Ryon (Skorz)'s popular Travel photosFrom an early age, I loved the concept of photography and felt strongly drawn to it, but I never had the wherewithal, initiative, or courage to begin a journey in earnest. However, two years ago, I finally got myself a Nikon D70 and a few accesories and dove right in, and I have loved every minute of it... Every stressful moment of deciding composition, every moment of dissapointment with the countless bad exposures that I have made, and finally as of late, every feeling of pleasure and satisfaction I feel when something turns out just right.
The feeling of self improvement and growth I get is palpable with every time I go on a photographic excursion. It is both exhilarating and almost scary sometimes to push my boundaries to try new techniques and increase my skill set. To me, this feeling of growth and being on the edge of my own abilities is one of the most wonderful things about this wonderful hobby that uses and nurtues both technical skill and artistic vision.
Photography constantly presents me with countless opportunities to learn and improve my technique, as well as to develop an artistic vision with which to take advantage of the endless variety of subjects and ideas presented by the world around us.
As of late I have been trying to create photographs that match my vision and perception of the world around me and specifically my unique and wonderful home city of Austin, Texas.
As you peruse my galleries, please feel free to comment on any photos that you especially like or dislike. I enjoy sharing my photos with others, and enjoy reading how they affect other people, for better or for worse.
Currently my photography tools include my new Nikon D200 and 18-200mm lens, which has recenty replaced my venerable D70/"kit" lens combo. Regardless of camera and lens upgrades, my equipment will never tell me in which direction to point the camera or the perfect moment to release the shutter.
The most useful upgrades I could possibly have would be to train my eyes and brain for composition and visualization. The only way to do that is to have a dogged determination to keep shooting even after my initial results turn out dissapointing, and to reward myself with the joy of an occasional success to spur me onwards to new challenges.http://skorz.smugmug.com/Odds-and-Ends/Etc/IMG4304/99511283_42YdX-Ti.jpghttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/2009-12-03T23:09:29ZCopyright 2009, the copyright holder of each photograph. Some portions copyright SmugMug. All rights reserved.SmugMugThe historic Bixby Bridge of California Highway 1.<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />The historic Bixby Bridge of California Highway 1.</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/1035983_wYTik#48107320_M3DRX" title="The historic Bixby Bridge of California Highway 1."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/HDR3/48107320_M3DRX-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="The historic Bixby Bridge of California Highway 1." title="The historic Bixby Bridge of California Highway 1." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-07-20T15:16:14ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/HDR3/48107320_M3DRX-Th.jpg36.37228000000000-121.9030310000000055Taken outside the Steps of Rome restaurant, in San Francisco. There is not much else to do when you are waiting an hour and a half for a table.
In retrospect, I wish I had used my sharp 50m ...<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />Taken outside the Steps of Rome restaurant, in San Francisco. There is not much else to do when you are waiting an hour and a half for a table.
In retrospect, I wish I had used my sharp 50m ...</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-19-San-Francisco/1555459_NQJiA#75050413_a3g6H" title="Taken outside the Steps of Rome restaurant, in San Francisco. There is not much else to do when you are waiting an hour and a half for a table.
In retrospect, I wish I had used my sharp 50m ..."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-19-San-Francisco/DSC1578/75050413_a3g6H-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Taken outside the Steps of Rome restaurant, in San Francisco. There is not much else to do when you are waiting an hour and a half for a table.
In retrospect, I wish I had used my sharp 50m ..." title="Taken outside the Steps of Rome restaurant, in San Francisco. There is not much else to do when you are waiting an hour and a half for a table.
In retrospect, I wish I had used my sharp 50m ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-02-20T19:37:28ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-19-San-Francisco/DSC1578/75050413_a3g6H-Th.jpg2004-06-19 21:12:1937.79855300000000-122.4073810000000024A window overlooks the desert and in the distance, mountains. Taken at the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona.
I think this is a neat picture, but I bet that everyone that goes to the meteo ...<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />A window overlooks the desert and in the distance, mountains. Taken at the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona.
I think this is a neat picture, but I bet that everyone that goes to the meteo ...</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-Summer-Drive-to/1030174_LG3uZ#48375470_EJ97U" title="A window overlooks the desert and in the distance, mountains. Taken at the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona.
I think this is a neat picture, but I bet that everyone that goes to the meteo ..."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-Summer-Drive-to/tentative/48375470_EJ97U-Th.jpg" width="150" height="99" alt="A window overlooks the desert and in the distance, mountains. Taken at the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona.
I think this is a neat picture, but I bet that everyone that goes to the meteo ..." title="A window overlooks the desert and in the distance, mountains. Taken at the Barringer Meteor Crater in Arizona.
