Not as elegant as the usual Spring blooms such as the Cherry blossoms or Daffodils, Bluebonnet has its own charms by its own rights being a wild flower. Coated with a bright purplish-blue color with petals that resemble the bonnets worn by pioneer women, it signifies bravery and sacrifice. Only grown in Texas, Bluebonnet is considered the state flower.
Every year in Texas, millions of Bluebonnets bloom after warm weather, just at the cusp of Spring. It typically blooms toward mid or late March and continues through mid-to-late April, and lasts about 6 weeks. Burnet is named “the capital of Bluebonnet”. However, the fields of Bluebonnets can be found in many cities in central and south Texas, such as Austin, Brenham, Ennis, San Antonio, LaGrange, and Washington County, to name a few. The area around Lake Somerville is also ideal for a weekend camping trip, where you can admire the wildflowers in addition to doing activities like fishing or boating.
Laced within the fields of Bluebonnets are other wildflowers such as the red Indian Paintbrush, the Pink Evening Primrose, or the yellow Firewheel, creating a beautiful and colorful scenery that welcomes the Spring season. For Texas wildflower and Bluebonnet tracker and sighting reports, please follow the Instagram of Texas Wildflower. The website of photographer Gary Regner typically lists the sighting locations of Bluebonnet during the months of March and April. However, from personal experience, it is best to drive around the aforementioned cities near the Texas Hill Country. Don’t hesitate to take a turn onto a secluded country road; you may be surprised with a field of Bluebonnets or other wildflowers just for yourself! The reported sighting locations are often overcrowded and therefore, it would be difficult to photograph the true beauty that nature intended.
Note: If you find a fenced field, please do not consider climbing inside. You could be fined for trespassing.
If you do not want to spend time wandering aimlessly around the country roads, then Ennis Bluebonnet Trails is your safe bet. Stretched along about 40 miles, the trail maps the routes for viewing natural local wildflowers. This year, it is open from April 1 through 30. The Ennis Bluebonnet Trails Festival is held from April 14-16 of this year. Besides showcasing 40 miles of mapped driving Bluebonnet Trails, the festival also offers live music concerts, arts & crafts market and many games for kids. It is predicted the Bluebonnet will peak between April 8 through 18. Please visit the website of Ennis Bluebonnet Trails & Festival for more details.
Like an annual event, the Texas Bluebonnet beckons thousands of people to the countryside to view its springtime flower show. The fields of these petite wildflowers attract attention of landscape photographers and portrait photographers alike. Timing is everything – for best results, try to visit the Bluebonnet field just after sunrise or just before sunset. Midday sun is harsh and can create unflattering shadows and squinty faces. A cloudy day works best since it creates nice soft, even light.
What to wear for a photoshoot with the Bluebonnet? It is advised to choose Spring outfits with solid colors to avoid clashing with the background. For ladies, a Spring flowy dress in solid white or yellow works best to bring out the colors of flowers. The basic rule of thumb is to choose colors that are opposite sides of the color wheel, since this combination provides a high contrast and high impact color combination. If solid-color outfits are not available, then choose ones with very few and simple patterns. To elevate the look further, a floppy or straw hat, even a cowboy hat, can add a nice accent. For little girls, princess dresses; and for little boys, overall-style outfits would suit the occasion. Men rarely take photos at the flower fields, except for family photos – simple yet classy outfits such as a polo t-shirt or a button-down shirt paired with slacks or jeans are ideal. These details seem to be very minor; however, they play an important factor in creating an ideal portrait that could only be captured once a year.
If lucky, you’ll be able to come across an estate with a white fence that is very typical of the countryside. If the owner is home, you may be lucky enough to be offered inside or near the fence. Otherwise, you can pose a little further away like this, and still being able to use the fence as a nice backdrop.
Every flower has its own beauty. Some are colorful, and others are small. Whatever the size or color of a flower is, it always carries the same beauty and uniqueness. If you’re a local, or visiting Texas, do not miss the chance to visit one of the colorful Bluebonnet fields.
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