I just rewatched Peter Jackson’s trilogies on the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, some 17 hours worth. Talk about going ever on. I’ve watched the movies four times. Peggy is a great fan. Me? Not so much. Long before the movies were produced, I read the Hobbit and then went on to read the Lord of the Rings. Also four times. I prefer Tolkien’s version over Jackson’s reinterpretation. The latter is less whimsical, more dark, and more tragic. Part of it is the medium. It’s one thing to read about the tribulations of Frodo. It’s something else to see them rendered graphically on the screen. But there is more. Dark parts are added to the movie, while lighter part are left out. For example, I’ve never forgiven Jackson for leaving out Tom Bombadil and Goldberry, two fun, fascinating characters, at the beginning of the Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring.

This post isn’t about the books or the movies, although it is about roads. I am going to kick off my first post on Big Bend NP with road shots. Also, I will note in passing, that I used the time we were watching the movies to pick out and process some 725 photos that Peggy and I took of the Park— and that I decided are blog worthy. You will see around a tenth of them is these posts!

I’m going to skip commentary on the road photos. The next two posts after this will feature many of the same areas, plus more. There will be plenty to comment on.

Shooting photos while driving down the road requires a different approach than shooting while still. The photographer is taking ‘snap shots’ in the truest sense of the word. There isn’t time to look for the best photo or consider factors like angles, shadows, sun, and content. Using a telephoto is much more difficult. The camera has to be ready, maybe even turned on. You spot something of interest, raise your camera, and shoot. Bang, bang, bang. Or the photo op has passed by. Note: When Peggy drives, I’m the photographer and vice-versa. Driving and taking photos at the same time fits the category of ‘very bad idea!’ Also, make sure your windshield is clean. Bug guts can ruin the best of pictures! Grin.

So, without further ado, these are some of the photos Peggy and I caught. While there is no requirement to include the road in a road shot, I have done so for the purpose of this post. You might note the lack of traffic. Big Bend is a long ways from major roads and cities! Enjoy.