Two days, two nights, and 942 miles in Central Texas.

‘Tis wildflower season in Texas! I was fortunate to have a few days and nights to spend traipsing around the Llano area. Truly beautiful, especially after the brutal drought of 2011. Thanks to Ken Zoller for his scouting and company during parts of this shoot.
Enjoy.

“Good Morning”
Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f22 for 1/100 second, hand-held. ISO 400.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Spiderwort”
Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 lens. f8 for 1/20 second and Kinko extension tubes, Manfrotto tripod and ball-head. ISO 400.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Claret-cup cactus”
Canon 30D and Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 lens and Kenko extension tubes. f11 for 1/4 seconds, Manfrotto tripod and ball-head. ISO 400.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Bluebonnet Highway”
Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 lens. f8 for 1/400 second on Manfrotto tripod and ball-head. ISO 200.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Rural Road”
Canon 7D with Canon 17-40mm f4 lens. f13 for 1/125 seconds, hand-held. ISO 200.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Rusty Barn”
Canon 7D with Canon 17-40mm f/4 lens. f16 for 1/50 second, hand-held. ISO 100.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Cactus and Bluebonnets”
Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 lens and Manfrotto tripod and ball-head. f11 for 1/8 second. ISO 200.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Stone fence and Poppies”
Canon 7D and Canon 17-40mm f4 lens. f13 for 1/125 seconds, hand held. ISO 200.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“White Poppy”
Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm f4-5.6 lens and Kenko extension tubes. f11 for 1/200 second, Manfrotto tripod and ball-head. ISO 200.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Hay Baby, nice rack!”
Texas Longhorn cattle.
Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm f4-5.6 lens. f7.1 for 1/100 second, Manfrotto tripod and ball-head. ISO 500.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Unexpected Interaction”
Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 lens. f11 for 1/320 second, hand-held. ISO 400.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Poppies and Fence”
Canon 7D with Canon 17-40mm f4 lens. f14 for 1/160 second, hand-held. ISO 100.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Sandy Creek”
Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 lens. f7.1 for 1/40 second, hand-held. ISO 800.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

“Stockyards” – a light-painting.
Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm f3.5-4.5 lens. f4.5 for 51 seconds and Manfrotto tripod and ball-head. ISO 400.
Copyright Andrew McInnes/2AM Photography – all rights reserved.

 

 

Hope you liked the journey. My images are available through my website:
http://andrew-mcinnes.artistwebsites.com/

 

 

 

 

Some images from March, 2012

I haven’t been able to get out and about as much as I would like to lately. However, here is a (rather eclectic) assortment of images taken during March, 2012.

Texas Bluebonnets heralding Spring.
Canon 7D with Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens. f18 at 1/25 second - hand-held. ISO 400.

 

Ranch-road bridge after the storm, near Chappell Hill, Texas.
Canon 30D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f11 at 1/25 second. ISO 400.

 

Two Curves - near Chappell Hill, Texas.
Canon 7D with Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens. f11 at 1/40 second. ISO 250.

 

Bradford Pear trees and barn. Great Smoky Mountains foothills - Tennessee.
Canon 7D with Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens. f11 at 1/320 second. ISO 200.

 

More Bradford Pear trees. Great Smoky Mountains foothills - Tennessee.
Canon 30D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f11 at 1/100 second. ISO 640.

 

Barn signage. Great Smoky Mountains foothills - Tennessee.
Canon 30D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f11 at 1/160 second. ISO 640.

 

Barn. Great Smoky Mountains foothills - Tennessee.
Canon 7D with Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM lens. f11 at 1/200 second. ISO 200.

 

Back in Texas - between Anahuac and High Island.
Canon 30D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f14 at 1/500 second - hand-held. ISO 250.

 

Red-winged Blackbird on papyrus plant in our yard (I am a bird lover after all).
Canon 7D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f5.6 at 1/250 second. ISO 400.

 

Red-winged Blackbird on golden dewdrop plant in our yard.
Canon 30D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f5.6 at 1/80 second. ISO 500.

 

Let’s finish with a series of “baby” images:

What's not to like about babies and their little feet and toes?
Canon 30D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f6.3 at 1/4000 second - don't ask me why ( I had just gone from indoors to outdoors and hadn't adjusted camera settings yet). ISO 800, hand-held. This image has had the background cloned to black for effect - extremely rare that I would alter an image other than standard image processing.

 

Daddy's big toe = baby's foot.
Canon 30D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f8 at 1/320 second - handheld, ISO 1000 .

 

Mother's hand and baby's foot.
Canon 7D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens. f5 at 1/320 second - handheld. ISO 1600.

