting. I had first taken up photography in the early 1980s with a Canon AE-1 film camera, which I have to admit I bought because Cheryl Tiegs was promoting them. I took a class at a community college in San Antonio, learned the basics and even learned how to develop and print in a darkroom, but for some reason, my interest died out.
I was enrolled in the Hays County Master Naturalist Class in 2007 when I became interested in photography again. There were plenty of opportunities during the class field trips and when doing volunteer work in the field for nature photography and my camera became a constant companion. In fact, I took "Freeman Ranch" during a butterfly class at the Freeman Ranch, which is operated by Texas State University. The photo show two large agave (Agave americana) plants with massive, about 30 feet tall, flower stalks.
As President, I'll work with the Vice-Presidents and plan and coordinate our club meetings, field trips, and other events. We usually have a guest speaker at the meetings and they're always a great source of knowledge and inspiration. Sometimes we'll have a lesson or demonstration about photography software or equipment. We also have a critique session in which members submit photographs for critique by the other members. These are a great way to learn.
The Club meets monthly, usually on the third Thursday of the month, in the Horizon Bay dining room. Be sure to check out the Club's blog for the latest information about meetings or events.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
A Plum Assignment
I was on a hike of our property last March when I came across a small flowering tree. I frequently hike the property for several reasons.
First, it lets me keep an eye on things. The landscape changes constantly and I'm always surprised to see something new when walking over a familiar patch. The obvious change is with the season, but the time of day and even the quality of the light - cloudy, sunny, foggy, etc. make a difference in emphasis and observability and thus bring different aspects to my attention.
Second, it's good exercise. In addition to the benefit of an hour or two spent walking, a hike also presents a varied workout. The terrain changes and the footing, especially through tall grass and rocky and uneven ground, is always a challenge. Ducking and dodging tree branches provide interest too.
Third, I frequently carry my camera, looking for opportunities to photograph. It's not too heavy and slung over my shoulder, I hardly notice it. There's an element of a hunt at play. I wonder what I'll see and whether I'll capture its image properly. Part of the challenge of photography is to portray a scene, either on a computer monitor or as a print, as I saw it with my eyes. This sounds simple, but I've learned that what the camera sees is not what I see.
On this particular hike, I saw a small tree covered with white flowers by the rock wall which runs along the north edge of our property. It was almost at the northeast corner of the property where the rock wall intersects a barbed wire fence which is our eastern border. I'd walked by there many times, but had never noticed the tree until it flowered.
I didn't know what it was so I took the following photos of the flowers and young leaves hoping to be able to identify it later.
After some investigating, I've identified it as a Mexican Plum (Prunus mexicana). There are other native plums including the Chickasaw Plum or the American Plum, but I think this one is a Mexican. It's also known as a Bigtree Plum and grows to about 15 to 35 feet tall. This one was at the short end of the range. The plums can be eaten fresh and are also made into preserves. Birds and mammals eat the fruit.
I went out later in the year, at the end of May to see if I could find plums on it, but I didn't see any. The flowers were gone and the branches were fully leafed out. The bark is fairly smooth and has beautiful light and dark bands. The mature leaves are a darker green than in March and are quite a bit bigger.
This tree is rare on our property. I've seen another one, but I didn't get too close to it or take photos, so I'm not sure.
This year, I'll revisit the tree and do a better job of photographing it's development. I'll also try to find the other one I've seen and confirm its identity.
First, it lets me keep an eye on things. The landscape changes constantly and I'm always surprised to see something new when walking over a familiar patch. The obvious change is with the season, but the time of day and even the quality of the light - cloudy, sunny, foggy, etc. make a difference in emphasis and observability and thus bring different aspects to my attention.
Second, it's good exercise. In addition to the benefit of an hour or two spent walking, a hike also presents a varied workout. The terrain changes and the footing, especially through tall grass and rocky and uneven ground, is always a challenge. Ducking and dodging tree branches provide interest too.
Third, I frequently carry my camera, looking for opportunities to photograph. It's not too heavy and slung over my shoulder, I hardly notice it. There's an element of a hunt at play. I wonder what I'll see and whether I'll capture its image properly. Part of the challenge of photography is to portray a scene, either on a computer monitor or as a print, as I saw it with my eyes. This sounds simple, but I've learned that what the camera sees is not what I see.
On this particular hike, I saw a small tree covered with white flowers by the rock wall which runs along the north edge of our property. It was almost at the northeast corner of the property where the rock wall intersects a barbed wire fence which is our eastern border. I'd walked by there many times, but had never noticed the tree until it flowered.
