In Step
Ennis, Texas is one of the most "pinned" places in the world, known for it's Bluebonnet Trails. This year I was able to capture the added bonus of this mother ...
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Ennis, Texas is one of the most "pinned" places in the world, known for it's Bluebonnet Trails. This year I was able to capture the added bonus of this mother and colt.
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Apr, 2015Views
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Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
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Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken in Ennis, Texas along The Bluebonnet Trails, which is listed at #16 on the "30 Gorgeous Travel Locations: Most-Pinned Places on Earth".Time
Near sunset, cars are lined up and parked on both sides of a narrow country road, where, on one side, this meadow of bluebonnets sits ready every evening for the sun to set over the horizon. I was fortunate that on this particular day and at this particular moment, mother and colt strolled through the pasture. On the opposite side of the road is a hilltop completely blanketed with bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush. People and photographers are scattered all over this Texas-sized hill--from toddlers to brides, trying to catch the last fleeting moments of magic in the day and in the scene, knowing it will be another year before this backdrop presents itself again.Lighting
I'm just grateful that this mare and colt decided to place themselves between me and the setting sun so that I could get this backlit effect!Equipment
This was shot using a Canon 5D Mark III and a 70-20mm f/2.8L lens. I was shooting hand-held with the camera propped on the fence for stability.Inspiration
Bluebonnet pictures have become somewhat of a tradition in Texas, and when you start seeing pictures of your friends in fields of bluebonnets on social media, it's time to grab your camera and run for the hills!Editing
My workflow, as usual, started in Lightroom, where I corrected white balance and did a lot of work with shadow, highlights, noise, and clarity, keeping an eye on the histogram. From there I moved to Photoshop where I removed distractions. Then I returned to Lightroom to apply sharpening and just a hint of vignette. This photo required much less editing than I usually do--in that regard it was a true gift.In my camera bag
I wish I was a light traveler! But, I always want to be ready for anything. I have my 5D Mark III and the 24-105mm kit lens, the EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, and a macro lens, the EF100mm f/2.8. I also have a ring light for macro shooting, Kenko extension tubes, and a remote. For macro shots, it's also helpful to have a small artist's paintbrush along to dust debris off of flowers--a fan brush works great. If you have an air blower to clean your sensor, that works great to remove debris on flowers and macro subjects as well--it can pull double-duty and save you a lot of time in photoshop.Feedback
The Bluebonnet Trails at Ennis have a website at http://www.visitennis.org/ so that you can track when the bluebonnets are at their best in various parts of the county. If you're planning a trip there, you can go online and download a map specific to the day of the week when you'll be going, and hopefully find the bluebonnets where and when they're at their peak. One part of the trail may be best one week, and a different part the next. The back-country roads are well marked with signage to help keep you from getting lost. Remember, if you don't have your tripod, prop your camera on a fence, or lean on a fence or a tree to help keep your camera steady.
