BLUEBONNET SEASON
We share tips on taking picture-perfect photographs.
It’s almost that time of year when Texas roadsides turn into family portrait studios.
Texas bluebonnet season is coming. Already, a few Texans have spied some of the famous blue flowers on roadsides.
Lupinus texensis bloom in March and April, though some stragglers may remain longer in West Texas. Still, consider your window to see them about six weeks maximum.
It’s a rite of passage for parents and children to take photos in a field of the state flower. It’s quite normal to see roadsides from Austin to Houston full of people posing among the patches. Families bustle out of SUVs and college kids laze around ironically among the beautiful fields of blue for Facebook shots and Instagram selfies.
The best views of bluebonnets are typically west of Houston, but they can pop up anywhere that nature deems worthy.
Chronicle photographer and native Texan Mark Mulligan is no stranger to taking pictures of friends and family among the bluebonnets.
Getting the perfect shot takes a little thought, he says.
“A lot of what makes a great bluebonnet photo are the same things that make any photo great: composition, light and moment,” Mulligans says. “Keep going until you get all three.”
Composition entails using what nature has given you, for the most part.
“Take advantage of the clean background a field of bluebonnets can provide. Fill your frame. Get close. Crop out extraneous subject matter in your viewfinder before you shoot,” Mulligan says.
“No one wants a wonderful picture of a loved one that is great except for the light pole sticking out of their head from the background.”
The best light is during “golden hour,” that magical time an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset.
“The light at those times is soft and directional — that means no harsh shadows on peoples faces and under their eyes,” he says. The worst time to photograph is in the middle of the day, when the sun is at its harshest. Squinting never makes for a great photo. An overcast day can make soft light that is perfect for photographs.
Laying around in bluebonnets comes with hazards, though. Remember to check the ground for fire ant mounds, bees, snakes and jagged road debris. Don’t forget that if you’re on the side of a busy highway you could be subjecting yourself and your loved ones to any number of roadway dangers.
Above all, Mulligan says, savor the moment.
“Remember that moments matter the most. Digital frames don’t cost you anything, so shoot away,” he says. “Keep shooting until you get that perfect smile, laugh or look that you’re hoping for. Don’t settle.”
There is a common misconception that it’s illegal to pick bluebonnets and take them with you.
There is no specific law on the books in the Lone Star State regarding picking bluebonnets, but if you damage state property (rights of way), you could be in trouble with the law. Make sure that you aren’t on someone’s private property either.
But leave the blooms so other Texans can enjoy them — and use them for their photo backdrop.