The End of Summer – Almost

It’s been a while since I’ve done any writing. But not for lack of desire – well, maybe a little – but more for lack of things to say. I have a continuous dialogue in my head and sometimes I think I have good things to say, but to have it come out in coherent thoughts on a public blog is still a little sketchy. So instead of delving into deep thoughts and life-changing decisions, I’ll share snippets of the summer’s adventures.

In June, I finished shooting for my third book. I’m not sure what title the publisher will give it, but after nearly 9 months of photographing locations in and around Austin, Texas, I sent over 400 files to Twin Lights Publishing to let them sort through what will become a photographic guide to Austin. I was even able to include my two daughters as part of the crowd in some photographs The publisher sent me a nice check, too, and they were great to work with. I’m happy they asked me to take on this project. In the process of visiting the 100+ locations, many of which I’d never heard of despite living 45 minutes from downtown Austin, I discovered some new and interesting places around Austin, including the Texas State Cemetery, the Cathedral of Junk, Pioneer Farms, and a few other artsy-fartsy places. Some I’d go back to; others, not so much.

As soon as Austin locations were taken care of, I piled my family into the car and we headed to Colorado for about 5 weeks. I was able to add to my current Colorado website, Images from Colorado, and include new locations such as the Grand Mesa, views from the summit of Mount Huron, and sunrise at Lake Granby.

After summiting Mount Huron, I came across this baby marmot enjoying the morning sun. He seemed unafraid of my presence and allowed me to take his photograph with the mountains in the distance.

On the drive back, we stopped in Palo Duro Canyon for a quick hike around Capitol Peak. The temperatures were unusually cool for late July, and the sunset was amazing. I’m already looking forward to a return trip to this gem just south of Amarillo.

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Capitol Peak Sunrise Panorama #3 : Prints Available

This panorama shows a glorious sunset over Capitol Peak in Palo Duro Canyon. Comprised of over 27 images stitched and blended together, the peak and its adjacent hoodoo are one of the iconic locations in this beautiful and colorful park.

This Palo Duro panorama is available in larger and custom sizes.

Upon returning to the Hill Country after enjoy a month of temperatures that rarely rose out of the upper 70s, I was quickly reminded of how hot Texas is in August and even September. Since our return 5 weeks ago, the clouds still haven’t produced a drop of rain. My trips out to Pedernales Falls have found the river lower than I remember in a long time, and trips to shoot in downtown led me to humidity that had to be in the 90s.

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Butterfly Bridge – Austin, Texas 824-4 : Prints Available

Butterfly Bridge crosses Shoal Creek near West Avenue on a summer morning in this photograph from downtown Austin. Not far to the west is Ladybird Lake. This pedestrian area is one of the places that has been revitalized by the city, and it makes for a nice stroll on a weekend. This view looks directly south just before sunrise.

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Summer Sunrise over the Pedernales River 825-1 : Prints Available

It was a fine summer morning in the Texas Hill Country. The air was warm and humid and the waters of the Pedernales River flowed a clear aqua color. This sunrise image showing the first rays of daylight was taken from a ridge overlooking the river’s limestone basin. I had arrived well before the first glow of light appeared on the horizon, but left shortly after this photograph was taken. As usual, I never saw another person.


Yikes. So now I’m hunkered down and waiting for cooler temperatures. With a trip planned for fall colors in Colorado, I’m literally counting the days.

Here are a few things I’ve discovered in the last two months in no particular order…

* I still have a touch of acrophobia. The edges of a rock face with a precipitous 1,000′ drop make my vertigo kick in.

* I found out a semi-professional photographer in the Austin/Hill Country area has gone to nearly all the exact spots I’ve visited in the last several years and replicated my images – basically copying everything I’ve taken. I won’t say more, but it bums me out that other people would do that.

* One of my images will be on the cover of the October edition of Texas Highways. Thanks to a friend for accompanying and guiding me to Garner State Park and this specific location last November to take this photograph.

* There are different kinds of falling… falling in love, falling off your bike, falling when you are old, and countless others. Some are good; some are not so good.

* Fear can be a deterrent and hindrance and can keep you from doing things you dream of. Fear can also be a powerful motivator. I look forward to writing more about this in the coming months.

* Something that is truly beautiful doesn’t need to seek out attention and is not self-serving.

* Mean people suck.

Have a good September, everyone!

~ Rob
Images from Texas

Return of the Drone – Aerial Photography from Texas

Several years ago, I was flying a drone – a DJI Inspire 2 – when the battery failed while the drone was around 300 feet and over water. A death spiral ensued and with a meek splash, as I watched in disbelief, the little flying contraption hit the water and sank quietly to the bottom of the Colorado River near Pennybacker Bridge. After experiencing the worst customer service imaginable (DJI wouldn’t honor any warranty that was caused by a battery failure despite the data showing it was not user error, just an orginal faulty battery that came with the drone), I gave up on drones for several years.

Last January changed things. I decided to once again add aerial photography to my portfolio, so I spent a few weeks studying for the FAA Part 107 exam, a test that allows one to fly a drone and sell the work commercially. On a cold day in San Marcos, I sat at a computer for less than 30 minutes, scored a 95 on the test, and was on my way. I thought the test was shockingly easy, but I had also spent time preparing, so maybe the studying paid off.

