The Bastrop Wildfires as seen from our roof in Manor

ildfires have been ravaging the area around us and living halfway between Austin and Bastrop has put us literally in the middle. Thankfully we have not had to contend with immediate threats or imminent danger, however; for the first few days it was very scary. With Austin as small as it is we know many, many families who have been affected by the wildfires that have seemingly surrounded our town. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone touched by these recent events and to all those who are helping in this time of need.

A car sits upside-down on the front lawn of a house in South Austin

ltorf is a major East-West street in South Austin. Sometimes in rains in Austin. When it rains, the roads usually get slippery. I arrived on this scene as the police were showing up and left just as the tow truck arrived; it seems no one was injured. Somehow this car made it from Oltorf, over the tree lane and sidewalk, and onto the front lawn, without leaving any marks.  The only apparent contact the vehicle made between its position on the previously discussed road to the aforementioned lawn seems to be the speed limit sign. I imagine it also did this upside down. I don’t think this kind of thing can be good for your grass.

Sunrise over grazing horses in Texas

acuous is the landscape that rises to meet me in the morning, yet surprisingly, most people I meet are often astounded to hear how far away from town we live. Coming from Los Angeles I relish the ability to traverse 15 miles in less than 30 minutes; a heretofore unknown vehicular pleasure that I could not have imagined over five years ago before we moved. Pictured above is the scene that frequently greets us five minutes after we leave our house on our commute to town. And by us I mean Bodie and I who roll along mist drenched hillsides under dramatic fiery cloudscapes that scorch the sky as we drive to town. I can’t imagine a more inspiring start to our day.

Wedding Portrait at Nature's Point shot on Fuji Instant Film

ow often do you get to do something you have always wanted? Thanks to Eric Hegwer I was invited to bring my 4×5 to a gorgeous event this past weekend at Nature’s Point along with all my regular gear. The spectacular venue was awash in perfect weather and even better light. Eric and I had discussed the shot before had and I came prepared with my 15′ telescoping ladder and some wood clamps. A few minutes after scouting the ceremony site I clamped my tripod to the ladder, pre-focused and marked the spot.  Before the ceremony the whole rig was hidden behind a tree and half-way into it I carried the camera/ladder into the middle of the aisle to shoot a few sheets. This first image comes from a quick session we did after the wedding shot on the luscious Fuji Fp100c45 and the negative retained using advice I received from the incomparable William Littman.

An old general store in Kimbro, Texas

ecently, I pulled some old film off the shelf and loaded it into an even older camera; a Kodak Brownie Junior from around 1949. The camera was given to me many years ago by my grandmother making me only the second owner of the camera. At the time I also got her Hawkeye and have photographed with it many times. The images here are from the first roll I have put through the Brownie Junior. Before I loaded it up with Ilford Delta 400 (as you can see from the shot below)  I spent about a half hour cleaning it up. I started by taking the whole front off, cleaned the lens, focusing lens’ and ground glass. I also reattached one of the viewfinder mirrors that had slipped out of its position due to the old glue cracking off. The camera shoots 6×9 and has a brilliant finder on both the top for portraits and on the right side for landscapes. Somehow, despite having it for so long, I had never pulled it out yet. It was so much fun to shoot with and will certainly not be relegated to its former shelf anytime soon.

The fence and rear of the Store

Looking south on a foggy afternoon across the International and Great Northern metal truss railroad bridge across Lady Bird Lake.

Towers at Austin's Seaholm Power Plant.