Ask a Texan to name his favorite part of the state and he’ll probably say the Hill Country. This rolling open country, crisscrossed by creeks and rivers, wooded with ancient live oaks and junipers, holds many rewarding sites for photographers—like the huge granite dome of Enchanted Rock, and the cypress-lined Guadalupe River.

Laurence Parent shows you the best photo spots in the most popular places as well as the best photo ops in the area’s little-known gems. He also covers scenic spots to photograph in the two large cities on the edge of the Hill Country—Austin and San Antonio. Not only does he help you identify great locations, he also offers solid advice on the best time of year to visit, the best time of day to shoot, and tips and techniques for getting the most out of your time.