on the 11th day of chookooloonks ... texas representing
Texas is sort of known for producing beauty queens.
In fact, we have so many, our coffeehouses are teeming with them.
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Welcome to Day 11 of the 12 Days of Chookooloonks! There was no way I could let these 12 days go by without featuring the truly astounding work of two Texas photographers. Texas is known for its beauty queens, but it's known for its scenic beauty, as well -- and these photographers do a great job of showing exactly what Texas beauty is all about.
Image courtesy AnnGeeDee Photography
I love Angie Dornier's work. I love that her images are simple, whimsical, and show the easy beauty here in Texas. So when she contacted me to offer an unframed 11x14" original print of the image above for my little giveaway, how could I possibly say no? That image is as much about sunny optimism for the new year as it is about the boundless and untamed wildflowers of Texas. Truly spectacular.
A little more about Angie:
Artist's statement: I am a photographer in Houston, TX offering individual and group instruction, portrait sessions, and fine art prints. Photography is my passion and I shoot from the heart. I have recently been given the opportunity to pursue what I love and I'm eager to share my enthusiasm with my clients. I have been “the friend who’s into photography” or “the girl who always carries her camera with her” since sometime in early 2005. And now, after all that practice, I’m ready to play*. (*Play: I love everything about photography. The exactness. The capturing of a moment. The frustration of trying to get it just right. The angles. The perspective. The hours spent learning and trying and learning and trying again. It is a labor of love. That’s why I call it play.) I shoot with a Canon 5D, a Canon Powershot SD780, and my iphone 4S. Find me at anngeedee.com, and on Flickr and Instagram as anngeedee.
Image courtesy The Good Ol' Boy iPhoneography
I am flat-out no good at taking photographs with my iPhone; I accept this. This is why I'm always so impressed with people who know what they're doing with their cameraphones. And this is also why I am absolutely blown away by the work of Joey Garcia, The Good Ol' Boy. His work, featuring primarily Texas scenery, is nothing short of stunning, and shot with his iPhone, no less! Happily, Joey is contributing one 12x12" canvas print of the winner's choice of any image from his site. Such a great gift.
Here's more about Joey:
Artist's statement: Working the oil fields of the Texas plains, Garcia — otherwise the cool diesel-driving good ol’ boy — has a natural eye for capturing the sublime from the banality of the everyday. Using just his iPhone and digital filters, Garcia’s images evoke a pseudo-impressionistic aura where light awakens the architecture and composition of his subjects. There’s a nostalgic story in each of his images that’s unlocked by the onlooker. That would be you. ~ Joel Luks, Culturemap.com
And as always, you'll receive a 2012 Chookooloonks desk calendar (comes packaged in a fold-out CD case), featuring 13 of my favourite images from 2011.
As always, for a chance to win these gifts, simply leave a comment below, saying whatever you'd like, before 12:00 a.m., Friday, December 23rd, US Central Time. Please leave only one comment. Also, it doesn't matter where in the world you are. I'll choose a winner at random using Random.org, and update this post when that person is chosen.
(For the duration of the 12 Days of Chookooloonks, please note that there is no guarantee that you will receive any items before Christmas.)
Good luck, friends!
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AND THE WINNER IS: According to Random.org, the winner is Catherine, who said "So much beauty! Thank you for sharing it all with us. :)" Congratulations, Catherine! Please keep a lookout in your inbox for an email from me with instructions on what to do next.
Thanks for participating, everyone -- tomorrow is the very last day of The 12 Days of Chookooloonks. And it's a doozy. Go take a look.
Song: That's right (you're not from Texas) by Lyle Lovett. I'm not a huge fan of country music, but this song gets me every time.