Photogenic Places – A Simple Guide To Photographing Texas

A classic photo of Texas in your mind probably has certain elements included in the frame; things like a cowboy, maybe farmland, football, an oil derrick, or other idiosyncratic imagery. While the entire state covers quite a lot of territory, and it would be difficult to narrow down Texas to just a small set of criteria, these kinds of images just seem to capture Texas perfectly.

But when you’re trying to photograph something iconic in the Lone Star State, where do you begin? So here are some of the best spots to help you land those awesome shots that just scream Texas.

Cowboys – Fort Worth Stockyard District

Perhaps just as iconic as the shape of the state itself, Texas is known for its cowboys. The hats, the stance, the way of life. It all just shouts the Wild West at the person looking at the picture. While a lot of the state is covered in rural areas, farms, and lots of hard to find locations that have people who have the “cowboy look,” you might try visiting the Fort Worth Stockyard District.

For many folks, the West doesn’t really begin until you get to Fort Worth, Texas. The National Stockyard District is where you’ll experience the ongoing story of the American cowboy and the livestock industry. When you picture a cowboy at work, do you picture him driving cattle? This is the best place in the entire country to see live cattle drives and cowboys in action daily through the main street. Pick your spot and wait for the cattle drive to go straight past you. If you can’t find an iconic cowboy shot while visiting here, then your lens cap must be on.

Ranch – Bandera

Alternatively, you can head out to one of the many ranches in this state to capture cowboys out in the wild. Bandera is known as the “Cowboy capital of the world” and is a great place to experience and photograph cowboys. Be sure to also check out the many uniquely Texas bars that are in Bandera as well for those great shots of the Texas two-step.

Cities – Austin, Dallas, Houston & Galveston 

What is life like in modern Texas? How does it compare against what you’ve seen in the rest of the country? For a look at what’s trendy and how people in Texas move through their day, visit one (or all) of these four amazing cities.

Austin

In Austin, you can easily tell an entire story through your photography if you begin at the right place. It’s recommended to start your journey south of the river in downtown Austin, where you can see the skyline and bridges. Then if you move north you can take images of the State Capital and interesting graffiti along the way. After you make your way through the University section of town, alongside museums and some incredible architecture, there’s Burnet Road, which is filled with neon and intriguing shops to visit. Don’t forget to spend a bit of time strolling through South Congress Avenue (make sure you stop by Allens Boots) where you can capture some great street photos.

Dallas

If you can make your way to Dallas, you should make it a point to walk across the bridge at North Edgefield Avenue. If you go there right before sunset, you’ll see an illuminated downtown Dallas bathed in soft, orange light. A long exposure from here would be pretty great. For a wide shot of the city that shows it almost as a remote oasis, visit the Trinity River Spillway. Reunion Tower also provides great views of the Dallas skyline from its observation deck. For a little fun and to show the daily life of people who live in Dallas, check out the Highland Park Village, which features old trees mixed in with trendy shops and restaurants.

Houston

Hop around the state once more to see the highlights of Houston, Texas, where you can test your architecture photography skills against the Glassell School of Art. The interior of the relatively new campus has some very constructive angles to work with. Sticking with the artistic scene, visit the Houston Museum District, and more specifically, the Menil Collection, where you’ll see interesting uses of colour. Then, wrap up your visit by stopping by the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir Houston, a traditional Hindu temple that looks like it came straight from India. The amazing complex is absolutely stunning and you’ll easily spend an entire day there shooting roll after roll of film.

Galveston

If you want to see a side of Texas that most people may not immediately think about, then Galveston may be perfect for you. This is the other side of Texas, the side that wants to get a tan on the beach instead of work the ranch. A must-see spot to take in the beaches is probably the Beach & Pleasure Pier, where the blue water laps up the endless soft sand. You can also head to Moody Gardens to snap a few photos of the Colonel Paddlewheel Boat. This historic sternwheeler is one of the largest paddlewheelers that has ever cruised in the Galveston area. Try to visit between the spring and fall for the best temperatures and maybe enjoy a little surf yourself when you aren’t snapping off photos.

After you’ve had your fill of the waves, head inland ever so slightly and locate the Strand History District, which is also simply called the Strand. This is a National Historic Landmark District that has immaculate Victorian-era structures that survived the Great Storm back in 1900. The Strand goes all the way down to the wharf, where you can find Pier 19, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum, the Texas Seaport Museum, and lots more. It’s a fun place to spend a vacation, and even better if you’ve remembered to bring your camera.

Of course, there are many more nooks and crannies to discover throughout each of these lovely cities, so plan to spend lots of time getting to know the lay of the land.

Landscapes – Big Bend National Park

Texas has large, sprawling landscapes that are just begging to be photographed, but some of the best locations can be found within Big Bend National Park. You’re far enough away from anything that the night sky is literally pitch black, so you can just imagine what shots of the stars must look like! Plus, there are several canyon areas to climb through and explore and more bird species than you can count. This is all against the backdrop of a weather-beaten mountain range that is surrounded by desert. It’s basically a one-stop-shop for wilderness and landscape photography.

When the cactus are blooming is when you want to visit Big Bend National Park. Gorgeous shots of the blossoms juxtapose the desolate surroundings beautifully. You’ll want to check their website right before your visit for the current weather conditions, as well as looking through their news releases for hints about where a good trail may be for your photography session.

There are a few day hikes that you can plan that will take you up, over, and through some of the most spectacular spots in the park. Just make sure you bring water because it will be hot!

Don’t miss Marfa & Terlingua

If you are making the long journey to Big Bend National Park be sure to check out Marfa. This unassuming desert city in West Texas art city is jam-packed full of art galleries and installations including the randomly placed (fake) lone Prada store in the middle of the desert. Then there is also the famous “Ghost Lights” of Marfa which were first reported more than a century ago. Since then, these unexplained lights have been attracting thousands of visitors each year. Whilst you won’t be able to capture an iconic photo as the lights are too far away, sometimes you have to put your camera down and enjoy the experience.

Complete your adventure in this part of Texas by visiting Terlingua Ghost Town. This once-thriving mining town provides wonderful crumbling structures to photograph. But the iconic shot if you are lucky enough to capture it will be from the cemetery at night with the Milky Way in your background sky.

Food – Barbecue, Chilli and Chicken Fried Steak

Texas is known for its food. There are many different styles of barbecue, chilli, and chicken fried steak, but only Texas is known for unique spins on all three. Wherever you go, whenever you visit, make sure to check out one or all of these meals.

Even if you aren’t a foodie, adding these foods to some of your imagery will help tell a better story of Texas. With a big location like Texas to work with that is just filled with stories and all kinds of people, food can help you diversify your images of the location.

That doesn’t mean take selfies with your dinner for our Instagram page, but a nicely framed image of a great food dish will look great. After all, people in Texas take these foods very seriously, as evidenced by various festivals and competitions throughout the years.

So, this is Texas and you will soon discover why the Lone Star State is one of the most underrated photography destinations in America. There are so many other places that can be added to this list. San Antonio, El Paso, Fort Davis and Caddo Lake are just a few. With so much distance to cover and even more shots to capture than you can think of unless you have plenty of time, you will have to be selective in your shot list. But what’s for certain is that wherever you go, you will be sure to come back home with amazing photos.

Photo credits: Kav Dadfar – All rights reserved. No usage without permission.