2012 Texas Hill Country Bluebonnet Sightings & Wildflower updates + Photo Tips!

UPDATE March 29, 2012

Bluebonnets are starting to peak and NOW IS THE TIME TO GO SIGHTSEEING if you haven’t already!  This weekend and the next week or so should be great for photo ops and viewing.

Stonewall Texas @ LBJ Park. Bluebonnets, yellow splashes of color at the old log cabins.

Highway 290 between Stonewall & Fredericksburg has spotty patches of mixed colors and many new wine tasting rooms!

Highway 16N – North of Fredericksburg to Llano

Willow City Loop off of Highway 16 (stop at the Knot in the Loop Bar for a Burger or Beer and tell Robin or Wayne that I sent you).  Great colors.  Weekends will probably be busy on the popular Loop!

Llano area and a the small Llano airport – great field of colors!
MASON County and around Mason – Great colors!

UPDATE March 23, 2012

Fredericksburg + Willow City Loop + Llano + Mason Texas area:  its looking great this year and our area should be peaking within the next several days  …  around April 1st …  which is earlier than normal.

Farther south in Washington County + Brenham area – looking great this year and is peaking now

March 8, 2012:
With the good amount of rain that we’ve had this winter (and are still getting) the Texas Hill Country Wildflowers are begining to bloom – but are still in the earliest of stages!

West of Fredericksburg, in the Harper area, patches of yellow floral colors are dotting the pastures and highways.  Trees are blooming.  Its looking like spring!

By later this March, we should be having a great bluebonnet and wildflower crop!

Will this year be as good as 2010?
So far, it looks like 2012 should be really good, if not, excellent year!

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Kathy’s Wildflower Photography Tips:

– If its sunny or partly cloudy, get up before dawn and be on-location at sunrise or plan for a sunset shoot and scout locations during the mid-day.
– Fabulous sunset/sunrise colors can occur after a coldfront goes through, or a thunderstorm.   Safety first… but try taking photos around storms for added drama in the sky.  Watch the weather!
– Overcast days produce a very soft light, all-day long, which work great for macro closeups, or wildflower clusters around granite rock lined creeks, or small waterfalls … just crop out the boring grey sky.
– Know how to manipulate the light in your favor… with light modifiers such as reflectors, constant (video) light, or hotshoe flash (off camera).  I never shoot with the flash on the camera.
– For wide angle landscapes …  USE A QUALITY TRIPOD, and shoot with a larger depth of field such as F22, so most of the image will be in focus.
– Take multiple exposures (bracketing).
– Have patience!  Wait for the breeze to calm down or the crowds to clear.
– Please remember that most of the Texas Hill Country property is privately owned.  Never cross fences without permission.  Respect the landowner’s and respect Texas!

If you have any Hill Country Wildflower sightings, feel free to comment below!