Snapping Summer Photos Across Texas

If states could audition for America’s Next Top Model, Texas would surely be a contender — it’s inarguably photogenic. Summertime is especially lovely, and, fortunately for shutterbugs, the best lighting conditions (early morning and late afternoon) often align with cooler temperatures. Here are four places where the Lone Star State strikes a good pose:

Big Bend National Park

The photographic fodder in this national park runs as deep as the canyons do. Desert landscapes, historic buildings, ancient fossils, and abundant birds all make for great shots. Big Bend is also an International Dark Sky Park, meaning it features standout stargazing.

Cedar Creek Lake

Miles of shoreline and pretty blue water make Cedar Creek Lake, located about 60 miles southeast of the DFW Metroplex, an easy place to take some solid shots. Boating and fishing are popular in the summer, and festivals in the towns surrounding the lake offer local color for photos.

Marfa

A former water stop for the San Antonio Railway that’s been the backdrop for many motion pictures — including Giant, There Will Be Blood, and No Country for Old Men — Marfa is stocked full of minimalist art and high desert landscapes. Try to snap a picture of the famed Marfa lights, mysterious orbs that appear on the horizon in shades of blue, red, and white.

Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge

Officially opened in 2012, this bridge over Trinity River is a relatively new addition to Dallas’ skyline, and a welcome one for photos. The 400-foot white steel arch became an immediate icon, offering new looks at the city artfully framed through the cables that sweep from the parabola down to either side of the bridge.