Photography Excursion: Kite Festival

I discovered the Kite Festival in Austin last year.  It's a big event that takes place in Zilker Park and attracts a multitude of people trailing kites to the great outdoors.  

The event has food stalls, kite competitions, and various arts and crafts booths for people to enjoy whilst at the fest.  

In addition to being a fun day long event, it's also a great spot for some fun, lighthearted photography.

 It's also a great place to bring your hoop.

The festival is TODAY!  Grab your kite, your camera, & get on over to Zilker Park for a relaxing afternoon.

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AMOA: Laguna Gloria Photography Excursion

All right, this isn't much of a geographic deviation from the last Photography Excursion post suggestion, but that's because that area of Austin is beautiful. Right along the river, hills galore, and abundant trees in an otherwise urban environment directly to the east in downtown Austin.

I now give you: AMOA Laguna Gloria.

Exterior view of the Driscoll Villa
Photography by Broken Piggy Bank

The museum itself is an Italian-style villa with a magnificent interior that still has many of its original fixtures and floors from the 1920's when it was built. It was originally the home of Clara Driscoll, the famed Daughter of the Republic known as the Savior of the Alamo. The interior itself is photo worthy, and photography is welcome in the museum.

The Solarium of the Driscoll Villa
Photography by Stephanie in 2009

 The grounds upon which the villa museum stand are vast and beautiful. The plot of land was once owned by Stephen F. Austin, for you history buffs out there, but he never actualized his dream of building a home on the land. Clara Driscoll purchased the land since it put her in mind of Italy, where she and her husband spent their honeymoon, which can give you a sense for the kind of landscape you will encounter.

View from behind the villa
Photography by Emmanuelle Bourgue in 2008

If you're searching for some spectacular nature pics, Laguna Gloria is your spot. If you want a gorgeous backdrop for wedding photos or family shots, you've got it. (There are fees associated with commercial photography, such as wedding photos - be sure to check their website for pricing and call the museum to set up a time for a  photo shoot). Since this is located next to Mayfield Park (the subject of the last photography excursion post), you will also find peacocks around Laguna Gloria.

View of the Villa and Grounds
Photography by Christopher Leonard in 2009

As the weather begins to get a bit cooler, this is an excellent spot to spend an afternoon, with or without a camera...no. Definitely with a camera ;)

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Photography Excursion

During my time in college I would spend afternoons at least once a month on "Photography Excursions." I explored much of the rural areas surrounding the college town & often times ended up with a handful of fairly interesting photos. As a [very amateur] photographer, I feel the urge to just go take pictures, else wise I get antsy. If you like to go on your own photography excursions or you're just looking for a beautiful backdrop for family photos, I highly recommend Mayfield Park.

If you're an Austinite, you're most likely familiar with the little oasis of Mayfield Park, and with all the shady trees it's not entirely out of the question during the summer as an outdoor activity. The plot of land has a cottage built in the Bungalow style from the early 1900's and features a lovely garden and pond with various wildlife taking refuge among the foliage (I even spotted a large snake coiled up in a landmass in the middle of a pond once - it left me alone).




For me, the peacocks are the visual highlight of Mayfield Park. They're in trees, on the ground, making their typical ungodly noises, and definitely trying to impress visitors by strutting their gorgeous feathers. Fun fact: the current peacocks are descendants of the original peacocks gifted to the Mayfield family back in the 1930's.

Mayfield Park is worth an outing...Show up. Take Pictures. Get flirted with by peacocks. (Hey, they're pretty when they flirt.)

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