Passport to Texas

This is Passport to Texas

If you’ve been in a holiday mood lately without an outlet for your good cheer, make the trip to Goliad State Park and Historic Site on December fourth and get jingly with it. That’s when everything there will be lit up, and activities will abound for those who are brimming with pre-holiday giddiness.

It has a real tradition with the mission there at Goliad—not just the historic site there, but it’s a recreational park as well. And they light up the place and they do a chorus singing traditional Christmas songs, and the director of the Beeville Chorus is coming over.

So, I think people will really enjoy—kicking off Christmas inside the old chapel. And, it’s just one of a kind with the restored Mission. And it makes for a very unique and a very special Christmas trip.

Thanks Bryan.

Find more information about this and other holiday events at state parks and historic sites when you log onto texasstateparks.org.

That’s our show for today, thank you for joining us…For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

You can witness some amazing autumn scenery at Lost Maples State Natural Area when the Big Tooth Maples get busy.

06—Autumn’s a good time to come to Lost Maples cuz of the Fall foliage and brilliant colors we have here.

Park Superintendent, John Stuart, says it’s going to be a colorful year due to lots of cool nights and sunny days. The leaves of these maples may be charmed into changing because of the weather, but the real magic…that happens inside these chlorophyll factories.

33—Most of the year, when the leaves are green, you have a lot of chlorophyll in the plant; and that’s what actually feeds the tree and keeps it growing. And if the water supply is cut off and cold weather comes around, then the chlorophyll breaks down and leaves the other pigments remaining. On cloudy warm days, starches form tannins and they make it brown. And If it’s cold and sunny, then the sugars come to bear on the leaf, and they form with the proteins and it makes the beautiful colors we enjoy when we come out here.

It’s not just the colors that are special. They call the trees Big Tooth Maples because their leaves have deep cuts or ridges in them; and you don’t find them many other places.

11—The Ice Age wiped out most of the Big Tooth Maples across the continent. These are just surviving pockets. So they’re lost simply because what are they doing out there by their selves.

That’s our show… For Texas Parks and Wildlife…I’m Cecilia Nasti.
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Check out the Foliage Color Change Report at Lost Maples State Natural Area.

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This is Passport to Texas

How annoying is it to snap a once in a lifetime wildlife photo, only to discover it’s blurry? Our state park guide Bryan Frazier helps clear up this issue.

53—It seems like we always overestimate our ability to shoot without a tripod. And what’s funny is, even when we get excited when big deer comes into view, our heart tends to race and our breathing picks up—that’s enough to blur the image. So, when you can, use a tripod or a monopod—sometimes even both—if you have a big lens, you’ll want a tripod for your camera and a monopod for your lens. Or even things like a vehicle. If it’s parked on the side of the road, that can help stabilize your shot, by resting the lens on it. Wildlife a lot of times aren’t conditioned to look for vehicles. They won’t run. So, whether you’re leaning on a vehicle to take the shot across the hood of your car, or if you’re inside a parked vehicle looking out the window, you want to turn the engine off. Just the vibration can do that [blur the photo] but, just something to rest the lens on that will stabilize that will really make a difference. You’ll start seeing better photographs.

Thanks Bryan.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet…building dependable, reliable trucks for more than 90 years. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

The early bird not only gets the worm, but also the money shot…that is if the bird is also a photographer…and understands that morning and evening light are best for picture-taking. Our state park guide Bryan Frazier offers some tips for clicking the light fantastic.

49—For outdoor photography, the best advice I ever heard is, shoot light first, and whatever it falls on. People get caught up in an object or a tree or a landscape or a landscape, or wildlife there in the photo, and that’s great, but if there’s not good light on it—it’s a bad photograph no matter how you look at it. Morning and evening are traditionally known as the best lighting times, and they are without question. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get a great photograph in the middle of the day. If you’re able to set that up—use things like a lens hood that will help shape what you’re doing with your light source. As long as you’re able to have an identifiable light source, you can usually get a pretty good shot. So, change the way you approach your photos; look for light first, especially if you’re able to set up a shot in advance. Look for that good lighting source, and then whatever happens to come into view, it will be that much of a better photograph.

Thanks Bryan.

Share your wildlife photographs on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/texasparksandwildlife

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet…building dependable, reliable trucks for more than 90 years. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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This is Passport to Texas

The digital revolution has made it easier than ever for nature and wildlife photographers, no matter what their skill level, to take great photographs. Something the cameras cannot provide, however, is a place to take those pictures. Our state park guide, Bryan Frazier, says that’s where Texas Parks and Wildlife can help the beginning or seasoned shutterbug.

36—One of the reasons that state parks are popular places for outdoor photographer—be that for landscapes or for wildlife—is because we have places that are accessible with viewing blinds set up where you can be unobtrusive to the wildlife, but get really close for a great photograph. So, remember that when you’re shaping your photos where you set up. If it’s wildlife viewing blinds at parks, or even on your own ranch near a source of water—or near a feeder—you want to predict the shot as much as you can. That way the guesswork is limited, and you’re able to zoom in on an area and get that great shot you’ve been looking for.

Thanks Bryan.

Share your wildlife photographs on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/texasparksandwildlife.

That’s our show for today…with funding provided by Chevrolet…building dependable, reliable trucks for more than 90 years. For Texas Parks and Wildlife, I’m Cecilia Nasti.

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