I didn't know what it was so I took the following photos of the flowers and young leaves hoping to be able to identify it later.
I went out later in the year, at the end of May to see if I could find plums on it, but I didn't see any. The flowers were gone and the branches were fully leafed out. The bark is fairly smooth and has beautiful light and dark bands. The mature leaves are a darker green than in March and are quite a bit bigger.
This year, I'll revisit the tree and do a better job of photographing it's development. I'll also try to find the other one I've seen and confirm its identity.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Spherical Exhibition
Another one of my images was selected for the Spherical exhibition at the A Smith Gallery in Johnson City, Texas. The juror was Carla Ellard who is the Assistant Curator, SW & Mexican Photography Collection, Wittliff Collection at Texas State University in San Marcos.
Please be sure to visit the A Smith Gallery web site and view all the images accepted into Spherical.
The opening reception for Domicile will be on Saturday, November 27th, from 4pm to 7pm. Johnson City's Lighted Hooves and Wheels parade starts at 6:30pm, so you should plan a day trip to view the exhibition and the parade.
"After the Rain" is a photograph of a small set of mushrooms that popped up in our yard after a recent rain. I don't know what kind they are, but as always with mushrooms - if you don't know what they are, then assume they're poisonous.
The largest one was about 5 inches in diameter and they only lasted about 3 days before withering. Mushrooms are fungi and the part we think of as the mushroom is actually the fruiting body of a network of tiny thread-like parts in the soil called mycelium.
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| After the Rain |
Please be sure to visit the A Smith Gallery web site and view all the images accepted into Spherical.
The opening reception for Domicile will be on Saturday, November 27th, from 4pm to 7pm. Johnson City's Lighted Hooves and Wheels parade starts at 6:30pm, so you should plan a day trip to view the exhibition and the parade.
"After the Rain" is a photograph of a small set of mushrooms that popped up in our yard after a recent rain. I don't know what kind they are, but as always with mushrooms - if you don't know what they are, then assume they're poisonous.
The largest one was about 5 inches in diameter and they only lasted about 3 days before withering. Mushrooms are fungi and the part we think of as the mushroom is actually the fruiting body of a network of tiny thread-like parts in the soil called mycelium.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
6th Annual Naturescapes Contest Exhibition and Winners
We held the Naturescapes Reception and Awards Ceremony on September 11th. It was a great event and I had several people tell me how nice the exhibition was. It was a pleasure working with the juror, Adolfo Isassi, and all the contestants. I'm truly impressed by the quality of the entries and the winners.
The San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance has published the results of the 6th Annual Naturescapes Photography Contest. The exhibition is at the San Marcos Activity Center and runs through October 29th. Please make sure you visit and view the exhibition in person, but if you don't get a chance, check out the images at the SMGA's Flickr page.
Remember to keep your eyes and cameras ready! You never know when you might capture next year's winning image!
Best in Show
The San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance has published the results of the 6th Annual Naturescapes Photography Contest. The exhibition is at the San Marcos Activity Center and runs through October 29th. Please make sure you visit and view the exhibition in person, but if you don't get a chance, check out the images at the SMGA's Flickr page.
Remember to keep your eyes and cameras ready! You never know when you might capture next year's winning image!
Best in Show
- Longhorn Grazing, Lucy Durfee, Dripping Springs
Best in San Marcos Area
- Rubyspot #8, Scott Mitchell, San Marcos River.
Awards of Excellence
- Winter Sunrise, Herb Smith, Blanco River
- In Flight, Paul Keese, Aquarena Springs
- Roadrunner, Carolyn Whiteside, San Marcos
- Doe (Infrared), Winifred Simon, Wimberley
Awards of Merit
- Best Depictions of San Marcos Fun and Life:
- Toobin' Fun, Jane Guerin, Wimberley
- OMG!, Linda Keese, San Marcos River
- Intriguing & Evocative:
- What is It?, Lois Schubert, Aquarena Springs
- Creative Interpretation:
- Down River, Herb Smith, Wimberley
- Vintage Skyride, Carol Serur, Aquarena Springs
Sunday, September 5, 2010
6th Annual Naturescapes Photo Contest & Exhibition
The Awards Reception for the 6th Annual Naturescapes Photo Contest will be held this Saturday, September 11th from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm at the San Marcos Activity Center. The Exhibition will run from September 11th through November 5th, in the Activity Center's Walker's Gallery.
