Can you believe it?! It’s almost prime bluebonnet season again! I’ve already seen a few patches showing up here and there on the Texas highways. And, I know it’s a Texas tradition to photograph kiddos in the bluebonnets — so, why not get the best ones ever!
Here are a few tips to photographing your kiddos in the bluebonnets:
1. Don’t delay — don’t wait until they are all trampled down before you go out to take pictures! As soon as there is a large enough patch — go! Where are my favorites? Old Settlers usually has a lovely patch of Indian Paintbrush mixed with Bluebonnets and Brushy Creek Park had beautiful patches last year.
2. Aim to photograph right around 8:30 or 9 in the morning. Oh, I know — kids are in school and maybe you are one of those lucky parents whose toddlers sleep in — but high noon sun means squinty eyes and harsh shadows. You can also go an hour before sunset, too. Shoot with the sun to their backs — you’ll get beautiful light in their hair and even skin color! My biggest pet peeve is seeing photographs with shadows on faces. A slight change in position and poof — your picture is even! Trust me.
3. Get down on their level — a lot of times parents seem to stand and shoot down — which, if you are being creative, that works — but for the most part, you are just trying to get a snapshot … so, kneel and shoot straight on (with their backs to the sun, remember).
4. Bring a stool or blanket or something for them to sit on. Last year I brought a drawing pad for my daughter so that she could draw the bluebonnets — and I just photographed all around her. I am not a fan of everyone looking at the camera — it looks posed and fake and that’s not my style of photography. But photographing a child drawing — or smelling the bluebonnets or skipping through the fields — that’s my cup of tea. Try it — ask your child to smell the bluebonnets … have them describe how it smells and capture *that* expression. Have siblings tell stories to each other and capture *that* — don’t ask them to look at you and smile!
5. Be safe!! Do not — I repeat — do NOT stop on the side of the highway — any highway. I know, I know — they are usually beautiful right on the side of the road. You know what’s not pretty? A child running into traffic. No. Seriously.
6. Wanna get creative? Shoot from your belly and frame the photograph with bluebonnets on all sides of the photograph.
7. Get in the picture. Get a group of friends and go together and exchange cameras so that YOU can be in the picture. It’s more important that you children know you are present in their lives than whether you are skinny enough or (whatever)! They want to look back in ten+ years and see their mamas with them no matter how you look!
Best website to find locations? Texas Bluebonnet Sightings
Hi there, just wanted to say, I loved this article.
It was helpful. Keep on posting!