Why I Created the ScenicPic Photography Journal
Stories, Lessons, and Adventures from Behind the Lens
Every memorable photograph begins long before the shutter is pressed.
It begins with curiosity.
It begins with getting up long before sunrise, driving down an empty Texas back road, wondering whether the weather forecast was right. It begins with hiking into a hidden canyon, quietly waiting beside a spring-fed creek, or standing motionless in knee-high grass hoping a Painted Bunting decides you’re no longer a threat.
Photography has never been about cameras.
It’s about seeing.
For more than 45 years I’ve been fortunate to spend my life looking for those moments that most people never notice. During that time I’ve photographed assignments for publications including National Geographic, Smithsonian, Life, and served as Photo Editor for Texas Highways magazine. I’ve watched the sun rise over deserts, photographed wildlife in remote places, explored hidden corners of the Texas Hill Country, and spent countless hours waiting for a single moment that might last only a fraction of a second.
Those experiences have taught me something surprising.
The photograph is rarely the most interesting part of the story.
The real story is everything that happened before the photograph was made.
That is why I created the ScenicPic Photography Journal.
Why This Journal Exists
The internet already has thousands of websites reviewing the newest camera, arguing over lenses, and debating which editing software is best.
You won’t find much of that here.
Instead, this journal is about what photography is really like.
It’s about chasing light.
It’s about discovering hidden places.
It’s about wildlife encounters that happen only because you waited one hour longer than everyone else.
It’s about mistakes that became great photographs.
It’s about failures that taught lessons no photography class ever could.
Most importantly, it’s about learning to truly see the world around you.
Texas Hill Country Through a Photographer’s Eyes
I call the Texas Hill Country home, and in my opinion it’s one of America’s most overlooked photographic treasures.
Most visitors know the famous highways, bluebonnets, and wineries.
Photographers discover something different.
Hidden spring-fed creeks.
Towering bald cypress trees.
Ancient live oaks.
Fog drifting across quiet valleys.
Crystal-clear pools reflecting autumn color.
Painted Buntings flashing brilliant color through cedar branches.
Golden eagles riding winter thermals.
Fox kits playing outside their den.
The Texas Hill Country changes every single day.
Every season tells a different story.
Every sunrise writes a different chapter.
That’s why I never grow tired of photographing it.
Behind Every Photograph Is a Story
People often assume professional photographers simply arrive at a beautiful location and take the picture.
Sometimes that happens.
Usually it doesn’t.
Many of my favorite photographs required multiple visits over several years.
Some required hiking miles before daylight.
Others required sitting perfectly still for hours while mosquitoes had their way with me.
Sometimes I went home with nothing.
Sometimes I returned with the photograph of a lifetime.
Those stories are often far more interesting than the finished image itself.
You’ll read many of them here.
Wildlife Has Been My Greatest Teacher
Wildlife photography has taught me patience more than anything else.
Animals don’t care about your schedule.
They don’t perform because you’ve driven three hours to photograph them.
They don’t pose because the light is finally perfect.
Wildlife photography rewards preparation, persistence, and respect.
I’ve learned that the best wildlife photographers don’t chase animals.
They understand them.
The more you learn about behavior, habitat, seasons, and light, the less photography becomes about luck.
Photography Is Really About Light
Beginning photographers often believe great equipment creates great photographs.
Professional photographers know better.
Everything begins with light.
Beautiful light can transform an ordinary subject into an extraordinary photograph.
Poor light can make even the world’s greatest landscape look flat and lifeless.
Throughout this journal we’ll spend a great deal of time talking about light—not with complicated technical language—but by learning how to recognize it when nature offers it.
Hidden Places Deserve Respect
One question I hear constantly is:
“Where was that photograph taken?”
Sometimes I’ll happily tell you.
Sometimes I won’t.
Many of my favorite locations remain intentionally undisclosed.
Not because I want to keep secrets.
Because beautiful places are becoming increasingly difficult to protect.
Some fragile locations simply cannot handle heavy traffic.
If this journal encourages people to love nature more deeply, then it also has the responsibility to encourage stewardship.
Leave no trace.
Respect wildlife.
Leave every place better than you found it.
Come Photograph With Me
One of the greatest joys of my career today is introducing people to places they’ve never seen.
ScenicPic Photography Adventures aren’t workshops in the traditional sense.
They’re experiences.
We’ll stand beside hidden spring-fed creeks.
We’ll photograph towering cypress trees.
We’ll search for wildlife.
We’ll talk about composition, light, storytelling, and seeing—not simply camera settings.
Whether you’ve owned a camera for thirty years or thirty days, my goal is simple:
Help you create photographs you’ll always be proud of.
What You’ll Discover in the Photography Journal
Future articles will explore subjects such as:
- Hidden Texas Hill Country photography locations
- Wildlife photography techniques
- Bird photography in Texas
- Landscape photography composition
- Nature photography ethics
- Behind-the-scenes stories from memorable assignments
- Camera equipment that actually matters
- Photographing waterfalls, rivers, and spring-fed creeks
- Learning to read weather and light
- Travel stories from a lifetime behind the camera
- Photography business lessons
- Mistakes I’ve made—and what they taught me
Some articles will teach.
Some will inspire.
Some will simply tell a good story.
I hope all of them encourage you to spend more time outdoors.
Welcome
Photography has given me more than a career.
It has introduced me to extraordinary people, taken me to remarkable places, and taught me lessons that reach far beyond photography itself.
This journal is my opportunity to share those experiences with you.
So whether you’re here to become a better photographer, discover hidden places in the Texas Hill Country, learn about wildlife, or simply enjoy the stories behind memorable photographs, welcome.
I’m honored you’re here.
I hope you’ll visit often.
Because the next adventure is already waiting.