Lens-Artists Challenge #386: What Astonishes You? Beth (of Wandering Dawgs) sets the theme for this week’s challenge. She wrote: “What have you seen or experienced that has astonished you? The challenge is to include photos about things that astonish you … Read More

I have lived in Austin for many years and have hiked the Bull Creek Preserve area several times. Bull Creek is a very popular area, but I had never explored two trails right by the busy Capital of Texas Highway … Read More

Let’s talk about rejection this week. Don’t panic! I mean rejected photos, of course. With the low cost of cloud storage and external drives, I rarely delete an image, even if it’s blurry or has a less-than-ideal composition. Furthermore, I … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #381: Minimalism inBlack-and-White Photography Ritva is the host for this week’s challenge. She wrote, “The stark contrasts and the interplay of light and shadows in black and white can evoke a range of emotions, allowing the essence of … Read More

Among all the beautiful wildflowers we see growing around in Texas, one stands out for me. The Texas Prickly Pear cactus (Opuntia engelmannii var. lindheimeri). The photos I share here were all captured at the Pecan Springs Karst Preserve, a … Read More

Whenever I go biking at Northeast Metro Park, the scenery is always varied and pleasant. The number of spring wildflowers is pleasing and sometimes surprising. Fields are initially covered with Bluebonnets, the Texas official state flower. Then the landscape starts … Read More

As part of a photography class I took in 2022, students received an assignment every week. Initially, the focus was on composition. We had to use only new photos, shoot them in manual mode, and not crop them at all. … Read More

A spring hike at the beautiful Balcones Canyonlands National Wildlife Refuge’s Doeskin Ranch trail often leads to unexpected photo opportunities. This wildlife refuge is just outside the Austin city limits and offers a nice view of the Hill Country and … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #375: Where to Find the Mysterious “Darkness falls across the landThe midnight hour is close at handCreatures crawl in search of bloodTo terrorize y’all’s neighbourhood.” Vincent Price’s words at the end of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” After an unanticipated … Read More

Lens-Artists Challenge #374: On the Move! Being so close to the Austin metro area, the Lower Colorado River Authority’s (LCRA) Lake Bastrop South Shore is a hidden gem. Many people confuse it with the more popular Bastrop State Park. The … Read More