Posts in Category: Texas
West of Here: Santa Elena Canyon After Dark
Santa Elena Canyon on the Rio Bravo in Big Bend National Park is one of the park’s most popular spots. I shot this at 2 a.m., more or less, on December 30, 2015 in sub-freezing weather alongside my friend and fellow photographer Matt Larseingue on a photo/camping trip. ©2015 Robert W. Hart
West of Here: Twilight In Oil Patch
Inactive drilling rigs sit in an Odessa, Texas oil field service yard. Odessa sits squarely in the Permian Basin where, despite being an oil-rich region, drilling decreased by 60 percent in 2015.
West of Here: Chisos Mountains at Dawn
Chisos Dawn
In mid-November I spent five days in the Chihuahuan desert at Villa de las Minas and this was the dawn view looking mostly east, southeast outside my adobe. Night temperatures were in the low to mid-40s which made porch sleeping mighty pleasant.
Daytime temps hit the low 80s, so day hikes in the national park were a breeze. For the first time, I saw Cattail Falls with water actually falling. The falls don’t run year round but there’d been sufficient recent rainfall and that allowed me to make the photo below.
Geophysicist Cedric Snyder at Cattail Falls in Big Bend National Park on November 16, 2014.
From the NYT:
Writer Jay Root’s TexasTribune.org/NYT story on Jeff Miller, the man behind Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s new image.
I frequently shoot for TexasTribune.org and was delighted to have the opportunity to illustrate writer Jay Root‘s story on Jeff Miller, the California political consultant behind Texas Governor Rick Perry’s new image.
‘Within/Without’
Dallas Stands With Israel demonstration July 30, 2014. ©2014 Robert W. Hart
While hundreds of Israel supporters rallied in front of Dallas City Hall yesterday, July 30, 2014, one lone protester stood well outside the fray to make his voice heard.
West of Here: And The Drought Goes On
A sign encouraging passersby to pray for rain is attached to a ranch gate on Highway 1954 just south of Wichita Falls, Texas where the area is dealing with severe drought conditions. Measures are underway in Wichita Falls to convert waste water into drinking water. Some residents say they’ll pass on wastewater. ©2014 Robert W. Hart
West of Here: BLM Dispute On The Texas-Oklahoma Border
Texas Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst accepts the microphone from Texas landowner Tommy Henderson during a gathering of politicians, landowners, law enforcement and media at the bridge over the Red River on Highway 79, northeast of Byers, Texas. Dewhurst was present to voice support for Henderson in his fight with the BLM over land he says he paid for and owns. ©2014 Robert W. Hart
A Texas Highways Cover
Cover photo of Texas Highways magazine March 2014 issue by Fort Worth-based photojournalist Robert W. Hart.
Griff Smith, my editor at Texas Highways magazine, gave me this assignment in November and I completed much of the shooting by January 4. However, the editors at TH decided it was strong cover candidate so I concentrated on the Sundance Plaza area and the four umbrellas. At dusk the LEDs come on and illuminate the undersides of the umbrellas in what makes for a very cool light show. The LEDs on the buildings surrounding the plaza are synchronized with the umbrella lights so at various times the entire plaza is bathed in red, blue, orange, white and, my favorite, TCU purple.
You can read the story by Margaret Shakespeare here on the newly redesigned www.TexasHighways.com
I also shot photos of the newly renovated Granbury Opera House. It’s a gorgeous new venue for the resident company and a real source of pride for the community.
Fort Worth is my favorite town on earth. Getting to photograph my town for my favorite magazine was a real delight.
It didn’t feel like work at all. But don’t tell Griff.
West of Here: Playboy Marfa Is Still Erect
The Playboy Marfa art installation by American artist Richard Phillips on Highway 90 west of Marfa, Texas is scheduled to be removed soon because Texas authorities say it is unlicensed advertising. Now Prada Marfa, a famous art installation on the same stretch of highway, has been cited for the same violation and may be removed as well.
©2013 Robert W. Hart
The Prada Marfa art installation near Valentine, Texas.
My recent three-day pilgrimage to Terlingua took me past the Playboy Marfa installation which is much closer to Marfa than Prada Marfa. Prada Valentine would certainly be more accurate since it’s maybe a quarter-mile from the town. Back in July the Texas Highway Department gave the artist, Richard Phillips, 45 days to remove the structure but it’s still standing.
According to some Marfans Prada Marfa is art and Playboy Marfa is, well, something less.
Yeah, I love the headline too.