EXPLORING THE LIVE MUSIC CAPITAL OF THE WORLD - AUSTIN, TEXAS

I've been M.I.A. recently... and, I am happy to report that the reason for my online absence was due to a much-needed vacation.  It was time to get away, switch off the ol' noggin and soak up some American culture in the Lone Star State.

Tim and I celebrated our one-year wedding anniversary last Saturday, April 9th with a week-long adventure to Austin, Texas - the 'Live Music Capital of the World'. We loved it. Because, with all of that music, Texas BBQ, cold beer and sunshine - what's not to love?!  Plus, it's full of surprises around every corner that make for some great photo ops...

(To view the full gallery, click here to visit our page & become a fan of Anne Watson Photography on Facebook!)

WILD, WILD WESTERN WYOMING

I've found throughout my travels that there are few places in the world these days (particularly in the bustling U.S.) that truly feel untouched by man. Growing up in California, I've heard lots of talk of the 'Wild, Wild West' - the frontier that Pioneers 'discovered' (well - cough, cough - along with the 'discovery' of the Native Americans who were already living there for thousands of years - ahem! But, I digress...)

Wyoming is one of these places, though, where today you can still get a sense of the vast wilderness - the beautiful, wild land that America once was.  It is stunning. With breathtaking landscapes around every bend, Wyoming is hands-down one of the most beautiful places I've ever been, let alone had the opportunity to ride my motorcycle through. It's the kind of natural beauty that makes you gasp inside your motorcycle helmet, and slows your mind as you take it all in. I hope to make it back one day - meantime, I like to look through my photos and reflect...

A TRIBUTE TO TRUCKERS

On a long-haul motorcycle trip it's hard to recount the thousands of sights, sounds and smells that you take in each day you're on the road. One constant, though, that seems to always be there regardless of where you are in the U.S. - whether it be on the crowded Interstate in a big city or a two-lane highway in the middle of nowhere - is the American icon of the 18-Wheeler Semi Truck.

These 'Big Rigs' are the backbone of America - our country would come to a standstill if it weren't for the dedication of Truckers out there who spend weeks on the road moving products coast-to-coast. The below is a sequence I took of my husband Tim & his Harley in the middle of the Anzo-Borego California Desert as a Tribute to the Truckers of America...

CLOUDS

I woke up this morning to a cloudy day and it got me thinkin'... while it may sound simple, some of my favorite things to photograph are clouds.

There they are - over our heads in the sky every day, just passing us by on the wind, morphing every second into something new. And every once in a while you look up and they take your breath away. With their whispy shapes, they way they catch the sunlight and the colors in the sky, each one different from another, relaxed & dreamy one moment and then threatening & gloomy the next.

So, here's a little selection of some of my favorite clouds I've photographed in recent months around the U.S. for your day-dreaming pleasure...