10, 9, 8, 7. . . .

The 2014 Texas (NM & OK) Architectural Photo Tour starts tomorrow. Nine cities in 13 days, covering 2100 miles (not including driving around each of those nine cities, looking for iconic architecture. What is iconic architecture, you ask? The only way I know to describe it is that it's the building you stare at every time you drive by. Send me the name and address of that building if it's in Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, San Antonio (the Alamo doesn't count), El Paso, Albuquerque, Amarillo, or Oklahoma City. Or it could be within 20 miles of the route highlighted on the map in my last blog post.

It doesn't have to be a skyscraper downtown. Those are nice, certainly, but perhaps a bit obvious. It can be any kind of building that grabs your attention. A garage/gas station, restaurant, store, or even a dry cleaner. It just needs to hold your gaze when you pass by.

Looks like there may be some nasty weather tonight, not sure about tomorrow, but it looks like I'll be moving past it tomorrow -- Houston is the first stop. If you can accommodate a weary traveler, fantastic. Otherwise, I'm doing this on the cheap and will probably find a motel on I-10 west of Houston.

Not that I've told many close friends about it, but I'm really excited about taking a road trip. A weekend-long road trip can be pretty spontaneous. A two-week-long road trip, however, requires, at the least, a bit more thought. For me, anyway.

Have a few things to do today before leaving tomorrow. We’ll catch up later.

The 2014 Texas (NM & OK) Whirlwind Architectural Photo Tour

It’s the 2014 Texas Whirlwind Architectural Photo Tour! Well, actually, that should be the Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma Architectural Photo Tour. But that’s just too damned hard to say.

My itinerary includes 9 cities in 14 days: From Dallas on Thursday, July 24th, to Houston, Austin, San Antonio, El Paso, Albuquerque, Amarillo, Oklahoma City, back to Fort Worth, and home to Dallas. I am totally insane!!! But I’m going to do it, nonetheless.

2014 TX NM OK Architectural Photo Tour -- CLICK to enlarge

I want to photograph your favorite building — of whatever size — in each of those cities. This is not a contest. However, it is a request for your help. As familiar as I am with Dallas and, somewhat, Fort Worth, I haven’t been to those other cities in years and need your help in identifying those buildings that are iconic in stature. 

That doesn’t mean they have to be skyscrapers in the downtown Central Business District. Hell, the buildings you suggest could be. . . a funky little gas station or taqueria, or a 3-story office building. Do you find yourself staring at it every time you drive by? THAT’S the building I want to photograph!

Why, you ask, am I doing this? Simple. It’s time to update my Architectural Portfolio and get serious about a longtime interest in this area of photography.

Along the way, maybe I’ll meet some interesting people and throw back a beer or two during down times. I’ll try my best to blog about it here while I’m on the road. 

With the best sun in the morning and evening, I won’t have much of a chance to shoot a LOT of buildings, just the ones that fall into that iconic category. Write me an email (Tanguero@mac.com), text me (469-279-9018) or Tweet me (@TangueroLS) and tell me exactly where the building or business is — correct addresses earn extra points!

And while your at it, pass this along to your friends, and ask them to pass it along. The more people involved, the better.

By the way, for anyone who makes a contribution to the cause along the way, there's a print of your favorite building with your name on it waiting for you at the end. Or, rather, with MY name on it, since. . . well, you get the idea.