John’s Photo Blog

I didn’t know Steve Jobs. I’ve never seen him in person and never even knowingly been in the same city as him. I didn’t know the man himself, but I did know the Apple CEO and leader. Well, as much as anyone else that has watched a lot of keynotes and bought a few too many Apple products knew him. I’ve used Apple products almost every day for roughly the past decade since I bought my first iPod. His work has had a significant impact on my life and there are few people that I respect as much. I’m grateful to have lived during his time. Thanks Steve.

A ramp to a boat dock seen near Lake Texoma, on the border of Oklahoma and Texas.

Life is much more bearable in Dallas now that this summer’s near-record-breaking streak of 100 degree days has come to an end. The water level at White Rock Lake is coming back to normal and Dallasites are flocking to the closet thing we have to a water front. Here’s to a long and cool fall season at the lake.

It has been a long seven months without NFL football. I was looking through some of the photos from the incredible Super Bowl last year and felt it was time to post a few again. Here’s to another great year.

The weather has been fantastic for the past few days. For the first time in months we can actually go outside and walk around without fear of melting in the Texas summer heat. To celebrate this newfound freedom, we have been frequenting the gelato place down the street. One half sea salt caramel, the other half chocolate. There are few things finer on a warm summer evening.

Seen at the Dallas Museum of Art.

Stubb’s BBQ is a one-of-a-kind place. It isn’t the best barbecue ever—really it isn’t even the best barbecue in Austin. But it’s a Texas legend that is worth a visit at least once, and the food certainly doesn’t disappoint.

The roots of this Texas landmark are in the remote west Texas town of Lubbock. Travelers from all around would make their way to Stubb’s to savor the magnificent mix of slow cooked meats and fantastic live music. Besides, any place that calls itself ground zero for names like Joe Ely and Stevie Ray Vaughn is certainly worth a look.

Perfectly smoked brisket. Grilled spicy pork sausages. Generous portions of mac and cheese and greens. White bread, Copious amounts of sauce. And it’s time for a well-earned nap.

This truck is parked outside of The Driskill Hotel on Austin’s infamous 6^th street. I was told by someone out in front of the hotel that it is an early 1930’s model Ford truck. I can’t think of a cooler way to advertise for the nearby 1886 Café and Bakery.

A ceiling full of paper birds at the All Good Cafe in Deep Ellum.

We spent the better part of the 4^th of July weekend this year just hanging out and relaxing in the wonderful city of Austin, Texas. I should be clear about my bias: Austin is one of my favorite cities in the country. The city has its own unique, eccentric and flavorful style and it is a gem of a town hidden in an otherwise overly built up and chain restaurant centric land of Texas. We spent the majority of the weekend eating our way through various local dives and hot spots.

Kerbey Lane Cafe is one such local hot spot. Its existence is no secret, there are locations all around the city. But it is one of the few places that we go to every time we are even remotely close to Austin. The pancakes are phenomenal, the coffee does the trick and the quirky atmosphere tops it off. If you’re ever in Austin, you’ve got to go at least once.

Deep Ellum is one of the more photogenic areas of this otherwise excessively concrete-laden city of Dallas. It is one of the few areas of town that gives me the feeling of walking around in a much bigger (and cooler) east coast town. The streets are filled with run down hangouts, shuttered businesses and shady lofts that seem to be slowly regaining attention after years of neglect.

As Chris and I were walking around the area a few weeks ago we both stopped for a few minutes to take in the scene at this old service station. The station has certainly seen better days and the same could be said for the old Chevy truck parked in front. The interior of the building had clearly not been used in decades and the signage and products on display inside had a gentle layer of dust hiding their 1970’s marketing charm.

As I was snooping around, perhaps a bit too close, I was joined abruptly by the owner of the building and his overly eager dog. I managed to grab only a few shots of the place before quickly exiting the scene.

I’m surprised on a regular basis by the number of interests I share in common with my Dad. While we are technically a generation apart, we both appreciate figuring out how things work, great music, history, and photography. He’s a civil engineer, and I’ve made a nice little career so far out of being a software engineer. I think had we been born at the same time we’d both have the exact same jobs.

While we were home last weekend for Father’s Day, we were talking about photography and taking pictures. He went into the closet and pulled out the camera shown above. It’s his old SLR from his college days, and the first years of my life. I don’t remember much about it as a kid, other than its signature strap pattern.

It’s nothing terribly fancy, certainly compared to today’s standards, but it took a lot of meaningful pictures about thirty years ago. I’m incredibly impressed by the photography tools of previous generations and am also extremely aware of how easy the camera systems of today make it on photographers. Below are some shots he shared with me taken with this camera of New York City in the mid 1970s, shortly after the World Trade Center towers had been completed. Powerful images to see now, on many levels.

So, thanks Dad. Great shots.