January 2026 — First Entry
This year, I’m choosing lightness.
I’m putting down the heavy camera body—the one that makes me think too much, measure too much, know too much. I’m picking up the cheap little KODAK PIXPRO FZ55-BK instead. Not because it’s better, but because it’s freer.
I want to move through the year without feeling like I’m “on assignment.” With a small camera in my hand, people don’t stiffen. They don’t perform. They don’t zoom their attention onto the gear. The camera disappears, and what’s left is humanness—small gestures, half-moments, real expressions. The stuff that made me fall in love with photography in the first place.
The DSLR makes me technical. It pulls me into settings, sharpness, perfection. I know too much now, and sometimes that knowledge gets in the way. It makes me chase control instead of curiosity.
This little camera feels like a reset. A permission slip to be curious again. To shoot because something feels interesting, not because it’s “correct.” To miss shots and not care. To follow instinct instead of rules.
This year isn’t about proving anything.
It’s about wandering.
About noticing.
About freedom.
If I can look back at the photos from 2026 and feel like I was there—present, playful, human—then this camera will have done exactly what I needed it to do.
I’m looking forward to lighter hands and quieter moments, so here we go… .
Terlingua - September 2025
Thank You for what I cannot measure, for what I cannot see, and for what I cannot explain—because I know it is You.
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.” (Matthew 24:42)
Day 1 – Tuesday, September 2: Sugarland to San Antonio
10:30 AM: Pick up rental car from Sugar Land Airport (Hertz)
Drive to San Antonio: Direct drive (3 hours)
2 – 6 PM: Dinner plans (TX Roadhouse) with Javi’s fam.
Afterwards: Check-into Aloft San Antonio UTSA Area for the night.
Day 2 – Wednesday, September 3: San Antonio →Terlingua
Pro Tip: Take the scenic route - US 90 though Del Rio & Marathon (If using GPS Pin drop to Del Rio and then Willow House)
6AM : Start your drive to Willow House in Terlingua. This drive typically takes
~6 hours from San Antonio (but 10-11hrs with bathroom breaks and stops from Houston)
Stop at Grocery Store along the route - HEB on 201 E Main St, Uvalde, TX 78801 (1 hr, 40 mins away from hotel)
4 PM: Check in at Willow House. We cannot enter the premises beforehand.
Gas Up as soon as you enter Terlingua! There’s a gas station across the street and they close early.
Late afternoon: Relax by the pool, enjoy drinks.
8–9 PM: Gather in the main house for dinner prep and we can watch tv in one of theside rooms.
Day 3 – Thursday, September 4: Terlingua & Big Bend
Morning (Breakfast + coffee) options)
Venga Café – artsy spot with breakfast items, coffee, smoothies, sandwiches - we went here for lunch
(basecampterlingua.com).
Espresso y Poco Más – breakfast burritos, tamales, burritos; great view - we went here for breakfast
(GHOST TOWN CASITAS, Restaurantji).
The Bella Bean Coffee Shop at Far Flung – top-rated, good pastries (GHOST
TOWN CASITAS, Restaurantji, Far Flung Outdoor Center).
Canyon Brew Coffee – great brew and baked goods (The Local Chapter, Big
Bend Times).
Late morning / early afternoon: Self Guided Tour on Tripadvisor throughout Big Bend National Park
Late afternoon: Return to Willow House to relax by the pool.
Dinner: We are our Spaghetti and Garlic Bread + Chocolate chip cookies leftovers from last night
Nearby Restaurants that are 6 mins away
Starlight Theatre: https://maps.app.goo.gl/w4TUWe4r9c51EgbT7
■ Hours: 5PM-Midnight
DB’s Rustic Iron BBQ https://maps.app.goo.gl/XGHXN55Hd6invk7YA
■ Hours: 11AM - 9PM
El Gordo’s Grill: https://maps.app.goo.gl/F7vMLwBfWdLRipxq5
■ Hours: 8AM - 9PM (Cheap!)
Venga: https://maps.app.goo.gl/TRcSebequFUXmTeJ7
■ Hours: 7AM - 3PM
Evening: Capture the sunset (perfect stargazing territory!) at Willow House and enjoy
more photography (Texas Highways).
Day 4 – Friday, September 5: Terlingua → Houston