The Sabinal River

The Sabinal River near Utopia, Texas:

click to see larger

Two weekends ago, my family and I spent 5 days vacationing in the Texas Hill Country. We stayed in a house on the Sabinal River near Utopia. I'm slowly going through my photos, and I will post a few more of them in the coming days.

My wife asked me the other day how I was doing photography-wise and if I felt like I was back in the game. I really didn't have an answer then and I still don't now, despite thinking about it a lot lately.

What I do know is that I definitely had an urge to get out and photograph. I came home with 1245 photos :-) of course about half of that take were action shots of us using the rope swing to jump into the river (and my mom used my camera to take a bunch of those).

What was interesting is that my usual super-eager attitude and desire for photographing was not there. Or rather, it was quite diinished. I guess you could say that my desires have matured perhaps. I moved slower, picked through the landscape slower, and really didn't care if I took a photo at all. I had no expectations and no stress (I guess it was a real vacation then :-) ).

Something has definitely changed in my photographic attitude and drive. I realize this is boring to you and probably not worth stating. I doubt you've even read this far (maybe you just looked at the photo and nothing else... and that's just fine :-) ). But I wanted to write it down just as a journal-type entry to capture how I'm developing. And right now I kinda don't care. I'm just going with it... and we'll see what happens.

Dark Skies

Self portrait with the summer Milky Way (near the Sabinal River in Utopia, TX, July 2009).

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Canon 5DII with Canon 24mm f/1.4 II
25 sec.
f/2.5
ISO 3200

4th of July

It's a little late, but happy 4th to everyone. This was taken last Saturday at a neighborhood fireworks display.

SoFoBoMo '09 Done!

My SoFoBoMo book is done! Here's the link to my book on the SoFoBoMo website:
www.sofobomo.org/2009/books/TJAvery/what-is-it-for-henry/

If that doesn't work, or if that website goes away sometime in the future, you can also download the PDF from my website here (6.3 MB).

Also, I've turned it into a Blurb book. The link to order the book is here.

The book design is very simple, but it's intended for my 4-year old son :-) I ended up using 39 different photos, and there are 18 subject pairs for him to guess. Some are pretty simple, but some will take some thought. Of course his second reading of the book will be no challenge at all. His mind is sharp and he remembers everything. He even tells me when I've accidentally skipped a page while reading him one of his other books.

For me, this wasn't really about producing a book. The process of shooting and editing was good practice. This has been a nice photo project and has given me experience in doing the photography work and making a final presentation from it.

Hopefully Henry will enjoy it. I would guess that this book will become well worn within just a few months and we'll probably have to order a new copy for Michael when he gets around to enjoying such a book.

The "Off" Period

Not much has been happening with my photography lately. I'm in an off period. That would account for the lack of posts here :-)

I can't explain it, but my photographic creativity and my desire to shoot has just abandoned me. It's been gone about two months now. It's not a stereotypical creative block, but rather a lack of creative drive and enthusiasm.

This happened about the same time last year. I spent about two months in a photographic lull, then all of a sudden it came back (and full-force too). I itched to get out with my camera again.

I think there are a lot of reasons behind this current lull, and I'm not going to get into the details now. I feel a great change in my photography is at hand.

This lull is inadvertently giving me a break. A break is sometimes needed to prevent burn-out and perhaps recharge the creative energies that have been spent (or over-spent).

Some years ago, I completely burned myself out of my LEGO hobby and hardly built anything for a long time. That was bad and I missed building with my bricks. What I needed was a break, but I didn't realize it at the time.

SoFoBoMo update
However, I am pushing forward with my SoFoBoMo project. Most of this work is just follow-through. I laid down the creative plans a while back and I'm now just fulfilling my visions.

I officially started May 24th. I'm planning on wrapping up the book and publishing a PDF sometime around the 20th or 21st of June. Stay tuned...

Beer Review 8

Wow, it's been almost a year since my last beer review. If you're new to following my blog, I offer simplistic reviews of better beer (or at least I used to).

My reviews are basic. I don't get into dissecting flavors and pulling out whacky, obscure tastes that the average person wouldn't care about. If you've ever read a beer or wine review that stated something like, "hints of fresh ground snot-grass seed on a warm summer day" along with the words aroma, palette, or bouquet and thought that sounded stupidly snobby, then you're right with me.

