Ennis Bluebonnets 2017: FM 1181

After a pair of breathtaking sunrise shoots in Ennis, I couldn't really be blamed for packing up my photo gear and heading back home. But that second field of Bluebonnets and Indian Paintbrush was just too massive and too vibrant to leave so soon. Thin clouds were also keeping the scene from washing out much. Thus, the only reasonable choice was to stay and keep shooting.

Oh, well. :D

Everything about this field worked together perfectly -- the wildflowers, the trees, the clouds, the light, even the hay bales.

Actually, the hay bales do more than just complement the other elements.  They provide a little bit of context and scale that I think makes the composition better than it would be without them.

There were opportunities for both the Bluebonnets and the Indian Paintbrush to be the star of the shot, depending on exactly where I stood.

I seemed to have caught the perfect moment where the flowers are tall and vibrant and the grasses haven't overtaken them yet.

The field stretched on and on.  I'd conservatively estimate it was at least a quarter of a mile from the road to the fence and trees at the back.

I searched to see if one of the flowers were thick enough around one of the hay bales to really get up close to the bale while still letting the flowers dominate.  And I found just the spot.

Seriously, it seemed like I could just set my tripod down anywhere and capture a stunning scene.  This must be what fishing during a salmon spawning run is like.

Eventually, my senses just got numb and I couldn't properly process and evaluate the visual options any more.  But I couldn't possibly leave this gorgeous place yet, either.  So it was time for a change of perspective.  Next up: the telephoto lens!