Big Bend National Park is one of my favorite places on the planet. That was a big surprise to me since I prefer mountains, pine scented air, trout streams and high mountain lakes. Deserts are not my thing. But I fell in love with Big Bend on my first visit.

Ocotillo blooms flame red in mid to late April. The flowers bloom at the top of the long gray stalks.

The flower looked too contrasty to me. The sun was coming from the left and I knew the right side of the flower would disappear on film in inky black shadows. I went to my car, grabbed a road map and used the map as a reflector to bounce sunlight back into the right side of the flower.

This is one of my first place favorite images for this date.

Boquillas Canyon is one of my favorite sunset locations. Sandstone cliffs rise 1,500 feet from the Rio Grande River and you get dramatic shadows at sunset. This is my other first place favorite photos for this date.

Big Bend is a great photo location. Fall, winter and spring are the best seasons. It is beastly hot in the summer.

Links

Series: Favorite Photos by Date – all about this series

Photography in Big Bend National Park

The National Park Series: Where to Go and When

Big Bend National Park – the NPS web site