Press "Enter" to skip to content

Austin: Weird, Wacky, and Worth Photographing | National Geographic


hi I’m Dan Westergren from National

hi I’m Dan Westergren from National Geographic Traveler I’m here in Austin

Geographic Traveler I’m here in Austin

Geographic Traveler I’m here in Austin the state capital of Texas and the music

the state capital of Texas and the music

the state capital of Texas and the music capital of America they’ve got history

capital of America they’ve got history

capital of America they’ve got history parks music of course and great barbecue

parks music of course and great barbecue

parks music of course and great barbecue I’m here to find and photograph things

I’m here to find and photograph things

I’m here to find and photograph things that are quintessentially Austin stuff

that are quintessentially Austin stuff

that are quintessentially Austin stuff like the Driskill Hotel behind us this

like the Driskill Hotel behind us this

like the Driskill Hotel behind us this would make a great photograph but not at

would make a great photograph but not at

would make a great photograph but not at this time of day we’re gonna come back

this time of day we’re gonna come back

this time of day we’re gonna come back later as daylight transitions in tonight

later as daylight transitions in tonight

later as daylight transitions in tonight when the street really starts to glow

Austin is often billed as the live music

Austin is often billed as the live music capital of America so we’re going to go

capital of America so we’re going to go

capital of America so we’re going to go into the Continental Club and listen to

into the Continental Club and listen to

into the Continental Club and listen to Mel Davis and the Blues specialist it’s

Mel Davis and the Blues specialist it’s

Mel Davis and the Blues specialist it’s really dark in there I’m gonna have to

really dark in there I’m gonna have to

really dark in there I’m gonna have to set up a couple of strokes and see if we

set up a couple of strokes and see if we

set up a couple of strokes and see if we can use flash to make things a little

can use flash to make things a little

can use flash to make things a little bit better let’s go in and listen to

I’ve got two strobes set up I couldn’t

I’ve got two strobes set up I couldn’t do it with ambient light but I’m afraid

do it with ambient light but I’m afraid

do it with ambient light but I’m afraid they’ll be moving too much and we’ll get

they’ll be moving too much and we’ll get

they’ll be moving too much and we’ll get too slow of each other speakers cameras

too slow of each other speakers cameras

too slow of each other speakers cameras set on manual and thirtieth of a second

set on manual and thirtieth of a second

set on manual and thirtieth of a second f8 everything’s fine so we’re here this

f8 everything’s fine so we’re here this

f8 everything’s fine so we’re here this morning at Barton Springs in Zilker Park

morning at Barton Springs in Zilker Park

morning at Barton Springs in Zilker Park is this man-made swimming pool right in

is this man-made swimming pool right in

is this man-made swimming pool right in the middle of the city we got here right

the middle of the city we got here right

the middle of the city we got here right before sunrise so the beautiful pink

before sunrise so the beautiful pink

before sunrise so the beautiful pink color the sky was reflected in the water

and I underexposed by one stop because I

and I underexposed by one stop because I wanted to make sure that the silhouette

wanted to make sure that the silhouette

wanted to make sure that the silhouette was going to be nice and clean and crisp

was going to be nice and clean and crisp

was going to be nice and clean and crisp I also wanted to have that strong color

I also wanted to have that strong color

I also wanted to have that strong color but when she lifted up in hands to

but when she lifted up in hands to

but when she lifted up in hands to adjust her goggles everything came

adjust her goggles everything came

adjust her goggles everything came together and click there was the shot

with one of the best ways to find

with one of the best ways to find interesting photo subjects it’s just to

interesting photo subjects it’s just to

interesting photo subjects it’s just to be friendly and meet people we saw this

be friendly and meet people we saw this

be friendly and meet people we saw this guy walk by with a huge beard and he

guy walk by with a huge beard and he

guy walk by with a huge beard and he said you need to come to the beard

said you need to come to the beard

said you need to come to the beard contest sponsored by the Austin facial

contest sponsored by the Austin facial

contest sponsored by the Austin facial hair Club so here we are let’s go look

hair Club so here we are let’s go look

hair Club so here we are let’s go look at some crazy beards I love taking

at some crazy beards I love taking

at some crazy beards I love taking pictures at a place like this because

pictures at a place like this because

pictures at a place like this because everybody’s on display they want you to

everybody’s on display they want you to

everybody’s on display they want you to take their picture after you get a bunch

take their picture after you get a bunch

take their picture after you get a bunch of standard portraits but then looking

of standard portraits but then looking

of standard portraits but then looking straight into the camera I like to just

straight into the camera I like to just

straight into the camera I like to just go try to get some grab shots some

go try to get some grab shots some

go try to get some grab shots some people call it street photography it

people call it street photography it

people call it street photography it could be a more compelling picture I

needed a great scene setting picture of

needed a great scene setting picture of Austin so we came here to South Congress

Austin so we came here to South Congress

Austin so we came here to South Congress Street to look up the street and take a

Street to look up the street and take a

Street to look up the street and take a picture of the state capitol the biggest

picture of the state capitol the biggest

picture of the state capitol the biggest state capitol in America the weather

state capitol in America the weather

state capitol in America the weather forecast was for cloudy skies so I knew

forecast was for cloudy skies so I knew

forecast was for cloudy skies so I knew that would be a problem we just have

that would be a problem we just have

that would be a problem we just have white skies but if we got here early

white skies but if we got here early

white skies but if we got here early enough we’d get a beautiful blue sky we

enough we’d get a beautiful blue sky we

enough we’d get a beautiful blue sky we just shot the picture during the

just shot the picture during the

just shot the picture during the transition from night today all the

transition from night today all the

transition from night today all the streetlights were on it worked out great

streetlights were on it worked out great

streetlights were on it worked out great and we got this weatherproof picture it

and we got this weatherproof picture it

and we got this weatherproof picture it didn’t matter that the Sun didn’t come

didn’t matter that the Sun didn’t come

didn’t matter that the Sun didn’t come out today we got a blue sky and

out today we got a blue sky and

out today we got a blue sky and wonderfully lit Capitol

”

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *