Welcome

A celebration of the photographer’s art—where else but West Texas? We provide the scenery, the wildlife, and the characters for books, magazines, postcards, and more. From our picturesque cowboys to our wide open spaces and our colorful ever-changing skies, we are home to the authentic and the beautiful. A host of well-known locals as well as photographers from Austin, New York, California, and Europe have regularly lugged their equipment through our mountains, from the Rio Grande to Guadalupe Peak, from the Pecos River to the Marfa flats. Our clear, dry atmosphere combines with our mile-high elevation to produce sparkling photographic light to die for. We are the old Texas, the historic, the culturally rich and the proud. Our night skies are some of the darkest in the world. When you hear someone sing “the stars at night are big and bright, deep in the heart of Texas”–they are singing about us. And in September our red rock mountains are graced with the golden glow of Indian summer. Bring your camera!

Our 2010 event will feature Wyman Meinzer, Official Photographer of the State of Texas, as our Keynote Speaker. Meinzer was named the official Texas State Photographer in 1997 by then Governor George W. Bush and the 75th Legislature. Internationally acclaimed as an author and photographer, his work has graced the covers of more than 250 magazines and books. He has published over 20 photography books with subjects ranging from Texas landscapes to playas, rivers, quail, working dogs, sky, and more. To see samples of his work visit his website at www.wymanmeinzer.com/. In addition, our program will include Earl Nottingham, Chief Photographer for Texas Parks and Wildlife, Contributing Photographer Chase A. Fountain, and Brandon Jacobeit, Assistant Art Editor from their award-winning Texas Parks and Wildlife Magazine; J. Griffis Smith, Photography Editor from Texas Highways magazine, Bob Moorhouse, Rolf Nussbaumer, Laurence Parent, and a full program of other nationally famous photographers, and some local talent.

During their presentations our professionals will be sharing the secrets of equipment and technique for improving everything from timeless works of photographic art to grandma’s Little League snapshots. Perhaps the most valuable gift from the professionals will simply be your own renewed sense of wonder and appreciation for light, weather, old buildings, Mother Nature, and human faces. With the advent of film-free digital cameras and chemical-free computer darkrooms, photography has evolved into a growing hobby, small businesses, and wonderful outdoor recreation.

Bring us your best framed photo for our photo contest. Bring a portfolio of your best shots for expert evaluation by some of our featured photographers and sponsors. Field-based workshops will concentrate on landscape photography, hummingbirds, and ranching. Register early as workshops sell out. Only paid audience members are eligible for the photo contest, workshops, and portfolio review.

We have modeled our event after the successful 22-year-old "Shooting the West" in Winnemucca, Nevada. www.shootingthewest.org