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Compared to last year, January of this year was very busy. So busy, I continue to be behind in processing and posting images from my walks.

1. 01/08/2011 Skydive Spaceland #1
2. 01/08/2011 Brazos Bend State Park – Pilant Slough Trail (Texture: woods and forest floor) #1
3. 01/15/2011 HMNS Grounds/Midtown – Narrow View Study
4. 01/15/2011 Brazos Bend State Park – Pilant Slough Trail (Texture: woods and forest floor) #2
5. 01/16/2011 Main Street Square at Night (Assignment Houston#56)
6. 01/17/2011 San Jacinto Monument & Battleship Texas State Historic Site
7. 01/22/2011 Skydive Spaceland #2
8. 01/22/2011 Brazos Bend State Park – Red Buckeye Trail (Texture: woods and forest floor) #3
9. 01/29/2011 Forbidden Gardens #1 (Assignment Houston Meetup)
10. 01/29/2011 Brazos Bend State Park – Horseshoe Lake Loop

 

The images I dd get processed were to participate in Assignment Houston and the Houston Photographic Study Group (HPSG) and Houston Photographic Society (HPS) critiques and competitions. The assignment for Houston Photographic Study Group was “Textures” and I spent a great deal of time at Brazos Bend photographing different elements of the woodland wetlands and forest floor. The park in winter is surprisingly beautiful.

I submitted two images for the Houston Photographic Society print January Print competition and received honorable mention in the special assignment category (“The Narrow View”) and second place in the color category for the bronze level contestants.
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HPS January Print Competition Special Assignment – Honorable Mention

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HPS January Print Competition Bronze Category “Color” – 2nd Place

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I also submitted two images for HPSG’s “Texture” assignment and received favorable critiques for both and special mention for my black and white photo of Main Street in the rain.
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January HPSG Assignment “Textures”

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January HPSG Assignment “Textures”

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Both the HPSG assignment and HPS print competition forced me into a quick study of the printing, matting, and presentation skills I’ve rarely considered since almost all of my work winds up being digitally displayed. After a lot of self-generated stress I made it, but still have some improvements to make.

I haven’t been able to keep up with my reading and my blog posts have been none existent, but I have continued the Lightroom online training and Nik Software webinars.

For February, I plan to continue participating in HPSG and HPS critiques and competitions. There is also a special activity this month at HPS for building your own DSLR pinhole lens that will tie into April’s Worldwide Pinhole Photography Day.  

More reading, online study, and photowalks are planned. Three weekends this month, I’ll be participating in Volunteer-in-Training classes at Brazos Bend State Park, so undoubtedly, I’ll be doing some photography out there.

Assignment Houston’s assignment this month is the Williams Tower and Water Wall. HPS’s special print competition topic is Small Town USA. HPSG’s March assignment is going to be very challenging for me – create new photographs that explain or represent why you first started photography.

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