Let's be honest: Lubbock is not the traditionally beautiful belle of the ball. She'll never quite compare to a tropical island, a snow-capped mountain or autumnal Vermont. And that's okay. Because Lubbock is exquisite and uniquely beautiful to those people who make the effort to understand her. And then she is their secret treasure.

I happened upon these images that Chris Grubb's captured of the railroad tracks at Lubbock's infamous Hell's Gates. They were so lovely I actually did that hold-your-hand-to-your-heart thing. It's beautiful, and it's also a part of my home. I understand it, and Chris Grubbs understands it.

I reached out to Chris to ask him about photographing Lubbock, and his sentiment rang very closely to my own.

Courtesy Chris Grubbs
Courtesy Chris Grubbs
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I fell in love with photography and the artisan behind the infinite kinds of photos one can get just by going out in the world with a camera and deliberately finding the beauty in everything. I love Lubbock for its scenery, mainly the hidden gems out in places like Dunbar Lake or Mackenzie Park, but also for the amount of life that's really out here that hardly anyone seems to notice because they've been told there's nothing here to do or look at.

Chris sent me more beautiful images that dispel the myth of an ugly or boring Lubbock, including this amazing autumnal multi-tree.

Courtsey of Chris Grubbs
Courtesy of Chris Grubbs
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And this haunting, overcast shore-side shot:

Courtsey of Chris Grubbs
Courtesy of Chris Grubbs
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But out of all the gorgeous photos I saw, my favorites are the alleyways.

Since I was a high school student, I've enjoyed walking our downtown alleys. They have stayed mostly unchanged for decades, and walking them is walking in another era in my beautiful city.

Courtsey Chris Grubbs
Courtesy Chris Grubbs
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Courtsey Chris Grubbs
Courtesy Chris Grubbs
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Chris is not "just" a photographer either; he's an all-around artist:

I graduated from Texas Tech University with a BA in Electronic Media and Communication. I used that time to focus on entertainment media, specifically writing, directing, camera work, voice acting and even radio work. I had a show with KTXT for a bit that focused on Christian Metal and religious discussion before going back to simple voice work, writing spots, and cohosting on occasion.

You can check out his audio drama project, The Vicious Tourists here. And if you fell in love with his photography like I did, you can follow him on Instagram and Facebook.

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