Kendall County
I hadn’t done much photographing in Kendall County until I made a 230-mile circuit through the Texas Hill Country on September 29. My goal was a waterfall that another Austin photographer had made me aware of. I found it a few miles south of Kendalia, where Edge Falls Road crosses Curry Creek. The actual Edge Falls, which I’ve read is larger, lies upstream but isn’t open to the public. Neither is what you see here; all I could do was look (and photograph, of course) from the little bridge that carries the road over the creek.
© 2016 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
There’s that beautiful hill country water-and-rock combination. Is the falling water on the left a result of rains, or springs, or does the creek actually run on two levels? it’s a wonderful spot. Wouldn’t a hike up that creekbed be great?
shoreacres
October 7, 2016 at 5:12 AM
If I’d read your link first, I could have answered my own questions, especially with this: “Springs flow from cracks in the surrounding rock walls near the pool.”
shoreacres
October 7, 2016 at 5:16 AM
It was tempting to walk in but signs made it clear that visitors aren’t welcome. An attractive photograph of this waterfall taken at a better time of day and in wetter conditions shows the water on the left seeming to spill over the top, though there could still be water lower down coming from underground.
Steve Schwartzman
October 7, 2016 at 5:50 AM
I like the more comprehensive view of the rocks, although I’d have to say the linked photo is a bit dramatic for my taste. I certainly can appreciate cottony water and starbursts, but, generally speaking, I don’t prefer them. On the other hand, now I’m even more convinced that would be a wonderful hike. Too bad it’s not accessible.
shoreacres
October 7, 2016 at 6:25 AM
The photographer of the linked picture most likely used a technique called HDR, for high dynamic range. That accounts for the drama. Some people like it, while others feel the effect often gets pushed too far beyond reality.
Steve Schwartzman
October 7, 2016 at 7:01 AM
HDR processing can be very effective, especially under extremely-challenging lighting conditions. The linked example, in my opinion, is one that, as you mentioned, was pushed (way) too far beyond reality (and believability). This is a really lovely spot, and it’s good that you were able to make your image from the accessible bridge. I’d love to see an image of this made under foggy conditions.
krikitarts
October 9, 2016 at 10:48 PM
The shadowed rocks at the left and the sunlit ones at the right were so far apart in brightness that when I processed the image in Adobe Camera Raw I had to move the highlights slider way to the left and the shadows slider way to the right. That simulates a restrained HDR version of the scene.
As far as I recall, I’d never been by that place before, so I don’t know how often the area is subject to fog. I suspect I’ll never find out. It’s unfortunate that even in Austin I rarely get an opportunity for pictures in fog.
Edge Falls Rd. is out in the country and doesn’t get much traffic, so standing (and sometimes sitting) in the roadway on the bridge posed no danger.
Steve Schwartzman
October 9, 2016 at 11:08 PM
Even from a distance, it captures the scene nicely.
Pit
October 7, 2016 at 7:31 AM
It’s a shame to be so close physically and yet so far away permissionally (to make up a word). One does what one can.
Steve Schwartzman
October 7, 2016 at 7:49 AM
It is a shame you can’t explore the area freely. I like what you did with it, though. I was just reading about a developer who builds high-end houses in the hill country. I didn’t note the name of the guy, but what interested me was that he takes care to preserve the sites and their native vegetation when he builds, and uses sustainable materials. While I wish no development was necessary, I at least am pleased to learn of developers who seek to pursue their business in a sensitive way that will foster a sense of place to its residents. Of course, I was reading what amounted to an advertisement; you may well know who I am referring to and the news story may have been sugar-coating things.
melissabluefineart
October 7, 2016 at 8:56 AM
Unfortunately what you see in the picture is private property. From what I read, the larger falls was open to the public as a private park from the 1930s to the 1970s. I don’t know the reason for the closure. Perhaps visitors were too rowdy and tore the place up, littered, etc. Or maybe the owner got tired of having to maintain the business. All speculation on my part.
I’m afraid I don’t know who that developer is. I did a little looking with likely search terms but didn’t turn up anything. If you run across the name again, please let me know.
Steve Schwartzman
October 7, 2016 at 1:18 PM
I will.
melissabluefineart
October 8, 2016 at 8:25 AM
amazing!
Giuseppa Sallustio
October 7, 2016 at 9:18 AM
Grazie, Giuseppa. Welcome to the Texas Hill Country.
Steve Schwartzman
October 7, 2016 at 9:51 AM
Thanks so much, it is my pleasure
Giuseppa Sallustio
October 9, 2016 at 12:03 PM
I will dream of swimming there!!!
Sarah Longes - Mirador Design
October 7, 2016 at 5:13 PM
I’m afraid a dream is all it will be. Sorry.
Steve Schwartzman
October 7, 2016 at 5:28 PM
I realised 😦
Sarah Longes - Mirador Design
October 7, 2016 at 5:34 PM
You realized that you won’t realize your dream of swimming there.
Steve Schwartzman
October 7, 2016 at 6:03 PM
In my dreams I am skinny and look great in a bikini 😉 Nah, I realise the sad necessity of keeping such beauty spots free from the contamination of humanity!! It’s still a really nice dream though 😀
Sarah Longes - Mirador Design
October 7, 2016 at 6:21 PM
“We are such stuff / As dreams are made on….”
Steve Schwartzman
October 8, 2016 at 6:18 AM
“All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream”
Sarah Longes - Mirador Design
October 8, 2016 at 6:41 AM
Pedro Calderón de la Barca wrote something similar in his 1635 play “La vida es sueño,” “Life is a dream”:
“que toda la vida es sueño,
y los sueños, sueños son.”
Our whole life is a dream,
and dreams are [themselves] dreams.
Steve Schwartzman
October 8, 2016 at 6:58 AM
I wonder if his words inspired Poe!
Sarah Longes - Mirador Design
October 9, 2016 at 6:27 AM
Good question. I did a little searching but didn’t turn up any connection. The idea of life being a dream is an ancient one, seemingly rediscovered by variously people.
Steve Schwartzman
October 9, 2016 at 7:12 AM
[…] two miles south of the waterfall you saw last time, Edge Falls Rd. crosses the Guadalupe River. Because the horizontal picture above doesn’t […]
Down the road a little bit | Portraits of Wildflowers
October 8, 2016 at 5:03 AM
Beautiful. Did they give a reason why it’s closed to the public? Ex: safety, preservation.
BackyardPhotographer Blog
October 8, 2016 at 8:08 PM
I didn’t find any explanation of why the property owner closed Edge Falls to the public in the 1970s. I also don’t know whether the public was ever allowed to come onto the property with the smaller falls shown here.
Steve Schwartzman
October 9, 2016 at 5:51 AM
A beautiful spot. I wonder if administration and liability issues became too burdensome for the property owners.
Gallivanta
October 13, 2016 at 5:26 AM
Your first sentence is for sure. Your second seems highly likely.
Steve Schwartzman
October 13, 2016 at 7:16 AM