I think this is a neat picture, but I bet that everyone that goes to the meteo ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-02-21T17:44:52ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-Summer-Drive-to/tentative/48375470_EJ97U-Th.jpg2004-05-25 16:11:2035.03262700000000-111.022992000000001715The morning fog encroaches on CA-1, making for dangerous but exhilarating driving.<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />The morning fog encroaches on CA-1, making for dangerous but exhilarating driving.</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/1035983_wYTik#48107299_vxgTc" title="The morning fog encroaches on CA-1, making for dangerous but exhilarating driving."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/HDR2/48107299_vxgTc-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="The morning fog encroaches on CA-1, making for dangerous but exhilarating driving." title="The morning fog encroaches on CA-1, making for dangerous but exhilarating driving." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-05T09:59:29ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/HDR2/48107299_vxgTc-Th.jpgA bridge disapears into the morning fog along CA-1.<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />A bridge disapears into the morning fog along CA-1.</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/1035983_wYTik#48061641_aRuRA" title="A bridge disapears into the morning fog along CA-1."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/dsc4687-4695hdr-copy/48061641_aRuRA-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="A bridge disapears into the morning fog along CA-1." title="A bridge disapears into the morning fog along CA-1." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-05T07:23:48ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/dsc4687-4695hdr-copy/48061641_aRuRA-Th.jpgTaken somewhere on the 1300 block of Grant Ave. in San Francisco. Again, the camera exposed for the blue sky, leaving the building and fire escape woefully underexposed. Without masking (whi ...<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />Taken somewhere on the 1300 block of Grant Ave. in San Francisco. Again, the camera exposed for the blue sky, leaving the building and fire escape woefully underexposed. Without masking (whi ...</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-19-San-Francisco/1555459_NQJiA#75057617_TWGMm" title="Taken somewhere on the 1300 block of Grant Ave. in San Francisco. Again, the camera exposed for the blue sky, leaving the building and fire escape woefully underexposed. Without masking (whi ..."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-19-San-Francisco/DSC1572/75057617_TWGMm-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Taken somewhere on the 1300 block of Grant Ave. in San Francisco. Again, the camera exposed for the blue sky, leaving the building and fire escape woefully underexposed. Without masking (whi ..." title="Taken somewhere on the 1300 block of Grant Ave. in San Francisco. Again, the camera exposed for the blue sky, leaving the building and fire escape woefully underexposed. Without masking (whi ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-08T15:09:54ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-19-San-Francisco/DSC1572/75057617_TWGMm-Th.jpg2004-06-19 20:18:3737.79890900000000-122.4073040000000028Sometimes I wish I was still there.<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />Sometimes I wish I was still there.</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/1039915_oVXRa#72198199_R3PAw" title="Sometimes I wish I was still there."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/DSC1376/72198199_R3PAw-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Sometimes I wish I was still there." title="Sometimes I wish I was still there." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-07T18:53:04ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/DSC1376/72198199_R3PAw-Th.jpg2004-06-06 17:28:0237.17353600000000-121.84240000000000458I was in San Jose that Summer, from Texas. When we visited this park, I immediately noted aloud how brown everything looked, as far as the eye could see. The guy that was leading us on the h ...<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />I was in San Jose that Summer, from Texas. When we visited this park, I immediately noted aloud how brown everything looked, as far as the eye could see. The guy that was leading us on the h ...</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/1039915_oVXRa#71612030_FwYQu" title="I was in San Jose that Summer, from Texas. When we visited this park, I immediately noted aloud how brown everything looked, as far as the eye could see. The guy that was leading us on the h ..."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/dsc1361/71612030_FwYQu-Th.jpg" width="100" height="150" alt="I was in San Jose that Summer, from Texas. When we visited this park, I immediately noted aloud how brown everything looked, as far as the eye could see. The guy that was leading us on the h ..." title="I was in San Jose that Summer, from Texas. When we visited this park, I immediately noted aloud how brown everything looked, as far as the eye could see. The guy that was leading us on the h ..." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-02-21T01:30:48ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/dsc1361/71612030_FwYQu-Th.jpg2004-06-06 16:58:2637.17455900000000-121.83006200000000195Ryon (Skorz)'s photo<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a> </p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/1039915_oVXRa#71611370_xyg4o" title="Ryon (Skorz)'s photo"><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/dsc1378/71611370_xyg4o-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Ryon (Skorz)'s photo" title="Ryon (Skorz)'s photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-07T16:54:29ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/2004-06-04-Quicksilver-Park/dsc1378/71611370_xyg4o-Th.jpg2004-06-06 17:29:4837.17432600000000-121.82353300000000147Ryon (Skorz)'s photo<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a> </p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/1035983_wYTik#51823456_Tco8g" title="Ryon (Skorz)'s photo"><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/HDR2filtered/51823456_Tco8g-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Ryon (Skorz)'s photo" title="Ryon (Skorz)'s photo" style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-05T19:25:29ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/HDR2filtered/51823456_Tco8g-Th.jpgShrouded by mist, the historic Bixby Bridge of California-1 crosses an inlet along the Pacific coast.<p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com">Ryon (Skorz)</a><br />Shrouded by mist, the historic Bixby Bridge of California-1 crosses an inlet along the Pacific coast.</p><p><a href="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/1035983_wYTik#48107289_7R3kJ" title="Shrouded by mist, the historic Bixby Bridge of California-1 crosses an inlet along the Pacific coast."><img src="http://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/done/48107289_7R3kJ-Th.jpg" width="150" height="100" alt="Shrouded by mist, the historic Bixby Bridge of California-1 crosses an inlet along the Pacific coast." title="Shrouded by mist, the historic Bixby Bridge of California-1 crosses an inlet along the Pacific coast." style="border: 1px solid #000000;" /></a></p>2009-06-05T09:50:38ZRyon (Skorz)http://skorz.smugmug.comhttp://skorz.smugmug.com/Travel/California/California-Highway-One/done/48107289_7R3kJ-Th.jpg36.37221300000000-121.9029140000000053