Brazos Bend State Park

My wife Jennie and I went back to Brazos Bend State Park this morning. It is one of my most favorite places to take photographs. Wildlife abounds and the scenery is spectacular. Today as we were driving back to our usual parking place we cam upon a group of deer. There were 3 fawns together at first and then a little further was the rest of their family. Total there were about a dozen. I shot this one through the window of my truck. Do you think I should have rotated the image to straighten that hilltop in the background? The deer's eyes are horizontal in the frame already and I did not think rotating was needed.

The gator came up the bank to cross over the trail and go into the water on the other side. He really gave Jennie quite a shock. It's the biggest one I have seen there so far and he was magnificent. Unfortunately, as you can see, I was unable to get him all into the frame. You can see he is wearing a water hyacinth on his head from when he came up out of the water.

The last image is just an experiment I did using the HDR merge in Photoshop. There are a lot of great opportunities out there for some wonderful landscapes and I wanted to start trying to capture some of them. I like the results in this particular one but remember I am new and don't really know what is good or bad I hope you enjoy these and they at least are of enough substance to not just be considered snapshots. OK maybe the gator shot is a snapshot but I thought some of you might find it interesting.
James Newman

James,

The gator picture is outstanding. I think it is one you should value. I'd print it.

Asher

Beautiful deer. That gator is striking! Based on the exif, you were quite close. I guess its okay because it looks like he just had supper....

Thank you Asher and Edward. Brazos Bend is a wonderful place for nature photography. I believe I read that they have over 300 alligators that are over 10 feet in length in the park. I'm not quite sure how they know that but from what I have seen, I have to believe them. This bad boy was every bit of that and more. Since I have started going out to the park I have seen some pretty silly (read that as stupid) people when it comes to these gators. I believe I was about 20 feet away from this guy. I'm actually more concerned with the smaller ones than the great big ones because they are younger and faster and maybe not as atuned to the ways of people so you never know what they might do. They have a "15 feet rule" that they tell people to follow when dealing with the gators. Don't get too close, don't harrass them, don't feed them, etc. I play by the rules but there have been times when they were so plentiful and just lying about on the trails that in order to get by without disturbing them, I have had to venture closer than was comfortable. I am always very careful but those silly people I was talking about do some pretty stupid things sometimes. I have seen on a number of occasions whole families including children from 6 to 10 years old, riding their bicycles down these paths, totally oblivious of a big gator that may be just inches off of the trail laying in the tall grass. It really makes me nervous. Now what is really exciting is going there when it's still dark. I have the ability to get into the park early before it opens, legally of course, and when it is pitch black out there and you can hear things rustling in the brush and hear the big bulls roaring and growling nearby, it makes for a very exciting time. I love it. Here's one more that I like because I was able to get down on his eye level to get the shot. This one I was about 20 feet away as well.

James Newman said:

Here's one more that I like because I was able to get down on his eye level to get the shot. This one I was about 20 feet away as well.

Click to expand...

I like it, it raises questions and provides clues.

Bart

Hi James

I love these shots especially the deer and the lake, and the last alligator is fantastic! You have really caught him looking very menacing, he's looking at me with those scary eyes, I can almost hear him rumbling!! well done you.... ( I like your flower shots too)