Flowers and Fence Posts
Blue bonnetts line an old barbed wire fence along windy Highway 29 in the Texas Hill Country.
Blue bonnetts line an old barbed wire fence along windy Highway 29 in the Texas Hill Country.
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Apr, 2012Views
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Awards
People's Choice in Texas Bluebonnets Photo Challenge
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Peer Award
Superb Composition
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Behind The Lens
Location
This image of blue bonnets along an old barbed wire fence was shot along windy Texas Highway 29 near Llano and Burnett in the northern part of the Hill Country.Time
While taking a road trip across Texas to visit family we detoured through the Texas Hill Country in search of spring wild flowers and came upon this rural scene in mid-afternoon.Lighting
As this was more of a "spur of the moment" shot as we traveled across the back roads of Texas, I didn't have the ability to wait for the best light, however the afternoon sunshine did provide some shadowing on the old fence posts.Equipment
This was captured with a Sony a350 dSLR using a Sony SAL f/3.5-5.6 16-105mm and a Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod with quick release 496RC2 ballhead.Inspiration
I had always wanted to photograph the famous Texas blue bonnet wildflowers during the annual spring bloom and a family road trip across Texas in 2012 offered the perfect opportunity. We avoided the well traveled interstates and kept to the smaller back country roads and we were not disappointed. The combination of warm weather and rainfall that spring produced a vibrant and picturesque season for wildflowers along the roadsides and fields, especially in the Hill Country. I shot several wildflower images however the rustic feel with the blue bonnets mixed with the worn fence posts makes this one of my favorites.Editing
Post-processing was fairly minimal, consisting of cropping the image and adjustments for contrast, shadows and highlights.In my camera bag
Whether trekking through the wilderness or across busy urban landscapes, I try to keep things simple and travel as light as possible with a bit of a “less is more” attitude. Here are some of the tools that I use to create artistic images of the natural and man-made landscape. Currently, I shoot with a Sony alpha a77ii DSLR as my primary camera with a Sony alpha a350 as a backup. Most often I carry two lenses, a Sony SAL f/3.5-5.6 16-105mm and a Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD. Depending upon the subject and location, I’ll also add a Tamron f/2.8 70-200mm DI USD telephoto zoom. My tripod is an indispensable accessory and I currently use a Manfrotto 190XPROB tripod with quick release 496RC2 ball head. I keep a Lee filter holder and several Lee neutral density and graduated neutral density filters, plus a Lee Little Stopper in my bag too.Feedback
March and April are the best time of year for wildflower viewing and wonderful flower fields abound along the various back country roads of the Texas Hill Country.