I'll definitely tell you if it tastes like ass or not. Not that I know what that tastes like, but I think it's safe to say that isn't very good, i.e. "I won't be buying that ever again".

First up, we have three from Avery Brewing Co.. I like their beers and have enjoyed trying the different varieties. One of my favorites from them is The Reverend (reviewed here, a hearty quadruple ale.

Kaiser (Imperial Oktoberfest Lager): Good, very good. This one has just a tiny bit of the heavy sweetness (the candy sugar heart as they describe it) found in The Reverend. Like a lot of breweries, each seems to have a signature flavor found in their offerings. I'm beginning to think that Avery's is this sweetness. It's darker, tastey (great, FULL taste), and just slightly hoppy.

Salvation (Belgian Strong Golden Ale): It's been so long since I tried this one. Best I can remember, it was pretty good. It's a lot lighter (taste and color) than The Reverend and the Kaiser in comparison. I'll have to try this one again someday.

Hog Heaven (Barleywine Style Ale): This beer was interestingly different. It's the hoppiest beer I've ever tasted (note that while I don't really get into the different flavor descriptions typically seen in the "snob" reviews, the "hoppy taste" is one strong, prevalent flavor found in some beers, and a good beer drinker should recognize it :-) ). That being said, the intense hoppy flavor is incredibly well done and smooth. I don't really like a strong hoppy taste in my beers, but this one does not leave your mouth in a bitter pucker. It's quite good. Their website describes it as having a "caramel candy-like malt finish". Sounds about right :-)

Saint Arnold is a local (Houston, TX) "craft" brewery. I've had a lot of their beers and have enjoyed most of them. I'm quite fond of wheat beers, so here ya go.

Texas Wheat: This has just a great, basic flavor. It's simple. It's good. Kinda like eating toast without the jam. It's not made with any spices, so it's completely different from other wheats (i.e. the citrusy ones like Sunshine (New Belgium) that go well with a slice of orange). It does not have a fruity taste. It's pretty good!

Allagash is another one of these small breweries like Avery that I'm seeing more and more here in the liquor stores. I first tried their Triple Reserve (Belgian Style Ale) last year and really enjoyed it (see review here).

Allagash White (Belgian wheat beer): Smooth. Very smooth and very good. Here is their own description of it: "Our interpretation of a traditional Belgian wheat beer, Allagash White is unique and truly refreshing. Brewed with a generous portion of wheat and our own special blend of spices, this beer is light and slightly cloudy in appearance, with a spicy aroma. Overall, it is a beer that is very drinkable and smooth any time of the year." Now that's a review I can read and understand, and after actually drinking it, I agree 100%. The bottle even has directions for proper pouring printed on the side!

Chimay Ale Grande Réserve (aka Chimay Blue): A hearty, typical strong Belgian monk-brewed ale. I can't really say much that distinguishes it from other beers of similar types (i.e. the liquid bread types, the doubles and triples) that I've had. But I really must try this again to fully appreciate it. It was good and worth getting again. (Chimay website)

Shiner is my favorite local brewery. They're celebrating their 100th anniversary this year.

Commemorator (Shiner): Dark, smooth, and not hoppy. But it's a different smoothness than their black lager. It's almost like a Belgian ale. This one is extremely good!

Hefeweizen (Shiner): Interestingly tart and citrusy. Slightly hoppy. Cloudy and light in appearance. It's pretty good, and is definitely a refreshing thrist-quencher if you really need a drink on a hot day.

The next beer, from Ommegang, was a wild pick from Specs. Just a guess to try something new. Came in a neat 4-pack.

Abbey Ale (Belgian Style Dubbel): The first sip stopped me for a second and my first thought was, "damn! this is good!". Seems like a lot of good flavors going on (yeh, maybe some obscure fruit, nut, or berry, but definitely no ass) that all wrap up to a fresh, full flavor. It's not too overpowering, and is one of the best doubles (dubbel) that I've had. Definitely in the "liquid bread" class, this beer is awesome. I've consumed two 4-packs now (not in the same weekend :-) ) and will definitely keep in high on my list.

And just for fun, here's a mini-keg of Oktoberfest (Paulaner). I've reviewed their Oktoberfest before (see here). It's good. All the Paulaner beers that I've had are quite good.

