This is primarily a travel blog in which I write about traveling in our motorhome. Our travels have

Nacogdoches, TX, United States
I began this blog as a vehicle for reporting on a 47-day trip made by my wife and me in our motorhome down to the Yucatan Peninsula and back. I continued writing about our post-Yucatan travels and gradually began including non-travel related topics. I often rant about things that piss me off, such as gun violence, fracking, healthcare, education, and anything else that pushes my button. I have a photography gallery on my Smugmug site (http://rbmartiniv.smugmug.com).

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Photo Shoot at the Samuel F. Houston State University's Arboretum

A few days ago I went to SFA's Mast Arboretum on a photo shoot with other members of the Nacogdoches Photography Association.  The SFA Mast Arboretum is a ten acre garden along LaNana Creek at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. The gardens began in 1985 as a small project, which over the years has expanded into one of the most diverse collection of plants in the South.  There are currently over 2,300 different plants listed on their inventory.

We went during the afternoon's "Golden Hour" (the first and last hour of sunlight during the day, when the quality of the light is at its best for photography).  Unfortunately, I locked my camera bag and tripod in my truck, along with the truck keys.  The Campus Police managed to get the door open for me, but not until the end of our shoot.  At least I had my camera, which I had to handhold for some very slow shutter speeds due to the low light.  Here are a few of the photos.  Just don't ask me the names of any of the flowers!






2 comments :

Croft said...

Very nice shots! I am happy to see you keeping the Blog alive. I did exactly the same thing after our first trip through Mexico, I retired the Blog for the summer. Several of my readers convinced me to keep it going and now, I am glad I did.

Robert & Carol Ann Martin said...

Thank you. Only within the last few years have I discovered that "photography" can be a lot more than just "taking pictures". Anyone with a camera can "take pictures" and they will get lucky every once in a while. You know what they same about a roomful of monkeys eventually creating a Shakespear-like play (something like that anyway).

"Photography" is something that I have to study and work on but I enjoy doing it. I'm trying to cut down on the quantity and increase the quality. I guess you might say that I'm trying to get out of that roomful of monkeys. I may never make it, but it sure does give me something to do!