It’s a time-honored tradition in Texas to dress up the little ones and take them to be photographed next to one our most beloved icons. The annual photo goes on the mantel, a perfect token of family memorabilia to chart the child’s growth from a little dumpling baby to a wide-eyed adolescent. I’m not talking about Santa or the Easter Bunny, of course. Down here, it’s all about the Texas Bluebonnet photo!
My husband and I both have fond memories of our Moms forcing us to pull over on a weekend highway drive for pictures in the bluebonnets. I might have been wearing my YMCA soccer jersey and attempting to smile while I 
worried about the family car, abandoned on the side of 35S with the hazards blinking while semis zoomed by at 80 MPH.
The tradition of the bluebonnet photos live on, and, with the help of this guide, may now even be a positive and safe experience for everyone in the family.
Thanks to our contributor network and social media, you can know where you’re headed before the car is loaded with our pre-scouted fields ready for your Kodak – er – iPhone moment!
2016 Favorite Bluebonnet Spots
Dallas – Parish Episcopal School at Midway and Sigma Road
Dallas – west side of White Rock Lake around Lawther Drive
Garland – Homer B Johnson Stadium, 1209 E Centerville Road
Plano – JCPenny Headquarters, 6501 Legacy Drive
Sunnyvale – Samuel North Park, 218 E Tripp Road
Arlington – corner of N Cooper Street and W Cedar Street, near University of Texas at Arlington
Rowlett – corner of Centerville Road and N Country Club Road
Coppell – Richard J Lee Elementary, 8808 Chaparral Waters Way
Richardson – corner of Research and Shiloh Drive
Irving – Las Colinas Blvd from Hwy 161 to Northwest Hwy
Irving – Highway 114 Westbound before Cistercian Road (near the University of Dallas DART station)
Irving – North Lake College
Bluebonnet Photo Tips
Wear closed toe shoes! I love preppy white sandals as much as the next Dallas mom, but these fields are wild and beautiful. Cowboy boots fit the theme and protect from thorns and chiggers. Overalls or long pants are a great idea for these reasons too!
Bring something to sit on. The Bluebonnet squat is not an unknown pose to any Texan, but your subject will be more comfortable on a blanket, little chair or wagon you brought from home.
Angle your shot. We took our photos this year in a flat field off the side of the road. Shooting straight on, I caught strip malls and traffic each time but shooting from a little above my daughter you would think we were deep in the hill country!
The flowers are wild and kids should be too. I got more smiles and animated pictures this year setting the toddler loose and letting her explore and enjoy the scenery. The only pouts I got were when I begged her to sit down or sit still.
We love Bluebonnets because they represent the untamed beauty of Texas – so if your pictures are of your babies in motion you will probably enjoy them for many years to come!
Have you seen a good Bluebonnet patch? Help us out with a comment below!
