Photo Safari

I finally got bored enough to load my equipment and the dog into my truck and venture into the great outdoors of Central Texas. Recent rains gave the wildflowers a needed boost. Snap-happy shutter bugs litter the roads with parked cars and tripods. I jumped right amongst them.

My first stop was a place I had spotted previously, bluebonnets blooming in a seldom used railroad bed. Too Late! They had peaked and faded. I then drove along Park Road 4. One dealer incentive for buying our new RV was an annual pass to Texas State Parks. I decided to stop by Inks Lake State Park to activate my pass. And, while there, take a few pictures.

Deer in a park are boring. I tried to add interest in this photo by inserting an element of intrigue. The foliage slightly conceals the deer, making it seem that it is being stalked. Still boring but I'm trying. :-)

I cruised the park several times, stopped to let Oscar, my dog, relieve himself, and sat for sometime at a picnic area just enjoying the day. It was on my third or fourth pass that I spotted this deer bedded under a mesquite bush. I probably would have missed it again except for the movement of her head. A viewer might be convinced that it was taken in the wild. Still, not something that would grab anyone's attention. A very disappointing safari to this point.

I left the park and headed for another photogenic spot; a lighthouse on Lake Buchanan, right on Highway 29, and a spot where I suspected wildflowers were abundant. On the way, I noticed this patch of bluebonnets interspersed with indian blanket. Interesting. And the shadows are getting softer as the sun drops. I pulled over and let Oscar take a break. There was a breeze moving the flowers but nothing a fast shutter speed could not stop. I took this and several others but wasn't feeling excited about any of them. We piled back into the truck and drove on to the lake.

It must have been 6:30 or so? The light was nice and there was a lot of vegetation and terrain features as foreground for another lighthouse picture. I startled a deer bedded down in the growth to the right of this photo. She jumped into the open, snorted loudly, and bounded toward the lake. That and this scene stirred a little excitement. Though not great, this is my best image of the safari. The lighthouse isn't the subject. It's more about the foreground than the lighthouse. When I add tags to my images, the lighthouse would probably not get mentioned?

So, the safari wasn't a total bust. I got my park pass activated. :-) I have printed road maps for several trips. Oscar and I will be on the road again, soon. Unfortunately, today is a day of honeydos. Jane is working in the yard already and needs help. There'll be other days; better days I hope.

l8r