Local photographer wows with new coffee table book

Dripping Springs photographer Jerry Moreno has been looking up at Dripping Springs’ sky since he was six years old. The heavens of his hometown sky made an indelible impression on him.

“That’s how I got started in photography,” Moreno said. “I just wanted to take a picture of the stars. From there I started looking for other things of interest in the foreground—where people can make a connection with the image.”

Moreno has now compiled his images into a coffee book that he is making available for sale. “After I decided to expand my photography beyond stars, I started driving around Dripping Springs, looking for places and things people would recognize. I don’t follow a set of rules, and I didn’t go to school for photography. Growing up I didn’t realize photography was an art, I just sort of grew into it. I find that my best photos just happen. I find that when I try to compose, it doesn’t turn out the way I want it to.”

The 2011 Dripping Springs High School graduate did dabble in art while in school, however, and believes the seeds of his photography were always there. “In high school I did take some art courses in drawing, so I guess the ‘eye’ was always there. I just had to find the right medium, and for me that medium is photography.”

Yet as varied as his photography subjects expand, he finds himself returning to the sky. “This town is full of amazing views and the fact that it's an International Dark Sky community helps as well. I love sharing my images with everyone including my night sky images as most people are indoors and in bed during the night. I don’t ever see myself moving away from Dripping,” Moreno said.

He has been shooting images of the night sky since about 2014. When he showed his pictures to others, they were impressed and urged him to put a book of his photographs together.

“Before making a book I decided to test my luck by making a calendar containing images from our town. The calendar did excellent and that pushed me to finally make the book. This is the first book I have published but I hope to continue making books in the coming years…My hope is to have my photos all over Dripping businesses in the coming year or two,” Moreno said.

For more information about purchasing Moreno’s coffee book, email: [email protected] or phone 512-644-4404. 

Additional images by Moreno can be found on Instagram @morenojphoto .

For Century News photogallery of Moreno's work visit: https://www.drippingspringsnews.com/jerry-moreno-photos .