Let’s start with the idea that I am not exactly a fan of swamps. I don’t enjoy the kind of wet and damp weather nor the swamp creatures. But, autumn at Caddo Lake is a whole other swamp! This has become my favorite place to photograph.

I am currently working on colorful and informative coffee table book “ Caddo Lake”

A little background, Caddo Lake, is located in the shared geographical area between Texas and Louisiana. The Lake is a labyrinth of waterways and a where each turn reveals a scene that truly stretches the imaginationI

Caddo Lake covers more than 25,000 acres of a living, breathing ecosystem written by Mother Nature herself. All you see as far as the eye can see is acres of ancient and young Spanish moss-draped cypress trees and lily pad lagoons. Green and damp for most of the year and then … then autumn swamp takes center stage.

There may be 65,000 acres of waterways but limited access to areas to take images. The town of Uncertain, yes that’s the name, is a little town and the only town near Lake access. There are few trails that go nowhere and I can’t take my gear on a canoe or a Kayak. No way!

The other way is by boat and those are hard to get and expensive but its’ worth it.

Leaving the swamps as the sun falls below the horizon. Everyone leaves the swamps before night covers the light.

This is where imagination comes in … during morning and sunsets the colors, the swamps gets saturated with colors of red and yellow. And then, as night falls and the silence covers all sound, it can get really creepy!!!

All you can hear the sound of the swamps and the life that lives in the trees, in the bogs and on the water itself. Wolves used to roam the swamps, they are all gone now, they were eliminated years ago, but sometimes you wonder and so do the local folks the small town of Uncertain when you can hear a howl in the distance or it is swamp’s imagination playing tricks on the mind.

The area is rich in history…

Caddo Lake played a significant role in the transportation of cotton, especially during the 19th century when the cotton industry was booming in the region. Here’s a more detailed look at how the lake was utilized for this purpose:. Caddo Lake is a large, shallow, and meandering body of water that is part of the Red River watershed. Its interconnecting bayous and waterways made it an accessible route for transporting goods, including cotton, from the surrounding agricultural areas. Flatboats and Barges: During the 19th century, flatboats and barges were commonly used to navigate the waters of Caddo Lake. These vessels were well-suited for the shallow waters and could carry large quantities of cotton and other goods. Farmers would load their cotton bales onto these boats for transport.

On an early morning boat ride to the wide waters of the Caddo swamps the cloudy day gave way the fog and only the trees and directional poles remained visible.

THE AMAZING CADDO LAKE

My experience as a movie set photographer

THE STAMPEDE