Let me paint you a picture: I had a full, responsible plan to rest up before a big evening shoot. Camera batteries charged, feet up, zero regrets. Then my wife Mary texted me a photo from the Final Countdown Highland Games out at Hye Cider Company, and there was our buddy Brody judging one of the groups, and just like that, FOMO won. I threw my gear in the car and drove out to Hye, TX, and honestly? Best impulse decision I've made in a while. The Final Countdown is a Masters division (that's 40 and up, and yes, these athletes are absolutely putting younger folks to shame) co-ed Highland Games, and the energy out there was exactly the kind of thing I live to photograph. Fun, fierce, and full of people who genuinely love what they're doing.


The conditions were working in my favor, too. Great light, manageable crowds, and for once I had the freedom to actually move around and find the angles I wanted without negotiating around a rope line. I spent most of the morning and afternoon out there, cheering on Mary as she competed (my dad came out to support her, which is wholesome as heck) and just genuinely having a blast with my camera. Highland Games photography is one of those things that hits differently when you're personally connected to the sport, and this session reminded me why I got into event photography in the first place.


If you've got a Highland Games, athletic competition, or outdoor sporting event coming up in the Texas Hill Country or anywhere around Austin, I'd love to come out and capture it. These are exactly the kinds of shoots that get me fired up. Hit me up and let's talk!


