I thought that the county courthouse over in Burnet might look nice for Christmas, so I went to check it out and shoot some photos. I wanted these photos to be in early twilight so that there would be some color in the sky to offset the bright lights. Twilight passes quickly this time of year, so I didn’t have a lot of time.
The first one below is an HDR merge of four images from directly across the street.
I tried to get the Christmas tree centered but I don’t think that I did a great job. I think the problem was that there are larger trees on the left than there are on the right and that is what I was framing with. I was centered directly across the street from the courthouse, but to me it looks like the camera is looking off to the left a little.
There were a lot of photographers out on this Sunday night before Christmas and when I could stay out of their shot, I got down low on the corner with a very wide lens (14mm). I thought that the looking up perspective might be pleasing.
I put in some effort trying to correct the distorted perspective on this shot. You get this with a wide lens that has anything nearby and toward the edges of the frame. I lined up on the center lamp post and did a reasonable job, I think. But, be assured that all of those lamp posts are nice and vertical in reality.
In hindsight, I might have gotten down close to the base of the Christmas tree and took a few shots. I thought about this but was trying to stay out of everyone else’s shots.
Not much else to say but have a merry Christmas.
Jason Frels 
Beautiful shots. Looks like the town of Burnet goes all out for the Yule season. I recognize that courthouse. As I remember, it sits smack in the middle of town, surrounded by streets on all four sides. I worked in that town once, very briefly, at the radio station (KHLB). They fired my ass after a month, because they didn’t like my on-air sense of humor. And also because I wouldn’t get a haircut. Ah, the memories.
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It actually looks and is situated almost identical to every other Texas small county courthouse. I could have gone over to Georgetown and taken the same picture I think.
Not everyone has a sense of humor. Kind of weird that some people can’t just laugh at things. I try not to have much of a sense of humor at work. Burnet is pretty much a rural town so that is kind of your audience there. Now cut that mullet.
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I was there in ’79. Seemed to me like there were people living there who’d never been outside the county. Rather backward folks. I guess they weren’t prepared for a long-haired California wiseguy like me.
Mullet is right. These days, if I had long hair, it would naturally be a mullet.
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In 79 Austin would have just been a town and that place was probably very rural. I kind of grew up around the same cowtown, but a hundred or so miles South.
Today, Burnet is probably quite a bit different with its proximity to Austin. It is actually become overridden with wineries. And with the dammed up lakes close by, there is a lot of fishing and camping traffic. But, I know the goat roper, cowtown that are talking about.
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I never got down to Austin, though I wish I’d seen it. I lived on the shores of Buchanan Dam Lake, and commuted to Burnet. That whole area was very rural.
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I think Austin was mainly the University of Texas back then. And every other year it was filled with state politicians when the legislature was in session.
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That’s one laid-back legislature.
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I think that the State constitution says that they only meet in the spring of odd years.
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Holy crap. Must make it hard to get anything accomplished.
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I think that was the point
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Fired for your sense of humor! Nope, I wouldn’t want to work there. Not that I could be a deejay anyway, but that’s besides the point. 🙂
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It was my first deejay job, and my routine wasn’t very polished. But I don’t think my jokes were over the top. Maybe flat on the floor, but nothing risque. At least not by California standards.
About four months later I was hired by a station in New Mexico, and things turned around. My delivery and board skills improved, and they hired a very talented crew of on-air personalities that I worked with and had to compete against. But we all had a blast. I had the time of my life working there, and have very fond memories of those days. And our radio station went from the basement in the ratings, to number 1.
They had a sense of humor.
Oh, I think you could be a deejay. Just keep your Chapin’s and Stevens’ straight, and you would do alright.
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Yay for having a great experience with your other deejay job. Wow on helping them raise to Number 1! You all were a talented crew. 🙂
Haha! No, I don’t foresee being a deejay in my future.
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We had a lot of fun. The talent there was awesome. I did my best to keep up with them, and maybe occasionally succeeded. I know I sure learned a lot.
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Fun makes work not seem like work! 🙂
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It does. Though it still never hurts to ask for a raise.
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LOL! True. 🙂
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So nice! I would love to see our city do more in the way of decorating. They seem to be satisfied with one lone decorated tree outside City Hall. Happy Christmas to you too.
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Thanks. It sounds like you have a project for next year then.
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Great shots! Love the 2nd photo especially!
Have a very Merry Christmas! 🙂
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You did well in keeping some daylight in the sky to contrast with the electric lights.
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