Award-Winning Outdoor Photography on Display at Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center

Larry Hodge, 903-676-2277, larry.hodge@tpwd.texas.gov

News Image Share on Facebook Share Release URL

Note: This item is more than 14 years old. Please take the publication date into consideration for any date references.

ATHENS, Texas — Photographs representing the best work of outdoor photographers from across the nation will be on display at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center through December 13.

The winning entries from the Outdoor Writers of America Association (OWAA) annual craft competition include both color and black-and-white images in five categories: scenic, flora, people, action and fauna.

One of the more striking images is of a grove of California coast redwoods taken with the camera held at a 45-degree angle, so the trees appear to shoot up out of the ground from one corner of the photo.

The people category is well-represented by a photo of a fly-fisher netting a fish while standing on a rock in the middle of a river.

Perhaps the most technically challenging image is by nationally known photographer Tom Ulrich. "Swiftcurrent Gorge" captures a fast-flowing stream at dawn, shot facing the sun, yet with details in shadow areas as well as highlights. Anyone familiar with photography will appreciate the difficulty of capturing such an image.

OWAA is the largest and oldest professional association of outdoor communicators in the United States, with some 1,300 members. For more information visit http://www.owaa.org/.

The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is located in Athens, 75 miles southeast of Dallas, at 5550 F.M. 2495. It offers a visitor center with 300,000 gallons of aquaria featuring native Texas fish; daily dive shows; free fishing in a 1.5-acre stocked pond; a wetlands trail; freshwater fishing hall of fame; fishing museum and displays of replicas of the largest fish caught in Texas. All displays, exhibits and fishing are included in the price of admission. TFFC is open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday.

For more information and directions call (903) 676-2277 or visit tpwd.texas.gov/tffc.