When: May 16th, 2026

Where: Hye Cider Company, Hye, TX

Man in kilt throwing shot put at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Tattooed man in kilt and knee socks tosses caber at Highland Games outdoor competition on sunny day.
Man in tartan kilt tosses caber at Scottish Highland Games outdoors.
Man in blue shirt and tartan kilt tossing a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in tartan kilt tossing a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in tartan kilt tossing a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Three flagpoles flying Scottish, American, and Texas flags outdoors at a Highland Games festival on a sunny day.
Woman in kilt tossing a sheaf with a pitchfork at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in kilt and blue shirt tossing caber at Scottish Highland Games outdoors.
Woman in plaid skirt and knee socks tossing a wicker basket with a blade outdoors.
Person in tartan kilt throwing a caber at a Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in green shirt and kilt performing Highland Games hammer throw on grassy field at outdoor Scottish festival.
Man in blue shirt and tartan kilt tossing a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman competing in Highland Games throws event, wearing tartan skirt, with spectators watching in outdoor field.
Woman in green shirt throwing a stone at a Highland Games competition outdoors near a metal building.
Man in blue shirt and tartan kilt competes in Highland Games, holding a wooden pole beside a weighted bag.
Man in kilt tossing caber at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Athlete in kilt competes in Highland Games hammer throw event outdoors, spectators watching in background.
Man in tartan kilt tossing a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Athlete competes in outdoor disc golf tournament, releasing disc mid-throw while spectators watch on a sunny day.
Bearded man in kilt throws heavy weight at Highland Games competition outdoors with spectators watching nearby.
Man in kilt and blue shirt throws shot put at Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Two people in casual outdoor attire chat in a sunny green field, carrying bags near large shade trees.
Man in blue shirt and tartan kilt throwing a stone ball at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in blue tartan kilt tossing a caber at a Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in green shirt and tartan kilt throws sheaf with pitchfork at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Athlete in kilt competes in Highland Games shot put, arm raised mid-throw on sunny grass field.
Bearded man in blue tartan kilt throwing weight at Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in kilt and maroon shirt crouches on grass field during Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in green shirt and kilt throws a stone at a Highland Games competition near a Heritage Glen RV.
Man in kilt throws heavy weight at Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Tattooed archer in tartan kilt shoots arrow skyward at outdoor Highland games competition.
Athlete competes in Highland Games hammer throw event outdoors, with spectators watching in traditional Scottish attire.
Man in blue tartan kilt performs Highland Games weight toss, reaching arm skyward on grassy field.
Man in tartan kilt tossing caber at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in tartan kilt performing Highland Games weight throw outdoors, wearing sunglasses and black shirt on green field.
Athlete in tartan kilt competes in Highland Games hammer throw event outdoors.
Man in tartan kilt throws weight over bar at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Athlete in blue shirt and kilt tosses a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Tattooed man in blue shirt, tartan kilt, and red socks competing in caber toss at Highland Games.
Men in kilts compete in Highland Games athletic events outdoors, with one athlete in mid-throw stance.
Man in tartan kilt competes in Highland Games hammer throw event outdoors, with spectators watching nearby.
Man in kilt tossing caber at Scottish Highland Games with barn and judge in tartan skirt in background.
Man in tartan kilt tossing a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Muscular bald man with beard wearing kilt tossing caber at Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in yellow tartan kilt tossing a caber at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in tartan kilt competing in Highland Games hammer throw event outdoors with trees in background.
Athlete in tartan kilt competes in Highland Games throwing event outdoors.
Athlete in green shirt and tartan kilt tosses weight overhead at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in plaid skirt and purple tank top tosses weight over bar at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in plaid skirt and purple top looks up at pole during outdoor Highland Games competition.
Woman in plaid skirt and white socks throws object skyward during Highland Games competition outdoors.
Athlete in tartan kilt and white socks competes in Highland Games hammer throw on grassy field.
Woman in kilt and blue socks reaches up during Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in tartan kilt and white socks reaches up during Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in tartan kilt and purple shirt competing in Highland Games, reaching up toward a pole on grassy field.
Woman in tartan kilt throws weight over bar at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Two people smiling outdoors at a Scottish Highland Games event, woman wearing a tartan kilt with patches and green shirt.
Man in tartan kilt throwing weight at Scottish Highland Games competition outdoors.
Athlete in kilt competes in Highland Games weight toss, reaching skyward on grassy field.
Competitor in a purple shirt and kilt participates in a Highland Games event on a grassy field.
Woman in tartan kilt and Montana shirt tosses weight overhead at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in plaid skirt and knee socks tosses a weight in a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Tattooed man in kilt competes in Highland Games throwing event on grassy field.
Man in yellow tartan kilt competing in Highland Games throwing event on grassy field with trees in background.
Two men in colorful kilts compete in Highland Games hammer throw on a sunny day outdoors.
Man in kilt throws hammer at Highland Games competition outdoors, with spectator in tartan watching nearby.
People gather at outdoor Highland Games event with American, Scottish, and Texas flags flying on tall poles against blue sky.
Man in kilt competes in Highland Games throwing event, with spectators watching outdoors.
Bearded man in tartan kilt throws sheaf with pitchfork at Scottish Highland Games outdoor competition.
Man in blue tartan kilt competing in Highland Games sheaf toss event outdoors.
Man in kilt performs Scottish Highland Games sheaf toss with pitchfork at outdoor competition.
Man in green tartan kilt and West Texas Silverback shirt competing at Highland Games outdoor event.
Man in kilt throwing sheaf with pitchfork at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Three women smiling together outdoors at a sunny festival, wearing casual summer clothes on green grass.
Aerial view of outdoor gathering with American and Scottish flags on tall poles in a green field with trees and parked cars.
Man in tartan kilt competing in Highland Games hammer throw on sunny day.
Man in kilt and red socks throws hammer at Highland Games competition outdoors on sunny day.
Athlete in tartan kilt throws hammer at Highland Games competition, with chain-link fence and spectators in background.
A man in a kilt competes in a Highland Games hammer throw event on a sunny day outdoors.
Athlete in tartan kilt and rainbow socks throws weight over bar at Scottish Highland Games outdoor competition.
Two women greeting each other warmly at an outdoor gathering with others seated nearby on a sunny day.
Tattooed athlete in plaid kilt throws shot put at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Woman in plaid skirt throwing a heavy ball at a Highland Games athletic competition outdoors.
Athlete in tartan kilt throwing stone ball at Highland Games competition outdoors.
Man in tartan kilt throwing a ball at a Highland Games competition outdoors.
Four craft cider bottles with colorful labels displayed on a table outdoors at a festival event.
Woman in plaid skirt throwing a stone at a Highland Games competition outdoors near a metal building.
Man in kilt throwing hammer at Highland Games competition outdoors on green field under partly cloudy sky.
Man in kilt throwing stone ball at Highland Games competition outdoors near metal buildings.