Winning entries will be announced at the reception. The contest received 180 entries and 65 were selected for the exhibition.
In addition, a silent auction with more than 25 items is being held as a fund-raiser for the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance.
The Crystal Creek Boys will provide music.
Winning entries will be announced at the reception. The contest received 180 entries and 65 were selected for the exhibition.
In addition, a silent auction with more than 25 items is being held as a fund-raiser for the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance.
The Crystal Creek Boys will provide music.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Domicile Exhibition
At the risk of self-promotion (since I'm writing a blog, I might have crossed that line a long time ago), one of my images was selected by the juror, Susan Kirchman, for the Domicile Exhibition at the A Smith Gallery in Johnson City, Texas.
"Snug and Warm" is a photograph of the second Carolina Wren brood that we hosted in our garage earlier this year.
The A Smith Gallery is owned and operated by Amanda Smith, a talented and well-known photographer who is also an officer on the board of the Texas Photographic Society. Please be sure to visit the A Smith Gallery web site and view the Domicile Exhibition's other fine images. It would be even better to visit the gallery and see the photographs in person.
This is my first exhibition outside of Naturescapes and a concurrent Hill Country Photography Club exhibition, so I am quite pleased and excited to be chosen.
The opening reception for Domicile will be on Saturday, August 28th, from 4pm to 8pm. If you get a chance to visit the gallery in Johnson City, I'm sure you will enjoy it.
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| Snug and Warm |
The A Smith Gallery is owned and operated by Amanda Smith, a talented and well-known photographer who is also an officer on the board of the Texas Photographic Society. Please be sure to visit the A Smith Gallery web site and view the Domicile Exhibition's other fine images. It would be even better to visit the gallery and see the photographs in person.
This is my first exhibition outside of Naturescapes and a concurrent Hill Country Photography Club exhibition, so I am quite pleased and excited to be chosen.
The opening reception for Domicile will be on Saturday, August 28th, from 4pm to 8pm. If you get a chance to visit the gallery in Johnson City, I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Black and white versions of hike photos
My favorite part of the Hill Country Photography Club meetings is the critique section. Members submit photos for critique by the other members. I find it an invaluable way to get feedback on my photography and I've learned much. It's also great to see what other people are doing.
Here are two of my photos I had critiqued at the last meeting. They are both versions of photos which I posted last time.
First, the Whitemouth Dayflower:
Next, the Black-eyed Susans:
Making the images black and white emphasizes different aspects than the color versions. You get a better impression of the shapes, forms, and textures. It certainly provides a different way to appreciate nature.
Perhaps you can play "find the differences" and see what else I did besides the black and white conversion!
Here are two of my photos I had critiqued at the last meeting. They are both versions of photos which I posted last time.
First, the Whitemouth Dayflower:
Perhaps you can play "find the differences" and see what else I did besides the black and white conversion!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Naturescapes 2010
This year I'm the Hill Country Photography Club's Coordinator for the 6th Annual Naturescapes Photography Contest and Exhibition.
Goals of the contest include increasing public awareness of the importance of protecting our natural world and giving photographers at all levels of experience a chance to capture, share, and receive recognition for beautiful and inspiring images. The Contest is now accepting entries and the deadline for submissions is Monday, July 12th.
The contest is sponsored by the Hill Country Photography Club and the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance. You can find out more about the contest, including the rules, here. The basic requirements are that the photos be taken within Hays County, within the last 2 years.
The San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance maintains a flickr page where you can view the images from 2007, 2008, and 2009, and the previous award winners. Be sure to take a look. The images accepted for the Exhibition are of the highest quality and you'll find some truly beautiful nature photography.
If you're interested in nature and photography, this is your chance to share the beauty of the Hays County natural areas and perhaps receive recognition for your work!
Goals of the contest include increasing public awareness of the importance of protecting our natural world and giving photographers at all levels of experience a chance to capture, share, and receive recognition for beautiful and inspiring images. The Contest is now accepting entries and the deadline for submissions is Monday, July 12th.
The contest is sponsored by the Hill Country Photography Club and the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance. You can find out more about the contest, including the rules, here. The basic requirements are that the photos be taken within Hays County, within the last 2 years.
The San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance maintains a flickr page where you can view the images from 2007, 2008, and 2009, and the previous award winners. Be sure to take a look. The images accepted for the Exhibition are of the highest quality and you'll find some truly beautiful nature photography.
If you're interested in nature and photography, this is your chance to share the beauty of the Hays County natural areas and perhaps receive recognition for your work!
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