We adventured from Plano Texas to do night sky photography in Big Bend . . . what a photo adventure.
My second trip to Big Bend National park and it was such a fun GIRLS trip weekend with two gal photo friends from way back.
We had an amazing campsite high in the mountains of Big Bend At Chisos Basin. This is our campsite sits at 5,400 feet elevation in a open woodland in a scenic mountain basin, behind us is Casa Grande on the left, and Emory Peak on the right. Our camps were very comfortable – cots with cushions are amazing! The shade shelter over the picnic table and gigantic bear bin for all our food was so helpful in the heat, and the mama bear and possible mountain lions looming about.
Do you see that cloud behind us? Agh, it is not a cloud, it is smoke from a fire that started on the day we left Dallas to get to Big Bend. More on this later!
Our 1st night we watched the sunset at The Window. We tried to find all the Dallas photographer friends who were meeting us at Big Bend – finally late in the evening we found a few.
This little trees spoke to me as the sunset behind it while we girls waited to find other night shooters;
Below is Casa Grande and the night sky right from our campground. It was a difficult shot wit multiple cars driving along the road, so a bit of a test shot.
With our new found friends we trekked over to Sotol Vista to watch the milky way rise. The orange glow is the fire that popped up on the day we left Dallas to arrive in Big Bend. THIS is probably my best milky way image in as far as I shot for light and dark images and stacked them – my first time stacking! It’s also the darkest of dark at Big Bend.
After 4 hours of sleep, we were a bit stuck due to road construction getting to our campground, we decided to do a little hike to along the Windows Trail. It was 3 miles down, and 3 miles back. It was a trek. Here is Emmie, Casa Grande and the fire. Next you’d see the stairs carved into the rock along the end of the trail, and end I mean END.
Me! 
All that hiking to get to this final spot – The Window!
The beautiful morning sunrise as we drove from Lajitas on our way back to Plano, Texas. I was tempted to remove the telephone lines, but noticed there is a wee sign saying BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, right next to the telephone pole. Can you see it? This was the best morning sky of the whole weekend.
Eliz Alex Photography specializes in children and family sessions in the Dallas, Texas area including Plano, Texas; Allen Texas; Frisco, Texas, McKinney Texas. Please message to schedule your family’s photographic adventure with me!
Little people call her Camera Girl. Elizabeth’s middle people, two boys, call her Mommy. She calls on her Canon, enthusiasm for the outdoors, creativity as a former toy maker, excitement for discovery, and addiction to Starbucks coffee to guide the littles, middles, and their families on photographic adventures. Elizabeth’s love of nature and volunteer work at a local conservancy keep her connected to the land, and always seeking new settings where she can capture the natural light, the beauty of the local fauna, and the candid and the magical moments of the families she guides.
