Dallas Blooms at the Dallas Arboretum - March 22

[t00mies]

I got a chance to go to the Dallas Arboretum for a couple hours today and got to try out my new 300 f/4L IS on the flowers.

It was packed -- there was no parking at the main parking lot, we got bused in from a remote parking lot to the west of White Rock Lake, but the parking out there was free.

There are thousands of flowers, and maybe just as many cameras there too; I need to go back again when its not so crowded, maybe next weekend.

For those interested, more pics at my picasa site -- http://picasaweb.google.com/t00mies/2008DallasBlooms

[matwey]

looks like Spring in the air ...nice shots

[ttusa]

WOW look at all those tulips!!

[texasguy3]

GREAT shots!!! I went the first weekend it opened (3-8) and it was too early, I think. Now I definitely need to head back over to Big D :-)

Michael
http://picasaweb.google.com/texasguy3

[Blue Leaf]

Great shots! It's just gorgeous out there right now.

I was out there on 3/15 and made sure I got there early but I slept in until 9ish (oops) so I didn't arrive until 10. It wasn't too crowded but when I left around 1:30 people were flooding in. I'm not a fan of crowds when I'm shooting (unless it's other photogs who are in their own world like me) and had several people attempt conversations in the middle of a shot which began to get distracting.

Plus, when I was getting shots of the buildings people were aimlessly walking into the shot and just starring at me and my camera (lol). I know they have a right to be there and I was very patient and just waited for them to mosey on. I even had a culprit pass me after spending a good 5 minutes in front of my camera as I was kneeling on the ground for a shot of the building and ask "Are you waiting for a flower to bloom?" and I responded "No, I'm waiting for people to move."

I guess this is all the price you pay to be in such a beautiful (and popular) public place. Patience is a virture, right? I'd like to hit it up during the week if I can get time off cause I bet the flowers are even more amazing now.

Here are a few of the shots I made:
http://www.texasphotoforum.com/forum...ad.php?t=70234

[texasguy3]

Great shots, Jared!!!

I wanted to get there pretty early too, but a little more difficult for me since I live in FW. I may have to just get a hotel room and spend all weekend shooting around Big D!

I went to Lakeside Park this weekend and it was beautiful out there and not too crowded for a Saturday afternoon. It's no Dallas Arboretum, but well worth going there for some great shots.

Michael
http://picasaweb.google.com/texasguy3

[Rson]

I went last week and I was saddened to see the people trample the flowers in effort to get their kids in the flowers. The disrespect was appalling of some people.

Other than that the scenery was incredible and well worth the admission.

My baby loved the scenery and my neice loved the grass on her feet

[Blue Leaf]

Originally Posted by Rson

I went last week and I was saddened to see the people trample the flowers in effort to get their kids in the flowers. The disrespect was appalling of some people.

Other than that the scenery was incredible and well worth the admission.

My baby loved the scenery and my neice loved the grass on her feet

Very cute photo's Rich and thanks for the comments Michael!

I noticed a lot of trampling as well and was shocked people's utter disregard for those around them since basically everyone was there for the same reasons (picnic and family photo's). Parent's were just letting their kids run through the tulips and I couldn't help but just shake my head in disbelief. Like you said, parents were also purposely setting their children IN the flowers for photo's and then parents would step in the flower beds themselves for better angles. Have some respect, jeez.

[t00mies]

very nice photos blue leaf; next time, i need to take some wider angle shots.

rson, that second pic of your neice (?) is really cool; is that shot part of the "overpowering sunlight" technique?


i also did see some people trampling into the flowerbeds to pose for shots... i don't know if there are any park employees or watchers around to tell people not to do it.


t

[digitalpixels]

The trick is to get there early. They open at 9, so I go to bed early, and drive over there about 8:30 (I don't live too far away from the Arboretum).

I've only gone twice this year (which is a record low for me), and going early helps. The light is better, and you don't have all the crowds and annoying families who mess up the displays. I was there for about an hour and half starting at 9, and there was a line going in when I left. This was on a Thursday morning.

[Rson]

Originally Posted by t00mies

very nice photos blue leaf; next time, i need to take some wider angle shots.

rson, that second pic of your neice (?) is really cool; is that shot part of the "overpowering sunlight" technique?


i also did see some people trampling into the flowerbeds to pose for shots... i don't know if there are any park employees or watchers around to tell people not to do it.


t

That is her...The shot was pretty much straight from the camera. She had a blast in her knickers and TUTU.

[t00mies]

hi rson --


was a flash used in the first pic (the pic with the sun in the background)? i would have expected that either she would be underexposed and the sky exposed correctly, or that the she would be exposed correctly and the sky blown to white, but not both in your picture.

very nice!


t

[Blue Leaf]

I got my slides back today and this is probably the better unique shot of the 3 rolls that's different than the D50 shots. This was taken with a N80 and Fuji Velvia 50.

[Rson]

Originally Posted by t00mies

hi rson --


was a flash used in the first pic (the pic with the sun in the background)? i would have expected that either she would be underexposed and the sky exposed correctly, or that the she would be exposed correctly and the sky blown to white, but not both in your picture.

very nice!


t

Thanks, it was takes with my D300, 18-200 VR lens, and SB600 Flash. I had full metering on and ISO set for Auto (kind of a throw poop to the wall and see what sticks). I ended up with some really nice shots and grass stains all over me.

She was running around and around me while I was laying in the grass.