A reminder that my images are available for sale through my website:

http://andrew-mcinnes.artistwebsites.com/

 

Assorted images captured over Christmas

During the Christmas 2011 break I took several assorted pictures – separate from those posted in “A bloody cold shoot in the mountains” (see earlier post at https://2amphotography.wordpress.com/2012/01/05/a-bloody-cold-shoot-in-the-mountains/).

The old Dodge pickup truck was rather fascinating to see as it had a lot of “character.” These images are either near Knoxville or the Great Smoky Mountains.

"Frosted". Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. Handheld, f16 for 1/60 second at ISO 100.

 

"Barn". Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f11 for 1/80 second at ISO 100.

 

"Cattails". Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f11 for 1/30 second at ISO 100.

 

"Dodge Truck 1". Canon 7D with Tamron 70-300mm lens. f11 for 1/30 second at ISO 500.

 

"Dodge Truck 2". Canon 7D with Tamron 70-300mm lens. f5.6 for 1/80 second at ISO 500.

 

"Dodge Truck 3". Canon 7D with Tamron 70-300mm lens. f11 for 1/20 second at ISO 500.

 

"Dodge Truck 4". Canon 7D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f20 for 1/30 second at ISO 500.

 

"Dodge Truck 5". Canon 7D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f5.6 for 1/100 second at ISO 500.

 

"Pileated Woodpecker". Canon 7D with Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. Handheld f7.1 for 1/100 second at ISO 500.

 

 

Fall Rotation – Thanksgiving 2011, Garner State Park, TX.

Had a wonderful several days at Garner State Park, Texas, where we reflected in nature on the immense blessing in our lives. The season provided a splendid variety of light, a foggy morn’, color on the Cypress trees, a dazzlingly clear calm evening for a North Star and rotation shot, and all-around pleasing to the eyes experience. Highly recommend Garner State Park (especially November).

“Cypress Stars.”
Light painting: Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f4.5 for 72 seconds at ISO 2000.

 

“Reflecting on Thanksgiving.”
Light Panting: Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f4.5 for 208 seconds at ISO 400.

 

“Garner Rocks.”
Light Panting: Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f4.5 for 46 seconds at ISO 1000.

 

“Partial Pinwheel.”
Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f4.5 for 1298 seconds at ISO 400.

 

“Foggy Fall Foliage.”
Canon EOS 30D with Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f/14 for 1/13 second at ISO 200.

 

“Foggy Frio #1.”
Canon EOS 30D with Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f/14 for 1/25 second at ISO 200.

 

“Foggy Frio #2.”
Canon EOS 30D with Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f/14 for 1/13 second at ISO 200.

 

“Foggy Frio #3.”
Canon EOS 30D with Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens. f/14 for 1/25 second at ISO 200.

 

“Foggy Frio #4.”
Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f/10 for 1/30 second at ISO 100.

 

“Foggy Frio #5.”
Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f/10 for 1/60 second at ISO 100.

 

“Foggy Frio #6.”
Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f/10 for 1/50 second at ISO 100.

 

“Fall on the Frio.”
Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f/11 for 1/50 second at ISO 100.

 

“Fall on the Frio #2.”
Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f/11 for 1/30 second at ISO 100.

 

“Stormy mornin’.”
Canon EOS 7D with Canon EF 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens. f/11 for 1/8 second at ISO 250.

 

 

 

Pacific Dreaming

A very quick trip to Australia enabled some early morning shots (4:45 am for several of these). The location is on the upper NSW coast, late September, 2011.

"Sunrise and Norries Head." Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm lens and 1.4x teleconverter at ISO 800. 1/160 second at f/7.1.

 

"A Pacific Ocean dawn." Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm lens at ISO 100. 30 seconds at f/4.

 

"Pandanus, beach, and sunrise" over the Pacific. Canon 7D and Canon 10-22mm lens at ISO 100. 6 seconds at f/5.6.

 

"Boulders and waves 1." Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm lens at ISO 100. 1.3 seconds at f/14.

 

"Boulders and waves 2." Same boulders, different morning. Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm lens at ISO 100. 20 seconds at f/4.

 

"Boulders and waves 3." Norries Head, and Pacific dawn. Canon 7D with Canon S10-22mm lens at ISO 100. 1.6 seconds at f/4.

 

"A Pacific Ocean dawn 2." Canon 7D with Canon S10-22mm lens at ISO 100. 1/3 second at f/22.

 

"A Pacific Ocean dawn 3." Canon 7D with Canon 10-22mm lens at ISO 100. 1/3 second at f/22.

