Passport to Texas

Assisting a child put up a tent

State Parks: Outdoor Safety Tips Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It’s spring and folks are heading to state parks for outdoor fun. Our State Park Guide, Bryan Frazier, has tips to keep your family safe and comfy while outdoors.

58—A modest amount of common sense can really make that trip safe, enjoyable, and memorable so you’ll want to come back and do it again and again. Wear sunscreen, even in early spring; that old Texas sun can get pretty strong. Take extra precaution if you’re going to be around water. The warmer weather brings out all sorts of water critters like amphibians, snakes and turtles – and we want to take photos of them and observe them, but we don’t want to get too close. If you’re going to do paddling sports, check the water levels before you go. We’ve had drought in lots of areas. Check for burn bans before you go on your trip; a lot of people want that campfire experience, so check those burn bans. Spring is a great time for fishing, but make sure you take life jackets. There has to be a life jacket in a watercraft for everyone in the boat; children always have to wear theirs when they’re out on the water. So, keep these things in mind, and get outside and enjoy what spring is like in Texas.

Thanks, Bryan.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

TPWD State park Website

State Parks: Know Before You Go Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Begin your state park adventure before you set foot out the door. Our State park Guide, Bryan Frazier, tells you how.

60—The state parks website and electronic media can really serve a purpose and help folks out – not just in providing information on the website. You can make your reservation in advance online. You can sign up for e-newsletters that will give you information about that. You can visit individual state park pages online that have all sorts of information from programs to activities to events. And those things are updated frequently; and we’ve put some new content on there recently with better maps, interactive features… And there’s also the social media component. On Facebook you can see the photos, get updates on events. Our Twitter account: you can specialize whatever you want to receive; everything from bass fishing to state parks. Our Instagram account where you can view photos of state parks and also post your own. You can go to YouTube and see the videos that are helpful and informative. It really is something that can save you time in the long run, and you can start your journey even before you take your journey.

Thanks, Bryan.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Nature Photography in Texas © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

TPWD Photography Contest, 2 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Grab your camera or your camera phone and get to a state park. Texas State Parks Outdoor Activity of the month for March is photography and nature viewing.

03 – Go to the closest state park and take lots of photos

Chase Fountain is a professional photographer working for Texas Parks and Wildlife. Now through April 30, when you upload your Texas State Park photos to our Flickr photo sharing account, you’re entered into a contest.

24–[For first place] the nice folks at Whole Earth provision Company provided us with a Go Pro camera, which does high definition video; it’s also an 11 mega pixel camera. It has a lot of different attachments where you can put it on your helmet, on your bike on your canoe; it’s completely waterproof up to 197
feet. Second prize is going to be a weekend camping excursion at a state park of your choice; and third place is the Texas Outdoor Family workshop for six.

Chase is one of the contest judges.

20 –The winner is going to be based on composition creativity and overall impression. I want real good family oriented type shots – the more the better. You don’t have to be a professional photographer to come up with great shots. Some of the better shots are from a mom and her kids out in the park, and they just take a great shot. I’m always amazed. And I’m the first one to say: that’s a great shot.

Go to www.texasstateparks.org/photography for complete details.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Nature Viewing and Photography © Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

TPWD Photography Contest, 1 Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It’s not unusual to see people snapping photos in state parks. The beautiful scenery makes it nearly impossible to take a bad photograph.

04 – It’s just waiting for the right time of the day to take the right shot; a lot of its just luck.

Chase Fountain is a professional photographer working for Texas Parks and Wildlife. Every month the agency highlights state park outdoor activity of the month.

07 –And for March it’s photography and nature viewing. Grab your kids, grab your camera – go to the closest state park –and take lots of photos.

Through April 30th, enter your state park pictures in the Texas State Parks photo contest. Anything goes.

21 – Just everyday activities that you experience at a park; if it’s your kid and they catch a fish for the very first time and their eyes are wide open and they’re very excited get that shot. Share that moment. If you’re taking a nice walk, and you get lucky enough to come up on some wildlife, take that picture. If it’s a beautiful sunset? Absolutely — take that picture. You don’t have to have expensive cameras; your phone is just fine. They take wonderful pictures these days.

Prizes will be awarded for first, second and third place.

Go to www.texasstateparks.org/photography for complete details. We’ll have more on the contest tomorrow.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

Photographing Texas Wildlife in State Parks

State Parks: Photography and Wildlife Viewing Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Make your wildlife viewing trip to a state park “picture perfect’ when you bring along a camera. Our State Park Guide, Bryan Frazier, offers tips on taking great shots.

60—If you’re a beginner, in particular, get a versatile lens – something that has some zoom capabilities, but also has some wide angle capabilities. If you’ve got one or two lenses that have some versatility it will save you on fatigue, and also keep you in the game where you can make some adjustments on the fly. Another one I like to tell people is to use a tripod or a monopod. And a lot of times these will double as a hiking stick. So using something as a stabilizer, like a monopod, will make a difference. The other thing – don’t ignore landscape shots. Sometimes the wildlife just doesn’t cooperate. So when you’re out in nature, look for the unique scenery. Look for the wildflowers; look for the colorful skies that can sometimes save a trip from a photography standpoint even if the wildlife doesn’t cooperate. Get kids involved in it – cameras these days are easy to use. You’ll want to take some extra batteries and extra memory cards. But, it’s a great way to engage the whole family in a memorable outdoor experience.

Thanks, Bryan.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet, supporting outdoor recreation in Texas; because there’s life to be done.

For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.