Welcome to a Collection of Our Favorite Texas Landscape Photos!
As passionate photographers and lovers of the great state of Texas, we are thrilled to share with you a curated collection of our favorite Texas landscape photos. These images represent the essence of what we find most captivating about this remarkable place we call home.
Texas is a land of breathtaking diversity, from the rolling plains to the rugged mountains, and from the tranquil rivers to the vast deserts. It’s a state where every turn of the road reveals a new and awe-inspiring scene. Through our lens, we strive to capture the grandeur, the serenity, and the untamed beauty of this incredible land.
In this collection, you will find vibrant sunsets painting the sky with a palette of warm hues over the vast open plains. You’ll discover ancient oak trees standing tall and proud, bearing witness to the passage of time. You’ll be transported to the enchanting lakes, where the water and gentle breeze create a sense of tranquility.
Each photograph tells a story, evoking emotions and memories that are uniquely Texan. From the wildflowers that carpet the fields in a riot of color to the towering peaks that reach towards the heavens, these images reflect the majesty and spirit of Texas.
Whether you’re a fellow Texan seeking to connect with the familiar landscapes that make this state so special, or an admirer from afar yearning to experience the beauty of Texas, we invite you to immerse yourself in this collection. Let these photographs transport you to the heart of Texas, where the land is as vast as the sky and the beauty knows no bounds.
Thank you for joining us on this visual journey through our favorite Texas landscape photos. We hope that these images inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural wonders that surround us and ignite a desire to explore and protect this extraordinary state we call home.
Sunset looking towards the Window – Big Bend National Park
A Focus on Texas
Big Bend National Park – Images of Texas
Big Bend National Park in southern Texas is indeed a National Park treasure, nestled within the Chihuahuan Desert and known for its scorching summer temperatures.
The prime visiting window typically spans from October through March. While April begins to push the boundaries of comfort, it can still yield pleasant conditions. If you schedule your visit to coincide with seasonal rains, the park bursts into vibrant life with a kaleidoscope of wildflowers.
The park’s topography is diverse, with elevations ranging from a low point of 1,800 feet (550 meters) to soaring heights exceeding 7,832 feet (2,387 meters). For a more comfortable camping experience, Chisos Basin serves as an excellent choice due to its higher elevation, which offers somewhat cooler temperatures.
Texas boasts a collection of stunning lakes, and one standout example is Steinhagen located in the Southeast (as depicted here). When the morning mist envelops the landscape and the sky comes alive with light, you can be assured of encountering breathtaking scenery.
Another picturesque lake in East Texas, nestled along the Texas-Louisiana border, is Caddo Lake. This lake consistently earns high rankings as one of the United States’ top lakes in numerous publications.
Both of these lakes feature the exquisite sight of Cypress Trees gracefully emerging from the water’s surface, casting enchanting reflections. Anglers will also find these waters a paradise, with Caddo Lake even playing host to major fishing tournaments.
A superb option for capturing breathtaking landscape photographs is to explore the beauty of creeks and ponds. The landscape photograph featured here is located within a mere 10-minute drive from Mansfield.
This particular image was captured at Bowman Branch during the spring season when the sunrise positioned itself perfectly, the creek flowed gracefully, and the first light beautifully graced the rear of the composition.
Undoubtedly, this photograph holds a special place among our personal favorites.
Are you aware that Texas boasts magnificent canyons? While these canyons may not bear the famous name “Grand Canyon” like their counterpart in Arizona, Texas is home to some of the most impressive canyons in the United States – Caprock Canyons and Palo Duro Canyon.
These parks are custodians of some of the most iconic Texan landscapes, yet they remain somewhat undiscovered gems in the realm of outdoor destinations and photography. While the Grand Canyon is undeniably stunning, the canyons of Texas offer a more intimate experience, allowing you to explore both their depths and expanses. This unique feature presents numerous opportunities for capturing breathtaking landscape photos, particularly during the enchanting hours of sunrise and sunset.
Art Print: Desert Highway and View, Big Bend National Park, Texas
A Focus on Texas
Road and Highway Landscapes
One of the photography styles we hold dear involves capturing scenes of rural roads stretching into the countryside. Featuring a road or highway as the central focus can create a captivating composition.