I should state here rather emphatically I don’t want to be one of those guys with a drone that annoy folks or bends the rules. I’m very careful not to interfere with someone’s peace nor invade their privacy. I usually fly straight up and straight down unless I’m over water, and and probably overly cautious. Anyway, I digress…

I waited another ten months until I finally purchased a drone. I bit the bullet and bought another DJI unit – this time a Mavic Pro 2 – and what sold me was the Hasselblad camera that was part of the drone. For my business, I need to be able to print fairly large prints. While not huge, I’ve been able to produce detailed prints at 54” wide, and the panoramas stitched from several images have been printed up to 9 feet wide.

While flying, I take no risks, and I take a ton of shots. I’ve found that some photos will come back with just a bit of blur – nothing that would be noticeable in smaller prints, but for enlargements, I need sharp, crisp originals.

After several test flights and practicing with the camera settings and gimbal, I was able to take a few trips to put the new drone in use. A few shots from San Antonio under windy conditions produced this panorama showing the well-known Tower of the Americas and Alamodome.

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San Antonio Skyline – November Sunrise 1 : Prints Available

From southwest San Antonio, this view of the skyline shows the Tower of the Americas prominently. to the east (right) is the Alamodome. to the left (west, is the main skyline. In the distance, even the new Frost Tower, similar to the Frost Tower in Austin, is peeking out from behind the Tower of Life building.


The next weekend, my family and I headed to Houston to shoot the skyline around Buffalo Bayou along Allen Parkway. Here are a few images taken near sunset and at sunrise on a perfect 24 hours just before storms rolled into Texas’ largest city:
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Houston Skyline Panorama November Afternoon 1 : Prints Available

A lazy Saturday afternoon finds blue skies over the Houston skyline on a cool day in November. Below, Buffalo Bayou finds folks outdoors biking, jogging, or just taking a stoll along the paths lining the water between Allen Pkwy and Memorial Parkway. This image was taken with a drone. I am a Licensed FAA Part 107 pilot.

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Aerial Houston Skyline Sunrise 1118-1 : Prints Available

From high over Buffalo Bayou on a beautiful November morning, the sun breaks through the clouds and shines the first light of day through the highrises of the Houston skyline. Far below, Buffalo Bayou flows along, flanked by Memorial Parkway and Allen Parkway. The tallest building in the skyline is the JP Morgan Chase Tower at 1,002 feet high.
This aerial sunrise image was taken with a drone and a licensed FAA Part 107 pilot (me).


You can see more photographs, both from the ground and from the drone, in my Houston skyline images gallery.
And for the last few weeks, I’ve been enjoying the fall colors around the Austin skyline and Ladybird Lake. Though late in November, the red oaks and cypress were full of reds and oranges and made for great color in these sunrise and sunset photographs:
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Texas Aerials – Austin Skyline November Sunrise Pano 2 : Prints Available

The first sunlight peeks over the horizon and downtown Austin, Texas. This aerial panorama was taken with a drone and looks down on Ladybird Lake and across to the highrises of the capitol city. Taken in late November, the Autumn colors along the water are just showing up in the morning light.

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Texas Aerials – Austin Skyline Panorama, November 1120-1 : Prints Available

On a beautiful November evening, this aerial photograph of downtown Austin and the skyline shows shows the fall colors found along Ladybird Lake. The “Jenga Tower” (formally known as the Independent) tops out at 685’ and is the tallest highrise in Austin, narrowly eclipsing the Austonian (683’).


Overall, I’m liking the Mavic Pro 2. I’m not into the technical aspects, so you can get that information elsewhere, but I will say this little flying machine is fun to fly, easy and intuitive, and with a little post processing, can produce nice images that folks seem to like. And for me, that is the bottom line. I look forward to adding to my gallery featuring aerial photographs from across Texas.

Thanks for listening. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to shoot me an email.

~ Rob

Happy New Year (belated), Texas!

Happy New Year, Texas!

First, I have to say it is kind of cool when you visit a national park and one of your books is on display. I had no idea my publisher placed the Texas wildflower book in the Chisos Lodge Visitor Center at Big Bend National Park. I’m humbled and surprised.

My Texas Wildflowers book at the Chisos Lodge Visitor Center in Big Bend National Park.

Next, it looks like we are in the doldrums of winter. Everything is brown and the weather has been generally gray. So on a whim over the holidays I studied and last week took a test that allows me to legally fly a drone for commercial purposes. I owned a drone several years ago but sold it because I did not want to mess with all the legal aspects nor the certification process. On top of that, I don’t want to hear drones overhead when I am hiking or “zenning out”in nature. I do not want to be one of “those guys.” I fully support the banning of drones in state and national parks.

All that said, I’d been asked about obtaining various aerial images of Austin by potential clients over the past year. So, what the heck. I’d read how hard the test was, so a friend and photographer advised me to use the ASA Test Prep study guide. I ended up cramming over about 10 days, then took the test last Thursday. I have to admit that when I started studying, most of the material was foreign – 3D classes of air space on a 2d chart, airport systems, military operations, FAA regulations, etc. However, I finished the test in 37 minutes (you get 2 hours to answer 60 questions.) My proctor told me it was the fastest finish of anyone she’d tested. I figure you know it or you don’t. I made a 93, which means I got 56 out of 60 questions correct. I know one of the questions I just bubbled in the wrong answer. The other three I missed I have no idea what they were asking! Nevertheless, I can legally fly a drone and get paid for it. I suppose one of these days I’ll look into buying a drone ?

That’s about all for now. I hope everyone has a good start to the new year. As for me, I’m looking forward to wildflower season, multiple trips to Big Bend National Park and west Texas, and some summer fun in the Colorado Mountains.

Via con dios, friends,

Rob

Rob Greebon
Texas Images
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