 

"Beach cusps." Canon 30D with Canon 100-400mm lens and 1.4 teleconverter at ISO 1000, handheld (it was rather windy on the headland). 1/500 second at f/9.

 

 

Blessed Rain: dusk from “Scenic Galveston” site, Galveston County

Ah, finally some precipitation – only recorded 1/2″ but the light was phenomenal as a band of clouds and associated winds caressed the evening.

 

Rain over the salt-marsh. Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 1000 (the wind was absolutely howling, very nearly blowing the tripod, and me, over).

 

Wind and clouds over spartina. Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 1000 (again, the wind was making it very challenging to stand, let alone keep the camera steady).

 

Granite, grass, clouds, and color... a glorious evening. Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 500 (a little respite from the breeze).

 

Vibrant hues over Bayou Vista. Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 800

 

 

 

 

Serenity in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

A brief vacation in Tennessee enabled me time to go “shoot” and yielded some images from a quaint stream – well, it is named the “Roaring Fork” but was in a non-roaring flow when I explored it. Hope you find peace and solace through these sample images.

Dusk falls over the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Canon 7D with Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens at ISO 100.

 

“Reflections on a stream #1.” Canon 7D with Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L lens at ISO 100.

 

Fungi thriving in moist, cool, shaded environment. Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22 mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 100.

 

Moss, water, and quite ambience. Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 400.

 

Mossy boulders and stream. Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 400.

 

Cold water trickling and descending. Canon 7D and Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 250.

 

“Meandering among metamorphics #1.” Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 100.

 

Cool, moist habitat and moss flourishes. Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 100.

 

“Metamorphic meanderings #1.” Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 100.

 

“Tranquility above Dali.” Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 100.

 

“Tranquility, sans Dali.” Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 100.

 

“Reflections on a stream #2.” Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 100.

 

“More metamorphic meanderings.” Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 100.

 

“Flowers and falls.” Canon 7D with Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at ISO 400.

 

 

 

A smattering of scenics (and other “pretty” things).

Here are just a few images, primarily scenic, but also some other “pretty things”, from Australia, Belize, Kazakhstan, and the USA.

A few from Australia to start with.

Atherton Tablelands, QLD.

 

Melaleuca trees, QLD.

 

Atherton Tablelands, QLD.

 

Iluka, NSW.

 

Iluka, NSW.

 

The view from our hut (10.5′ x 10.5′) when we lived on an atoll, 30 miles offshore Belize.

Little Calabash Caye, Turneffe Atoll, Belize.

 

The color in this image on the Caspian Sea (Kazakhstan) is due to light interacting with dust particles blown off the surrounding desert – lots of nutrients for primary production in this sea.

Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan.

 

The remaining images are from the USA. This is a Gulf of Mexico sunset.

Florida, USA

 

Fall color in Tennessee.

Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.

 

A dahlia in our garden (Texas).

Near Galveston, Texas, USA.

 

I like to garden.

Knoxville, Tennessee, USA.

 

The following three images are in Knox County, Texas.

Texas, USA.

 

Texas, USA.

 

Texas, USA.

 

Wildflowers in the Texas hill country.

Texas, USA.

 

Salt flat in west Texas.

Texas, USA.

 

Another in Texas.

Texas, USA.

 

Christmas in the Smoky Mountains, Tennessee (times two).

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA.

 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA.

 

Two sunsets on Bolivar Peninsula, Texas, approximately 18 months after Hurricane Ike swept through.

Bolivar Peninsula, Texas, USA.

 

Bolivar Peninsula, Texas, USA.

 

Sunset over the refineries of Texas City. Shot from the east end of Galveston Island.

Texas City, Texas, USA.

 

Brazos Bend State Park, Texas.

Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, USA.

 

 

 

The “Roaring Lion” (Brazos River) is dry!

A southern plains dawn - radiating radiation above a wheat field abutting the Brazos riparian zone.


As the sun awakes
 and pokes its head out from under its bedcovers, caressing me with a startling, crisp, and clear light, I ponder and reflect on open spaces, friends, dreams, and the joy of a life intimately shared.

I recently travelled up to the upper section of the Brazos River to photograph it in its current very-low-flow regime. My host and guide was the fabulous photographer, and Texas treasure, Wyman Meinzer. This sunrise image was taken on our last morning shoot. I was very fortunate to test my latest lens, the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM autofocus lens for my 7D camera – I am delighted with it!

The following images are a sample through which the severity of this historic drought can be partially comprehended. Seeing the river in this state illustrated that these natural systems are indeed “living”, and not a static, benign, undepletable featureless feature.

Please note: the water shown in these photos are actually isolated, shallow, and unconnected “pockets” of very hot, highly saline, and by my estimation hypoxic/anoxic stagnant water. The river no-longer (for now at least) cuts a swath through this gorgeous red land. Instead of a red load we see a red-bed caked and crusted with concentrations of organics and crystals of salt – this is gypsum country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Despite the dry
I am reminded that nature possesses a resounding resilience; natural processes and time, along with selection pressures and genetic diversity, allow adaptability, specialists and generalists, transition, recolonization, and succession – the river system still sustains life.

 

 

 


Someday
(hopefully very soon as many fine hard-working folks, along with flora and fauna, are enduring challenging times) the Brazos will rear up and roar again; at that time the rust colored strata will cease to be dust, instead, renewed by glistening life-flows, the southern plains shall be resuscitated and exuberant in the water of life.

 

 

May 11-22, 2011: The Junction experience with Wyman Meinzer

Two weeks based out of the Texas Tech University campus at Junction, Texas, shooting with Wyman Meinzer and others. Conditions are very dry yet beauty abounds. What follows is a sample of the images captured from various locales visited.


Day 1: 05/12/2011

Started out up nice and close with a western diamondback rattlesnake.

 

Then off to “paint” a Church at night. Wyman does all the work and we just compose and shoot the image. This image was actually taken pre-painting, as there was a pretty sunset and the “street” light (on left, out of frame) was providing sufficient light on the left to balance the sunset light on the right.
Day 2: 05/13/2011
Morning shoot of rapids on the Upper Llano River.

 

Evening shoot on the Llano River.

 

 

 

Day 3: 05/14/2011
More Llano River images – this time from the gorgeous property of artist Bill Worrell.

 

 

These next few images were taken with moonlight – a wet and chilly shoot.

 

 

 

This next series is from a different location on the same river.

 

 

 

Day 4: 05/15/2011
Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area – a very dry though still magnificent location.

Three looks at prickly pear cactus:

 

 

 

Dusk

 

And then it was dark…
another “painting” – Wyman was running back and forth in the dark and somehow didn’t fall whilst painting.

 

Day 5: 05/16/2011
The following flower images were captured at Native American Seed company.

 

 

Church at dusk – another splendid paintjob by Wyman Meinzer.

 

 

Day 6: 05/17/2011
Independence Creek Preserve is a holding of The Nature Conservancy. The artesian spring contributes significantly to the Pecos River. The riparian area is truly in contrast to the desert region surrounding it.

The following two images are of a Round-tailed Horned Lizard.

 

 

Here is a Black-chinned Hummingbird:

 

and here are some black-tailed prairie dogs:

 

 


Day 7: 05/18/2011

A typical scene at Independence Creek.

 

and another:

 

This scene is a result of a beaver dam on a seep that feeds into the main creek:
Day 8: 05/19/2011

More “typical” views:

 

 

 

Day 9: 05/20/2011

Back at Junction. New bridge leading to the Texas Tech at Junction campus painted by who else but Wyman:

 

Another night shoot so captured these oaks at dusk:
Day 10: 05/21/2011

Back to 377 Falls.

 

 

 

 

 

Day 11: 05/22/2011

Sabinal River near Utopia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 12: 05/23/2011
A morning shoot – Portrait work – in a feedstore warehouse with natural light.
“Wild Dave” was the first model:

 

 

Then Maddee:

 

Then back to Bill Worrell’s property on the Llano River for an evening shoot:

 

 

 


Day 13: 05/24/2011
This morning we visited a ranch to image more western diamondback rattlesnakes:

 

 

Evening shoot at Fort McKavett – time to ponder the past and the lives of folks back then:

 

Then another “painting” by Wyman:

 

After the shoot Wyman and “Wild Dave” wanted to refine a shot they had planned of Wyman “painting”. As they were practicing the shot I grabbed an opportunity shot which changed the approach of the final shot. Here is that first “inspiration” image:

 

After Wyman and Dave saw the image, we three, along with Trevor White, began to discuss how to create the final image. What follows is the image we decided on shooting (all light painting by Wyman Meinzer):
Day 14: 05/25/2011
Back to Native American Seed farm – the breeze came up making macro work very challenging so I switched to capturing zoom-blur images instead:

 

 

 

We ventured back to Mason Mountain Wildlife Management Area for our last evening – a time to shoot, visit, and enjoy our last evening as a group. Frienship abounds.

 


Day 15: 05/26/2011
The final shoot was an opportunistic one of a water moccasin and patchnose snake:

 

 

 

So long from Junction.