For us, this particular style evokes a sense of tranquility, signifying our immersion in nature and a carefree state of mind.
We have a deep appreciation for destinations with sparse crowds and abundant natural beauty.
Rather than embarking on lengthy drives and remote hikes in Texas for photography, it’s quite convenient to have local destinations at hand. They offer nearly boundless opportunities to capture that perfect shot. One such local gem is Fort Worth. Downtown Fort Worth is merely a 20-minute drive from Mansfield, and what makes it even more appealing is that it’s not just close but also a delightful place to explore.
We snapped this iconic Texan image of the Tarrant County Courthouse from Sundance Square. It’s a bustling area, so timing is essential when composing this shot. By “timing,” we mean taking multiple photographs to remove most of the people and cars, and then meticulously blending these images together in Photoshop to craft a pristine final image.
Autumn landscapes in Texas? While Texas might not be renowned for its fall foliage, it boasts regions where the landscapes truly come alive during the autumn season.
One such place is Dinosaur Valley State Park in Glen Rose, TX, famous for its fossilized dinosaur track imprints. However, if you venture there in the fall, you’ll discover picturesque compositions like the one depicted here.
Another gem is Pedernales State Park, located just over an hour to the east of Austin, Texas. This park is graced by the meandering Pedernales River, and autumn presents an ideal time to capture its scenic landscapes.
For those in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area, the Japanese Garden within the Fort Worth Botanic Garden is another fantastic spot to witness the splendor of fall foliage.
Mansfield was once a small town, but it’s experiencing rapid growth these days. What was previously characterized by rural roads, farmlands, and open landscapes is gradually transforming into a landscape dominated by shops & houses.
Nevertheless, there remain several local gems where we can capture striking landscape photos. A few cherished spots include Britton Park, a secluded pond, and pockets of nature that have thus far escaped the reach of the ever-expanding DFW Metroplex. It might surprise you to learn that the image featuring the lake and the moon is, in fact, enveloped by residential developments.
Landscape Image of Tree and Field in West-Central Texas
A Focus on Texas
Driving and Hiking for Texas Photos
Pursuing the ultimate field of view involves embarking on drives and hikes to unfamiliar terrains, often leading to remarkable photographic opportunities. We explored the Bluff Dale Suspension Bridge, a relic from the late 1800s and early 1900s, once a crucial river-crossing structure over the Paluxy River. Today, it stands as a weathered relic, its frame showing signs of aging, bending, rusting, and appearing as if it might one day tumble into the river.
From the bridge, we decided to take a chance and continued north along a dirt road, which eventually led to a dead end. Upon retracing our path, we stumbled upon yet another road, if you could even call it that, and continued northward. It soon became evident that we were in 4×4 country, and we were thankful to be navigating in our trusty truck. After a while, as the terrain gradually improved, we chanced upon a captivating scene featuring a tree and a vast field. Sometimes, the act of driving or hiking into the unknown can lead you to a place where an exceptional landscape photo awaits your capture, entirely unbeknownst to you beforehand.
While life doesn’t always adhere to our plans, there are moments when it beautifully aligns.
In 2022, Texas grappled with an extended drought, leaving the land parched and rain-deprived for what seemed like an eternity. However, a transformative change occurred in late August when a robust storm system arrived, showering the region with copious amounts of rain and lingering for several days. It was during one of these days, as the golden hour of photography approached, that the clouds took on a captivating appearance.
We had a hunch that this might evolve into one of those extraordinary sunset evenings, and we wanted to be poised to capture it. With a location in mind, roughly 15 minutes away, we set out. While we couldn’t orchestrate a magnificent sunset, we could seek out the right conditions, maintain hope, and position ourselves to seize the opportunity for that stunning photograph.
Frequently, you’ll encounter the term “Cityscape” employed to characterize a photograph featuring a city’s skyline. It’s a precise term delineating a particular genre of photography.
We, too, often use the term ‘cityscape.’ Ultimately, we perceive ‘cityscapes’ as a variation of ‘landscapes,’ distinguished by the prominence of buildings upon the land. Regardless of nomenclature, as an integral component of our Texas landscape photography endeavors, our collection includes a wealth of exquisite Texas cityscape photographs.