Unfortunately, the math doesn't work out so well with this mini-keg. It's only about a 10% advantage to buy this versus multiple 12-oz bottles. Plus, the keg isn't pressurized, so you have to drink it right away or it will go flat quickly. But, despite the marginal economics involved, having beer in a larger quantity usually means it tastes better. I guess it stays fresher longer or there's something about a larger volume that preserves the taste better.

Just for the record, I did share this keg. I didn't attempt to drink it by myself (although the thought crossed my mind :-) ).

Badlands Gallery Finished

I have finished processing and uploading photos from my trip to Big Bend National Park in March: www.texbrick.com/photo/bb_mar09

click to enter gallery

Call me nuts, but I enjoy the long process of editing and preparing my raw images for use. As I sit for long hours in front of the computer, I relive the experiences. Memories pour into my mind of what it was like out there.

click to enter gallery

One "con" often spoken of digital photography is the post-shoot, sit-on-your-butt processing and editing time required. Most people want to shoot and not stare at a computer screen. While I agree that shooting is more fun, I do enojy the computer work. It's like visiting a friend and talking about old times. It also allows me to study, carefully and in-depth, my work and learn from my mistakes.

But I digress. I'm happy to present my work from the badlands mini-project :-) www.texbrick.com/photo/bb_mar09

Heavy Lifts & Big Trucks

I spent some time in a fabrication yard last week to witness and participate in the testing of some newly built equipment. This stuff is special, custom-built equipment for subsea pipelines. It will be installed thousands of feet deep in the Gulf of Mexico, and we must be sure that it all fits together and operates correctly.

testing in progress

Testing like this always goes about the same: slow. I had some time to check out the other work going on in the fab. yard (work not related to our job).

Jo Ann
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This is a heavy duty Pacific truck/tractor helping move a Goldhöfer hydraulic platform trailer. The load on the trailer is some sort of large steel framework/foundation. I didn't find out what it was for.

This is the first time I've seen a truck like that, and I had to do a little bit of research on it. Turns out, Pacific built large, heavy duty trucks like this for a long while but are now out of business. There's a great write up of Pacific's history here. Apparently, what's left of the company is now part of this place, which should help keep old Pacifics, like Jo Ann, running for a long while.

Jo Ann is operated by Palletized Trucking of Houston.

Below is a different truck and trailer combo being loaded out with a part of a very large pressure vessel (or a piece of some sort of vessel for the refining industry, most likely).

Pressure Vessel Load-Out
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The truck is a Peterbilt. My wife's brother is an engineer and works for them. So, this one's for you, Clint.

Peterbilt Loaded and Ready
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Big Bend Badlands - Dawson Creek

Part 4 of 4

My last badlands target was the low escarpment just south of Dawson Creek. This area is within the park boundaries, but it's outside (west of) the west gate of the park. You can see this area to the LEFT of Highway 118 as you drive towards Study Butte. I emphasize LEFT because typically, the "painted desert" badlands area that most people think of is seen to the RIGHT.

I've not found a firm definition of the Painted Desert, a somewhat official term used by the locals, but I would assume it encompasses the whole area of badlands to the north AND south of Highway 118 just outside the park's west gate.

out west
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The shot above is looking east directly towards the west gate of the park. You can see the curves of Highway 118 as it snakes through the area.

Colored Hills
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The view from atop this escarpment is amazing. Below the rim, badlands flow north and spread out towards Dawson Creek. In some spots, it's feasible to hike down into the soft soil areas. It's also possible to hike down to the desert floor and out towards the creek.

Maverick Mountain
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I camped up top, just inside the rim, and enjoyed expansive views towards Study Butte and Maverick Mountain, and, of course, great views of the colored hills in the Painted Desert. This area was the most colorful out of the previous spots I'd visited and the hike was the easiest. It was interesting to be so close to civilization, yet completely alone. I saw not one person while out there.

That's it for now. I have other photos from my badlands trip and will post those later. Eventually, I'll update my photo website with this new content.

Big Bend Badlands - OMR

Part 3 of 4

About 2.5 miles south of the west gate of the park along Old Maverick Road, you'll see a low hill to the east of the road. Ansel Adams once stood atop that hill with his camera.

My tribute to Ansel Adams

Note: you can find his photo if you do a Google image search for "Ansel Adams Burro Mesa".

Below this overlook is a wide and deep arroyo. A tributary of Alamo Creek runs through the flat bottom and, you guessed it, there are badlands down there.

Rose Soil
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I spent over an hour roaming around before I embarked on my third overnight hike. These badlands do not contain as many interesting features as the Rattlesnake Badlands, but they are unique and beautiful in their own way.

They are mostly flat and follow the wash in the bottom of the arroyo. The spots of badlands are broken up between small, low, and rolling hills - some with vegetation and and some without. Some are patches of soil carpeted with dark red and purplish rocks. It's a very different and alien landscape, and again, goes beyond what you think of as typical Chihuahuan Desert.

Up next, last stop, Dawson Creek and the Painted Desert. Stay tuned...

Behind the Scenes on Recent Big Bend Trip

I've emphasized the photos and locations in my posts about the badlands I visited. But I wanted to show you a few other aspects of my trip just for fun.

Big Bend National Park is a long way from anywhere. For me, living in Houston, it takes quite an effort to reach the park. From my house to the center of the park is well over 600 miles.

The Looong Drive
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I decided it was best to spend the night in the areas I was interested in photographing. It allowed me to spend more time shooting and be present for all lighting conditions from afternoon until the following morning. Plus it's interesting and worthwhile to shoot the same area both in afternoon/eve and morning light.

Packing, managing, and carrying all the gear I would need was quite an effort. Anyone who has done overnight backpacking will appreciate what's required and the hardships encountered when you forget just one, little item.

It's also hard to overcome that spoiled desire for a cold beer or frozen margarita late in the evening. A few hours of sweating and hiking will bring about strong cravings that just can't be satisfied easily way out in the desert ;-)

Goin' Hikin'
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I know, looks like I packed a little too much :-) But that was for my first night only. I took less junk... er, gear the second and third nights.

The areas I visited were not accessible by any trail. There were no campgrounds at my destinations. I expected to see no one during my hikes, and I didn't. I was "way out there" in every sense of the term. My life was completely in my hands and help was far away.

Of course this is what I wanted. The solitude and time alone in the desert by itself made the trip worthwhile. I need this type of experience to reset my spirit and soul and remind me what is most important in my life (my family).

Making an Early Breakfast
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Aside from spending great amounts of time photographing, tending to the necessities of life alone in the desert required a lot of work. Making/breaking camp, eating, cleaning, and packing/repacking gear (especially when camping at a different spot each day) occupied a lot of time.

But after all the required activities of my plan, I still found a few moments here and there to sit back and really connect with my emotions and savor the experience.

A moment to relax
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Having a camp chair was awful nice too.

Big Bend Badlands - Rattlesnake Badlands

Part 2 of 4

My second hike was to visit what I call the Rattlesnake Badlands, an area just south of the Rattlesnake Mountains. Acutally, there are two distinct areas of badlands, and they are separated by an alluvial fan that spreads south from the mountains.

I discovered these areas using Google Earth. My first attempt to visit them was in September 2007, but I didn't make it due to bad weather and lack of time.

On the west side of the alluvial fan are the "purple hills". These are classic badlands - rounded hills with bands of color and little or no vegetation.

The Purple Hills I
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The transition from typical Chihuahuan Desert to these badlands was abrupt. I was amazed at the change. Again, it was like stepping into Death Valley.

The Purple Hills II
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Roaming these hills was fun. Some were quite steep and tall and could not be climbed easily. I tried keeping my travels on them to a minimum because of the damage my footprints left. Each step sunk an inch or two and broke through the crusty soil layer. Walking the narrow, flat bottoms in the valleys was much easier.

Badlands!
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The second spot of badlands, to the east of the alluvial fan, was a little different. These badlands were more open and spread out. The colors were lighter too (mostly a dusty gold color).

Soil and Clouds
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I made camp down in these badlands on the soft soil. I spent a comfortable night out there, completely alone. I did see one set of old footprints, so someone must have visited in the recent past. It also reminded me to be conservative where I stepped since my footprints would remain for a long time and disturb the beauty of the badlands.

Golden Hills
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Up next, Old Maverick Road and finding Ansel Adams' shot. Stay tuned...

Big Bend at Night

Before I post more on the badlands series, I thought I'd share a few night scenes.

Rattlesnake Badlands
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Study Butte
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Tent and Stars
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All of these were shot at about the same settings as the tent, stars, and meteor shot I posted last week.